Katie Rodgers was just 15 years old when she started smoking, and in her early 20s when it became a more significant habit. Rodgers found quitting tough, but she managed to kick the habit at age 33 during a global pandemic because she knew that smoking would increase her anxiety and put her at higher… read on > read on >
This year, COVID-19 has made decisions around surgery tougher than ever for folks who may need one. But one major medical group can help provide some answers. Top on their list: Is it safe to have surgery right now? “It is very safe to have surgery, especially with all of the precautions in place,” said… read on > read on >
Health care workers are more likely to catch COVID-19 at home or in their community than on the job, a new study finds. “The news is reassuring in that it shows the measures taken are working to prevent infections from spreading in health care facilities,” said study co-author Dr. Anthony Harris. He’s professor of epidemiology… read on > read on >
Black Americans who live in rural areas are two to three times more likely to die from diabetes and high blood pressure compared with white rural folks, and this gap hasn’t changed much over the last 20 years, new research shows. The study spanned from 1999 through 2018, and will be published as a research… read on > read on >
In more good news on the coronavirus vaccine front, a new government report finds that 88% of Americans who get their first COVID-19 shot return for their second. That bodes well for the United States, since full vaccination is vital to stopping the pandemic. In December 2020, the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines were approved… read on > read on >
More than 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have now been delivered into the arms of American adults, new government data shows. As of Monday, more than 37.4 million Americans are now fully vaccinated, 11.3% of the total U.S. population, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, over 107 million, 21%… read on > read on >
As much of the world hunkered down at home over the past year, women shouldered most of the cleaning, laundry and child care — and they are not happy about it. In a series of international surveys on “time use” during the pandemic, researchers found a clear gender divide when it came to chores and… read on > read on >
Discriminatory housing practices from nearly a century ago continue to influence a person’s risk of suffering a stroke, claims a new study that reveals the legacy of structural racism in the United States. Researchers found a 1.5% higher rate of stroke within census tracts in Columbus, Ohio, most heavily marked for “redlining,” compared to neighborhoods… read on > read on >
For someone suffering a severe stroke, every 10 minutes that goes by before treatment starts in the emergency room may cost eight weeks of a healthy life, Canadian researchers report. In fact, delays in the hospital may have worse consequences for recovery than delays in getting to the hospital, they noted. “Our study confirmed that… read on > read on >
Could the paws of assistance dogs be cleaner than the soles of your shoes? Yes, claims a new study that calls for allowing assistance dogs to accompany their owners in all public places. To prove their point, Dutch researchers tested the paws of 25 assistance dogs and the soles on the shoes of their owners… read on > read on >
