Put out that cigarette for the health of your four-legged friend. When smokers search social media for anti-tobacco information, they tend to engage most with posts about the risk of secondhand smoke on their pets, a new study reveals. Posts with new information about harmful chemicals also receive high engagement, researchers found. “Our results show… read on > read on >
You may be struggling with stomach pain and digestive distress without understanding why, thinking it might be something you ate. Can stress cause stomach pain? Stress, especially chronic stress, can indeed increase your risk for gastrointestinal (GI) problems. “Stress and anxiety are common causes of stomach pain and other GI symptoms,” Dr. Nina Gupta, a… read on > read on >
Exposure to air pollution may increase the risk of developing dementia, according to a review of prior research. The new Harvard study is the latest look at a host of health issues — from dementia to heart disease and stroke — linked to pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5), as well as nitrogen oxide… read on > read on >
For what they say is the first time, British researchers report that they have found the spread of COVID-19 in households is linked to the presence of the virus on hands and surfaces, not just in the air. The investigators collected data from households at the height of the pandemic, finding that people were much… read on > read on >
Four out of 10 people who have lingering health issues after COVID-19 infection can count bothersome sleep problems among them. About 41% of those with so-called long COVID have moderate to severe sleep issues, according to new research from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Black patients are three times more likely to develop these sleep… read on > read on >
An RSV vaccine developed by Pfizer provides safe and effective protection in both seniors and newborns, clinical trial results show. The vaccine is 86% effective in protecting older adults against RSV infections severe enough to cause three or more symptoms, according to findings published April 5 in the New England Journal of Medicine. And the… read on > read on >
Medicaid reimbursement for mental health services varies widely across the United States, making it hard for many folks who need help to get it, a new study finds. Researchers found as much as a fivefold difference among states in Medicaid reimbursement rates. Even though Medicaid, the governmental health care program for low-income Americans, serves a… read on > read on >
It’s machine: 1, man: 0 in the latest battle between artificial intelligence (AI) technology and human health care pros. This time researchers set out to see if cardiologists could tell the difference between AI and a sonographer’s assessments of a key measure of heart health on ultrasound images. Spoiler alert: They couldn’t. “This is a… read on > read on >
Life isn’t all fun and games for kids. They do a fair amount of worrying, too. In fact, according to a survey of kids ages 9 to 13, a striking number, 86%, say they worry. More than one-third worry at least once a week. School and friendships are key concerns. And as they get older,… read on > read on >
A new study shows that money, or lack of it, can stand in the way of follow-up testing after an abnormal mammogram result. Just over one-fifth of U.S. women surveyed by researchers said they would skip additional testing if they had to pay a deductible or co-pay. Of 714 women who responded when asked if… read on > read on >
