The average cost of hospital care for COVID-19 patients skyrocketed during the pandemic, outstripping what might be expected under inflation, a new study shows. Average hospital costs for COVID patients increased five times faster than the rate of medical inflation through the first two years of the pandemic, researchers have found. This is at least… read on > read on >
Millions of revelers hit the road after New Year’s Eve celebrations and the inevitability of impaired drivers make the holiday one of the nation’s deadliest. High blood-alcohol levels are a factor in more than 50% of crashes on New Year’s Day, the American Safety Council warns. Law enforcement officers will be on alert, with checkpoints… read on > read on >
Researchers appear to have discovered a new weapon in the war on a particularly difficult foe. They have identified a previously unrecognized class of antibodies that seem to be capable of neutralizing multiple strains of the flu virus. Their findings, recently reported in the journal PLOS Biology, could lead to development of a vaccine that… read on > read on >
As Americans travel far and wide to see family and friends this holiday season, a new COVID variant named JN.1 has become dominant across the country. A descendant of the variant BA.2.86, JN.1 now accounts for 44 percent of COVID cases, up from roughly 7 percent in late November, the latest data from the U.S. Centers for… read on > read on >
A class of sedatives called benzodiazepines, which include meds like Ativan, Valium and Xanax, could be linked to higher odds for miscarriage if taken during pregnancy, new research finds. The findings held even after accounting for possible confounding factors such as anxiety and insomnia, the Taiwanese research team said. Looking at data on about 3… read on > read on >
For the growing number of American seniors who live alone, having a beloved dog or cat by their side could help them maintain a healthy brain. New research on more than 7,900 people averaging 66 years of age found that those who lived alone were able to stave off losses in memory and thinking if… read on > read on >
People whose beliefs or concerns make them hesitant to get vaccinated are also likely to forgo vaccinating their pets, new research shows. That could threaten the health of people and their four-legged friends, researchers said. “Decreasing pet vaccination rates pose challenges to society for a number of reasons, including increased incidents of pet disease and… read on > read on >
Blue Ridge Beef, a maker of raw pet foods, has announced it is recalling some of its products for kittens and puppies because of possible contamination with salmonella and listeria. After being notified earlier this month by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services that health officials found salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in certain products, the North Carolina company… read on > read on >
Thinking of getting a tummy tuck in the new year? The procedure has remained very safe, a new 16-year analysis shows, with many patients opting for a little liposuction at the same time. “Abdominoplasty [tummy tuck] remains a safe and reliable procedure over the study period,” concluded a team led by Dr. Michael Stein, a… read on > read on >
When hospitals support trauma survivors’ mental health during and after treatment, patients are less likely to return in crisis, researchers report. There’s no uniform guidance on how to offer mental health services to these patients, noted lead study author Laura Prater. Fewer hospital readmissions are a good sign that people’s mental health needs are being… read on > read on >
