Physicians and scientists are experiencing alarming levels of harassment on social media, according to a new survey. About two-thirds of respondents said they had been harassed on social media since the COVID-19 pandemic began — up from 23.3% of physicians surveyed in 2020. About 64% reported harassment related to comments made about the pandemic, while… read on > read on >
The herbal supplement berberine has become the latest social-media obsession for weight-loss, with some on TikTok calling it “nature’s Ozempic.” Experts don’t agree. “I would say it’s a big exaggeration to call it ‘nature’s Ozempic,’” said Dr. Melinda Ring, executive director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at Northwestern University, in Chicago. But berberine… read on > read on >
Just like their humans, dogs get cranky when temperatures and air pollution levels surge. Heat and air pollution have previously been linked to human aggression. Now, researchers say it also appears that there are more dog bites on hot, polluted days. More research is needed to confirm these findings, according to study author Tanujit Dey,… read on > read on >
An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously on Thursday to recommend that COVID booster shots be updated for the fall to protect solely against one of the three XBB variants that have taken hold in the United States. Those three XBB variants, which are all sublineages of the Omicron variant,… read on > read on >
For the first time, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have broken down statistics on depression among Americans, pinpointing which states the debilitating illness is most likely to strike. Adjusted for age, 18.5% of all American adults included in the new analysis said they’d been diagnosed with depression at least once… read on > read on >
A majority of insured Americans have struggled with a wide array of stumbling blocks when trying to get coverage for their health care needs, a new national survey shows. All told, the KFF report uncovered numerous obstacles to coverage with all types of health insurance, including an inability to find a covered in-network provider; delays… read on > read on >
Fido really needs a friend. That’s the main takeaway from a new survey that included more than 21,400 dogs and their owners, and showed that pups who have companions (whether furry or human) live healthier, longer lives than those who don’t. The strength of a dog’s social support network had an even greater effect on… read on > read on >
COVID-19 boosters may be offered this fall, but first scientists need to determine what strains to target and who should receive the shots. Advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are slated to meet Thursday to discuss plans for fall, a decision with a deadline because drugmakers will need to have the time to… read on > read on >
While the challenges of farm work are well noted, the stressors affect not just the mental health of adults, but also their teenage children, according to new research. In results from the first year of a five-year study, researchers found that 60% of both adults and teens on U.S. farms met the criteria for at… read on > read on >
Every grocery shopper must pass through the “temptation alley” that is the checkout aisle, surrounded by candy bars, salty snacks and sugary sodas. Those who’d like a healthy option for an impulse buy while they wait in line — fruit, veggies, nuts or water — will be left wanting, a new study says. About 70%… read on > read on >
