Exposure to air pollution can impede COVID-19 recovery, whether someone is vaccinated or not, according to new research. “These findings are important because they show that, while COVID-19 vaccines are successful at reducing the risk of hospitalization, people who are vaccinated and exposed to polluted air are still at increased risk for worse outcomes than…  read on >  read on >

Birth control pills that contain both estrogen and progestin do not contribute to growth of enlarged breasts in teens and young women, a new study finds, and may actually be associated with developing less severe breast enlargement. Moreover, the combination pills don’t increase the risk of regrowth after breast-reduction surgery, said researcher Dr. Brian Labow…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. government will invest $266 million to shore up the community and public health workforce using American Rescue Plan funding. About $225.5 million will go to 83 recipients to support training and apprenticeship for 13,000 new community health workers, CNN reported before Friday’s announcement. These workers specialize in helping people find care and serve…  read on >  read on >

Public health officials tried everything to convince Americans to get vaccinated against COVID, including giving away cash, but that wasn’t enough to change hesitant minds, a new study shows. Researchers were surprised by the findings. “There is literature and evidence from other vaccination campaigns like the flu, and even some childhood vaccinations, showing that financial…  read on >  read on >

Eating well and exercising can make for a longer life, and that holds true for former smokers, too, a new study shows. Researchers found that of nearly 160,000 former smokers, those who exercised, ate healthfully and limited their drinking were less likely to die over the next couple of decades, versus their counterparts with less-healthy…  read on >  read on >

Terlisa Sheppard knows the value of tracking changes in her body. The Orlando Health patient was eight and a half months pregnant and just 31 years old when she felt a lump under her arm. She left work to get it checked out and “didn’t return back to work because that is the evening that…  read on >  read on >

Everyone knows dogs have a keen sense of smell, but now researchers have discovered they can even smell stress in the breath and sweat of humans. “Dogs possess an incredible sense of smell. Previous research has demonstrated their ability to detect changes within the human body from odor alone, such as our blood sugar levels,”…  read on >  read on >