Patti Neighmond
Award-winning journalist Patti Neighmond is NPR's health policy correspondent. Her reports air regularly on NPR newsmagazines All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition.
Based in Los Angeles, Neighmond has covered health care policy since April 1987. She joined NPR's staff in 1981, covering local New York City news as well as the United Nations. In 1984, she became a producer for NPR's science unit and specialized in science and environmental issues.
Neighmond has earned a broad array of awards for her reporting. In 1993, she received the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award for coverage of health reform. That same year, she received the Robert F. Kennedy Award for a story on a young quadriplegic who convinced Georgia officials that she could live at home less expensively and more happily than in a nursing home. In 1990, Neighmond won the World Hunger Award for a story about healthcare and low-income children. She received two awards in 1989: a George Polk Award for her powerful ten-part series on AIDS patient Archie Harrison, who was taking the anti-viral drug AZT; and a Major Armstrong Award for her series on the Canadian health care system. The Population Institute, based in Washington, DC, has presented its radio documentary award to Neighmond twice: in 1988 for "Family Planning in India" and in 1984 for her coverage of overpopulation in Mexico. Her 1987 report "AIDS and Doctors" won the National Press Club Award for Consumer Journalism, and her two-part series on the aquaculture industry earned the 1986 American Association for the Advancement of Science Award.
Neighmond began her career in journalism in 1978, at the Pacifica Foundation's DC bureau, where she covered Capitol Hill and the White House. She began freelance reporting for NPR from New York City in 1980. Neighmond earned her bachelor's degree in English and drama from the University of Maryland, and now lives in Los Angeles.
-
Boys are entering puberty six months to two years earlier than they did in past studies. Caucasian boys tend to begin puberty, on average, at around 10 years old while African American boys tend to begin puberty at 9. -
New research suggests older adults may have less activity in the area of the brain that processes risk and subtle danger. Another possible reason older adults don't pick up on warning signs is an increasing bias against negativity. -
Researchers and companies are bringing movement back into the office with treadmill desks, walking meetings and games. Employees say it has helped them lose weight and be more productive. -
As acne bacteria develop resistance to antibiotic treatments, doctors turn to zit-fighting viruses. -
Low-glycemic foods that take awhile to digest may help keep weight off longer than other diets. The low-glycemic diet comes out on top in a new study that compared to the low-carb diet and the low fat diet. -
Researchers have found an association between sleep problems among older adults and dementia later in life. If diagnosed early, treatments like controlling stimuli before bed can help and possibly reduce the risk of cognitive decline. -
Calcium has been touted to stave off osteoporosis and promote bone health. But new research suggests going overboard on calcium consumption could lead to kidney stones or even a heart attack. -
Young Americans who came of age in a world with AIDS say worrying about HIV in 2012 isn't much different from worrying about other sexually transmitted diseases. But others say there isn't much discussion about the risks of the disease in their community. -
Our call-out on Facebook for people to share their experiences of the health care system yielded wrenching tales of bankruptcies, medical errors, and delayed or foregone treatment. -
Our call-out on Facebook for people to share their experiences of the health care system yielded wrenching tales of bankruptcies, medical errors, and delayed or foregone treatment.
