Medicare Advantage plans are touted as a great alternative to traditional Medicare, offering seniors easier access to doctors, hospitals and prescription drugs. But access to a good Medicare Advantage plan relies heavily on where a person lives, a new study finds. People are less likely to find a five-star Medicare Advantage plan if they live… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Big Drop in U.S. Kids, Teens Misusing Prescription Meds
Misuse of illicit prescription drugs is falling dramatically among U.S. high school students, a new study says. The percentage of seniors who say they’ve misused prescription drugs in the past year has dropped to 2% in 2022, down from 11% back in 2009, researchers reported July 24 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.… read on > read on >
COVID-19 Won’t Raise Odds for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Study
COVID-19 doesn’t raise a person’s risk of developing chronic fatigue syndrome more than any other infectious disease, a new study finds. The rate of chronic fatigue syndrome following a brief illness was roughly the same between people who caught COVID and those who came down with some other malady, researchers reported July 24 in the… read on > read on >
More Americans With Diabetes Are Turning to Marijuana
As marijuana loses much of its stigma and laws around its use relax, Americans are increasingly consuming it medically and recreationally. Americans with diabetes are no exception, a new study finds. The number of adults with diabetes who said that they’d used cannabis at least once over the past month jumped by a third between… read on > read on >
Better Screening Key to Closing U.S. ‘Race Gap’ in Colon Cancer Deaths
Black Americans are almost a third more likely to die from colon cancer than their white peers, and one key to closing that divide could be better cancer screening, a new report finds. That means getting Black Americans quality colonoscopies and other forms of screening, but also making sure they’re followed up after their test… read on > read on >
Sex Differences in Knee Arthritis Emerge as Early as Childhood
The knee develops differently in men and women, with sex-specific distinctions in the joint appearing as early as childhood, a new study finds. Taking these differences into account among girls could help prevent knee arthritis for women later in life, researchers say. Gender-based differences in knee cartilage and ligaments develop prior to puberty and can’t… read on > read on >
Risk of Mental Illness Rises for Kids Treated in ICUs
Youngsters so sick they’ve needed treatment in an ICU appear to bear the scars of that experience years later, a new study finds. Children and teenagers treated in an intensive care unit have a significantly higher risk of developing a mental illness as they grow up, researchers reported July 20 in the Journal of Affective… read on > read on >
Research Confirms Chronic High Blood Pressure’s Link to Stroke
Having high blood pressure in adulthood greatly raises the odds for multiple types of stroke, a new study confirms. “Our results suggest that early diagnosis and sustained control of high blood pressure over the lifespan are critical to preventing stroke, ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage,” said senior study author Dr. Deborah Levine. She’s a professor… read on > read on >
Average Hip, Knee Replacement Patient May Be Getting Younger
Brent Ruch, a collegiate basketball center, opted to have his left knee replaced at age 35 after struggling with pain for years. “Walking with a limp and living with a consistent aching pain was physically and emotionally difficult. I didn’t want to live like that,” said Ruch, who lives in a suburb of Chicago. When his… read on > read on >
U.S. Injuries From Electric Bikes, Scooters Are Soaring
More and more Americans who use “micromobility” transport, such as electric bikes and e-scooters, are motoring their way straight into the ER, new data shows. In fact, the rate of e-bike injuries among Americans doubled each year between 2017 and 2022, reportED a team led by Dr. Adrian Fernandez, of the University of California, San… read on > read on >