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 >
Even when women do their best to have a safe pregnancy, chemicals commonly found in the home could still raise their risk for premature delivery, a new study shows. The chemicals — called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) — are used as flame retardants in items like furniture and carpets. For the study, researchers analyzed blood… read on > read on >
If your teenagers have been struggling to cope during the coronavirus pandemic, a new survey suggests they are far from alone. Researchers found that 46% of 977 parents of teens said their child has shown signs of a new or worsening mental health condition since the start of the pandemic. More parents of teen girls… read on > read on >
When you turn your clocks forward to Daylight Saving Time this weekend, take a few minutes to make your home safer. Change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) suggests. Unless these devices have sealed 10-year batteries, they require fresh batteries every year. It’s also… read on > read on >
Raising chickens in your backyard — a popular trend during the COVID-19 pandemic — holds risks that can come home to roost in an unwelcome way. It’s already well known that poultry can spread the salmonella bacteria to human handlers. But chickens cooped up in backyards could also be breeding grounds for viruses that pose… read on > read on >
During a speech reassuring Americans that the pandemic could be nearing its end in this country, President Joe Biden on Thursday promised that all U.S. adults will be eligible for a coronavirus vaccine by May 1. His remarks came on the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 to be a pandemic. Biden… read on > read on >
A single measles outbreak cost one U.S. county $3.4 million, a new government study estimates, underscoring the societal burden of inadequate vaccination rates. The outbreak occurred in Clark County, Wash., in early 2019, and ultimately infected 71 people — mostly children younger than 10 who hadn’t received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. The county’s low MMR… read on > read on >
One in four U.S. households use smart speakers to check the weather, play music and query search engines. But a new technology may soon have folks asking, “Hey Google, how’s my heart?” Researchers from the University of Washington, Seattle, have developed a skill for Amazon Alexa and Google Home that allows the devices to check… read on > read on >
