Parent-collected nasal swab samples from kids could be as good at detecting respiratory infections such as COVID-19 as those taken by nurses, but that’s not the case with saliva samples, British researchers say. Respiratory infections such as colds and flu are among the most common illnesses in kids treated by primary care doctors. COVID-19 is… read on > read on >
Older women with muscle loss are less likely to have menopause-related hot flashes, a new study finds. The loss of muscle mass and function (sarcopenia) is one of the most significant changes that occurs with age, and older women are at increased risk due to sex hormone changes after menopause. Other risk factors for sarcopenia… read on > read on >
A new program to help U.S. veterans with lung problems caused by inhaling toxins while deployed was announced on Veterans Day by President Joe Biden. It will also assess the potential connection between cancers and time spent overseas breathing poor air, according to the White House. “We’re discovering there is a whole host of lung… read on > read on >
A recall of Ellume at-home COVID-19 test kits has been expanded to include roughly 2 million of the 3.5 million tests that had been shipped to the United States by last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. The original recall, involving 427,000 kits, was first announced in early October due to a… read on > read on >
Health insurance has gotten slightly more expensive during the pandemic: A new survey shows that annual family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose 4%, to an average of $22,221 this year. Of that amount, employees paid an average of nearly $6,000 toward the cost of coverage, while employers paid the remainder of the premium. But… read on > read on >
Since 1971, when the U.S. government made defeating cancer a goal and put major funding behind it, death rates for many cancers have plummeted, but some are increasing, according to a new American Cancer Society report. Death rates for all cancers combined have declined since passage of the National Cancer Act of 1971, according to… read on > read on >
In a finding that suggests a family’s income influences parents’ views on COVID vaccines for their younger kids, a new survey shows the more money parents make, the likelier they are to get their kids a shot. The poll of more than 2,000 parents found that 47% of those with annual incomes of $100,000 or… read on > read on >
Call it the great pandemic sit-down. As COVID-19 turned daily commutes into shuffles between rooms at home, and Netflix replaced time spent at the gym or playing sports, Americans have been sitting a lot more. Now a new study suggests it may be putting their mental health at risk. “We knew COVID was going to… read on > read on >
Male doctors are much more likely to refer patients to male surgeons, rather than send them to female surgeons with equal qualifications and experience, a new study finds. “During my 20 years in practice, I always had the sense it was easier for my male surgical colleagues to get referrals than it was for me,… read on > read on >
About 900,000 U.S. children aged 5 to 11 received their initial dose of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine during the first week of eligibility for that age group, the Biden administration said Wednesday. Not only that, nearly 700,000 more are scheduled in the coming days, health officials added. The low-dose Pfizer vaccine for younger children was approved… read on > read on >
