Military veterans often struggle with their mental health once their service ends, but the first clinical trial of its kind has found that having a service dog helps lower the risk of PTSD for these former soldiers. Veterans paired with a service dog had 66% lower odds of a PTSD diagnosis, compared to a control… read on > read on >
Following the end of temporary pandemic-era rules expanding access to Medicaid, about 10 million Americans have lost that coverage. But a new report finds that most folks who’ve lost coverage have done so because of paperwork issues, and they’re far more likely to be people of color. “A lot of people got kicked off Medicaid… read on > read on >
As the H5N1 avian flu continues to spread among dairy cows in the United States, nearly 5 million doses of flu vaccine are now being prepared for possible use in humans. Since the outbreak in livestock began this spring, bird flu has been confirmed in three humans who worked on dairy farms in Texas and… read on > read on >
Strapping a mask to your face can make for a happier marriage, a new study suggests. Relationships with partners flourish if a person with sleep apnea starts using a continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) machine on a regular basis, researchers found. Snoring is one of the most recognizable symptoms of sleep apnea, and it can… read on > read on >
The wee hours of the morning could be the most dangerous for someone on the brink of suicide or homicide, a new study shows. There’s a five-fold greater risk for suicide and an eight-fold greater risk for homicide between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. for those awake in the still of the night, researchers report.… read on > read on >
America’s college students seem to be more stressed than ever, with a new report finding a sharp rise in cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder (ASD) on campuses across the country. In a “national sample of U.S. college students, we found a notable increase in the prevalence of PTSD and ASD,”… read on > read on >
Even as suicide rates have risen among Americans generally, one group appears to be bucking that trend: People diagnosed with cancer. Experts are crediting improved access to counseling and other “psychosocial care” with easing the emotional toll of cancer and keeping more patients from making tragic decisions. Nevertheless, cancer patients still face elevated risks for… read on > read on >
Cancer patients receive less effective treatment at hospitals that mainly serve minority communities, a new study shows. More than 9% of cancer patients are treated at hospitals where a significant percentage of patients are from minority groups, researchers say. Those patients are less likely to get the best care for breast, prostate, lung and colon… read on > read on >
A bilingual brain implant has allowed a stroke survivor to communicate in both Spanish and English, scientists report. Turning to an AI method known as a neural network, researchers trained the patient’s implant to decode words based on the brain activity produced when he tried to articulate those words, and then display those words and… read on > read on >
Allowing pharmacists to treat minor illnesses could potentially expand health care access to more people and save millions of dollars, a new study suggests. Care for a range of minor health issues — urinary tract infections, shingles, animal bites and headaches — would cost an average of about $278 less when treated in pharmacies rather… read on > read on >
