Health

Health practitioners are constantly developing new ways to help those with drug and alcohol addictions wean themselves from their substance of choice. Most such programs have limited success, however. A new study finds that interventions that take a multidimensional approach – tackling the biological, social, environmental and mental health obstacles to overcome while also addressing...

Suicide is now the second most common cause of death among American youth. Fatal suicides rose 30 percent between 2000 and 2016, and 2016 alone saw 1.3 million nonfatal suicide attempts. Now, a study led by Boston Children’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital demonstrates that a predictive computer model can identify patients at risk for...

A small but concerning number of former NFL players report receiving clinical diagnoses of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to new research A definitive diagnosis of the neurodegenerative brain disease, thought to be caused by repeated blows to the head, can be done only on autopsy and cannot be made based on clinical exam or...

Before being halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a relentless vaccination campaign had nearly succeeded in eradicating polio from the world. Between 2000 and 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that its campaign had reduced the burden of the disease by 99 percent, preventing more than 13 million children from becoming infected and risking potentially...

Recognition of the needs of wives and intimate partners in supporting the recovery of veterans and front-line emergency workers affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been highlighted in a new study led by Flinders University. Their contribution to trauma recovery, and their own need for support, are not well understood by military and emergency...

A new study explains how cocaine modifies functions in the brain revealing a potential target for therapies aimed at treating cocaine addiction. The study was published this week in Cell Reports. Researchers from the University of California, Irvine have demonstrated that a key receptor for dopamine, called D2 (D2R), intervenes in the mechanism through which cocaine...

COVID-19 is unlikely to be spread through semen, according to University of Utah Health scientists who participated in an international study of Chinese men who recently had the disease. The researchers found no evidence of the virus that causes COVID-19 in the semen or testes of the men. The study was not comprehensive enough to...

The engineering of specific virus-targeting receptors onto a patient’s own immune cells is now being explored by scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS), as a potential therapy for controlling infectious diseases, including the COVID-19-causing virus, SARS-CoV-2. This therapy that has revolutionised the treatment of patients with cancer has also been used in the treatment of...

With stressed hospital services, and concerns about the spread of COVID-19, experts are reminding carers of children and young people of the importance of adhering to supported chronic condition self-management plans from the safety of their home. Telehealth options, use of home-monitoring devices, keeping regular medical appointments and positive reinforcement from carers and health professionals...

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Air Act, which is responsible for dramatic improvements in air quality. Despite this, a new report from the American Lung Association finds nearly half of the nation’s population – 150 million people – lived with and breathed polluted air, placing their health and lives at risk....