A smartphone video could detect a blocked blood vessel in your neck that could cause a stroke, a new study suggests. The American Heart Association says videos may provide a non-invasive way to screen people who are at risk of stroke. Nearly 87% of strokes are the ischemic type, which happens when fatty deposits build… read on > read on >
All Lifestyle:
Lead Poisoning Plus Systemic Racism Are Harming Black Kids’ Test Scores
It’s well known that exposure to lead can harm young children’s brain development. Now a new study suggests that racial segregation may be compounding the detrimental effects of lead on Black children. The study, of close to 26,000 schoolchildren, found that Black children with elevated blood lead levels had worse scores on standardized reading tests.… read on > read on >
Veterans Often Reluctant to Admit Struggles With Sleep, Addictions
A new study of U.S. military veterans reveals they are more comfortable getting help for physical ills than for mental health issues. “The majority of participants indicated they would be willing to seek treatment for both physical and mental health problems. However, they reported significantly greater willingness to seek treatment for physical than mental health… read on > read on >
‘Virtual’ Museum Visits Are Good Medicine for Seniors
By combining technology with interactive art activities, older people at home can have museums come to them — and this can support their physical, mental and social well-being, a new study reports. “This participatory art-based activity could become a model that could be offered in museums and arts institutions worldwide to promote active and healthy… read on > read on >
Looking for Reliable Hay Fever Advice? It’s Probably Not on YouTube
Need information about hay fever? Steer clear of YouTube, a new study advises. Researchers found misinformation about allergic rhinitis, the medical name for the disorder, in a large numbers of posts on the popular video-sharing site. That’s significant, because 7 in 10 patients with a chronic disease are influenced by information they get online and… read on > read on >
Dog Contracts Monkeypox From Owners, Prompting Change to CDC Guidance
Adding yet another wrinkle to the monkeypox outbreak, a new case study suggests that people can pass the virus on to their pet dogs. Therefore, people who are infected with the virus should avoid close contact with their pets, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control now advises in an updated guidance. The change reflects the… read on > read on >
U.S. Nursing Homes Are Understaffed, But Minority Communities Have It Worst
Staffing shortages at nursing homes across the United States are severe in disadvantaged areas where needs may be greatest, researchers say. The study — recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society — looked at staffing before the COVID-19 pandemic. It found that skilled clinical workers such as registered nurses (RNs) and physical… read on > read on >
How Worried Should You Be About New Reports on Polio?
Poliovirus detected in New York City wastewater last week put public health officials on high alert, as it indicates the potentially paralyzing virus is circulating widely in the area. But infectious disease experts say there’s no need for families of fully vaccinated children to panic. “The inactivated polio vaccine is part of the standard childhood… read on > read on >
U.K. Is First Country to Approve Moderna’s Omicron-Targeted COVID Vaccine
A COVID-19 booster that’s targeted to the Omicron variant will be available soon — and it’s already been approved in Britain. The U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency was the first to give the go-ahead for the vaccine that was designed to fight both the original COVID virus from 2020 and the omicron BA.1… read on > read on >
Unpaid Time Off Work Rose 50% During Pandemic
U.S. workers without paid leave lost out on an estimated $28 billion in wages during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report. The analysis showed that the greatest increases in unpaid absences were among low-income workers who were self-employed, Black or Hispanic, female, or raising families with children. Work… read on > read on >