(HealthDay News) – The air people breathe – and how much pollution is in it – may make a difference in their outcomes when infected with COVID-19, a new study finds. Researchers found that living in more polluted areas — including near sewage water dischargers and in close proximity to heavy traffic — was linked…  read on >  read on >

Americans’ overall death rate from cancer continues to fall — but rising rates of certain cancers and ongoing racial disparities linger. Those are among the findings of an annual report to the nation from several major cancer organizations. The good news includes an accelerating decline in the overall cancer death rate, among both women and…  read on >  read on >

A longer prison sentence has been handed to the founder of a now-closed Massachusetts pharmaceutical facility responsible for the 2012 meningitis outbreak that killed 100 people and sickened hundreds of others. Barry Cadden, who was president and co-owner of the New England Compounding Center (NECC), received a 14-and-a-half year sentence from a federal judge Wednesday.…  read on >  read on >

Researchers have identified specific brain circuitry that is related to people’s sense of spirituality — and it’s centered in a brain region linked to pain inhibition, altruism and unconditional love. The findings add to research seeking to understand the biological basis for human spirituality. “It is something of a treacherous subject to navigate,” said lead…  read on >  read on >

The worldwide coronavirus death toll topped 4 million on Thursday, with the highly contagious Delta variant spotted in more than 100 countries and the World Health Organization warning against nations relaxing restrictions too quickly. “The numbers may not tell the complete story, and yet they’re still really staggering numbers globally,” Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at…  read on >  read on >

Teens and adults with autism may be less likely than others to use drugs and alcohol, but new research finds those who do are nearly nine times more likely to use these substances to mask symptoms, including those related to autism. This is known as camouflaging, and it has been linked to mental health issues…  read on >  read on >