A rising number of young Americans, including children, are taking their own lives using firearms, a new study finds. Researchers found that between 2008 and 2018, gun suicides showed an “alarming” increase among Americans aged 5 to 24. And while those suicides remain rare among children, the rate among kids under 15 quadrupled during the…  read on >  read on >

There’s more proof that getting a flu shot during pregnancy doesn’t pose a risk to children’s health. “This study adds to what we know from other recent studies showing no harmful effects of flu vaccination during pregnancy on the longer-term health of children,” said study leader Dr. Deshayne Fell, an associate professor of epidemiology at…  read on >  read on >

The coronavirus pandemic has affected American smokers in different ways, a new study finds. While some smoked more to help them cope with the crisis, others quit to reduce their COVID-19 infection risk. “Even before the pandemic, tobacco smoking was the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. COVID-19 has given smokers yet…  read on >  read on >

Pool and spa drowning deaths among U.S. children are spiking upwards, and restrictions related to the COVID pandemic may also mean that fewer kids are getting the swimming lessons that might keep them safe, the Consumer Product Safety Commission warns. On average, there were about 400 reported pool/spa drowning deaths among children younger than age…  read on >  read on >

Heavy drinking reduces a woman’s chances of getting pregnant, and even moderate drinking during the second half of the menstrual cycle is associated with a reduced likelihood of conceiving, according to a new study. The new research involved 413 American women aged between 19 and 41 who were recruited between 1990 and 1994 and followed…  read on >  read on >