In yet another reminder of the psychic toll the pandemic has taken on young people, new research shows spending on mental health services for U.S. children and adolescents has risen sharply since 2020. It climbed 26% for youths aged 19 and younger between March 2020 and August 2022, the RAND Corp. study found. Among a…  read on >  read on >

Some common medications — including antidepressants, sleep aids and painkillers — may dull the driving skills of seniors, a new study finds. Many different medication classes have been linked to the risk of driving impairment, as anyone who has ever read the label warning “do not operate heavy machinery” might have guessed. But the new…  read on >  read on >

Loneliness can leave many feeling desolate, but new research now suggests it may also leave people vulnerable to Parkinson’s disease. Among more than 490,000 people listed in the UK Biobank who were followed for up to 15 years, loneliness appeared to increase the chances of a Parkinson’s diagnosis by 37%. “The association between loneliness and…  read on >  read on >

Health care workers who serve millions of Americans could strike Wednesday if Kaiser Permanente and union workers don’t reach an agreement. More than 75,000 members of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions are poised to strike, CNBC reported. The union, whose contract expired Saturday, represents medical assistants, surgical and lab technicians and pharmacists, among other…  read on >  read on >

TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2023 (HealthDay News) – Exposure to ubiquitous chemicals known as PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, may delay puberty in girls, new research indicates. The study is the first to consider the role hormones play in the delay, according to researchers from the University of Cincinnati. Delayed puberty can lead to negative…  read on >  read on >

Good news for couch potatoes — bursts of activity as short as one to three minutes in duration can prompt a steep decrease in the risk of heart attack, stroke and early death, a new study reports. Researchers tracked the activity of more than 25,000 people in the United Kingdom, all of whom had wearable…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is poised to recommend use of a powerful antibiotic to prevent sexually transmitted infections. On Monday, the CDC issued draft recommendations, recommending doctors consider prescribing doxycycline to help prevent the spread of disease. Officials told CBS News the approach could mark a turning point in the nation’s…  read on >  read on >

Millions of people who live with the pain and stiffness of arthritis in their hands get steroid or hyaluronic acid injections directly into their finger joints in the hopes of feeling better. Now, a new review shows that even though these injections are widely recommended in treatment guidelines, they don’t really work. Joint injections to…  read on >  read on >