It’s known that sexual assault affects a woman’s physical and mental health. Now, researchers say these traumatic incidents may also harm her brain health. A new study found that traumatic experiences, including sexual violence, may be linked to greater risk of dementia, stroke and other brain disorders. “Identifying early warning signs of stroke and dementia…  read on >  read on >

Getting another shot of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine substantially increased its protection, the company announced Tuesday. According to the results of a new clinical trial, two doses of the vaccine boosts immunity to 94% from the 74% offered by a single dose, the company said in a statement. “Our single-shot vaccine generates strong…  read on >  read on >

An animal tranquilizer, xylazine, is increasingly linked to drug overdose deaths across the United States, health officials say. According to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, xylazine has turned up in overdose deaths in 25 of 38 states examined. In 2019, xylazine contributed to death in 64% of cases…  read on >  read on >

TUESDAY, Sept. 21, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — A year of exercise training helped to preserve or increase the youthful elasticity of the heart muscle among people showing early signs of heart failure, a small study shows. The new research, published Sept. 20 in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, bolsters the idea that…  read on >  read on >

That feeling that many people are collectively experiencing right now? It’s grief. Some may be living through the loss of family, friends or colleagues who have died from the COVID-19 virus. Others have had losses that would be considered major life events, such as a job layoff. Many have lost recreation, social support and relationships.…  read on >  read on >

Living within a few blocks of a shooting increases the risk that a child will end up visiting the emergency department for mental health-related problems, researchers say. The new study found significant increases in mental health-related ER visits in the two weeks after a neighborhood shooting, especially among kids who lived closest to it and…  read on >  read on >