One in five Medicare recipients use medical marijuana and two-thirds say it should be covered by Medicare, a new survey reveals. Medical marijuana is legal in 37 states, four territories and the District of Columbia, but it isn’t covered by Medicare, the federal health insurance program for older Americans. Possession of marijuana remains illegal under… read on > read on >
In 2019 alone, multiple sclerosis (MS) cost Americans an estimated $85.4 billion, a new study finds. That amount included over $63 billion in direct medical costs and $22 billion in indirect non-medical costs. “The findings of this study help underscore the burden of MS in the U.S. and our hope is our results will inform… read on > read on >
As doctors learn more about the consequences of COVID-19, they are confirming that heart inflammation is rare among hospitalized COVID patients. That’s the good news — but those who develop it are much more likely to require intensive care, a new study suggests. Inflammation of the heart muscle (acute myocarditis) is typically triggered by a… read on > read on >
Health risks tied to obesity are often serious, with new research showing it boosts odds for heart failure among older women, especially those who go through menopause later than usual. Women whose periods stopped at 55 or after were at greatest risk, according to the study, published April 13 in the Journal of the American… read on > read on >
Rates of gonorrhea are on the rise, and this sexually transmitted disease is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, raising fears of a potential superbug. Luckily, while there isn’t a vaccine against gonorrhea yet, an available meningitis vaccine may offer some protection against this STD, two new studies suggest. There are two vaccines available in the… read on > read on >
The structure of teens’ families influences their risk of delinquent behaviors such as shoplifting, graffiti or robbery, new research suggests. For the study, the researchers analyzed survey data gathered between 2016 and 2019 from more than 3,800 14- and 15-year-olds in Sweden. They used a statistical measure called incident rate ratio, or IRR, to compare… read on > read on >
A federal mask mandate for planes, trains, airports and some bus services that was set to expire in five days will be extended until May 3, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday. The spread of the Omicron subvariant BA.2 — which now accounts for more than 85% of new coronavirus cases… read on > read on >
By now, most people have heard that exercise is good for their health. A new review suggests it can it also make a difference in major depressive disorder. Researchers analyzed 15 existing studies with data on exercise and depression, finding an association between physical activity and depression risk. The investigators estimated that almost 12% of… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — In the beginning, the idea of environmental justice didn’t have a name. It didn’t have much support, either. A few years after the first Earth Day, a young sociologist named Robert Bullard gathered data for a 1979 lawsuit, filed by his then-wife, about a landfill planned… read on > read on >
The vast majority of aging Americans want to stay in their homes and live independently for as long as possible, but many haven’t considered what needs to be done to achieve “aging in place,” a new poll reveals. Nearly 9 in 10 Americans (88%) between 50 and 80 years of age said it’s important to… read on > read on >
