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New studies explore risk factors and public health concerns over coronavirus

Emergency physician-led teams are on the frontlines of coronavirus treatment, prevention and response. JACEP Open, a new official open access journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), explores coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns in two new analyses.

28 Feb 2020

Size of wine glass can influence the amount of wine drunk, shows study

The size of glass used for serving wine can influence the amount of wine drunk, suggests new research from the University of Cambridge, funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR).

28 Feb 2020

Efforts to correct misperceptions about Zika virus may not be as effective as believed

When disease epidemics and outbreaks occur, conspiracy theories often emerge that compete with the information provided by public health officials.

28 Feb 2020

Bifunctional nanobodies with antitoxin potencies could protect against botulinum neurotoxins

New study reveals potential for developing novel antibody-based antitoxins against botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), including the most commonly used, yet most toxic one, Botox.

27 Feb 2020

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Prepping for a possible pandemic

President Donald Trump has named Vice President Mike Pence to lead the nation's effort to combat COVID-19, the contagious disease from a coronavirus that originated in China and is spreading worldwide.

27 Feb 2020

Study shows the impact of green space on violent crime

Properly designed and maintained outdoor green space has the potential to reduce violent crime and gun violence, to make communities safer and keep residents healthier, a new study suggests.

27 Feb 2020

Increased numbers of bacterial cells could be associated with anti-microbial resistance

Scientists from the University of Surrey have identified mutations in a gene in an Escherichia coli (E. coli) model that could help explain a form of anti-microbial resistance (AMR) known as 'persistence'.

27 Feb 2020

They fell in love helping drug users. But fear kept him from helping himself.

She was in medical school. He was just out of prison.

27 Feb 2020

Low fruit and vegetable consumption, increased body fat associated with anxiety disorders

New research from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging shows that adults who have low fruit and vegetable intakes have a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

27 Feb 2020

'Soda tax' has minimal to no influence on sugary-beverage consumption, study finds

One year into Philadelphia's 1.5-cents-per-ounce "soda tax," new findings show that the law had minimal to no influence on what Philadelphians are drinking.

26 Feb 2020

Adults enjoy sweet e-cigarette flavors just as much as teens, study finds

On February 6, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began to enforce a previously-issued policy on unauthorized flavored cartridge-based e-cigarette products with the goal of addressing the current epidemic of youth use of e-cigarettes.

26 Feb 2020

New strategies to incorporate social determinants of health into patient records

Incorporating social determinants of health into a patient's health records is an area of significant interest for health systems, but many are finding the integration to be challenging.

26 Feb 2020

Study reports rising rates of ADHD diagnosis in veterans

Rates of diagnosed attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder in veterans receiving care in the VA health system more than doubled during the past decade, reports a study in the March issue of Medical Care.

26 Feb 2020

Researchers uncover hidden antibiotic potential of cannabis compound

Public health agencies worldwide have identified antibiotic resistance of disease-causing bacteria as one of humanity's most critical challenges. However, scientists haven't discovered a new class of antibiotics in more than 30 years.

26 Feb 2020

King's researchers launch largest ever study into eating disorders

Researchers at King's College London have launched the largest ever study into eating disorders. Partnering with the National Institute for Health Research BioResource and the eating disorder charity Beat, they aim to recruit at least 10,000 people in England who have experienced an eating disorder at some point in their life to a pioneering new study that aims to unlock the secrets of eating disorders.

26 Feb 2020

Inadequate precleaning can jeopardize sterilization of surgical tools

Vaporized hydrogen peroxide failed to completely sterilize surgical tools 76 percent of the time when the tools were soiled with salts or blood and not cleaned prior to sterilization, according to a study published today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

26 Feb 2020

High intake of sugary drinks may influence risk for dyslipidemia

Middle-aged and older adults who drank sugary beverages daily were at greater risk of developing abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels compared to those who rarely drank those beverages, according to a new epidemiological study published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

26 Feb 2020

Women firefighters exposed to higher levels of toxic PFAS chemicals

San Francisco's women firefighters are exposed to higher levels of certain toxic PFAS chemicals than women working in downtown San Francisco offices, shows a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, San Francisco, and Silent Spring Institute.

26 Feb 2020

Extreme endurance exercise can increase risk of cardiovascular events

For most people, the benefits of aerobic exercise far outweigh the risks, however, extreme endurance exercise - such as participation in marathons and triathlons for people who aren't accustomed to high-intensity exercise - can raise the risk of sudden cardiac arrest, atrial fibrillation (a heart rhythm disorder) or heart attacks, according to a new Scientific Statement "Exercise-Related Acute Cardiovascular Events and Potential Deleterious Adaptations Following Long-Term Exercise Training: Placing the Risks Into Perspective-An Update from the American Heart Association," published today in the Association's premier journal Circulation.

26 Feb 2020

Trusting injection drug users with IV antibiotics at home: It can work

Two mornings a week, Arthur Jackson clears space on half of his cream-colored sofa. He sets out a few rolls of tape and some gauze, then waits for a knock on his front door.

26 Feb 2020