Last year, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy released an advisory that described loneliness and isolation as a national epidemic, with health consequences that rival those associated with cigarette smoking and obesity. To help address this pervasive isolation, Murthy’s office challenged Americans to find and act on ways to strengthen their social connections. New research by Amit Kumar, assistant professor...
Health
Alcohol Use Disorder Can Be Treated with an Array of Medications – but Few People Have Heard of Them
More than 29.5 million Americans ages 12 and up had alcohol use disorder – the medical term for the disease commonly known as alcoholism – in 2022, when the most recent national data was published. The condition is characterized by a pattern of heavy alcohol consumption with loss of control over drinking despite negative social,...
Clean Needles Save Lives. In Some States, They Might Not Be Legal.
Kim Botteicher hardly thinks of herself as a criminal. On the main floor of a former Catholic church in Bolivar, Pennsylvania, Botteicher runs a flower shop and cafe. In the former church’s basement, she also operates a nonprofit organization focused on helping people caught up in the drug epidemic get back on their feet. The...
Quantifying U.S. Health Impacts from Gas Stoves
A new study of air pollution in U.S. homes reveals how much gas and propane stoves increase people’s exposure to nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant linked to childhood asthma. Even in bedrooms far from kitchens, concentrations frequently exceed health limits while stoves are on and for hours after burners and ovens are turned off. Households with...
Cheers to a Long and Lasting Relationship! Literally!
If you’re like me, you enjoy savoring a well-poured cocktail, glass of wine, or regional ale with your partner, on a fairly regular basis. You might also enjoy sharing sips of each other’s drinks and taking notes, comparing and contrasting each other’s beverages. We thought we were indulging in this because it just tasted good...
Polyamorous Youth Report Facing Stigma, Heightened Levels of Depression
While increasingly visible among adults, polyamory also exists among adolescents, and as a new study indicates, so does the stigma that can come with it. A Washington State University study of 323 youth ages 12 to 17 at an LGBTQ+ summer camp found that 54, or about 16.7%, identified as polyamorous or ambiamorous, meaning they...
Study Suggests Staying Current with Covid-19 Vaccinations Helps Combat Emerging Variants
New research using live SARS-CoV-2 virus reveals an updated vaccine provides a strong immune response against previous strains and emerging variants. The findings by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University, published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, suggest a clear benefit in receiving updated vaccinations on a regular basis, especially among older people or those...
Study Finds School Entry Requirements Linked to Increased HPV Vaccination Rates
A new study from researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine shows that school entry requirements are linked to an increase in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations. The findings appear online in Pediatrics. HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection, which can cause health problems such as genital warts and certain cancers. To prevent infection, the Centers for...
Important Health Information Missing in Online Food Delivery Menus
A University of Sydney study investigating menu items on major online food delivery outlets and applications (apps) in Australia has found most advertised items are missing nutritional information that would otherwise help consumers make healthy choices. Researchers say the findings show this information is largely absent or poorly provided on online food retail platforms and...
Golfers’ Risk from Pesticides Used on Turfgrass Is Likely Low, Studies Find
For many, spring heralds fresh air and exercise on the golf course. But do players risk exposure to unsafe levels of pesticides used to beautify and maintain a golf course’s green grass? To find out, researchers asked volunteers to play 18 holes on a simulated course sprayed with common pesticides. They report the results in ACS...