Lara Salahi

1 week ago | medscape.com | Lara Salahi

In a busy clinic in Jackson, Mississippi, a clinician performs a rapid syphilis test on a pregnant woman. Within 15 minutes, the results are in — she is infected — and treatment can begin immediately. This process, once uncommon, is becoming more widely adopted as healthcare providers reevaluate screening and treatment protocols to curb the nationwide surge in congenital syphilis. Cases of the condition have increased 10-fold between 2012 and 2022.

2 weeks ago | healthjournalism.org | Lara Salahi

Each day, headlines highlight large-scale drug raids, accompanied by photos of seized contraband and statements from law enforcement heralding the success of their efforts. However, a recent study published in the journal Public Health in Practice suggests that this coverage overwhelmingly neglects a crucial element: public health messaging. Only 1% of the 211 drug seizure-related articles analyzed included any mention of substance use disorder treatment or recovery resources, the study found.

1 month ago | healthjournalism.org | Lara Salahi

Health care segregation isn’t just a relic of the past. In 2025, patients of color and those insured through Medicaid often receive care at different outpatient clinics than their white, commercially insured counterparts. This segregation isn’t legally mandated — but it’s structurally ingrained, and it has real consequences for health outcomes, medical education, and systemic equity.

1 month ago | healthjournalism.org | Lara Salahi

Organ transplants hit a record high last year, but despite years of trying to level the playing field, getting a new organ is still a game of chance where your odds depend on the color of your skin, the size of your wallet and your zip code. A recent study published in JAMA Network Open serves up a stark reminder: If you’re Black, you’re less likely to even make it to a lung transplant evaluation compared to your white counterparts.

2 months ago | healthjournalism.org | Lara Salahi

While telehealth is expanding access to substance use disorder treatment in rural areas, a new study suggests that it’s failing to adequately serve Medicaid beneficiaries, as they are less likely than the privately insured to access substance use disorder treatment. For journalists covering rural health disparities, the Medicaid cliff and the promises (and pitfalls) of telehealth, these findings demand a closer look at who’s really benefiting from the telehealth boom, and why.