Racism is “a public health threat” that must be tackled to end the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, the Biden administration said Wednesday in announcing its new strategy to fight the disease. Over generations, “structural inequities have resulted in racial and ethnic health disparities that are severe, far-reaching, and unacceptable,” according to the strategy released on World…  read on >  read on >

Quitting smoking is especially important during pregnancy, and now a new study suggests that when it comes to kicking the habit, cash may be just the incentive some women need. The study results suggest progressive financial rewards for smoking abstinence “could be implemented in the routine health care of pregnant smokers,” the French researchers said.…  read on >  read on >

Hearing dogs make a huge difference in deaf people’s lives, a new British study shows. The dogs are trained to alert deaf people to everyday sounds such as doorbells, human voices, baby monitors and alarm clocks, as well as safety-related sounds such as smoke and intruder alarms. The animals also provide companionship and emotional support.…  read on >  read on >

THURSDAY, Dec.2, 2021For those who think vaping is safer than smoking, think again. A new study warns that vaping triggers the same gene regulation changes that smoking does, so it may raise the risk of cancer and other serious diseases. “Our study, for the first time, investigates the biological effects of vaping in adult e-cigarette…  read on >  read on >

With HIV a continuing threat to women’s health, the World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the first long-acting device to protect women from sexually transmitted HIV. The device is a vaginal ring made of silicone elastomer, a flexible rubber-like material that makes it easy to insert and comfortable to use. The ring releases the antiretroviral…  read on >  read on >

Vaping can be tough on the lungs, but new research warns of another possible danger to men: It may more than double the risk for erectile dysfunction. After tracking erectile dysfunction (ED) risk among nearly 25,000 men aged 20 and older, investigators found that even vapers with no history of heart disease or other health…  read on >  read on >

Blows to the head are common among America’s kids, with close to 7% showing signs of a brain injury at some time in childhood, U.S. health officials report. Sports, falls and abuse are likely causes, experts say. Concussions and other head injuries are more common among white kids than Black or Hispanic kids. And prevalence…  read on >  read on >