The overall quality of care provided by the U.S. Veterans Health Administration is equal to or better than that provided by other health care systems in the United States, a new report says. The Rand Corporation study did find significant variation in quality among individual VA hospitals — but less variation than was seen among… read on >
French Bulldogs can melt your heart with their wrinkled faces and big ears, but they come with a special set of health problems, a new report warns. The breed is becoming the most popular in the United Kingdom, so researchers at the Royal Veterinary College analyzed data from more than 2,200 French Bulldogs that received… read on >
U.S. hospitals are running short of the injectable opioids and anesthesia drugs that most surgery patients need during and after their procedures, a new survey shows. More than 98 percent of anesthesiologists responding to the survey said they regularly experience shortages of these drugs. And recent efforts by the federal government to curb the opioid… read on >
Due to the U.S. opioid epidemic, hepatitis C is up among pregnant women, raising the risk for mother-to-child transmission of the virus, a new study reveals. Hepatitis C can be contracted via dirty needles used by opioid addicts. But just a fraction of newborns exposed to hepatitis C in the womb are screened for the… read on >
Men looking for a wife might need to get a grip — a strong hand grip, that is. Researchers examined data from more than 5,000 adults in Norway to study the association between their marital status and grip strength. They were between ages 59 and 71. Although the study couldn’t prove cause and effect, it… read on >
Teens love their cellphones, but that love affair can turn deadly when they climb behind the wheel of a car. But new research suggests that financial incentives and other measures might help to dissuade young drivers from texting while driving. Many teens who admit to texting while driving said they’d be receptive to cash rewards… read on >
A European woman who needed an implanted brain device got an unwelcome side effect during a storm: Nearby lightning switched the device off. Experts say the phenomenon is likely rare, and the deep brain stimulator device worked fine again once it was turned back on by doctors. Still, it’s a hazard worth looking out for,… read on >
After decades of progress, the United States has seen a slowdown in reductions of two major air pollutants, a new study finds. Researchers found that levels of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide — which contribute to the formation of ozone pollution and smog — have not continued the fairly steady decline predicted by the U.S.… read on >
What women eat might determine when they enter menopause, new research suggests. After tracking more than 35,000 British women for four years, investigators found that menopause tended to start earlier among those whose diets were heavy in refined carbs. In contrast, menopause tended to begin later among those who consumed a lot of fish and… read on >
Anxiety during middle age might signal impending dementia, a new analysis suggests. Although millions of Americans suffer from moderate to severe anxiety, it’s not clear how it is linked to dementia or if treatment could nullify the risk, British researchers say. “We investigated anxiety levels that are significant enough to warrant being clinically diagnosed with… read on >
