A new study on veterans, gun storage and suicidal thoughts points to an urgent need for mental health and substance-related services, according to researchers. The study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research found that about 1 in 7 veterans with a firearm at home in California had thought about suicide. “Suicide by firearm… read on > read on >
Older drivers using alcohol or drugs are much more likely to be at fault in a car crash. Researchers studying the issue say that calls for sober-driving campaigns aimed at seniors. “Our research shows just how much aging increases the risk of being at fault for injury or fatality in a drug- or alcohol-related traffic… read on > read on >
Hair relaxers may slightly affect fertility, a factor most likely to impact women who are Black or Hispanic, according to a new study. Research led by Boston University School of Public Health found that these chemical hair straighteners may affect a person’s ability to become pregnant. This builds on growing evidence about the effects on… read on > read on >
America’s teens are still not alright. Instead, many continue to engage in risky behaviors, U.S. health officials reported Thursday. Top among these is an increase in suicidal thoughts and suicide planning and attempts among teen girls, according to a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, rates among teen boys… read on > read on >
Selfie shots might seem shallow but they’re actually serving a deeper psychological purpose, a new study suggests. So-called “third-person” photos — shots taken to include the photographer, such as selfies or group shots — are better at depicting the deeper meaning of an event in a person’s life, by showing them actively participating in that… read on > read on >
Fewer U.S. adults are smoking cigarettes, as rates dropped again last year, according to federal health officials. In all, 1 in 9 American adults smoked cigarettes last year, an all-time low, and a significant change from the 1960s when 42% smoked. The results weren’t all positive, the Associated Press reported, as vaping rose to about… read on > read on >
As more Americans try to get their hands on the prescription medication Wegovy while they try to shed significant amounts of weight, an even more powerful obesity drug is poised to enter the fray. On Thursday, drug maker Eli Lilly & Co. announced that its type 2 diabetes drug tirzepatide (Mounjaro) helped people with diabetes… read on > read on >
Women having a mastectomy for earlier-stage breast cancer may be overtreated if doctors evaluate their lymph nodes while they are still on the operating table, a preliminary study suggests. Researchers found those patients were much more likely to receive aggressive treatment — surgical removal of their underarm lymph nodes, often with radiation — versus women… read on > read on >
Older breast cancer survivors often have other medical issues and a shorter life expectancy than younger breast cancer survivors. What’s more, their cancers are often slow-growing, and surveillance may lead to over-treatment of cancers that won’t kill them, researchers say. Despite these downsides, older breast cancer survivors are still undergoing mammograms even though their risk… read on > read on >
Menopause symptoms are costly business, with billions spent on treating hot flashes, night sweats and lost sleep, a new study finds. The research, published Wednesday in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, found that women living with these symptoms needed to see their doctor more often and missed more work. “A full 13% of the women… read on > read on >
