Newborns are more likely to be born sickly if their moms are exposed to air pollution during pregnancy, a new study says. A woman’s exposure to air pollution during the last month of pregnancy can increase their newborn’s risk of landing in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), according to findings published recently in the…  read on >  read on >

Millions of Americans have sought help for gambling addiction in the wake of a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision that allowed states to legalize sports betting. That’s among the key findings in a new study published Feb. 17 in JAMA Internal Medicine.  “Sportsbooks have expanded from a single state to 38 states, with hundreds of billions…  read on >  read on >

Cancer screenings can save lives by detecting cancer early, when treatment is most effective. With an estimated 2 million new cancer cases expected in 2025, regular screenings are more important than ever, according to the American Cancer Society. February is National Cancer Prevention Month, which makes it a perfect time to check if you’re up…  read on >  read on >

FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2025 (HealthDay News) – When it comes to testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), many young adults prefer the privacy and convenience of at-home testing, a new survey suggests. Fully 91% of survey participants aged 14-24 said they would use free STI self-collection kits, the survey showed. STI home kits involve collecting a urine…  read on >  read on >

Zoo workers and volunteers often grieve when animals die, and zoo managers can do a better job of supporting them, a new study finds. “Zoo professionals and volunteers frequently face significant emotional strain due to animal losses, yet structured organizational support for processing grief remains limited,” lead author Nichole Nageotte, adjunct instructor at Unity Environmental…  read on >  read on >

This Valentine’s Day, are you ready for something real or still playing the field? New research suggests your friends probably share similar notions about your readiness for lasting love. Researchers at Michigan State University in East Lansing tracked data on nearly 800 young adults embedded in friend groups.   Participants answered questions about their own…  read on >  read on >

As closures of rural hospitals across the United States continue, more Americans are facing hour-plus drives to reach surgical centers, two new reports find. By 2020, data show, 99 million Americans already had trouble finding “timely, high-quality and affordable surgical care,” according to a news release from the University of Michigan.  The situation is most…  read on >  read on >

Even if a teen is at a healthy weight, just thinking they are overweight can greatly raise their odds for self-harm, a new study finds. “What we found was that the perception of being overweight has a much stronger effect of suicidal ideation than the objective measure of weight,” said study lead author Philip Baiden.…  read on >  read on >

Want to thrive in tough, stressful times? Stay playful. That’s the take-home message from a new study of who fared best, in terms of mental resiliency, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers said the findings have relevance to weathering any sort of trying times. “Playful” people differ from others in that they display “greater optimism…  read on >  read on >

About 93% of people worldwide who struggle with mental health or substance abuse issues aren’t getting adequate care, a new report finds. In many cases, people affected by mental illness do not recognize that they have a diagnosable condition, the Canadian research team found.  But even when diagnoses are made, treatment is often lacking.  Men…  read on >  read on >