Day-to-day struggles prevent many American women with HIV from taking medicines to suppress the AIDS-causing virus, a new study shows. “Survival is a priority over putting a pill in your mouth for a number of our participants, and that is the public health challenge we must address,” said study first author Dr. Seble Kassaye, an…  read on >

Suicide rates are on the rise among American children, but the increase is greatest among girls, a new study finds. “Overall, we found a disproportionate increase in female youth suicide rates compared to males, resulting in a narrowing of the gap between male and female suicide rates,” said study author Donna Ruch. She is a…  read on >

Coupons, samples, branded hats and T-shirts: When teens use or wear promotional items from companies that make alternative tobacco products like electronic cigarettes, they are more likely to try those products, new research shows. The study included 757 California teens, aged 13 to 19, who were followed for a year. At the beginning of the…  read on >

Hypnosis might sound like a magic trick to some, but the therapy can be an effective pain reliever, a new review shows. The review covered 85 studies that have tested hypnosis for easing “experimental models” of pain — that is, lab studies where brave volunteers agreed to be subjected to a painful stimulus. And overall,…  read on >

Athletes are supposed to be strong and self-assured, so many don’t seek help for mental health issues, a new study finds. It’s not just the stigma of mental illness that prompts many to tough it out alone, but also busy schedules, gender stereotyping and lack of understanding about mental health issues. That’s the consensus of…  read on >

A helmet can prevent someone from a serious head injury, says the New York State Department of Health. Some states even require people, especially children, to wear helmets while biking or skateboarding. The Department of Health encourages parents to: Select a helmet that meets Consumer Product Safety Commission standards. Make sure your child wears a…  read on >

Mornings spent figuring out Sudoku or finessing a crossword could spell better health for aging brains, researchers say. In a study of over 19,000 British adults aged 50 and over who were tracked for 25 years, the habit of doing word or number puzzles seemed to help keep minds nimble over time. “We’ve found that…  read on >

Fibromyalgia is a mysterious and misunderstood illness, but researchers may have uncovered at least one key to the disease’s origin: insulin resistance. The new research compared a small group of people with fibromyalgia to two groups of healthy people and noted that a long-term measure of blood sugar levels was higher in the people with…  read on >

Ringworm is a fungal infection that gets its name from the red circular rash that develops. The inside of the ring typically is clear or scaly. People who use public lockers and showers, athletes and people with weak immune systems are especially at risk. To prevent the infection, Mayo Clinic suggests: Wash your hands often.…  read on >