Poor families have continued to avoid going to the emergency room post-pandemic, even as ER numbers bounced back for folks who are better-off, a new study says. During the pandemic, visits to ERs for emergency care dropped by about 30% as lockdowns and fears over COVID-19 infection caused the sick and injured to stay away,… read on > read on >
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced it will no longer provide hormone therapy to veterans newly diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The decision follows an executive order from President Donald Trump that directs federal agencies to recognize only two sexes, male and female, which “are not changeable,” The New York Times reported. The… read on > read on >
Gender-affirming hormone therapy may not only help transgender and nonbinary individuals physically — it could also improve their mental health, new research suggests. A study published March 17 in JAMA Network Open found that transgender, nonbinary and gender-diverse people who were prescribed hormone therapy had a 15% lower risk of moderate to severe depression over… read on > read on >
It doesn’t matter if CPR is performed by a doctor, a paramedic or an unskilled, unpracticed passerby — when performed promptly, it will increase a person’s odds of survival, a new study says. The speed of CPR initiation is crucial to survival and better outcomes related to cardiac arrest, rather than who performs it, researchers… read on > read on >
Continuous glucose monitors don’t just help people with diabetes maintain healthy blood sugar levels, a new study says — the devices also can help them be safer drivers. Diabetics who use glucose monitors have fewer incidents involving low blood sugar, researchers reported in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. As a result, the patients are more… read on > read on >
Microplastics that invade and burrow deep within the human body are becoming an increasing concern among doctors and health experts. Now, a new study shows that even medical care is causing increased exposure to the tiny plastic particles. Microplastics can be found in the solutions administered through plastic IV bags, researchers recently reported in the… read on > read on >
Newborns with a heart defect may have two strikes against their future health, rather than one. Babies with heart birth defects appear to have a higher risk of developing childhood cancer, compared to those without a heart abnormality, researchers report in the journal Circulation. Childhood cancers are 66% higher in newborns with a congenital heart… read on > read on >
Other people could be having problems with the same insulin pump, dental implant or glucose monitor that you use — and you might not find out in a timely manner. That’s because medical device manufacturers frequently fail to promptly report side effects caused by their wares to federal regulators, a new study says. About 3… read on > read on >
For 21 years, Sebastien Beauzile lived with the chronic pain of sickle cell anemia. Now, thanks to a groundbreaking genetic treatment, he is the first person in New York to be cured of the disease. “Sickle cell was like a blockade for me, but now it’s just like a wall that I just jumped over,”… read on > read on >
Health officials are warning about a rise in injuries linked to the misuse of nitrous oxide, aka laughing gas. The gas, which is used medically as a sedative and in whipped cream cans, is now being sold in small, flavored canisters with names such as Cosmic Gas, Galaxy Gas and MassGass. On Friday, the U.S.… read on > read on >
