Birthday celebrations raised the risk of spreading SARS-CoV-2 by 30% last year in U.S. counties with high rates of COVID-19, according to a new study. No such surge was seen in places with low rates of infection. For the study, researchers at Harvard Medical School and the RAND Corporation analyzed health insurance claims data from… read on > read on >
U.S. health experts warn there is a ticking time bomb in 11 states where 20 percent or more of seniors still haven’t gotten a COVID-19 vaccine. Top priority for vaccinations was given to Americans aged 65 and older because they are far more vulnerable to serious illness and death from the virus than younger people… read on > read on >
Marriage and children may be the norm for most Americans, but a new study shows that many people are choosing to remain child-free — and they’re happy that way. The study of 1,000 Michigan adults found that one-quarter had opted not to have kids. And, on average, their life-satisfaction ratings were no different from those… read on > read on >
All children should be screened for conditions that may put them at risk for cardiac arrest or death, a new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement recommends. The screening should be done whether or not kids play sports, and it is particularly important as they begin middle school or junior high, the statement says.… read on > read on >
It might have seemed harmless to while away hours stuck at home during the pandemic with extra wine and cocktails. But new research instead points to a troubling trend: Alcohol use and risky drinking rose among Americans over the last year. For the study, the researchers surveyed the same group of U.S. adults twice in… read on > read on >
A leading medical group is offering testing guidelines for children with autistic behaviors. The American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environmental Health emphasized that certain measurements to test for exposure to chemicals are not helpful to guide treatment. The council pointed out that just because a chemical is found in the body doesn’t mean it… read on > read on >
Women who try to hold their pee during the day might want to rethink that strategy. It’s time to “get up and go,” according to the Urology Care Foundation, which is encouraging women to be proactive about their urological health. That, of course, means get up and go to the bathroom if you need to.… read on > read on >
It’s been more than six months since Brandy Compton last landed in a hospital emergency room. That’s an amazing medical achievement, brought about by scientific breakthroughs that have been unfortunately overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic, experts say. Compton, 31, was born with sickle cell disease, a genetic condition that primarily affects people of African descent.… read on > read on >
FRIDAY, June 18, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — For most transgender people, starting hormone therapy requires a therapist’s approval. As the recipient of a new heart, Maddox Jones also needed his transplant team’s OK. “It was a long and difficult process, because they weren’t necessarily educated, nor do I think they had trans patients… read on > read on >
Men tend to put their health care last, but Penn State Health offers some tips this Father’s Day for ensuring guys stay healthy in the future. “Men tend to take care of their cars more frequently than they do themselves. But when men wait to see the doctor once their ‘check engine’ light comes on,… read on > read on >
