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Racism in obstetric care linked to higher blood pressure in mothers

Mothers of color who faced racism or microaggressions during obstetric care had higher blood pressure after delivering their babies compared to people of color who did not report racism during their care, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

15 Jan 2025

Midwives blame California rules for hampering birth centers amid maternity care crisis

Jessie Mazar squeezed the grab handle in her husband's pickup and groaned as contractions struck her during the 90-minute drive from her home in rural northeastern California to the closest hospital with a maternity unit.

15 Jan 2025

I’m moving forward and facing the uncertainty of aging

It takes a lot of courage to grow old. I've come to appreciate this after conversations with hundreds of older adults over the past eight years for nearly 200 "Navigating Aging" columns.

15 Jan 2025

No short-term benefit found for PCT-guided antibiotic treatment in children

A groundbreaking UK study in The Lancet has examined whether an additional blood test called procalcitonin (PCT) could safely shorten the time children spend on intravenous (IV) antibiotics in hospitals.

15 Jan 2025

The impact of fall-risk medications on injuries in COPD patients

People with COPD experience more falls and related injuries requiring medical care when using common fall-risk increasing drugs, according to a new study. The study is published in the November 2024 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal.

15 Jan 2025

Unveiling the hidden benefit of bariatric surgery

Welcoming a newborn is something many couples dream of doing, but it can get complicated when conceiving becomes a roadblock. Infertility affects one in six people, but obesity can also be a problem. When diet and exercise aren't enough to lose weight, bariatric surgery can become an option. Yet a new national survey by Orlando Health finds that 56% of Americans do not know that bariatric surgery is an effective way to improve fertility.

14 Jan 2025

U.S. dementia cases expected to surge with aging population

A new study shows that the risk of developing dementia anytime after age 55 among Americans is 42%, more than double the risk reported by older studies.

13 Jan 2025

AI chatbot developed to aid governments in tackling drug resistance

Scientists have developed an AI chatbot similar to ChatGPT to help governments devise effective policies for battling drug resistance.

13 Jan 2025

New perspective calls for regulatory reforms to address rising trend of US physician strikes

A new Perspective published in The New England Journal of Medicine led by researchers from the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute calls for urgent regulatory reforms to address the rising trend of physician strikes in the United States.

13 Jan 2025

Trump’s return puts Medicaid on the chopping block

Under President Joe Biden, enrollment in Medicaid hit a record high and the uninsured rate reached a record low.

13 Jan 2025

Can medical schools funnel more doctors into the primary care pipeline?

Throughout her childhood, Julia Lo Cascio dreamed of becoming a pediatrician. So, when applying to medical school, she was thrilled to discover a new, small school founded specifically to train primary care doctors: NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine.

13 Jan 2025

NCCN global meeting focuses on cancer care in the MENA region

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)-a global not-for-profit alliance of leading cancer centers-is taking part in a two-day meeting at the Middle East North Africa (MENA)-NCCN Regional Coordinating Center, beginning today.

11 Jan 2025

Pharmacy benefit managers steer Medicare patients to use their own pharmacies

Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have found that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)—organizations that negotiate access to medicines for most patients in the United States—steer patients to use their own pharmacies.

10 Jan 2025

Doctors, nurses press ahead as wildfires strain Los Angeles’ health care

The rapidly spreading wildfires that have transformed much of Los Angeles County into a raging hellscape are not only upending the lives of tens of thousands of residents and business owners, but also stressing the region's hospitals, health clinics, first responders, and nursing homes.

10 Jan 2025

Health care AI, intended to save money, turns out to require a lot of expensive humans

Preparing cancer patients for difficult decisions is an oncologist's job. They don't always remember to do it, however.

10 Jan 2025

Developing and refining muscle atrophy models for drug discovery

With the intensification of global population aging, muscle atrophy, characterized by the loss of muscle mass and function, has become an important health issue affecting the elderly. Researchers have widely used various animal and cellular models to gain a deeper understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of muscle atrophy and develop effective treatment strategies.

9 Jan 2025

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': New Year, new Congress, new health agenda

The new, GOP-led, 119th Congress and President-elect Donald Trump have big legislative plans for the year — which mostly don't include health policy. But health is likely to play an important supporting role in efforts to renew tax cuts, revise immigration policies, and alter trade — if only to help pay for some Republican initiatives.

9 Jan 2025

AI-enhanced algorithm improves diagnosis of REM sleep behavior disorder

A Mount Sinai-led team of researchers has enhanced an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered algorithm to analyze video recordings of clinical sleep tests, ultimately improving accurate diagnosis of a common sleep disorder affecting more than 80 million people worldwide.

9 Jan 2025

Gendered racial microaggressions found to raise blood pressure after childbirth

Gender-based racism through microaggressions may be linked to higher blood pressure postpartum and beyond, according to new research published today in Hypertension, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

9 Jan 2025