For reasons that remain murky, new research warns that a spike in social media use during the pandemic might have worsened tic disorders in children. Tics are sudden twitches, movements or sounds that people do repeatedly because they can’t control their body. In the study, 90% of 20 tic patients aged 11 to 21 said… read on > read on >
Alexa can already play your favorite song or tell you whether it is going to rain, but soon you may also be able to tell the popular voice assistant to contact a doctor for health issues. The service from Amazon and telemedicine provider Teladoc Health will be available around the clock on Amazon’s Echo devices,… read on > read on >
Screening mammograms can lead to overdiagnosis of breast cancer, but a new study finds it happens less often than experts have thought. Researchers estimated that about 15% of breast cancers caught through routine mammography screening are overdiagnoses — meaning the tumors would never have caused harm if they had not been detected. The figure suggests… read on > read on >
Fresh data shows that Pfizer’s COVID vaccine is far less powerful at preventing infection among children ages 5 to 11 than teens, a finding that could leave some parents of younger children worried. The vaccine — the only one authorized for that age group in the United States — does prevent severe illness in young… read on > read on >
Minimum staffing levels will be a main feature of a major overhaul of U.S. nursing homes that President Joe Biden is expected to announce in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night. Staffing levels are considered a critical marker for nursing home quality, but the pandemic has left many facilities short of nurses, nursing… read on > read on >
Wanderlust has become a strong incentive for Americans to get COVID-19 vaccines, a new study finds. The bucket list beckons, and “many people consider travel an essential part of their lifestyle and a contributor to their sense of well-being,” said study lead author Dogan Gursoy, a professor in hospitality business management at Washington State University.… read on > read on >
Increased social media use may be causing more severe tics in young people, researchers find read on >
Anyone who has more than one dog might have seen it unfold: A beloved pet dies, and the remaining dog seems to suffer as deeply as the rest of the family. Now, new Italian research adds to evidence that man’s best friend does indeed mourn such a loss. Eighty-six percent of 426 dog owners who… read on > read on >
Extreme heat from climate change is making it harder for people with mental illness and drug addiction to cope and adding to pressure on pandemic-stretched U.S. emergency rooms. During these severe summer temperature spikes, Americans with depression, anxiety, mood disorders and drug addiction are increasingly flocking to hospital ERs for help, a new study finds.… read on > read on >
Add better brain health to the growing list of protections your beloved pet may provide you: New research suggests that older adults with a furry companion showed slower mental declines than those without one. “Prior studies have suggested that the human-animal bond may have health benefits like decreasing blood pressure and stress,” said study author… read on > read on >
