Bad breath: No one wants it, but its origins have long remained unclear. Now, Japanese researchers have gotten a bit closer to understanding how bad breath begins, and perhaps ways to treat it. The roots of the malady involve chemicals, including one called methyl mercaptan, that are produced by bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria… read on > read on >
Increased access to prescription opioids has driven up U.S. suicide rates by making it easier to women to end their lives, a new study claims. The study also blames a shrinking federal safety net during tough economic times for rising suicide rates. “We contend that the U.S. federal government’s weak regulatory oversight of the pharmaceutical… read on > read on >
Millions of Black and Hispanic middle-class adults won’t be able to afford senior housing and health care expenses as they grow old, a new study warns. The number of middle-income older adults of color is expected to double within the next decade, rising from 12% in 2020 to 25% in 2035. But compared to the… read on > read on >
A shift in parenting early in a child’s development might help curb the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), new research suggests. When a preschooler exhibits an “excitable or exuberant” temperament, dialing down a “controlling” style of parenting in favor of what’s known as “directive” parenting could mean milder ADHD symptoms as a child ages,… read on > read on >
Hispanic Americans who are hospitalized and placed on ventilators have a higher risk of death than their white peers, and new research may reveal a reason why. The study found that Hispanic patients in respiratory failure receive heavy sedation at a rate that is five times that of white patients, according to researchers at New… read on > read on >
Spring allergies bring to mind thoughts of stuffy noses and watery eyes. But allergies actually affect many different and interconnected systems within a person’s body, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). “Spring allergens such as pollen, mold spores and other airborne particles not only trigger nasal allergies, but also can… read on > read on >
People threatened by accidental exposure to foods they’re allergic to may have a new weapon of defense: On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the use of the asthma drug Xolair to help prevent anaphylactic reactions. Xolair (omalizumab) is an injected drug and is not meant as a substitute for EpiPens or other… read on > read on >
A study of mental health care in Maryland finds an increasing number of children and teens covered by Medicaid are taking multiple psychiatric meds. This trend towards “polypharmacy” might be happening elsewhere, prior research suggests. In the new study, Maryland kids ages 17 or younger experienced “a 4% increased odds of psychotropic polypharmacy per year… read on > read on >
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is weighing whether to recommend another COVID booster shot this spring, most likely for those who are vulnerable to severe illness. An advisory panel to the CDC is expected to vote on whether to recommend a spring booster during a Feb. 28 meeting, a source close to… read on > read on >
Nearly 15% of Americans still deny that climate change is real, according to a new national assessment from the University of Michigan. Evidence of climate change has been mounting, including science which has shown that climate-related natural disasters are growing in frequency and intensity sooner than originally predicted, researchers said. Nevertheless, climate change is still… read on > read on >
