Doctors already test seniors’ hearing and vision. Sense of smell could be added to screenings one day, according to researchers who found links between its loss and risk of frailty in older adults. “We use our sense of smell to identify the threat of a fire or to enjoy the fragrance of flowers on a… read on > read on >
Worries that clergy will urge depressed congregants to rely on prayer and not other mental health care appear to be unfounded. A nationwide survey found that 90% of clergy members embraced a medical understanding of the causes and treatment of depression. About 10% said they would recommend using religious means alone to address depression. “We… read on > read on >
FRIDAY, Jan. 13, 2023 (HealthDay News) – Despite tobacco industry claims, a new study found that banning menthol-flavored cigarettes did not lead to more people purchasing illicit smokes. Researchers at the University of Waterloo surveyed smokers to study the impact of a menthol cigarette ban in Canada. Smokers of both menthol and non-menthol cigarettes were… read on > read on >
Social isolation is a substantial risk factor for dementia in older adults, according to a pair of studies that add evidence to past research on this threat. But these new studies offer a potential solution: using technology to encourage older adults to text and email to stay in touch. Although the studies don’t prove lack… read on > read on >
Vaccinations among kindergarteners declined for the second year in a row, leaving hundreds of thousands of young children vulnerable to dangerous infectious diseases, U.S. health officials reported Thursday. About 93% of kindergarteners had their required vaccinations during the 2021-2022 school year, including the measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis, polio and chickenpox vaccines, according to a new study… read on > read on >
Researchers are reporting progress on a blood test that can detect multiple cancers in a relatively simpler, and potentially less pricey, way than other tests under development. The test picks up certain cancer signals in the blood using a fairly straightforward method: counting bits of DNA that appear to be “broken” in unexpected places. In… read on > read on >
Millions of adults spend too much time at a desk or in front of a screen, and experts have long advised them to sit less, move more. But if lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar and a mood boost are the goals, what’s the bare minimum of movement that will get the job done? Apparently… read on > read on >
THURSDAY, Jan. 12, 2023 (HealthDay News) – Nearly one quarter of hospitalized people experience a harmful event during their stay, a new study finds. However, most of the bad outcomes are not preventable because they’re related to known side effects from medications or risks of surgery. The findings were published Jan. 11 in the New… read on > read on >
Infants too young to be vaccinated for COVID-19 get some protection from their mothers’ breast milk, researchers say. The new study follows up on findings published in 2021 that showed the breast milk of vaccinated people contained antibodies against the COVID-19 virus. For the study, researchers analyzed infants’ stool. “Our first study showed there were… read on > read on >
The updated COVID-19 vaccine boosters intended to defend people against emerging Omicron variants don’t appear to provide any better protection than the original shot does, two new studies find. The new mRNA bivalent boosters produced by Moderna and Pfizer only attack the COVID-19 virus about as well as the companies’ first-wave vaccines, according to a… read on > read on >
