Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 201

How AI can make infectious disease surveillance smarter, faster, and more useful Public health agencies are under pressure to move faster, detect threats earlier, and make better decisions, even as their funding is cut and their authority reduced. While most public health agencies will have to do less with less, artificial intelligence systems provide an opportunity to maintain and possibly improve performance in one critical area: infectious disease surveillance. Healthbeat...

5 essential tips to stay healthy in a heat wave Heat waves demand proactive measures to protect your health. These extreme temperatures pose an even greater risk to vulnerable populations. Here are five key strategies from Northwell Health to help you stay safe during extreme heat: Don't wait until you're thirsty to hydrate Thirst isn't a reliable indicator of dehydration. During extreme heat, sweating depletes your body's fluids rapidly. Start hydrating early and often...

How to find out if weight loss drugs are covered by your insurance, and what to do if they're not Ozempic (semaglutide), Victoza (liraglutide), and Wegovy (semaglutide) are popular medications used to treat Type 2 diabetes or help with weight loss. They belong to a class called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. Zepbound (tirzepatide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) are also common treatments in a class known as glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP...

Understanding high cholesterol: Symptoms, risks, and treatment options High cholesterol, or hypercholesterolemia, affects nearly 1 in 3 American adults—yet it often goes undetected until a serious event like a heart attack or stroke occurs. It's one of the major modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease, the world’s leading cause of death. Despite its ominous reputation, cholesterol itself isn’t inherently harmful. It plays essential roles in hormone produ...

‘We’re still living with the aftermath’: Floridians brace for fresh hurricane season Idalia. Debby. Helene. Not visiting friends, not neighbors. All hurricanes that have not yet faded into memory for the residents of Taylor County in Florida, where all three powerful storms hit in just two years. “It’s hard to look at these hurricanes as memories when we’re still living with the aftermath and worrying about what’s coming next,” said Thomas Demps. After taking direct hits fro...

Extreme heat is becoming more common in the U.S. Here’s how to stay safe. Summer brings heat waves — and the risk of heat-related illnesses. Extreme heat is the primary cause of weather-related mortality in the United States, posing a significant threat to public health. Periods of unusually hot weather are especially dangerous for elderly people and those with chronic conditions. But anyone working or exercising outside, or those without access to cool shelters, can be vulner...

Trends of all kinds fade in and out of popularity, and that goes for dog breeds, too. Though the Labrador retriever was top dog among American pet owners for 31 years, according to the American Kennel Club, the breed was dethroned by the French bulldog in 2022. Since then, Frenchies have held on to that top spot, according to the latest data released by the AKC in March 2025. Rest assured that Labs haven't sunk too far in popularity, maintaining the #2 spot for the past three...

Throughout the Yangtze River Delta, a region in southern China famed for its widespread rice production, farmers grow belts of slender green stalks. Before they reach several feet tall and turn golden brown, the grassy plants soak in muddy, waterlogged fields for months. Along the rows of submerged plants, levees store and distribute a steady supply of water that farmers source from nearby canals. This traditional practice of flooding paddies to raise the notoriously thirsty c...

About two millennia ago, the Greek physicians Hippocrates and Galen suggested that melancholia—depression brought on by an excess of "black bile" in the body—contributed to cancer. Since then, scores of researchers have investigated the association between cancer and the mind, with some going as far as to suggest that some people have a cancer-prone or "Type C" personality. Most researchers now reject the idea of a cancer-prone personality. But they still haven't settled wha...

Parenting makes the heart grow fonder, and the brain grow … smaller? Several studies have revealed that the brain loses volume across the transition to parenthood, Darby Saxbe, a psychology professor at the University of Southern California, writes for The Conversation. But researchers are still figuring out what these changes mean for parents. In a 2024 study that looked at brain change in first-time fathers, Saxbe and her colleagues found that brain volume loss was linked w...

We all know that spending too much time on screens is unhealthy, but do different screens have different impacts on our mental health? The answer, according to a 2025 Hers study, is yes. In fact, one simple question, "Do you prefer streaming TV or scrolling social media?" reveals key differences in our self-perceptions, emotional stability, mental wellness, and more. So which one is better? Well, it's complicated. When it comes to screen time, binge watching Netflix and...

A concussion is a brain injury that occurs when a violent blow or jolt hits the head and causes the brain to strike against the inside of the skull. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), concussions can damage brain cells and lead to dangerous chemical changes within the brain. But is there a difference between a concussion and a traumatic brain injury (TBI)? Learn how to distinguish between this terminology below. And remember, if you have been...

For decades, politicians and gun lobbying organizations have perpetuated the notion that mental health issues drive mass violence. A new study is challenging that narrative, though, showing that, rather than causing acts of violence, exposure to gun violence increased rates of depression among respondents and led to higher use of mental health services, The Trace reports. The study, led by researchers at the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center, surveyed 8,009 respondents...

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a treatable but potentially life-threatening condition. Yet millions of people still lack access to the most effective treatment options. According to recently released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), medications for OUD, especially buprenorphine and methadone, can significantly reduce the risk of overdose and improve long-term health outcomes. Despite this, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) remains widely...

The fentanyl epidemic is most closely associated with drug users—often people who became addicted after being prescribed opioids for pain or injury. However, as abuse rates have increased, fentanyl has turned into a crisis for first responders, property managers, and maintenance workers who have to deal with the aftermath, Trauma Services reports. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioids such as fentanyl were involved in 55,529 unintentional o...

In 2021, Chicago launched a counterterrorism initiative to teach city employees to respond to life-threatening injuries caused by dangerous events, like mass shootings. To do that, the city installed more than 1,000 blood control kits in over 500 municipal buildings. Since then, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications has grown the program by partnering with other agencies and departments. The expanded effort, community leaders say, serves a critical purpose:...

Aspiration during surgery doesn't happen often, but when it does, it can cause serious health problems. In some cases, it's the result of a medical error, which could point to malpractice. Patients dealing with a potential malpractice claim often feel confused and unsure about what to do next. If you or someone you care about has experienced aspiration during a procedure, it's important to understand your rights, Fibich Leebron Copeland & Briggs notes. Speaking with a...

Stunning as it may sound, nearly half of Americans ages 20 years and up—or more than 122 million people—have high blood pressure, according to a 2023 report from the American Heart Association. And even if your numbers are normal right now, they are likely to increase as you age; more than three-quarters of Americans age 65 and older have high blood pressure. Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Most Americans don...

In the treatment of mental health disorders like depression and anxiety, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often prescribed as first-line treatments. Among the most popular SSRIs are Zoloft (sertraline) and Lexapro (escitalopram)—each with its own strengths, side effect profiles, and clinical indications. While both drugs are designed to regulate serotonin levels in the brain, understanding their nuanced differences can help patients and clinicians make infor...

With its fizzy bubbles and refreshing taste, sparkling water can be a popular choice for those looking for a healthier alternative to soda and a more enticing option than plain water. So, is sparkling water good for weight loss, too? It can be—that is, however, when paired with a healthy diet and regular exercise. As a zero-calorie substitute for sugary drinks, unflavored (keyword) sparkling water can be a smart way to stay hydrated without adding extra calories. It may a...

Two white men in their 60s live hundreds of miles away from each other, one in Arizona and the other in Washington state. They are the same age and have identical socioeconomic backgrounds. They also have similar habits and are in roughly the same physical shape. But the man in Arizona is aging more quickly than the man in Washington — 14 months faster, to be exact. Neither man smokes or drinks. Both exercise regularly. So why is the subject living in the desert Southwest m...

Recently, social media has become home to many natural, over-the-counter alternatives to popular weight loss medications. One example is psyllium husk, a fibrous powder that's been dubbed "the poor man's Ozempic." Sure, it doesn't require an Rx and is budget-friendly. But is psyllium husk for weight loss actually legit? Here, Ro takes a closer look at what science says about psyllium husk for weight loss, then covers what you should keep in mind should you give the ingredient...

Many ominous ills are likely curable, especially if you have insurance. Without it, patients can find themselves facing life-threatening consequences, as physician Ricardo Nuila, an associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told Public Health Watch. Nuila had a stage 1 cancer patient who lost his insurance just as he was to receive treatment. "Without insurance, [my patient] was given the run-around for months by his doctors," Nuila said. By...

Life can get incredibly busy, and keeping up often hinges on having enough energy. But energy isn't always in high supply, leaving many wondering how to boost their energy. Recent data from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) revealed that 13.5 percent of U.S. adults feel exhausted most days—and among women, it's closer to 20 percent. While it might be comforting to know others are struggling, persistent feelings of fatigue can be frustrating. So, what g...

Insulin resistance is a growing health concern worldwide, linked to a variety of conditions such as type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Alzheimer's disease, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disorders. As medical professionals and researchers continue searching for effective treatments, a drug called Ozempic (semaglutide) has emerged as a potential therapy. Originally approved for type 2 diabetes management, Ozempic has shown promising results in improving...