A new study shows that older Americans with health issues are now staying with their Medicare Advantage managed plans, rather than swapping them for traditional plans through a health insurer. Although Medicare Advantage has been criticized in the past for “cherry-picking” healthy patients, that’s no longer the case, according to the research. “This is not… read on > read on >
“Superbug” infections are increasing in U.S. hospitals, and a coalition of medical groups has now issued a set of updated recommendations to protect patients. These guidelines are meant to prevent the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA, the authors of the recommendations argue. MRSA causes about 10% of hospital-associated infections in the… read on > read on >
Clouds of smoke continue to drift over the Eastern United States and Europe from wildfires in Canada, and experts are predicting a longer and more destructive wildfire season due to rising temperatures and drier conditions. Now, new research puts a number on just how dangerous wildfire smoke can be. Smoke particulates from wildfires could cause… read on > read on >
Could a treatment combo that improves the odds against melanoma for humans work in dogs? Yes, claims a new study that found radiotherapy followed by immunotherapy extended survival in canine melanoma patients. Melanomas in dogs are similar to human melanomas. An effective treatment for human melanomas is a combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy. The researchers… read on > read on >
Sarah Ferguson has undergone treatment for breast cancer, she announced on her podcast. The Duchess of York, 63, had a mastectomy after the diagnosis and the surgery was successful, her rep confirmed Sunday, People magazine reported. “The Duchess is receiving the best medical care and her doctors have told her that the prognosis is good.… read on > read on >
Summer’s here and the Mayo Clinic says babies need protection from the sun’s damaging UV rays, too. It only takes one severe sunburn during childhood or adolescence to nearly double the risk for a deadly melanoma later in life, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association. Babies are far more vulnerable to sunburn than… read on > read on >
It’s an image you see everywhere on social media and television: Groups of 30-something women, glistening glasses of chardonnay or cabernet in their hands as they let loose with their friends. But a new study digs into the downside of “booze bonding” — these women are 60% more likely to engage in excessive drinking than… read on > read on >
Cancer affects families in numerous ways, and kids whose parents have had cancer are more likely to be hungry and to go without everyday essentials than their peers, a new American Cancer Society study reveals. “Cancer is a life-threatening disease, and parents with a history of cancer are often saddled with worry about paying for… read on > read on >
It’s not the late nights, but the smoking and drinking that happen during those late nights, that are killing people who are “night owls” earlier in life, a new study claims. Researchers studied twins in Finland for 37 years, looking at different chronotypes, the body’s natural inclination to sleep at a certain time. Although they… read on > read on >
Folks living in Massachusetts, Hawaii and New Hampshire may be among the nation’s healthiest, according to a new scorecard that ranks how well the health care system in each U.S. state is working. By contrast, people in Mississippi, West Virginia and Oklahoma fare the worst when it comes to access to quality care and overall… read on > read on >
