In yet another sign that childhood vaccinations can’t be taken for granted, new government data shows that a record number of kindergartners were exempted from the required shots during the last school year. That leaves more than 125,000 new students without the protection of at least one childhood vaccine, even as measles vaccination rates among… read on > read on >
All Lifestyle:
Good Friendships Crucial to Young Adults’ Happiness, Study Finds
If you’re a 20-something who is unattached, having good friends is a key to happiness, new research shows. “The quality of your friendships is a key factor for your well-being, especially if you’re single,” a team led by Lisa Walsh, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of California, Los Angeles, reported Oct. 2 in… read on > read on >
Most Americans Struggle With Poor Sleep, Daytime Drowsiness: Survey
Nearly 8 in 10 Americans go through the day in a fog that interferes with their jobs, their moods and their relationships. Chalk it up to sleepiness: A new survey shows that 54% of Americans think they just don’t get enough sleep. “Daytime sleepiness is more than just an inconvenience — it can affect our… read on > read on >
Air Pollution Could Be Changing Children’s Brains
Even air pollution levels considered safe by U.S. standards appear to cause differences in the brains of growing children, a new review suggests. “We’re seeing differences in brain outcomes between children with higher levels of pollution exposure versus lower levels of pollution exposure,” said corresponding author Camelia Hostinar, an associate professor of psychology at the… read on > read on >
Restrictive State Laws Tied to Higher Suicide Risk for Trans Youth
In a finding that illustrates the damage that laws targeting transgender people can cause, new research shows that trans and nonbinary youth in states with such laws are more likely to attempt suicide. How much more likely? The study authors found the laws triggered up to a 72% increase in suicide attempts in the past… read on > read on >
George the Frenchie’s Cancer Journey May Help Other Dogs and Even Children
The short but much-loved life of a French bulldog named George leaves a legacy of learning for those who care for animals and humans. George’s owner Louis Tavares, of Windemere, Fla., brought him to doctors at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine’s Small Animal Hospital in late 2023, with what appeared to be a… read on > read on >
1 in 14 U.S. Hospital Patients Fall Victim to Harmful Diagnostic Errors
One in 14 hospital patients may be the victim of damaging diagnostic mistakes, new research suggests. The finding is from a study of 675 patients admitted to one large hospital in Boston at various periods between July 2019 and September 2021. The patients were randomly selected from more than 9,000 hospitalized during that time. “The… read on > read on >
Adding Routine ‘Suicide Care’ to Primary Care Could Save Lives
More and more, primary care doctors routinely ask patients a question that may come as a surprise: Do you ever have suicidal thoughts? Now, new research shows it’s a simple intervention that can save lives. When suicide care was made a routine part of primary care visits at Kaiser Permanente clinics in Washington state, suicide… read on > read on >
Good Sex and Self Esteem Often Go Together, Study Finds
There’s a strong link between self-esteem and good times between the sheets, a new study suggests. Folks ranking high in self-esteem also tended to rate their sex lives as satisfying, reported a team from the Universities of Zurich and Utrecht, in Switzerland and The Netherlands. The effect could work in both directions, researchers believe. “People… read on > read on >
U.S. Suicide Death Rate Is Rising Again
U.S. suicide rates are ticking back upward again after a dip during the pandemic, new statistics show. Suicide deaths per 100,000 people had fallen from 14.2 recorded in the pre-pandemic year of 2018 to 13.5 in 2020. However, by 2022, the latest year for which statistics are available, the rate had climbed once more to… read on > read on >