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Children exposed to smokeless tobacco in fetal life more likely to have higher blood pressure

Five to six year old children had higher systolic blood pressure if their mothers used snus, a moist, powdered smokeless tobacco that contains nicotine, while pregnant compared to children of mothers who did not use snus, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the open access journal of the American Heart Association.

16 Oct 2019

High levels of chronic stress associated with hypertension in African Americans

African Americans reporting high levels of chronic stress tended to develop high blood pressure, or hypertension, more often than those who reported low stress levels, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the open access journal of the American Heart Association.

16 Oct 2019

Health care stayed front and center at Democratic debate

This time, it wasn't just about "Medicare for All."

16 Oct 2019

Rutgers IFH study explores whether migrating at older age affects mental health

Immigrants age 65 and older tend to have poorer mental health than their counterparts born in the United States. Mental health is a major concern for this rapidly growing segment of the population, and researchers are trying to understand the protective and risk factors.

14 Oct 2019

Prescription drug nonadherence linked to food insecurity, study shows

Food insecurity is linked to higher disease rates but not much is known about the reasons for this. A new study of more than 10,000 Canadian households shows that this connection may be at least partially attributed to lack of access to prescription medication.

11 Oct 2019

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Trump merges health and immigration

President Donald Trump has merged two of his favorite hot-button topics by requiring new immigrants to either purchase health insurance within 30 days of arrival or prove they can pay for medical expenses on their own.

10 Oct 2019

VCU Health will halt patient lawsuits, boost aid in wake of KHN investigation

VCU Health, the major Richmond medical system that includes the state's largest teaching hospital, said it will no longer file lawsuits against its patients, ending a practice that has affected tens of thousands of people over the years.

9 Oct 2019

UMD-PRC receives new CDC fund to improve mental health for LGBTQ+ people

The University of Maryland Prevention Research Center is working to improve mental health and health care for LGBTQ+ people with new funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

9 Oct 2019

Maintaining weight loss over long-term can benefit patients with Type 2 diabetes

People with Type 2 diabetes who regained weight forfeited the initial benefits of reduced risk of heart disease or stroke compared to those who maintained their weight loss, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the open access journal of the American Heart Association.

9 Oct 2019

Paclitaxel-coated devices used for widening blocked arteries not linked to increased mortality

Devices coated with a drug called paclitaxel that are used for widening blocked arteries in legs and feet are safe and not linked to an increase in deaths, according to a study of nearly 65,000 patients, published in the European Heart Journal today (Wednesday).

9 Oct 2019

As Medicare enrollment nears, popular price comparison tool is missing

Millions of older adults can start signing up next week for private policies offering Medicare drug and medical coverage for 2020. But many risk wasting money and even jeopardizing their health care due to changes in Medicare's plan finder, its most popular website.

8 Oct 2019

Extent of health coverage gains from California gig worker law uncertain

A new California law that reclassifies some independent contractors as employees, requiring they be offered a range of benefits and worker protections, will likely expand health insurance coverage in the state, health policy experts say.

7 Oct 2019

Where contraception’s a lifestyle drug not a medical need — so women pay the tab

In the five years she's lived in Germany, Erin Duffy doesn't think she has paid more than 16 euros for medical care. Until now, that is.

4 Oct 2019

Health insurance coverage varies for gender-affirming top surgery in transgender patients

Insurance companies having variable policies for covering gender-affirming breast/chest "top" surgery in transgender patients, according to a special topic paper in the October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons,

3 Oct 2019

Deadly combo: Short sleep duration and heart disease, stroke

Middle-aged adults with high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease or stroke could be at high risk for cancer and early death when sleeping less than six hours per day, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the open access journal of the American Heart Association.

2 Oct 2019

The deep divide: State borders create Medicaid haves and have-nots

Patricia Powers went a few years without health insurance and couldn't afford regular doctor visits. So she had no idea cancerous tumors were silently growing in both of her breasts.

2 Oct 2019

Low-income people enrolled in expanded Medicaid program have undiagnosed chronic illness

Nearly one in three low-income people who enrolled in Michigan's expanded Medicaid program discovered they had a chronic illness that had never been diagnosed before, according to a new study.

1 Oct 2019

New analysis shows disparities persist in preemptive kidney transplantation

A recent analysis reveals persistent disparities in preemptive transplantation, when a patient receives a kidney transplant before ever starting dialysis, despite efforts to correct inequalities in transplantation. The findings appear in an upcoming issue of CJASN.

27 Sep 2019

Web-based, digital-app birth control prescription services appear to be overall safe and efficient

Web-based and digital-app services that offer oral contraception appear to be overall safe and efficient, according to the findings of a secret-shopper-style study conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School and UC Davis that analyzed the birth control prescription services of nine U.S. vendors.

26 Sep 2019

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Impeachment and the health agenda

How will the impeachment effort on Capitol Hill affect work on other legislation, particularly bills to restrain the cost of prescription drugs and surprise medical bills? And will Congress and President Donald Trump be able to agree on the spending bills needed to keep the federal government open for business?

26 Sep 2019