Parents who smoke should know that their kids are more likely to vape and try smoking. Those teens were 55% more likely to try e-cigarettes than those of nonsmoking parents and 51% more likely to have tried traditional cigarettes, according to a large study out of Ireland. It also found that the percentage who have…  read on >  read on >

Monkeypox, the contagious virus that causes a blister-like skin rash, may also cause heart problems, according to a new case study. In findings published Sept. 2 in JACC: Case Reports, doctors in Portugal described a 31-year-old patient with monkeypox who developed acute myocarditis about a week after his other symptoms started. “Through this important case…  read on >  read on >

Up to 9% of American teens say they’ve engaged in what’s known as “digital self-harm” — anonymously posting negative comments about themselves on social media. As is the case with acts of physical self-harm such as cutting, this “virtual” self-harm is associated with a higher risk for thinking about or attempting suicide, according to a…  read on >  read on >

While the number of Americans with known monkeypox infections is dropping, that may signal what’s happening in big cities, experts say. It is not the end of the outbreak, they warn. Cases are down about 40% in the United States, an NBC News analysis finds. The seven-day average of new reported cases had a daily…  read on >  read on >

Many teenagers have a hard time discerning between accurate health messages and “fake news,” a new study finds. Presented with a choice between fake and true health messages, about two in five teenagers considered both messages equally trustworthy, researchers found. Further, about one in 10 actually considered the fake message more trustworthy than the accurate…  read on >  read on >

Yes, you can get monkeypox at the gym, but there’s no need to panic, one expert says. “We have plenty of ways to protect ourselves in this setting,” said Dr. Thomas Giordano, chief of infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. First, wipe down equipment including weight machines, dumbbells, barbells and yoga mats,…  read on >  read on >

Hours after a vaccine advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signaled its support for updated COVID boosters targeting Omicron variants, agency director Dr. Rochelle Walensky issued her endorsement as well. Walensky’s sign-off paves the way for the shots from Pfizer and Moderna to get into American arms within days. “The…  read on >  read on >