Even as folks in North Carolina continue to clean up following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, a new health danger has emerged: The massive flooding that swept away roads and towns also uprooted the underground nests of yellow jackets, bees and other stinging insects. That has triggered a surge in swarms that attack and sting… read on > read on >
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Minority Patients More Likely to Be Denied the Free Preventive Care Mandated by Obamacare
Two new studies show insurers continue to deny claims for preventive care that is supposed to be free under Obamacare. And insurers are more apt to reject claims from patients who are Asian, Black or Hispanic as well as those with low incomes, researchers recently reported in the journal JAMA Network Open. “What we document… read on > read on >
Diverting Low-Level Criminals to Drug-Treatment Programs Instead of Jail Reaps Rewards
A Wisconsin program that sends suspects in minor drug-related crimes to treatment instead of jail is paying off, a new study shows. Researchers who evaluated the Madison Area Recovery Initiative (MARI) found that non-violent offenders who were given a clinical assessment and six months of substance use treatment were less likely to be arrested, jailed… read on > read on >
Bright Light Therapy May Ease Multiple Forms of Depression
Light therapy: It’s long been a go-to therapy for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a kind of depression that can beset some people when winter looms and days shorten. But new research is suggesting that time spent in front of light box might ease other forms of depression as well. The new review of data was… read on > read on >
Hospital Drug Tests Far More Likely for Minority Teens
Teens from minority groups seeking treatment at pediatric trauma centers are more likely than their white counterparts to be tested for drugs and alcohol. That’s the takeaway from a new study led by researchers at UCLA and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. “While screening can positively affect patients if it is followed by counseling and treatment,… read on > read on >
Water Fluoridation May Be Less Beneficial Than in Past, Review Finds
The health benefits of fluoridated drinking water may be waning as Americans increasingly turn to using toothpastes and mouthwashes that already contain fluoride, a new review suggests. The research, published Thursday in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, came to that conclusion after analyzing more than 157 studies that compared tooth decay in kids living in… read on > read on >
Colonoscopies Among the Young Are on the Rise
Colon cancers are increasing among younger Americans, so much so that experts advised in 2021 that colonoscopy screening begin at the age of 45, not 50 as had been previously recommended. Now, research shows the new guideline may have led to a tripling in the use of the gold-standard screen among folks ages 45 to… read on > read on >
Trauma at Life’s Beginning Can Mar Its End, Study Finds
Whether abusive parents, drug addiction or gun violence are to blame, the fallout from childhood traumas can reverberate until a person’s final days of life, new research shows. “We found that early-life trauma in particular, especially physical abuse by parents, was strongly related to end-of-life pain, loneliness and depressive symptoms,” said senior study author Dr.… read on > read on >
Mpox Vaccine’s Protection Wanes Within 1 Year; Boosters Needed
Antibodies provided by mpox vaccination all but disappear within six to 12 months, new research finds, underscoring the need for boosters to maintain strong protection. Mpox — previously known as monkeypox — is a fast-spreading virus transmitted mainly through close skin-to-skin contact, especially during sex. Its symptoms include fever, painful rashes or sores and swollen… read on > read on >
Folks With Chronic Pain & Their Doctors Often Differ on Medical Marijuana
If you’re in chronic pain and believe medical marijuana to be the solution, there’s a good chance your doctor might not agree. In a new survey of people living in states where medical cannabis is legal, 71% of people with chronic pain thought the federal government should legalize the drug, but only 59% of physicians… read on > read on >