It’s long been known that popping the antibiotic doxycycline within 72 hours of a risky sexual encounter can greatly reduce a person’s risk for a sexually transmitted infection (STI). In fact, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention formally recommended this type of “morning after” strategy last month. But what if folks at especially… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
FDA Allows Marketing of Vuse Tobacco-Flavored Vapes
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday authorized the sale of the country’s best-selling e-cigarette. The agency’s decision only applies to several tobacco-flavored versions of the reusable product, sold as Vuse. In January 2023, the FDA rejected R.J. Reynold’s application for its more popular menthol flavor, but the company has challenged that ruling in… read on > read on >
Ancient Viruses Might Be Spurring Modern-Day Cancers
Cancer growth can be fueled by flecks of ancient viral DNA lodged into the genetics of modern humans, a new study says. Overall, about 8% of the human genome is made of bits of DNA left behind by viruses that infected our primate ancestors, researchers say. Called “endogenous retroviruses,” these DNA fragments have long been… read on > read on >
Endometriosis Linked to Four-fold Higher Odds for Ovarian Cancer
Women who struggle with endometriosis may be vulnerable to another health danger: New research shows they are about four times more likely to develop ovarian cancer than women who don’t have the painful condition. The odds are even worse for women with severe forms of endometriosis, as they are at least 9.7 times more likely… read on > read on >
Fall of Roe v. Wade Has Made Access to Ob/Gyns Tougher in Many States: Report
Ever since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, even more women have struggled to find reproductive care, a new report warns. Issued Thursday by the Commonwealth Fund, the report shows that women living in states long plagued by health disparities — particularly in the Southeast — have been harmed the most.… read on > read on >
Frequent House Moves Take Lifetime Toll on Kids’ Mental Health
Kids whose families frequently move have a significantly higher risk of depression later in life, a new study warns. Children who move once between the ages of 10 and 15 are 41% more likely to be diagnosed with depression in adulthood, compared with those whose families don’t move, researchers found. And kids who move twice… read on > read on >
Altered Mealtimes Linked to Depression, Anxiety in Shift Workers
Folks need to have their meals at regular intervals or risk slipping into anxiety or depression, a new study of airline personnel has found. Delaying breakfast or dinner appears to increase a person’s risk of developing a mood disorder, researchers report. The study also found that confining meals to a 12-hour “eating window” every day… read on > read on >
Race, Insurance Stop Many Hispanics From Getting Post-Stroke Care
Hispanic people — particularly those without insurance — are less likely to get the additional care needed to recover from a stroke, a new study finds. Hispanic folks are less likely to be treated at a rehab facility or receive home health care following hospitalization for a stroke, compared to white and Black people, according… read on > read on >
Telemedicine May Help Folks Battling Opioid Addiction Stick With Treatment
Telemedicine could be a better way to get opioid addicts to seek out and stick with treatment, a new study suggests. People referred to an addiction treatment clinic following a telemedicine evaluation were more likely to show up to their first appointment than those whose referral resulted from an ER visit, researchers reported recently in… read on > read on >
Retired Rugby Players Face Risks for Dementia, CTE
Alix Popham played in two rugby World Cups and won a Six Nations Grand Slam before retiring in 2011 as a professional in the rough-and-tumble game. By 2020, he had already been diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disabling brain disease long linked to repeated head trauma. Emboldened to… read on > read on >