For many years, Plan B One-Step and its generic equivalents — collectively known as “morning after” pills to prevent a pregnancy — included information in packaging that suggested that the pill might work by interrupting the implantation of a fertilized egg into the womb. There was, however, no scientific evidence that that was the case,… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
More Steps Per Day, Lowered Odds for Diabetes in Women
FRIDAY, Dec. 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) – Move your body every day to guard against type 2 diabetes. That’s the upshot of a new study that analyzed Fitbit data and type 2 diabetes rates from participants in a nationwide research program, reporting that women who logged more steps each day had a lower risk of… read on > read on >
When Rural Hospitals Close, Nearby Hospitals Suffer
When rural hospitals shut down people need to go elsewhere, and a new study finds that nearby hospitals bear the strain of that patient overflow. “Previous studies have shown that rural hospital closures can have negative health consequences for the communities they serve,” said researcher Daniel George, an associate professor of humanities and public health… read on > read on >
Anger Management Treatment Via the Internet Shows Promise
Swedish researchers studying anger say it appears there is a pent-up need for anger management and that an internet-based treatment can work. Scientists from the Centre for Psychiatry Research at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, had to close its recruitment site after a few weeks because there was so much demand for help with… read on > read on >
Women’s Depression Symptoms May Differ by Race: Study
Depression can be tricky to detect in some people, and Black women may exhibit different symptoms, leading to missed care, researchers say. Black women report sleep disturbances, self-criticism and irritability more often than the stereotypical low mood, according to a new study. As a result, standard screening tools may underdiagnose depression in Black women, the… read on > read on >
Avoiding Opioids, Many Patients in Pain Get Gabapentin Instead. Does It Work?
As doctors have tried to steer their chronic pain patients away from highly addictive opioids, many have turned to two antiseizure drugs, but a new review finds they are only “modestly effective” at treating pain. Gabapentin and pregabalin are being prescribed to manage all types of pain, but clinical trial data shows that the drugs… read on > read on >
Can Too Much Screen Time Raise a Child’s Odds for OCD?
Preteens who spend much of their free time watching online videos or playing video games may have a heightened risk of developing obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a new study suggests. Researchers found that among 9,200 9- and 10-year-olds they assessed, the odds of developing OCD inched up with every daily hour kids devoted to online… read on > read on >
In Some U.S. Urban Areas, Men Face Higher Gun Death Rate Than in Wartime
In some parts of the United States, young men face a higher risk of dying from gun violence than if they’d gone to war in Afghanistan and Iraq, a new study reports. Young men living in certain high-violence ZIP codes in Chicago and Philadelphia run a greater risk of firearm death than military personnel who… read on > read on >
Hints That Deep Brain Stimulation Might Ease Alzheimer’s Symptoms
Researchers are studying whether deep brain stimulation could help people with Alzheimer’s hold on to their memory longer, and now a new finding may help refine the approach. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for several medical conditions, including epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It involves implanting electrodes in certain areas of… read on > read on >
Flu, RSV, COVID: Shield Yourself From the ‘Tripledemic’ This Holiday
Public health experts have been warning of a “tripledemic” of respiratory viruses this fall and winter, so the American Lung Association has some tips for breathing easier this holiday season. Flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19 are all spreading throughout the United States, overwhelming health care systems. One way to make holiday or seasonal… read on > read on >