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Curbing e-cigarettes: do government regulations work?

A new study published in January 2020 in the journal JAMA Network Open shows that government regulations restricting the use of e-cigarettes may be instrumental in reducing the use of these devices by American adults.

2 Feb 2020

Plant flavonols significantly reduce Alzheimer’s risk

A new study published in the journal Neurology in January 2020 concludes that increasing the intake of plant flavonols steeply reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) by up to a half. In other words, AD could be prevented in many people simply by regularly eating more of foods containing these compounds such as tea, oranges and broccoli.

2 Feb 2020

Fermented soy products may help you live longer

A new study has shown that products made of fermented soy such as miso and soy sauce can help individuals live longer. The study titled, “Association of soy and fermented soy product intake with total and cause specific mortality: prospective cohort study,” was published in the latest issue of the journal British Medical Journal.

2 Feb 2020

No masking the best way to avoid the scary coronavirus: Wash your hands

Americans are watching with alarm as a new coronavirus spreads in China and cases pop up in the United States. They are barraged with information about what kinds of masks are best to prevent viral spread. Students are handing out masks in Seattle. Masks have run out in Brazos County, Texas.

31 Jan 2020

Warren is right. Presidents have the power to bypass Congress on drug pricing

On the presidential primary campaign trail in Iowa, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) brought out a favorite talking point: ways the president can bring down drug prices without waiting for Congress.

31 Jan 2020

Study: Low-birth weight associated with poor cardiorespiratory fitness later in life

Babies born with low birth weights are more likely to have poor cardiorespiratory fitness later in life than their normal-weight peers.

31 Jan 2020

Preeminent hospitals penalized over rates of patients’ injuries

Hundreds of hospitals across the nation, including a number with sterling reputations for cutting-edge care, will be paid less by Medicare after the federal government pronounced that they had higher rates of infections and patient injuries than others.

31 Jan 2020

Small birthweight can cause breathlessness in later life, finds study

A new study finds that babies born small for their gestational age are not so fit when it comes to their heart and lungs capacity.

31 Jan 2020

Study examines impact of Medicaid expansion on hiring attempts in substance use treatment workforce

Lawmakers have focused a great deal of attention on alleviating the opioid public health crisis, while at the same time addressing across-the-board concerns regarding affordability of healthcare.

31 Jan 2020

Modified form of poliovirus shows potential as cancer vaccine in animal studies

A modified form of poliovirus, pioneered at Duke Cancer Institute as a therapy for glioblastoma brain tumors, appears in laboratory studies to also have applicability for pediatric brain tumors when used as part of a cancer vaccine.

31 Jan 2020

Discrepancy found between empirical evidence and cannabis users' beliefs about medical marijuana

Researchers quizzed cannabis enthusiasts at a marijuana advocacy event about their beliefs on whether the drug is effective in treating certain medical conditions.

31 Jan 2020

First exposure to influenza virus dictates our lifelong ability to fight flu

Were you born in an H1N1 year or an H3N2 year? The first type of influenza virus we are exposed to in early childhood dictates our ability to fight the flu for the rest of our lives, according to a new study from a team of infectious disease researchers at McMaster University and Université de Montréal.

30 Jan 2020

Exploring the connections between hip-hop, mental health and resilience using Maino's lyrics

Born in Brooklyn, New York, the rap artist Maino (Jermaine John Colman) takes his experiences not only from growing up in the famous borough, but also the 10 long years he spent behind bars at Riker's Island Penitentiary.

30 Jan 2020

Fatal car crashes spike following the 'spring forward' to daylight saving time

Fatal car accidents in the United States spike by 6% during the workweek following the "spring forward" to daylight saving time, resulting in about 28 additional deaths each year, according to new University of Colorado Boulder research.

30 Jan 2020

Coronavirus outbreak now a global health emergency says WHO

The Wuhan coronavirus or 2019-nCoV outbreak continues to spread in mainland China and in more than a dozen countries. In the last 24 hours, 42 had succumbed to the infection, making the death toll hit 213, with 9,692 confirmed cases, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency.

30 Jan 2020

State-purchased insurance plans improve HIV outcomes, save healthcare costs

Health insurance purchased by state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs for people living with HIV in states that did not expand Medicaid are improving outcomes and have the potential to save millions in healthcare costs, a new study suggests.

30 Jan 2020

U.S. birth weights fall due to soaring rates of cesarean deliveries and inductions

U.S. birth weights have fallen significantly in recent decades due to soaring rates of cesarean deliveries and inductions which have shortened the average pregnancy by about a week, new CU Boulder research shows.

30 Jan 2020

Masks signal cultural disconnect as L.A.’s Chinese community braces for coronavirus

Several staff members of a small community health clinic in L.A.'s historic Chinatown spoke on the phone with patients Tuesday while wearing face masks that muffled their voices.

30 Jan 2020

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Remaking Medicaid — maybe

The Trump administration is trying to achieve a goal for Republicans that dates to the 1980s — allowing states to obtain at least some of their funding for Medicaid as a block grant.

30 Jan 2020

Study maps immune responses to tuberculosis across 3 species

Tuberculosis is one of the world's most vexing public health problems. About 1.5 million people died from this bacterial lung infection in 2018, and the World Health Organization estimates that one-quarter of the world's population -- some 2 billion people, mostly in developing countries -- are infected with the bacteria that causes TB.

30 Jan 2020