Domestic abuse can lead to mental health decline, depression, and suicidal ideations and attempts, and recognizing the early signs of an abusive relationship can help survivors recover from the trauma.
Health + Wellness
Find stories and resources by some of the state’s top Black physicians that aim to address current disparities in prevention and treatment within our communities.
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MNsure Reports New Record for Early Sign-Ups — More Time to Enroll for 2025 Health Insurance
MNsure has enrolled over 150,000 Minnesotans in health insurance plans for 2025, with many of them qualifying for financial assistance, resulting in an average savings of $561 per month.
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What Black Folks Say About Weight Loss Meds and the Holidays
Branneisha Cooper, who was prescribed Mounjaro for her diabetes, has struggled to get refills, but has seen significant weight loss and improved health since starting the medication.
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Britt Howell: A Passion for Health, Sustainability, and Empowering Communities
Britt Howell, a West Indian Native American, founded the BF50 Indigenous Health Initiative to promote healthy living through plant-based cooking, sustainability, and cultural arts, and is dedicated to breaking down silos between local governments, organizations, and the communities they serve.
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Rising infections tied to lower vaccination rates
The racial gap in vaccination rates in Hennepin County is attributed to historical mistrust of the health care system, post-pandemic fatigue, and misinformation, leading to an increase in measles and whooping cough cases.
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How to stay safe amid rising fentanyl crisis
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 100 times stronger than morphine, is causing a dangerous crisis in America, particularly in Hennepin County, where opioid-related deaths have increased by 14% in the African American community and 56% in the Hispanic community.
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Sister Spokesman takes on self-care around the holidays
Three nutrition and mental health experts will discuss eating smart for mind, body, and spirit during the holiday season at a panel on December 7, addressing the impact of overconsumption of fatty, processed foods, sweets, and alcohol on mental health.
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How opioid addiction starts and why it’s so hard to quit
Opioid addiction is a chronic, relapsing condition driven by changes in brain circuitry, and is not a “bad choice” or a moral failure, but rather a complex disease caused by genetic and environmental factors, as well as trauma and life experiences.
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Getting off the emotional roller coaster of opioid addiction
The opioid crisis has become a nationwide public health emergency, causing euphoric highs and emotional lows for users and their families, and seeking professional medical help, building a support network, getting drug therapy, seeking support, setting boundaries, and getting educated on addiction can help manage the emotional roller coaster.
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Opioid addiction and mental health
Opioid addiction and mental health disorders often occur together, with individuals struggling with mental health conditions using opioids to self-medicate and opioid use causing mental health struggles, and providers should consider a simultaneous treatment model to address the whole person.
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How to spot and respond to an opioid overdose
In 2022, Hennepin County saw its highest number of opioid-related deaths to date, with fentanyl being a major factor, and the county has a robust network of resources to prevent and treat opioid overdose.
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Opioid addiction: What you need to know
Opioid addiction is a public health epidemic that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in recent decades, with 377 Hennepin County residents dying from opioid-related deaths in 2022 alone.
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Black patients prescribed more opioids
The Minnesota Department of Health has launched the Office of African American Health to combat racial disparities in healthcare, including the disparities in pain management for Black patients.
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Health insurance helps keep you, your family and your community healthy
Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare provide comprehensive health coverage for individuals with low incomes, including immunizations, prescription medications, annual physicals, dental care, and emergency care, as well as transportation assistance and access to preventive care.
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As white ‘deaths of despair’ made news, Black ones skyrocketed
The rate of opioid deaths among Black people has nearly tripled since 2015, surpassing the rate among white people, and the gap has closed due to the increasing use of illegal drugs and alcohol-related deaths.
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From American Dream to addiction: Seeking hope as overdose deaths decline
The opioid crisis in the United States is still a major issue, with overdose deaths dropping by 10% in the 12 months ending in April 2024, but still remaining significantly worse than before the pandemic.
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Cracking down on medical debt collection
The CFPB and state governments are taking action to combat abusive medical debt collection practices, protecting over 100 million Americans from $220 billion in medical debt and shielding consumers from the detrimental effects of medical debt on economic opportunities.
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Polysubstance drug use a ‘fourth wave’ of opioid epidemic
The United States is experiencing a fourth wave of opioid epidemic, with a staggering increase in the combination of fentanyl and methamphetamine use, and a decrease in heroin and prescribed opioid use, leading to a rise in overdose deaths.
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Racial trauma: Why my family broke our silence
SIKESTON, MO. — I wasn’t sure if visiting a cotton field was a good idea. Almost everyone in my family was antsy when we pulled up to the sea of white. The cotton was beautiful but soggy. An autumn rain had drenched the dirt before we arrived, our shoes sinking into the ground with each […]
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Nitazenes are a powerful class of street drugs emerging nationwide
Nitazenes are a class of synthetic opioids that are more potent than morphine and fentanyl, and have been linked to over 200 drug-related overdose deaths in Europe and the U.S.