With 'Twindemic' Looming, 2 out of 5 Americans Plan to Skip Flu Shot

• Dennis Thompson
• October 1, 2020
• Full Page

Despite a potential looming "twindemic" of influenza and COVID-19, about 2 in 5 U.S. adults do not plan to get a flu shot, a new survey shows.

Only 59% of adults surveyed said they will get the influenza vaccine during the 2020-2021 flu season, according to resul...

Midwest Latest Region to be Hit Hard by COVID Spread

• Robin Foster and E.J. Mundell
• October 1, 2020
• Full Page

Coronavirus infections are surging in the American heartland, with Wisconsin bearing the brunt of COVID-19's relentless spread.

Many Midwestern states are seeing some of the nation's highest per capita rates of infection, and while federal health officials have again...

Alcohol-Linked Deaths Rise Sharply in Rural America

• Steven Reinberg
• October 1, 2020
• Full Page

In rural America, drinking has become particularly deadly for many, a new government report shows.

Deaths related to alcohol use in those regions rose 43% between 2006 and 2018, health officials reported.

Over that time, the rate of deaths went from 11...

Shall You Dance? Study Finds Dancing Helps Seniors Avoid Falls

• Cara Robert Murez
• October 1, 2020
• Full Page

Preventing falls in older age could be as fun as dancing them away, new research shows.

Researchers found a 31% reduction in falls and a 37% reduction in fall risk for those aged 65 and older when reviewing clinical trials on "dance-based mind-motor activitie...

COVID-19 Patients Have Similar Survival When Hospitalized, Regardless of Race

• Robert Preidt
• October 1, 2020
• Full Page

Revealing some good news for minorities, a new study found similar survival rates for Hispanic, Black and white COVID-19 patients at a New York City hospital system.

"It is well-documented that communities of color have shouldered the heaviest burden of COVID-19 in t...

Fending Off Asthma Attacks During a Pandemic

• Robert Preidt
• October 1, 2020
• Full Page

Falling leaves, pumpkins and apples are signs of fall. And so is asthma.

Asthma attacks tend to increase in early autumn. During the coronavirus pandemic, it's especially important for people with the disease to know how to prevent flare-ups, a lung expert says.

Last-Ditch Life Support System Is Saving Lives of COVID Patients

• Robert Preidt
• October 1, 2020
• Full Page

A life support technique called ECMO has saved the lives of many critically ill COVID-19 patients, a new study shows.

The ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) machine takes over the function of the lungs and heart. Blood is pumped from the body into equipment t...

HPV Vaccine Proves Its Mettle Against Cervical Cancer

• Amy Norton
• September 30, 2020
• Full Page

Girls who are vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) may drastically cut their chances of developing cervical cancer by age 30, a huge, new study finds.

Researchers found that of more than 1.6 million young Swedish women, those who'd gotten the HPV vaccine wer...

Pancreas Size, Shape Can Return to Normal in Diabetes Remission: Study

• Robert Preidt
• September 30, 2020
• Full Page

Reversing type 2 diabetes can restore the pancreas to its normal size and shape, a new study finds.

Previous research found that with remission of type 2 diabetes through significant weight loss, natural insulin-production can return to levels similar to people who h...

Mental Health Issues Double the Odds of Dying With COVID-19, Study Finds

• Dennis Thompson
• September 30, 2020
• Full Page

People suffering from a psychiatric disorder could be more than twice as likely to die if they become infected with COVID-19, a new study suggests.

Folks diagnosed with any type of psychiatric problem -- anxiety or depression, dementia, psychosis -- were up to 2.3 ti...

Dangerous Ink: Tattoos Might Lead to Body's Overheating

• E.J. Mundell
• September 30, 2020
• Full Page

Using your body as a canvas for tattoos might come at a price for your health.

New research suggests that all that ink impedes natural sweating -- and that might cause the body to overheat.

The study found that tattooed skin on arms "has reduced sweat rates...

Why Early Bedtime May Be Best for People With Type 2 Diabetes

• Steven Reinberg
• September 30, 2020
• Full Page

It's long been said that early to bed, early to rise can make you healthy, wealthy and wise. Now, new research supports at least the health benefits.

A study of people with type 2 diabetes found that night owls -- people who go to bed late and get up late -- tend to...

Obamacare Means 2 Million Fewer Americans Face Catastrophic Medical Bills Each Year

• Amy Norton
• September 30, 2020
• Full Page

Since the passage of "Obamacare," fewer Americans are facing insurmountable medical bills -- but the benefit does not seem to be reaching people with private insurance, a new study shows.

Researchers found that after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was implemented, the...

More U.S. Women Using Marijuana to Help Ease Menopause: Study

• Dennis Thompson
• September 30, 2020
• Full Page

A growing number of middle-aged women are turning to marijuana to help soothe symptoms of menopause, new research indicates.

About one-third of older female U.S. veterans said they had either tried to treat their menopause symptoms with cannabis products or planned t...

What Foods, Medicines Can Lower Your Colon Cancer Risk?

• Robert Preidt
• September 30, 2020
• Full Page

Certain nutrients, foods and medicines may help protect you against colon cancer, a large research review suggests.

A team of international researchers led by Dr. Marc Bardou, of Dijon Bourgogne University Hospital in France, reviewed about 80 studies that examined h...

AHA News: Despite Same Symptoms, Men and Women Don't Always Get Same Mini-Stroke Diagnosis

• September 30, 2020
• Full Page

A transient ischemic attack, often called a mini-stroke, usually doesn't last long or cause permanent damage. But it still needs medical attention, because it may be warning of a future stroke that can have dire consequences.

Research has shown women are less likely th...

AHA News: Lung Injuries Should Be a Warning About Vaping's Risks

• September 30, 2020
• Full Page

The patients, most of them young, began showing up at hospitals in the spring of 2019. Some were coughing, out of breath or feverish. Some were vomiting or had diarrhea. Some ended up in intensive care, needing oxygen.

Some died.

They had been vaping, and their...

Most American Families Facing Financial Danger During Pandemic: Poll

• Robin Foster and E.J. Mundell
• September 30, 2020
• Full Page

More than 60% of households with children in the United States have struggled with serious financial problems during the coronavirus pandemic, a new poll shows.

Black and Hispanic households with children have borne the brunt of the hardships, which include strug...

Was FDA Lax in Approving Opioids Too Easily?

• Dennis Thompson
• September 30, 2020
• Full Page

For at least two decades, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been approving new formulations of prescription opioids without requiring drug manufacturers to gather important information on safety and effectiveness, a new study claims.

The FDA approved dozens o...

Pets Helped People Cope During Pandemic Lockdown: Study

• Robert Preidt
• September 30, 2020
• Full Page

Pets helped many people cope with the mental stress of being locked down during the coronavirus pandemic, a new study finds.

It included 6,000 people in Britain who were under lockdown between March 23 and June 1. About 90% had at least one pet.

Of thos...