AI isn’t ready to run a hospital’s emergency room just yet, a new study concludes. ChatGPT likely would ask for unnecessary x-rays and antibiotics for some patients, and admit others who don’t really need hospital treatment, researchers reported Oct. 8 in the journal Nature Communications. “This is a valuable message to clinicians not to blindly… read on > read on >
A Wisconsin program that sends suspects in minor drug-related crimes to treatment instead of jail is paying off, a new study shows. Researchers who evaluated the Madison Area Recovery Initiative (MARI) found that non-violent offenders who were given a clinical assessment and six months of substance use treatment were less likely to be arrested, jailed… read on > read on >
Teens from minority groups seeking treatment at pediatric trauma centers are more likely than their white counterparts to be tested for drugs and alcohol. That’s the takeaway from a new study led by researchers at UCLA and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. “While screening can positively affect patients if it is followed by counseling and treatment,… read on > read on >
The health benefits of fluoridated drinking water may be waning as Americans increasingly turn to using toothpastes and mouthwashes that already contain fluoride, a new review suggests. The research, published Thursday in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, came to that conclusion after analyzing more than 157 studies that compared tooth decay in kids living in… read on > read on >
Whether abusive parents, drug addiction or gun violence are to blame, the fallout from childhood traumas can reverberate until a person’s final days of life, new research shows. “We found that early-life trauma in particular, especially physical abuse by parents, was strongly related to end-of-life pain, loneliness and depressive symptoms,” said senior study author Dr.… read on > read on >
Antibodies provided by mpox vaccination all but disappear within six to 12 months, new research finds, underscoring the need for boosters to maintain strong protection. Mpox — previously known as monkeypox — is a fast-spreading virus transmitted mainly through close skin-to-skin contact, especially during sex. Its symptoms include fever, painful rashes or sores and swollen… read on > read on >
The large majority of people with food allergy, and the caregivers of kids with such allergies, say the condition has led to psychological distress, a new study finds. However, only about 1 in every 5 such people have ever been assessed and counseled on their anxieties, the same report also found. “Our research highlights a… read on > read on >
THURSDAY, Oct. 3, 2024, HealthDay News — The Southern Hemisphere’s flu season is winding down, and new data shows this year’s flu shot was 34.5% effective in keeping folks there who got influenza from needing hospital care. Most (68.3%) of those sent to hospital had the A(H3N2) strain of flu, according to the report from… read on > read on >
Americans who turn to online pharmacies to find cheaper versions of expensive prescription medications, especially opioids, may instead be buying themselves dangerous drugs that could trigger an overdose, U.S. health officials warned Wednesday. The warning, issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, follows a federal indictment announced last week against 18 individuals… read on > read on >
In yet another sign that childhood vaccinations can’t be taken for granted, new government data shows that a record number of kindergartners were exempted from the required shots during the last school year. That leaves more than 125,000 new students without the protection of at least one childhood vaccine, even as measles vaccination rates among… read on > read on >
