Housing instability and homelessness are widely understood to have an impact on health, and certain housing problems have been linked to specific childhood health conditions, such as mold with asthma. But it has not been clear how overall housing quality may affect children–especially those who are at risk from other social determinants of health such…
Prescription drug prices in the United States are significantly higher than in other nations, with prices in the U.S. averaging 2.56 times those seen in 32 other nations, according to a new RAND Corporation report. The gap between prices in the U.S. and other countries is even larger for brand-named drugs, with U.S. prices averaging…
Counties with a greater number of cannabis dispensary storefronts experience reduced numbers of opioid-related deaths relative to other locales, a recent University of California, Davis, study has found. This is the first study to examine the association between active cannabis dispensary operations — both medical and recreational — and opioid-related mortality rates at the county…
Worldwide, over one billion people live with a disability. Historically, they have been discriminated against and stigmatized by society. To improve their rights, they should be included in political decision-making, yet there is a lack of political representatives who are known to have a disability. This under-representation may be due to several factors, including how…
BOSTON — Routine screening of asymptomatic health care personnel (HCP) in the absence of confirmed exposures to COVID-19 is not a recommended strategy for preventing transmission of the coronavirus causing the current global pandemic, according to a new review co-authored by an infectious disease specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The review, published in Infection…
Only two forms of “morning-after” contraception are approved by the Food and Drug Administration, both hormonal drugs taken orally as pills: levonorgestrel (Plan B One-Step and other brands, available over the counter) and ulipristal acetate (Ella, available by prescription). Observational studies strongly suggest that a nonhormonal copper intrauterine device (ParaGard) may also be effective. Now…
For women who have had a pregnancy loss and are trying to become pregnant again, a simple routine might increase their chances: taking one baby aspirin a day. A previous randomized trial suggested that aspirin had no beneficial effect. But a re-analysis of the data, concentrating on women who were strictly adherent to the dosage,…
While filming the reality series “Deaf U,” Rodney Burford wasn’t too focused on any effect he and his cochlear implants would have on viewers. “In my own mind I was like, ‘Yo, I’m really on Netflix,’” said the 22-year-old cast member of the show, which zooms in on a group of students at Gallaudet University,…
“We saw a blooming in Candida auris,” said Dr. Rubin, who attributed the change to a handful of factors, notably the challenges in testing for the germ when so many testing resources went toward Covid-19. Noxious drug-resistant bacteria are surfacing too, including Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, which is considered an “urgent health threat” by the Centers…
Is it better for our bodies to work out at certain times of day? A useful new study of exercise timing and metabolic health suggests that, at least for some people, the answer is a qualified yes. The study, which looked at men at high risk for Type 2 diabetes, found that those who completed…