There are many obstacles to opioid addiction treatment, but a new study shows one that one outgrowth of the COVID pandemic — telehealth — is enabling more U.S. veterans to get help. Researchers examined care given to vets before and after a transition to telehealth visits in early 2020 for treatment of their opioid use… read on > read on >
While cats often prefer to be alone and closely guard their territory, some seem to thrive on togetherness even at a crowded shelter. Chalk it up to chemistry. That’s the takeaway of a new study that investigated the role hormones and gut bacteria play in felines’ social behavior. Simply put, the lower their levels of… read on > read on >
A federal lawsuit out of Texas could end access to free lifesaving preventive health care services for nearly 168 million people in the United States with private insurance, a new report suggests. Kelley v. Becerra seeks to overturn the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirement that health plans cover preventive health services at no cost. The… read on > read on >
Hormone therapy is a common treatment option for prostate cancer, but it may increase the risk of death from heart disease, especially in older men, a new study finds. Dr. William Dahut, a prostate cancer researcher and chief scientific officer for the American Cancer Society, said the study from Lithuania provides more evidence that starting… read on > read on >
Many smokers eager to quit embrace electronic cigarettes as a tool for kicking the habit, but a new study warns the move may raise the risk for becoming addicted to both cigarettes and vaping. The finding follows a look at the experience of nearly 112,000 smokers who sought outpatient care at a single hospital between… read on > read on >
The notion that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain has become widespread among the general public. But there’s actually no hard evidence that the brain chemical serotonin – the main suspect in this theory – is linked in any way to depression, a new review finds. Studies involving more than 100,000… read on > read on >
With 19,000 cases now reported in 75 countries, the World Health Organization declared the monkeypox outbreak a global “public health emergency,” its highest level of health alert. The day after that announcement, New York City’s Bronx High School of Science opened its doors to temporarily serve as one of a handful of large-scale monkeypox vaccination… read on > read on >
A half-century-old diabetes drug appears to help treat bipolar disorder by reversing patients’ insulin resistance, according to a small-scale clinical trial. Bipolar patients who responded to the drug metformin experienced improvement in their mood disorder as their insulin resistance decreased, said lead researcher Dr. Cynthia Calkin, an associate professor of psychiatry at Dalhousie University in… read on > read on >
Lots of older folks are turning to alternative medicine to help them with the pains of aging – but they don’t necessarily think that’s any of their doctor’s business. About 40% of older adults use at least one alternative medicine practice to help with body aches or mental strains, be it chiropractic care, massage therapy,… read on > read on >
They are called “forever chemicals” because they linger in the human body and can contribute to the risk of everything from cancer to childhood obesity. Now, new research on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) finds they also exact a huge financial toll, costing the U.S. health system billions every year. “Our findings add to the… read on > read on >
