Racial and ethnic minorities who have cancer are more likely to experience significant delays in radiotherapy initiation compared to their White counterparts, new research shows. Black patients, in particular, faced the longest delays in the initiation of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) compared with White patients — almost 26%, or a median of 20 days, longer. “This study
Bloating is a common problem for many people, but it often can be avoided if you know how to prevent bloating. Whether your bloating is due to constipation, or you have an underlying medical condition, there are several steps you can take to reduce the amount of gas you’re producing, or improve your gut microbiome
Millions of schoolchildren in the U.S. and Canada are exposed to potentially harmful levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) everyday through their uniforms, according to a peer-reviewed study published today in Environmental Science & Technology. The researchers detected PFAS in all the "stain-resistant" school uniforms they tested from nine popular brands. Most products had
A study of mice found that dietary sugar alters the gut microbiome, setting off a chain of events that leads to metabolic disease, pre-diabetes, and weight gain. The findings, published today in Cell, suggest that diet matters, but an optimal microbiome is equally important for the prevention of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and obesity. Diet alters
Each day, thousands of patients get a call or letter after being discharged from U.S. hospitals. How did their stay go? How clean and quiet was the room? How often did nurses and doctors treat them with courtesy and respect? The questions focus on what might be termed the standard customer satisfaction aspects of a
In a study of UK adults, those who reported more serious problems managing their debt had higher rates of anxiety and depression, and they were also more likely to currently be receiving treatment for mental health challenges. Mark Shevlin of Ulster University, UK, and colleagues present these findings, which may also have implications in the
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been reporting provisional deaths weekly that are dissected by sex and age since the beginning of 2020. The CDC estimated in June 2022 that approximately 1.125 million excess deaths occurred since 1st February 2020. Out of them, 901,000 were COVID-related, and 224,000 were due to
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potentially deadly condition in which a blood clot (known as a deep vein thrombosis [DVT]) forms in the deep veins of the leg, groin or arm and may dislodge. If that happens, the clot can travel via the bloodstream to lodge in the lungs and cause tissue damage or death
Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) information on YouTube is of low and highly-variable quality, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Quality Summit 2022. As more patients turn to the internet for medical education, the study identified an opportunity for medical institutions to help patients by understanding what information they are getting
Researchers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have used advanced three-dimensional mapping techniques at a microscopic level to identify a multitude of genetic variants and corresponding target gene pairings in the pancreas that are implicated in type 2 diabetes. In addition to these discoveries, the resulting datasets will serve as a key resource for researchers
More than two dozen patient advocacy organizations have raised alarms about a recent court ruling that could threaten patient access to no-cost preventive screenings, including cancer screenings. In a statement, the groups highlighted that the decision “would result in a return to financial and other barriers proven to discourage Americans from obtaining lifesaving, preventive care.”
Photo: The Terry Group There is widespread use of biased utilization data in the U.S. healthcare system, resulting in the misallocation of resources and perpetuation of health inequity, most notably in the already underserved communities nationwide, according to “How Biased Utilization Data Perpetuate Health Inequity: A Two-Part Strategy to Address the Problem,” a new report
New research, led by the University of Glasgow and published in the British Journal of General Practice, assessed patient data from across the U.K. and found that not enough people with chronic kidney disease were routinely being given this recommended test. The study results have prompted renewed calls from kidney specialists to encourage more patients
Melatonin use among children and teenagers is on the rise, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports increased calls to poison control centers and visits to the emergency room, primarily because of more unintentional melatonin ingestions in young children. Today, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine released a health advisory encouraging parents to
Malnutrition is a key challenge not only in African countries. As an international study published in Frontiers in Nutrition led by Veronika Somoza now shows, egg powder is a food with great potential to improve the nutritional situation of children in deprived areas. Compared to pasteurized whole eggs, the powder contains lower amounts of essential
Clinicians and researchers have known for some time that uncertainty fuels anticipatory anxiety—that heightened sense of caution and vigilance when danger is lurking. Though uncertainty is universally unpleasant, some people are particularly sensitive to uncertain threats in their environment. This sensitivity can manifest as chronic anticipatory anxiety and for some, excessive alcohol abuse. A study
Health concerns about the consumption of artificial sweeteners could be strengthened with the publication of a new study linking their intake to increased risk of heart disease and stroke events. In this latest large-scale, prospective study of French adults, total artificial sweetener intake from all sources was associated with increased risk overall of cardiovascular and
Targeting Na+/K+ ATPase alpha 1 (ATP1A1) subunit proteins could help identify novel therapies for addressing blood clots and thrombosis, according to a new study by Marshall University researchers. Using the Atp1a1 haplodeficient mice in a murine thrombosis model, a research team at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine discovered that ATP1A1 haplodeficiency
Adolescents who have experienced a concussion in the past 12 months could be 25% more likely to be in poor academic standing than youths who have no concussions, suggests a study published online in the journal Injury Prevention. A concussion is a temporary brain injury caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head,
Digital health systems can tell clinicians when someone’s heart-disease risk calls for a drug to lower cholesterol or whether insulin shots are warranted for a person with type 2 diabetes. But for millions of low-back pain sufferers, care decisions rely heavily on subjective measures of patient discomfort — often leading to expensive tests and treatments
