There’s some discouraging news for baby boomers. Americans born between 1948 and 1965 are more likely than the generations that preceded them to have multiple health problems as they age, a new study shows. And, many develop two or more health conditions up to 20 years sooner than folks from other generations, too. Until recently… read on > read on >
All Lifestyle:
Fauci Tests Positive for COVID, Has Mild Symptoms
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease expert, has tested positive for COVID-19, the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) announced Wednesday. The 81-year-old director of NIAID tested positive on a rapid antigen test and has mild symptoms, the agency said in a statement. It said he is fully vaccinated and… read on > read on >
Plant-Based Diet May Help Keep Breast Cancer Away
Women who follow a healthy plant-based diet after menopause appear to face a substantially lower risk for breast cancer, new French research indicates. After tracking more than 65,000 women for two decades, investigators found those who consumed a healthy, primarily plant-based diet saw their risk for developing any type of breast cancer drop by an… read on > read on >
Cost of Brand-Name Epilepsy Meds Is Soaring
Managing epilepsy is an increasingly expensive process in the United States, with prices of brand-name anti-seizure drugs nearly quadrupling over eight years, a new study finds. From 2010 to 2018, the cost of brand-named epilepsy drugs, including meds like Vimpat (lacosamide), rose 277% overall, researchers found. Over the same period, the cost of generic drugs… read on > read on >
Obamacare May Have Helped Lower Suicide Rates
Suicide rates are rising more slowly in states that have expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a new study finds. “Suicide is a public health problem, and our findings indicate that increasing access to health care — including mental health care — by expanding Medicaid eligibility can play an important role in addressing… read on > read on >
New Approach Cuts Odds for Anal Cancer in People With HIV
Treating precancerous anal growths in people with HIV slashes their risk of anal cancer by more than half, according to a new study. Researchers found that treating these growths — called high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) — is a safe and effective way to reduce the risk of anal cancer. “We’ve now shown for the… read on > read on >
Flu Shots Lag in States With Low COVID Vaccine Uptake
Adult flu shots have slumped in states with low COVID-19 vaccination rates, suggesting that COVID-19 vaccination behavior may have spilled over to flu-vaccine behavior, new research indicates. University of California, Los Angeles researchers point to declining trust in public health agencies caused by controversy over COVID-19 vaccines as a possible reason for the falloff in… read on > read on >
Youth Drinking, Pot Use Went Down During Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic changed kids’ lives in many respects, and sometimes for the better. Pot use, drinking, smoking and vaping all fell among U.S. youth, likely because they had to spend more time at home and less time with their friends, researchers say. The findings are based on an analysis of 49 studies. “One of… read on > read on >
FDA Panel Backs Pfizer, Moderna Shots for Kids 5 and Under
An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously on Wednesday to recommend the emergency use of both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for the country’s youngest children. The approvals come not a moment too soon: More than two years into the pandemic, children younger than 5 still have no vaccine… read on > read on >
High Hopes: Optimism Helps Women Live Longer
The key to a long life may be your attitude. Researchers at Harvard studied the impact of optimism on women’s lifespans, finding that optimism was associated with greater longevity, such as living past age 90. Lead study author Hayami Koga, a PhD candidate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, decided… read on > read on >