Doctors have long suspected it, but a comprehensive new study provides more evidence that antibiotics can reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills. That means women who are using both types of drugs at once should take extra precautions to avoid an unintended pregnancy, the study’s British authors say. The study couldn’t prove cause and… read on >
People with diabetes face a higher risk of developing complications from COVID-19, but a new survey reports they have also suffered more economic fallout from the pandemic. In June, 18% of people with diabetes were out of work compared to 12% of the general population. And one-third of people with diabetes have lost at least… read on >
Some of the leading hotspots in the United States are on track to become even more sweltering in the coming decades — thanks to a combination of greenhouse gas emissions, urban development and population growth. In a new study, researchers estimate that over the course of this century, the biggest relative increases in extreme heat… read on >
When COVID-19 was raging in the Northeastern United States, more than 25% of Connecticut nursing-home residents were suffering from the coronavirus, a new survey reports. Nursing homes are very susceptible to the pandemic because the patients are elderly, living in close quarters and often have other medical conditions that make them more vulnerable to COVID-19,… read on >
Microscopic bits of plastic have most likely taken up residence in all of the major filtering organs in your body, a new lab study suggests. Researchers found evidence of plastic contamination in tissue samples taken from the lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys of donated human cadavers. “We have detected these chemicals of plastics in every… read on >
Women with early-stage breast cancer whose surgery has been postponed during the coronavirus pandemic need not worry about the delay, new study findings suggest. A longer time from diagnosis to surgery doesn’t affect overall survival of women with early-stage tumors, the researchers found. They also said a delay didn’t lower survival among women with estrogen-sensitive,… read on >
After a period of improvement, U.S. kids are eating as much fast food as they were in the early 2000s, new government figures show. Researchers found that between 2003 and 2010, there was a decline in U.S. kids’ intake of fast-food calories — dipping from an average of 14% of daily calories, to just under… read on >
This school year comes with special challenges for kids as the United States grapples with a coronavirus pandemic, but experts say parents can help their children navigate the tough emotional terrain. Whether returning to a school building, continuing online learning or adjusting to a hybrid school environment, it is normal for children and adolescents to… read on >
Adding to an ongoing debate over the timing of mammography, a new British study finds that screening women aged 40 to 49 for breast cancer saves lives, with only small increases in overdiagnosis. “This is a very long-term follow-up of a study which confirms that screening in women under 50 can save lives,” researcher Stephen… read on >
New York City resident Jeanne Jennings was so sick with COVID-19 she couldn’t draw a decent breath. “Even going from my bed to the bathroom was such a difficult task, I felt like I was going to pass out,” Jennings, 46, said. Jennings wanted to go to the hospital, but this was early May, the… read on >
