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Rural Health
News by Topic: Occupational health and safety

Oct 26, 2026 - Describes ongoing research aiming to address cancer risk for firefighters by modifying the personal protective equipment worn during fire exposures. Notes that better protective gear would benefit rural fire departments that are often unable to screen firefighters for cancer.
Source: Public News Service
Sep 29, 2026 - Discusses the rise of alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-borne disease, in a rural Kentucky region. Describes the higher risks of contracting the disease for farmworkers and others who work outdoors, symptoms, and managing the disease.
Source: Kentucky Lantern
Sep 18, 2026 - Announces a new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) policy creating the HHS Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Forecast. The Forecast will aid manufacturers in understanding PPE needs and will be updated and published quarterly.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services