Family, School Support May Help Stop Bullies in Their Tracks

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Children with strong family ties and school support are more likely to try to stop bullying when they see it, new research suggests.

The study included 450 sixth-graders and 446 ninth-graders who were asked about their relationships with their family, friends and teachers.

The student...

Too Much Salt Might Help Spur A-Fib

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- A high-salt diet could raise your risk for a common heart rhythm disorder, new research suggests.

Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) is a quivering or irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots or other complications. It affects millions of people worldwide and puts them at higher risk for stroke...

More Illnesses From Tainted Romaine Lettuce Reported

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Nine more people have been sickened by E. coli in an outbreak involving romaine lettuce grown in parts of California, bringing the total to 52 people in 15 states, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.

Nineteen people have been hospitalized, including two who developed a type of kidney failur...

AHA: A Black Filmmaker's Look at the Heart (Health) of Her Community

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (American Heart Association) -- Jasmine Johnson has become reacquainted with the South Dallas neighborhood where she grew up. Much is familiar, but she's noticed there aren't many places that sell fresh food.

The 29-year-old filmmaker is determined to bring attention to the issue for a community riddled with diabe...

More Blood Pressure Meds Recalled Due to Carcinogen

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Over the past few months, numerous recalls of the popular heart drug valsartan have already occurred. Now, generics maker Mylan Pharmaceuticals is adding more products to the list.

The recall involves 104 lots of three medicines: valsartan tablets; combination tablets with the drugs valsartan...

More Are Seeking Mental Health Care, But Not Always Those Who Need It Most

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- On the surface, the news looks good for America's mental health -- a new report shows the rate of people with serious psychological distress is declining, and more folks are seeking mental health care on an outpatient basis.

But the haves are edging out the have-nots when it comes to mental heal...

Incontinence Drug May Cut Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer Survivors

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Hot flashes, a common curse in menopause, can be especially bothersome after breast cancer. But a new study suggests an existing medication may help.

The drug is oxybutynin (Ditropan XL), long used to treat urinary incontinence.

The study found that women taking the medicine had an av...

Better Economy Could Mean Worse Nursing Home Care

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- In a good economy, the care at U.S. nursing homes falls because it's harder to attract and keep staff, a new study contends.

"During economic downturns, many people are willing to take positions with work environments they may not prefer because there aren't many options," said principal inves...

Healthy Lifestyle Lowers Odds of Breast Cancer's Return

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- There's more evidence that when a survivor of early stage breast cancer takes up healthy eating and regular exercise, the odds of the disease returning go down.

The key is sticking with such programs, said study lead author Dr. Wolfgang Janni.

Healthier lifestyles "might improve the pr...

For Younger Cancer Patients, Mastectomy vs. Breast-Conserving Surgery

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Younger breast cancer patients who have one or both breasts removed have lower levels of satisfaction and well-being than those who have breast-conserving surgery, a new study finds.

The study included 560 women diagnosed with breast cancer by age 40. Of those, 28 percent had breast-conserving s...

Are Kids' Playgrounds Really Safe?

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The numbers are alarming.

According to U.S. health officials, more than 200,000 children aged 14 or under are treated each year in emergency departments for playground-related injuries, about 10 percent of which involve "TBIs" -- or traumatic brain injuries.

Modern playground designs h...

Safety First When Running Outdoors

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Between the fresh air and the interesting scenery, running outdoors can be invigorating. But there are safety precautions to take when you leave a protected indoor environment.

The Road Runners Club of America has a wealth of advice.

For starters, take some precautions before you leave...

Breast Cancer Deadlier for Black Women, Despite Same Treatments

THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Even with the same treatment, black women with the most common form of breast cancer experience higher recurrence and death rates than white women, a new trial reveals.

The finding pokes holes in the prevailing notion that black women with breast cancer fare worse due to less access to quality...

Millions of Americans Still Breathing Secondhand Smoke: Report

THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Despite three decades of declines in secondhand smoke exposure, 58 million Americans -- children included -- are still breathing in tobacco fumes, federal health officials reported Thursday.

Nearly 40 percent of children aged 3 to 11 are exposed to secondhand smoke, as are nearly 50 percent of...

Obesity May Be Driving Rise in Uterine Cancers

THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Cases of uterine cancer are charting a slow but steady rise among American women, and so are deaths from the disease, new statistics show.

Looking at federal health data, researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that "during 1999-2015, uterine cancer incidence...

HIV Strikes Black Gay Men More, Despite Safer Behaviors

THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Young black gay men are 16 times more likely to have HIV than whites, even though they have fewer partners, have less unsafe sex, and get tested for HIV more often, a new study shows.

"Our study illuminates how HIV disparities emerge from complex social and sexual networks and inequalities in ...

Smokers Who Roll Their Own Less Likely to Quit

THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Smokers who roll their own cigarettes are less likely to try to kick the habit and cost may be the reason why, a new study suggests.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 38,000 adults in England who were smokers or who had quit in the past year. About 56 percent said they smoked only facto...

Obesity Ups Survival in Heart Failure, but That's No Reason to Pile on Pounds

THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Obese people with heart failure may live longer than those who are thinner -- especially if they are "metabolically healthy," a new study suggests.

The study, of more than 3,500 heart failure patients, is the latest to look into the so-called "obesity paradox." The term refers to a puzzling pa...

Kidney Disease Claiming More Lives

THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Although fewer Americans are dying from heart disease and cancer, deaths from chronic kidney disease are on the rise, especially among young adults, a new study finds.

"Unfortunately, chronic kidney disease is known as a 'silent epidemic,' because many people don't realize they have it until ...

Tamoxifen at a Lower Dose Might Still Prevent Breast Cancer's Return

THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Tamoxifen is considered a vital weapon in the fight against breast cancer, but many women who have to take the drug struggle with its significant side effects.

Now, new research shows that a lower dose of the hormone therapy helped prevent breast cancer from returning and guarded against new c...