Growing numbers of American kids and teens are cutting or burning themselves, banging their heads against walls, pulling out their hair and even trying to die by suicide. But figuring out who is at highest risk for harming themselves has been a daunting challenge. Until now. Researchers report they have developed risk profiles that can…  read on >  read on >

Suicides among the youngest U.S. teenagers were rising for years before the pandemic — with school stress, social media and guns standing as potential factors, according to a new study. Researchers found that between 2008 and 2018, the suicide rate among 13- and 14-year-olds nationwide more than doubled — from roughly two deaths per 100,000…  read on >  read on >

While COVID-19’s toll on health and wellness has been obvious, the virus has also hit people in the wallet. A new study links surviving COVID to financial challenges later, especially for folks who were hospitalized with the virus. “More than half of Americans now report having had COVID-19, and more than 450,000 have been hospitalized,…  read on >  read on >

Like people, man’s best friend can get dementia with aging. And these older dogs sleep less deeply when they develop the condition, just as people with Alzheimer’s disease do, according to research that included problem-solving tasks and brain wave measurements. “Our study is the first to evaluate the association between cognitive impairment and sleep using…  read on >  read on >

Only five months have passed since the world got its first taste of the ground-breaking artificial intelligence (AI) tool known as ChatGPT. Promising a brave new world of human-machine connectivity, AI demonstrates near-instantaneous access to in-depth information on almost any subject, all in full conversational sentences, often delivered in a human-sounding voice. A new study…  read on >  read on >

Travelers to the United States will now only need a single bivalent COVID vaccine from either Pfizer or Moderna to enter the country, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday. The loosening of vaccination requirements for foreign travelers comes as many other countries have already done so. “Because some traveler vaccine records…  read on >  read on >

Hair relaxers may slightly affect fertility, a factor most likely to impact women who are Black or Hispanic, according to a new study. Research led by Boston University School of Public Health found that these chemical hair straighteners may affect a person’s ability to become pregnant. This builds on growing evidence about the effects on…  read on >  read on >