Alzheimer's Meds Are Mostly Tested in Whites. That Worries Black Patients, Caregivers

Larry Griner resigned from his job in California and moved back to his childhood home in Baltimore nearly five years ago so he could care for his mother, Norma.

She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease almost 12 years earlier, which took away her short-term memory and completely changed the life she used to have. When the 63-year...

More Evidence COVID Boosters Improve Seniors' Immunity

For older adults, getting vaccinated provides protection against COVID-19, but getting a booster is a key part of maintaining that immunity, a new study confirms.

"The data support the CDC guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination and affirm that the vaccine is initially able to mount a good antibody response," said study co-author Dr. Sean Leng...

Listeria Outbreak Tied to Soft Cheeses Sold at Albertsons, Whole Foods

U.S. health officials have warned that numerous brands of brie and camembert cheese may contain Listeria, a potentially dangerous bacteria.

Old Europe Cheese Inc. has recalled more than 20 brands of cheese from retail and wholesale stores nationwide and in Mexico after six people in six states were infected with a specific strain...

Sexual Issues Can Plague Young Women Who've Survived Cancer

Young women who have survived cancer are at risk of having sexual problems, such as loss of libido and discomfort, a new study finds.

The quality of the survivor's sex life is also influenced by the type of cancer she experienced and the intensity of the treatment, researchers found.

"This is one of the largest population-based stu...

Smoggy Air Could Worsen COVID, Even If You're Vaccinated

Exposure to air pollution can impede COVID-19 recovery, whether someone is vaccinated or not, according to new research.

"These findings are important because they show that, while COVID-19 vaccines are successful at reducing the risk of hospitalization, people who are vaccinated and exposed to polluted air are still at increased risk for...

Are Your Hands Just Dry, Or Is It Eczema?

Sometimes that irritated skin on your hands is more than simple dryness.

Hand eczema could be the culprit, with painful dry and itchy skin on all or part of the hand and fingers.

"If your hands are extremely dry and painful, and using moisturizer throughout the day is not helping to relieve them, you may have hand eczema," said Dr. ...

Get Ready for Those Fall Allergies

Allergy sufferers know that symptoms don’t just appear in spring or summer. Fall, too, can bring about sneezing and trouble breathing, as can volatile weather patterns.

“People frequently experience allergy symptoms in the fall even if they are mainly allergic to pollens in the spring and summer,” said Dr. David Corry. He is a profes...

U.S. Will Spend $266 Million to Bolster Public Health Programs

The U.S. government will invest $266 million to shore up the community and public health workforce using American Rescue Plan funding.

About $225.5 million will go to 83 recipients to support training and apprenticeship for 13,000 new community health workers, CNN reported before Friday's announcement. These workers specialize in...

FDA Approves New ALS Drug Despite Uncertain Data

FRIDAY, Sept. 30, 2022 (HealthDay News) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday gave its approval to a new drug for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

But approval of the drug, called Relyvrio, is bound to stir new questions, with some doubting the strength of data supporting its effectiv...

AHA News: After a Jump in Maternal Mortality for Hispanic Women, a Search for Answers

The COVID-19 pandemic produced no shortage of somber statistics. But for people who care about women's health, one number about Hispanic women stood out.

Their maternal mortality rate jumped sharply in 2020 – up 44% from the year before, according to the latest available data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For every...

U.S. Suicide Rates Rose in 2021, Reversing 2 Years of Decline

The suicide rate in the United States increased in 2021, following two years of decline, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The number of suicides increased to 47,646 in 2021, up from 45,979 in 2020, according to researchers at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.

...

After Ian's Destruction: How to Safely Enter, Clean Flood-Damaged Homes

The devastation left by one of the strongest hurricanes to hit Florida in years is immense. But residents flooded out of their homes by Hurricane Ian must be cautious when they return, federal experts warn.

First off, always assume there's potential risk from electricity or gas leaks, say experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control an...

Could a Folic Acid Prescription Help Prevent Suicide?

FRIDAY, Sept. 30, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- More than 1 million Americans attempted suicide in 2020, and a new study is hinting at a potential way to reduce that risk: prescription folic acid.

The study, of more than 800,000 Americans in a health care database, found that when people were on prescription folic acid, their...

More Americans With Heart Disease Are Also Becoming 'Food Insecure'

Many Americans with heart disease also have limited access to food, and this dangerous combination is growing rapidly, a new study finds.

"Food insecurity is a common problem among people with cardiovascular disease, and we are seeing that issue become even more prevalent in recent years," said lead author Dr. Eric Brandt. He's a cardiolog...

Fitness Trackers Could Get You Stepping More -- Even If You Don't Look at Them

Wearing a fitness tracker may help you get more steps in -- even if you never give it a glance.

A new study found that folks who wore a pedometer averaged 318 more steps a day than those who didn't, even without specific fitness goals or incentives and even if they couldn't see the step count.

"Humans are hardwired to respond to what...

Attending Church Might Lengthen Black Men's Lives

Places of worship may provide respite for Black men that not only enhances their lives, but may extend them, new research suggests.

"Black men have been oppressed, commodified, surveilled and criminalized like no other group in U.S. history and they often experience disproportionately high levels of social and psychological stress from str...

Money, Good Info Can't Undo Resistance to COVID Vaccine: Study

Public health officials tried everything to convince Americans to get vaccinated against COVID, including giving away cash, but that wasn't enough to change hesitant minds, a new study shows.

Researchers were surprised by the findings.

"There is literature and evidence from other vaccination campaigns like the flu, and even some chil...

Healthy Living Boosts Life Span, Even for Former Smokers

THURSDAY, Sept. 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Eating well and exercising can make for a longer life, and that holds true for former smokers, too, a new study shows.

Researchers found that of nearly 160,000 former smokers, those who exercised, ate healthfully and limited their drinking were less likely to die over the next...

AHA News: For This Race Car Driver, Curing a Racing Heart Was Key to Crossing the Finish Line

Bryce Cornet is no stranger to a racing heart. His heart beats faster each time he puts on his helmet, slides into the cockpit of his race car, snaps on the buckles of his harness and puts the pedal to the floor to careen around a twisting, turning racetrack.

"I always wanted to be a race car driver," Bryce said. "Once my parents saw my in...

1 in 5 Young Women Has No Plans to Get a Mammogram

THURSDAY, Sept. 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Terlisa Sheppard knows the value of tracking changes in her body.

The Orlando Health patient was eight and a half months pregnant and just 31 years old when she felt a lump under her arm. She left work to get it checked out and "didn’t return back to work because that is th...