Health insurance and tumor characteristics are major reasons for the differences in colon cancer survival rates between blacks and whites in the United States, a new study finds. Researchers examined data from nearly 200,000 Americans with colon cancer, ages 18-64, and found that the five-year survival rate was 66.5 percent for whites and 57.3 percent… read on >
Despite the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Paris Accord on climate change, the United States will benefit from international efforts to slow the global environmental threat, researchers say. Improvements in air quality and health are likely as a result of domestic and global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a study led by… read on >
Type 2 diabetes may increase the risk for an aggressive type of breast cancer among black women in the United States, a new study finds. Researchers from Boston University analyzed data from more than 54,000 black women who were cancer-free at the start of the study. During the next 18 years, 914 women were diagnosed… read on >
The top two medications used to treat opioid addiction appear equally safe and effective, a new study finds. With the United States in the midst of an unprecedented opioid crisis, researchers conducted a head-to-head trial of two leading addiction treatments — naltrexone (Vivitrol) and buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone). “The newer drug, naltrexone, was as effective in keeping… read on >
Too much stress may make it difficult to fall asleep or stay that way. The National Sleep Foundation says your body may be offering clues that there’s too much stress in your life. Among them: Your mind continues to race after your head hits the pillow. You have muscle tension and pain. Your heart races.… read on >
About a third of people aged 65 to 74 are affected by hearing loss, as are about half of those 75 and older, the U.S. National Institute on Aging says. Aside from missing out on spirited conversation, hearing loss can affect the health of your brain, the agency says. A 2011 study funded by the… read on >
Aggressively treating gum disease may help lower blood pressure in people at high risk for high blood pressure, according to new research. The study involved 107 Chinese women and men, aged 18 and older, who had pre-hypertension (blood pressure on the high end of normal) and moderate to severe gum disease. Half received intensive treatment… read on >
Offering both the promise of better patient compliance with health care, but also fears of a medical “Big Brother,” a newly approved “digital pill” allows physicians to track whether or not it’s been ingested by patients. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given the nod to Abilify MyCite, for use in patients with schizophrenia,… read on >
As many as 20 percent of Americans get the winter blues when days grow shorter. For instance, you might feel blue around the holidays because of stress or if loved ones are far away. It’s usually mild and clears up on its own in a short amount of time. But up to 6 percent of… read on >
Your heart will thank you if you stick to a mostly plant-based diet, a new preliminary study suggests. Researchers evaluated five dietary patterns. They found that people who ate a plant-based diet most of the time had a 42 percent lower risk of developing heart failure over four years than those who ate fewer plant-based… read on >
