Major surgery is a challenge for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), raising their odds of death within a year by 61%, new research shows. The researchers also found these patients incurred 13% higher health care costs in the year after their operation, compared to patients without the respiratory condition. “These increased risks and…  read on >  read on >

Fires started by people account for a majority of premature deaths related to inhalation of tiny smoke particles in the United States, a new study reveals. These blazes, which are increasing, led to 20,000 premature deaths in 2018. That was 270% more than in 2003, according to researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge.…  read on >  read on >

New research out of California finds seniors are being treated in emergency rooms in significantly higher numbers for adverse side effects from cannabis consumption. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) said they studied the issue because they noticed more primary care patients ending up in the ER after using marijuana products. “While…  read on >  read on >

Hundreds of rural hospitals across the United States are teetering on the edge of closure, with their financial status increasingly in peril, a new report reveals. More than 200 rural hospitals are at immediate risk of closure because they aren’t making enough money to cover the rising cost of providing care, and their low financial…  read on >  read on >

People suffering from depression or anxiety may be able to help themselves by helping others — even in small ways, researchers report. In a recent study of 122 people with depression or anxiety symptoms, those who started fitting small acts of kindness into their day showed an improvement in their symptoms. And when it came…  read on >  read on >

Cannabis use in U.S. states where recreational use is legal could be contributing to children’s asthma, according to new research. A study found increases in asthma in teens where cannabis is legal, compared to states where it remains banned for medicinal and recreational use. The study also found increased asthma in children in some minority…  read on >  read on >