Rhitu Chatterjee
Rhitu Chatterjee is a health correspondent with NPR, with a focus on mental health. Chatterjee has a particular interest in mental health problems faced by the most vulnerable in society, especially pregnant women and children, as well as racial and ethnic minorities. She reported on how the pandemic exacerbated an already worsening mental health crisis in the United States, with stories about the mental health of children, family caregivers and healthcare workers. She has covered the intergenerational impacts of COVID-19 deaths by looking specifically at the long term consequences on children of parental death during the pandemic. She has also investigated how health insurers limit access to mental health care despite laws on the books that require them to cover mental health the same way they cover physical health.
Throughout her career, Chatterjee has reported on everything from basic scientific discoveries to issues at the intersection of science, society, and culture. She specializes in trauma-informed reporting and is regularly invited to moderate panels and speak about her work on panels and at conferences. Chatterjee has mentored student fellows by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, and taught science writing at the Santa Fe Science Writing Workshop.
Before starting at NPR's health desk in 2018, Chatterjee was an editor for NPR's The Salt, where she edited stories about food, culture, nutrition, and agriculture. Prior to that, Chatterjee reported on current affairs from New Delhi for The World by PRX, and covered science and health news for Science Magazine. Before that, she was based in Boston as a science correspondent with The World.
She did her undergraduate work in Darjeeling, India, and has a Master of Arts in journalism from the University of Missouri.
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A paper in JAMA Psychiatry says mental health providers should ask if patients are using artificial intelligence chatbots, just as they would ask patients about sleep habits and substance use. -
Artificial intelligence tools that help mental health therapists take notes and keep records are quickly entering the marketplace. But some question the safety of AI in mental health care delivery. -
A new paper in JAMA Psychiatry argues that mental health care providers should ask clients routinely about their use of AI for emotional support and health information.
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Juries in two big cases have affirmed what research is finding: The design of social media platforms is particularly compelling and hard to resist for kids. There are growing calls to change it. -
In the wake of two verdicts against social media companies, researchers discuss what a safer social media for kids and teens could be. Are we anywhere near there yet?
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This week, more than 2,000 mental health care workers at Kaiser Permanente, in northern California went on a 24-hour-strike. A major reason is disagreement between Kaiser and therapists over the future role of AI in mental health care.
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The Canadian province is permanently ending the biannual time shifts for more light at the day's end. But research shows daylight saving increases health risks. -
Researchers followed more than 400,000 teens until they were adults. It found that those who used marijuana were more likely to develop serious mental illness, as well as depression and anxiety.
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Research shows that having a sense of purpose can lower stress levels and boost our mental health. Finding meaning may not have to be an ambitious project. -
Researchers followed more than 400,000 teens until they were adults. It found that those who used marijuana were more likely to develop serious mental illness, as well as depression and anxiety.
