Certain combinations of bacteria found in dust in children’s day care settings may have an impact on their young lungs. Researchers are trying to understand whether attending day care can affect children’s lung health. Their aim is to lower the risk of asthma. “We find mixtures of different bacteria and other microbes living everywhere —… read on > read on >
Staying up late comes naturally to some folks, whether they’re working or relaxing deep into the night. But being a night owl might come at a cost to one’s health. People who are night owls have a higher risk than early birds of becoming diabetic, a new study has found. “We found that night owls… read on > read on >
Seniors, pick up those knitting needles, some paintbrushes or that favorite novel, because new research suggests that having a hobby is linked to having lower depression in older people. Hobbies might include anything from gardening to playing games, arts and crafts, volunteering, reading or being part of a club, according to the study, which spanned… read on > read on >
When you have COVID-19, when are you most infectious? Researchers are getting closer to an answer, with a new study finding that folks exhale the highest amounts of virus during the first eight days of their illness. Scientists found that patients exhale quite a bit of virus during the first several days — as many… read on > read on >
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday gave the green light to new COVID boosters for Americans, setting the stage for the updated vaccines to become available within days. The COVID-19 shots from Pfizer and Moderna will join the flu shot and newly approved RSV shots as part of a three-pronged public health strategy… read on > read on >
As this summer has shown, the massive smoke plumes generated by wildfires can dirty the air of regions many miles away. Now a new study is raising the question of whether that pollution is contributing to suicides in rural America. Researchers found a correlation between air pollution from “drifting” wildfire smoke and a rise in… read on > read on >
The American Red Cross said Monday that it urgently needs blood donations because the national blood supply has dropped nearly 25% since early August. Back-to-back climate-related disasters have hampered blood collection efforts, and a summer shortfall has made the shortage worse. Patients in need of transfusions as part of cancer and sickle cell disease treatments… read on > read on >
Millions of people who suffer from sleep apnea go to bed at night with a motorized device called a CPAP machine. Now, two new studies confirm the treatment has significant benefits not just on quality of sleep, but also for keeping people’s hearts healthy. Together, the studies may offer more reasons to endure the not-always-comfortable… read on > read on >
You’ve probably heard of West Nile virus, but mosquitoes spread various other illnesses, too, including the little-known Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV), which is garnering attention across the United States. For example, health officials in Connecticut have so far identified mosquitoes carrying JCV in 12 towns across the state. Although no confirmed human cases of the… read on > read on >
Much has been made of how a lack of English proficiency can interfere with a patient’s ability to interact with their doctor and get the best health care possible. But language barriers can prevent cancer patients from even getting in the door for a first visit with a specialist, a new study reports. English speakers… read on > read on >
