Video conferencing has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, but many workers are developing what some call “Zoom fatigue.” Now, new research suggests a prime factor behind the trend: A lack of inclusion. The study finds that when people feel they’re really part of the group being gathered together, video conferences become less exhausting. In the…  read on >  read on >

Long-term exposure to polluted air could increase the risk of severe COVID-19 in people with respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), new research shows. For the study, researchers at the University of Cincinnati examined the backgrounds and health outcomes of more than 1,100 COVID-19 patients diagnosed at UC Health between…  read on >  read on >

Bye-bye Zoom meetings: As America begins to emerge from the pandemic, many companies are welcoming employees back into physical work spaces. But Taylor Villanueva, an entrepreneurship specialist at the Girl Scouts of Orange County, counts herself among the millions of Americans who might be feeling just a little anxious about that transition. “Initially, I was…  read on >  read on >

The respiratory health risks among people who live near oil wells in Los Angeles are similar to the risks from daily exposure to secondhand smoke or living near a freeway, researchers say. In a new study, they also found that people of color are disproportionately affected by respiratory problems such as wheezing and reduced lung…  read on >  read on >

Exercise can provide a much-needed mental health boost during the COVID-19 pandemic. But stress and anxiety may hold you back, new research suggests. According to a survey by researchers at McMaster University in Canada, some people may need mental health support to exercise during the pandemic. “Maintaining a regular exercise program is difficult at the…  read on >  read on >

Living near a Superfund hazardous waste site may shorten your life, new research suggests. There are thousands of Superfund sites across the United States and they include manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mines where hazardous waste was dumped, left out in the open or poorly managed, posing a risk to the environment and human…  read on >  read on >

Four in 10 transgender women have HIV, which shows the urgent need to offer them more prevention and treatment services, according to a new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. In interviews with more than 1,600 transgender women in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle in…  read on >  read on >