Telemedicine rapidly expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic as people turned to their phones and computers rather than leave their homes for health care. But some groups of people were left behind in the telemedicine boom, a new study reports. Middle-aged and older folks are much less likely to complete their scheduled telemedicine visits, as well… read on > read on >
As COVID-19 spreads across the country and vaccines are not yet widely available, it’s important to plan for what you would do if you become infected with the virus, says a psychologist who’s counseled critically ill and recovering patients. “We can’t let our guard down while we wait our turn for the vaccine,” said rehabilitation… read on > read on >
It may be no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic is causing some Americans significant psychological distress. That mental trauma hit people hard, even early in the pandemic, new research shows. A new RAND Corporation study reports that more than 10% of Americans surveyed said they experienced psychological distress during April and May of 2020 —… read on > read on >
It might be tough to imagine jetting off to far-flung destinations right now, but new research shows that people who love to travel are happier than homebodies. Chun-Chu (Bamboo) Chen, an assistant professor in the School of Hospitality Business Management at Washington State University Vancouver, surveyed 500 people to find out why some travel more… read on > read on >
By Nov. 15 of last year, roughly 47 million Americans — about 14.5% of the U.S. population — had already been infected with the new coronavirus, a new study finds. That’s much higher than the close to 11 million known U.S. cases of infection that were recorded by that date, the researchers said, because reported… read on > read on >
Loss of smell is common in COVID-19, but fewer people say they have this symptom than objective tests reveal, a new study finds. In fact, about 77% of COVID-19 patients who were directly measured had smell loss, but only 44% said they did, researchers found. Direct measures of smell involve having patients smell and report… read on >
Is your kid suddenly clamoring for a fast food meal or a sugary cereal you’ve never even heard of? He or she may have seen the product featured on a favorite “kid influencer” video. In a new study, researchers viewed the top 50 kid influencer videos on YouTube and found that 9 out of 10… read on >
For years, people with implanted heart devices have been told they can’t undergo MRI scans. But a new study adds to evidence that, with certain measures in place, the procedure is safe. The study focused on patients with older pacemakers and implantable defibrillators that were not designed to be more compatible with MRI scanners. The… read on >
Halloween is risky enough this year with the coronavirus pandemic, so don’t risk your vision as well by wearing costume contact lenses, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) says. Costume contact lens packaging that claims “one-size-fits-all” or “no need to see an eye doctor” is false, the academy said. Poorly fitted contact lenses can scrape… read on >
A culture of toughness and resilience is encouraged among elite college rowers, but it can keep them from reporting injuries, a new study finds. There’s an overall myth among athletes that admitting pain is a sign of weakness and failure, the researchers said. Irish and Australian rowers in this study felt compromised by lower back… read on >
