public health

A group of infectious disease specialists published an article in JAMA advocating for increased awareness and preparedness in the medical field to address the evolving threat of diseases due to climate change. They emphasize the need for updated medical training and proactive measures to mitigate global warming’s impact on health. Credit: SciTechDaily.comExperts highlight the connection between climate change and infectious diseases, urging medical professionals to prepare for new disease patterns and advocate for climate…

A study by Oregon Health & Science University shows that COVID-19 vaccination timing can slightly and temporarily alter menstrual cycle length, especially when given in the cycle’s first half. These findings aim to reassure and inform about minor changes, highlighting the need for more research on menstruation’s significance for health and fertility.However, the findings present no cause for alarm and are an important step in understanding the vaccine’s overall impact on health.Researchers at Oregon Health &…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association sent out separate but similar pleas on Monday for unvaccinated Americans to get vaccinated against the extremely contagious measles virus as vaccination rates have slipped, cases are rising globally and nationally, and the spring-break travel period is beginning.In the first 12 weeks of 2024, US measles cases have already matched and likely exceeded the case total for all of 2023. According to the CDC, there were 58 measles cases reported…

A groundbreaking study highlights that short-term exposure to PM2.5 air pollution causes over one million deaths globally each year, with the highest impact in Eastern Asia. It calls for urgent targeted interventions to reduce the health risks associated with air pollution spikes. Credit: SciTechDaily.comAnnually, over a million deaths worldwide are associated with short-term exposure (ranging from hours to days) to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air.Every year, over one million people worldwide lose their lives…

Researchers have identified how the Ebola virus reproduces by interacting with the human protein ubiquitin, revealing a new target for therapeutic intervention. This finding, part of a collaborative study involving experts in various medical fields, offers insights into viral replication processes and potential pathways for developing effective Ebola treatments.A U.S.-Canada study co-led by UdeM researchers offers key understanding of Ebola virus replication and potential therapeutic targets.Scientists in Canada and the…

Despite oral rehydration salts (ORS) being a cost-effective treatment for diarrheal diseases, which are a significant cause of child mortality worldwide, health care providers in developing countries, especially in India, seldom prescribe it due to misperceptions about patient preferences, contributing to persistent low usage rates. A new study highlights that correcting these misperceptions could prevent half a million deaths annually and reduce unnecessary antibiotic use, suggesting that providers underestimate the…

In 2023, approximately 11% of U.S. 12th graders reported using delta-8-THC, with higher usage in the South and Midwest and states lacking cannabis regulations. Credit: SciTechDaily.comUse of the psychoactive cannabis product is higher in states without existing delta-8 regulations or cannabis legalization, NIH-funded study finds.Approximately 11% of 12th-grade students across the United States reported past-year use of delta-8- tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8-THC, or delta-8 for short), according to an analysis of data from…

Increasing daily steps to around 10,000 reduces sedentary lifestyle health risks, including mortality and cardiovascular disease, emphasizing the value of movement for health improvement.Higher step counts are associated with reduced risk, irrespective of sedentary time.A recent study from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre in Australia brings encouraging news for office workers, revealing that raising daily step counts can help mitigate the health risks associated with prolonged periods of sitting.The…

If you have a dog or cat, chances are you’ve given your pet a flavored chewable tablet for tick prevention at some point. What if you could take a similar pill to protect yourself from getting Lyme disease?Tarsus Pharmaceuticals is developing such a pill for humans—minus the tasty flavoring—that could provide protection against the tick-borne disease for several weeks at a time. In February, the Irvine, California–based biotech company announced results from a small, early-stage trial showing that 24 hours after taking…

We need to make the exterior parts of buildings that people focus on more interesting, so that people want to protect rather than replace them. But most people aren’t architects or city planners—they can’t change the designs of what’s being made.Indeed, we have a public who feel utterly powerless, and a construction industry that talks to itself but not the public. That needs to change. We have public conversations about whether we should fly on holiday and use the carbon to go to Malaga or wherever, but there’s no…