Minnesota plays a unique role in the arena of health, with impactful political/cultural moments, and important contributions from institutions such as Mayo Clinic, Hazelden, UCare, among others. Over the decades, MPR News and American RadioWorks have produced a breadth of reports and programming specifically dedicated to the subject of health. This collection includes interviews, debates, speeches, and documentaries that provide greater detail to the many facets of healthcare, from both a local and national perspective.
February 4, 1978 - On this regional public affairs program, Dr. Linda Budd, professor at the University of Minnesota Department of Family Social Science, discusses child-free marriages and lifestyles. Topics include sterilization, adoptions, counseling, and "empty nest" families.
April 22, 1978 - On this regional public affairs program, guests John Moe, general manager of the Employee Assistance Program with Control Data Corporation; and Professor Jack Flagler, director of Labor Education at the University of Minnesota and arbitrator for several state and federal mediation services, discuss the subject of employment and alcoholism treatment.
May 6, 1978 - John Brantner, psychology professor at University of Minnesota, speaking at 8th annual Health Alert Conference held at University of Minnesota, and sponsored by the University Hospitals Volunteers Association. Brantner discusses his confusion over what is proper nutrition.
May 6, 1978 - Theodore Labuza, university professor of Food Science and Technology, speaking at 8th annual Health Alert Conference held at University of Minnesota, and sponsored by the University Hospitals Volunteers Association. Labuzza offers his views on why people are confused about nutrition.
May 21, 1978 - MPR’s Rich Dietman reports on drug treatment programs focused specifically to support women.
July 4, 1978 - Bruce Hilton, a Methodist minister, speaking on bioethics at North Dakota State University. Hilton talks about birth, life and death. Topics include moral dilemmas in medical technology growth and genetic engineering.
July 12, 1978 - Dr. Ronald Cranford, of Hennepin County Medical Center; and Mr. John Markert, the Executive Director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, discuss the concept of brain death, and the problems in defining death. Both men have testified before the Minnesota legislature on the brain death issue, and Dr. Cranford was a consultant on the recent Stacey Ellison case in St. Paul in which the child was "brain dead" though still breathing with the help of a respirator. Cranford has been active in work to arrive at a definition of death. John Markert has opposed efforts to allow the use of brain death as a legal definition for determining when life has ended.
July 14, 1978 - Dr. Robert Good, President of Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute, talks with MPR medical reporter Rich Dietman about cancer research. Good begins by describing recent advances in the treatment of cancer. He also speaks of antigens, compounds that cause the production of antibody; a substance which the body uses to fight and destroy matter it judges to be foreign and a threat.
July 19, 1978 - Isabel Wolf, nutritionist from University of Minnesota, discusses public attitudes about nutrition with Dan Olson. Wolf also answers listener questions.
July 27, 1978 - Nutritionist Dr. Rudy Ballentine discusses nutrition and its relationship to meditation. Topic includes comparison on west and east approaches. Ballentine also answers listener calls.