Older adults frequently delay needed surgery because of financial concerns, a new study finds. Nearly half of people ages 50 and older who were very concerned about the cost of surgery wound up not having an operation they had considered, researchers reported Jan. 30 in the journal JAMA Network Open. Further, more than half who… read on > read on >
All Lifestyle:
Ozone-Linked Deaths on the Rise Globally
Deaths related to ozone air pollution will rise significantly around the world during the next two decades due to climate change, a new study warns. Cities in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa can expect to see ozone-related deaths increase by as many as 6,200 fatalities a year by 2054 unless humans rein in… read on > read on >
High School Kids Who Use Weed, Alcohol Face Higher Risks for Suicidal Thoughts
High school students who smoke, drink or use weed are more likely to be emotionally troubled and have suicidal thoughts, a new study finds. Teens who turn to nicotine, alcohol or marijuana are more likely to think about suicide, feel depressed or anxious, have psychotic episodes and exhibit inattention or hyperactivity, researchers report Jan. 29… read on > read on >
Leaving Pets Behind Adds to Trauma, Danger for People in Crisis
Imagine being subjected to domestic violence in your home, wanting to escape — but there’s no place you can go that will accept a beloved pet. That’s the gut-wrenching situation facing too many victims of domestic abuse, according to a new data review spanning 27 years. “In a lot of cases of domestic violence, there… read on > read on >
Study Looks at COVID Threat to Folks With Weakened Immune Systems
It’s long been known that people with immune deficiencies are at increased risk for severe COVID. But a new study shows the threat varies dramatically based on how severe that immune suppression is and the reason behind it, researchers report in the Jan. 24 issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine. People suffering immune compromise… read on > read on >
Cervical Cancer Rates Are on the Rise Among the Poor
Women in poorer areas of the United States have experienced a dramatic increase in advanced cervical cancer, a new study shows. Late-stage cervical cancer cases and deaths have gone up in U.S. counties with an average household income of between $19,330 and $38,820, researchers report Jan. 25 in the International Journal of Cancer. Cases of… read on > read on >
Tummy Tucks, Liposuctions Are Killing Americans Visiting Dominican Republic
Too many American tourists looking for cheap cosmetic surgeries alongside their beach time are winding up dead in the Dominican Republic, a new report finds. Between 2009 and 2022, 93 people — almost all young or middle-aged women — have died after undergoing tummy tucks, liposuction or buttock enhancement procedures in that country’s clinics, reports… read on > read on >
Probiotics Might Help Portly Pooches Shed Pounds
If your dog is looking like he needs to drop some weight, a new study shows probiotics might do the trick. Researchers identified two strains of probiotics that helped obese canines shed pounds. “The strains we carefully selected demonstrated remarkable success in reducing the body fat percentage in dogs,” said principal researcher Younghoon Kim, a… read on > read on >
Single Dose of New Typhoid Vaccine Protects Kids Long-Term
While largely eliminated in more affluent nations, typhoid remains a deadly scourge in developing countries, killing more than 110,000 children every year. Children in endemic areas — mainly sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia — have new reason to hope, however, with the advent of a one-shot vaccine that appears to provide long-term protection against the… read on > read on >
Women’s Anxiety Rose in States Affected by Fall of Roe v. Wade
Women are suffering more anxiety and depression in states that banned abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a new study shows. The court’s Dobbs decision in June 2022 triggered laws banning abortion in 13 states. In the six months after, symptoms of anxiety and depression increased among women living in those states,… read on > read on >