Public Health News and Research

RSS

Moderate amounts of healthy fats could soon be allowed in diets

Most public health guidelines including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans do not allow fat portions in excess. However nutritionists and dieticians have now agreed that not all fats in diet are bad and many of them could be allowed.

8 Jan 2019

Dental flossing and other consumer behaviors contribute to elevated levels of PFAS in the body

A new study suggests certain types of consumer behaviors, including flossing with Oral-B Glide dental floss, contribute to elevated levels in the body of toxic PFAS chemicals. PFAS are water- and grease-proof substances that have been linked with numerous health problems.

8 Jan 2019

Genetic variations may influence whether vitamin E decreases or increases cancer risk

Almost half of all Americans take a vitamin supplement, and yet many large-scale, placebo-controlled clinical trials of various supplements have found little or no benefit.

8 Jan 2019

Study finds large disparities in U.S. drinking water guidelines

In response to the growing problem of drinking water contaminated with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, a new analysis shows that many states are establishing their own guideline levels for two types of PFAS--PFOA and PFOS--that differ from federal guidelines.

8 Jan 2019

Early clinical assessments could reduce end-of-life hospitalizations for seniors

Better use of standard assessment tools could help long-term care homes identify which new residents are at risk of hospitalization or death in the first 90 days of admission.

8 Jan 2019

Study examines neural mechanisms underlying smoking and drinking

Academics at the University of Warwick have found that low functional connectivity of the lateral orbitofrontal cortex that is associated with the tendency to smoke is associated with increased impulsiveness - which may contribute to the tendency to smoke.

8 Jan 2019

Position paper highlights importance of including environmental sustainability in dietary guidance

It is the position of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior that environmental sustainability should be inherent to dietary guidance, whether working with individuals or groups about their dietary choices or in setting national dietary guidance.

8 Jan 2019

High-risk drinking is common in South Africa, study finds

Adults in South Africa consume more alcohol than adults in most other countries; previous research has shown this comes with high rates of fetal alcohol syndrome and is a driver of the country's leading causes of death: sexually transmitted infections and interpersonal violence.

8 Jan 2019

Prevalence of left-handedness is lower among breastfed infants, finds study

Bottle feeding infants are associated with left-handedness, according to a new study from the University of Washington. The study found that the prevalence of left-handedness is lower among breastfed infants as compared to bottle-fed infants.

8 Jan 2019

Half of all food allergy sufferers are not actually allergic

A new study has shown that the food allergies that people claim to have may not be true. The study reveals that as many as 20 percent of Americans over the age of 18 years believe that they are allergic to one or more food items. The study finds that the actual number of people who have a food allergy is close to 10 percent of the population. They also show that one in 20 Americans had a diagnosed case of a food allergy.

7 Jan 2019

Hearing challenges still reported by high proportion of older people with hearing aids

A high proportion of older people with hearing aids, especially those with lower incomes, report having trouble hearing and difficulty accessing hearing care services, according to a study from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

7 Jan 2019

Medicaid plans cover doctors’ visits, hospital care — and now your GED

Emilia Ford became pregnant at 15 and, after her daughter was born, dropped out of high school.

7 Jan 2019

Income volatility may be linked with increased risk of developing heart disease

Sudden, unpredictable drops in personal income during young adulthood are associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease and/or dying from any cause, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.

7 Jan 2019

Study finds increase in suicide risk after cancer diagnosis

New research indicates that the risk of suicide increases significantly in the first year following a diagnosis of cancer, and this increase varies by the type of cancer diagnosed.

7 Jan 2019

BU's service-learning program to teach hands-only CPR for high school students is effective

PumpStart, a community service-learning program created by students at Boston University School of Medicine, that teaches hands-only CPR to the general public, is effective for both teaching high school students a life-saving skill and providing medical students with an opportunity to engage in public health and medical education.

7 Jan 2019

NHS to get a long term overhaul with a 10 year plan

As part of the plans for a long term development of the NHS, large funding strategies are being devised that would focus on General Practitioners as well as community care and mental health services.

6 Jan 2019

Hypertensive patients with progressive cerebral small vessel disease have increased cognitive impairment risk

Patients with high blood pressure and progression of periventricular white matter hyperintensities showed signs of cognitive impairment despite taking medication to lower their blood pressure, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Hypertension.

4 Jan 2019

Medicaid patients in Puerto Rico don’t get coverage for drugs to cure hepatitis C

Drugs that can cure hepatitis C revolutionized care for millions of Americans living with the deadly liver infection. The drugs came with a steep price tag — one that prompted state Medicaid programs to initially limit access to the medications to only the sickest patients.

4 Jan 2019

FORTE study offers new and revealing window into outcomes of trauma patients

Trauma is a leading cause of disability in the world, resulting in more disability-adjusted life years than any other disease. While in-hospital, trauma-related mortality has decreased to just 4 percent in the U.S., little is known about what happens to the 96 percent of patients who survive their trauma injuries but may suffer debilitating long-term effects.

4 Jan 2019

Lessons from successes and failures of AIDS epidemic could inform our response to opioid crisis

There are important lessons to be learned from the successes and failures of the AIDS response that could inform our response to the opioid epidemic, according to a new paper by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

4 Jan 2019

Public Health News and Research

Moderate amounts of healthy fats could soon be allowed in diets

Dental flossing and other consumer behaviors contribute to elevated levels of PFAS in the body

Genetic variations may influence whether vitamin E decreases or increases cancer risk

Study finds large disparities in U.S. drinking water guidelines

Early clinical assessments could reduce end-of-life hospitalizations for seniors

Study examines neural mechanisms underlying smoking and drinking

Position paper highlights importance of including environmental sustainability in dietary guidance

High-risk drinking is common in South Africa, study finds

Prevalence of left-handedness is lower among breastfed infants, finds study

Half of all food allergy sufferers are not actually allergic

Hearing challenges still reported by high proportion of older people with hearing aids

Medicaid plans cover doctors’ visits, hospital care — and now your GED

Income volatility may be linked with increased risk of developing heart disease

Study finds increase in suicide risk after cancer diagnosis

BU's service-learning program to teach hands-only CPR for high school students is effective

NHS to get a long term overhaul with a 10 year plan

Hypertensive patients with progressive cerebral small vessel disease have increased cognitive impairment risk

Medicaid patients in Puerto Rico don’t get coverage for drugs to cure hepatitis C

FORTE study offers new and revealing window into outcomes of trauma patients

Lessons from successes and failures of AIDS epidemic could inform our response to opioid crisis

News Medical 2025: Healthcare Shifts That Mattered Most eBook

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

Latest News