Vaccination played a crucial role when Americans were deciding whether to have surgery during the pandemic, a new study finds. “It’s critical to understand what factors affect a patient’s decision to have surgery during an infectious pandemic if we want to help reduce deaths and illness. These factors include vaccination status of the patient and… read on > read on >
The United States spends far more on cancer care than other wealthy nations, but it’s not seeing a return on that investment in terms of lives saved, a new study shows. Compared with the average high-income country, researchers found the U.S. spends twice as much on cancer care — more than $200 billion a year.… read on > read on >
Kids who play team sports may win some mental health benefits, but the same may not hold true for those in solo sports, a large, new study suggests. A number of previous studies have linked team sports to better mental well-being for children and teenagers, and the new research is no exception: Overall, it found,… read on > read on >
Pfizer Inc. said Wednesday that it has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve the emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children under the age of 5. The company said in a statement that it has provided the agency with data from a phase 2/3 trial that included almost 1,700 children who… read on > read on >
Nations are falling short in their efforts to get rid of toxic PCB chemicals that pose a risk to human health and the environment, researchers report. “We’re only six years out from the Stockholm Convention’s deadline to responsibly eliminate PCB stocks, but shockingly little progress has been made,” said study co-author Lisa Melymuk, an assistant… read on > read on >
The number of COVID-19 vaccine doses received — not the combinations — is the key to strengthening your immune system to protect against different variants of the coronavirus, including Omicron, a new study suggests. A team from the Chinese University of Hong Kong also determined that a third shot — a booster dose — is… read on > read on >
Children who have had COVID-19 aren’t protected against the Omicron variant, but vaccination does cut their chances of infection, a new study shows. “I hear parents say, ‘Oh, my kid had COVID last year,’” said senior study co-author Dr. Adrienne Randolph, from Boston Children’s Hospital. “But we found that antibodies produced by prior infections in… read on > read on >
The percussive skill needed to bang out rhythms on a drum may help improve socializing, inhibition control and focus among teens with autism, new research suggests. The finding follows work with 36 teens with an autism spectrum disorder. Half were randomly chosen to receive two months’ worth of drum training, based on a standard electronic… read on > read on >
It’s a classic case of male machismo jeopardizing health: A new survey finds many American men believe they’re healthier than other men and don’t bother with annual checkups, even though a yearly exam can catch health problems in the early stages. The online survey of nearly 900 U.S. men 18 and older was conducted in… read on > read on >
Frailty exams are recommended for older adults who have blood cancer, and new research shows they can be done virtually, not just in person. While the screenings are typically conducted at a clinic or doctor’s office, that became a challenge during the pandemic because people with blood cancers are at high risk of infection. A… read on > read on >
