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 >
How the COVID-19 virus affects someone may be exacerbated by the air they breathe. Researchers found a link between exposure to airborne particulate matter, including fine particles known as PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and heightened risk of serious coronavirus complications. “Our research demonstrated that one-year average exposure to PM2.5 translated to a 20-30% increase… read on > read on >
Cancer patients continue to face more risk from COVID-19, even if they’ve been vaccinated. Although vaccination is effective for most people who have cancer (even though they’re immunocompromised by the disease and their cancer treatments), its effectiveness wanes more rapidly in this group, by three to six months compared to the general population, new research… read on > read on >
The COVID-19 pandemic and the isolation it imposed took a dramatic toll on kids’ mental health, increasing the demand for services in an already overburdened system. As a result, many kids found themselves being “boarded” in emergency departments as they awaited care, according to a new study conducted at Boston Children’s Hospital. The average wait… read on > read on >
Add a lower risk of Crohn’s disease to the many benefits of having a dog during childhood, a new study suggests. Sorry, cat lovers, researchers didn’t find a similar benefit for you. “We did not see the same results with cats, though we are still trying to determine why,” said senior author Williams Turpin, a… read on > read on >
Think vaping is cheap? A study from the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing reports that annual health care costs for users of electronic cigarettes were $2,024 more per person than for those who use no tobacco products. That adds up to about $15 billion a year in the United States. “Health care… read on > read on >
Creating more parks and other green spaces could have prevented tens of thousands of deaths in dozens of large U.S. cities over the past two decades, a new study says. “We’ve known that living in greener areas can have a positive impact on our physical and mental health, but there is a lack of data… read on > read on >
If you’re poor and have a severe type of heart attack, the chance you’ll live through it is significantly lower than that of someone with more money, new research shows. The finding underscores the need to close a divide in health care that hits low-income people hard, said lead researcher Dr. Abdul Mannan Khan Minhas,… read on > read on >
