Get Healthy!

1 in 3 U.S. Children Lack Adequate Health Insurance

Though they live in one of the world’s richest nations, a growing number of young Americans are without ample health insurance.

A new study reports that 34% of U.S. kids age 17 and under were "underinsured" in 2019. That means their insurance failed to address their overall health needs or ensure access to preferred providers; that it ca...

Cataract Surgery Might Lower Your Odds for Dementia

People who undergo surgery to treat cataracts may have a lower likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests.

Of more than 3,000 older adults with the eye disease, those who had surgery were about 30% less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's in the coming years, researchers found.

The findings cannot prove ca...

New Hormonal Pill May Boost Outcomes for Older Breast Cancer Patients

An experimental hormone therapy pill can effectively stall the progression of breast cancer, even in older patients whose tumors have mutated to make such therapy less effective, new trial results show.

The drug elacestrant reduced the risk of breast cancer progression and death by 30% in postmenopausal patients whose cancers were fueled b...

Marijuana Can Really Mess With Your Sleep, Study Suggests

Many folks turn to pot to help them relax and get a good night's sleep, but new research finds the practice may do the exact opposite.

"I think [the results] were somewhat surprising because, in our mind, anecdotally cannabis seems to help with sleep, but … the evidence to support that notion is just not there yet," said senior study aut...

Biden Pledges to Lower Prescription Drug Prices for Americans

President Joe Biden promised cheaper prescription drugs for all Americans on Monday as his social agenda legislation winds its way through Congress.

Biden tried to shift Americans' focus to pocketbook provisions overlooked in his $2 trillion legislation, which deals with everything from climate to family life and taxes. The legislation has...

AHA News: Diagnosed With a Heart Defect in the Womb, Baby Had Two Heart Surgeries and Then Got COVID-19

Samantha Snell drove to her doctor's office in Uniontown, Ohio, for a routine ultrasound. Already the mother of three, she was 23 weeks along and eager to get a glimpse of her new baby boy.

"Getting an ultrasound is fun and cute," said Snell, who at the time was working as a phlebotomist. "But this was a totally different experience."

Black Women Have Triple the Odds for Lymphedema After Breast Cancer Surgery

A condition called lymphedema is a well-known side effect of breast cancer treatment that can lead to swelling in the arms and legs.

New research suggests that Black women experience are at more than three times the risk of this painful issue compared to white women.

"Lymphedema worsens quality of life for breast cancer patients," ...

U.S. to Pump $400 Million Into Vaccination Programs for Other Countries

The United States announced Monday that it will pour $400 million into a new program that should help other countries speed vaccines to their citizens.

Called the Initiative for Global Vaccine Access, the U.S. Agency for International Development said in a statement the program would “enhance international coordination” to help coun...

Monoclonal Antibody Rx for COVID Can Be Safely Given by Injection: Study

The best available treatment for COVID-19 infection just got a lot easier to administer to more people, potentially saving more lives in the process, a new study claims.

Monoclonal antibodies have been shown to dramatically reduce risk of hospitalization and death if given within five days of developing symptoms of COVID.

However, th...

Had COVID? Getting Vaccinated Strengthens Your Antibodies to New Variants

Yet another study shows that a combination of vaccination and previous infection may provide better protection against new COVID-19 variants than either one alone.

That's because the antibodies a person develops after either just vaccination or previous infection may not be able to fend off new variants.

In the new study, investigato...

Most Dog Breeds Are Highly Inbred -- and Unhealthy

Traits particular to certain dog breeds — the distinctive spots of a dalmatian or the stubby legs of a dachshund — are often achieved through inbreeding.

But most breeds are now highly inbred, increasing a dog's risk of health problems, a new study confirms.

"It's amazing how inbreeding seems to matter to health," study leader Da...

Medicaid Expansion Saved Lives in Affected States: Study

In a sign that the expansion of Medicaid has really worked, new research finds that death rates have declined in states that expanded the public health insurance program.

Medicaid expansion began in 2014 as part of the Affordable Care Act (also known as "Obamacare") and has provided health coverage for an additional 12 million Americans. ...

What's Behind Unexplained Epilepsy in Kids? A Gene Test May Tell

Genetic testing can help guide management and treatment of unexplained epilepsy in children, new research suggests.

"A genetic diagnosis impacted medical management for nearly three out of four children in our study," said study author Dr. Isabel Haviland. She's a postdoctoral research fellow in neurology/neurobiology at Boston Children's ...

Over 234,000 Pounds of Ham, Pepperoni Recalled Due to Listeria

Nearly 235,000 pounds of fully cooked ham and pepperoni products were recalled by Michigan-based Alexander & Hornung on Sunday due to possible listeria contamination.

There are no confirmed reports of illness associated with the products that were sold across the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety ...

Pandemic Sent Americans' Blood Pressure Numbers Skyward

Yet another pandemic-related health woe has come to the fore: rising blood pressure.

Data covering almost half a million middle-aged Americans shows that about 27% saw their blood pressure go up significantly in 2020 after COVID-19 restrictions unfolded compared to the prior year. Women appeared to be particularly vulnerable.

Still...

1 in 3 College Freshmen Has Depression, Anxiety

Starting college can be a time of fun, new experiences and growth. Yet it can also be a rough transition for many students who struggle with mental health issues.

A new study from researchers in the United Kingdom and Canada found about one-third of first-year students have or develop moderate to severe anxiety or depression.

When th...

Could Viagra Help Prevent Alzheimer's?

Viagra, a drug long used to treat erectile dysfunction, may double as a potential weapon against Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests.

Looking at data on more than 7 million Americans, researchers found that those taking the drug were 69% less likely to develop Alzheimer's, when compared to non-users.

Then, in lab experiments, ...

AHA News: This Nonprofit Builds Strong 'Ground Game' for Community Mental Health

When belongings pile up on the curb from an eviction in Maryland's western Anne Arundel County, Abraham Shanklin Jr. sees more than a housing crisis. When people with low incomes can't find a reliable way to get to work, he sees beyond transportation problems.

Since 1994, when he became a pastor there, Shanklin has traced the roots of a co...

'Magic Mushroom' Drug Edges Toward Mainstream Therapy

Tony Head was depressed and fearing death from stage 4 prostate cancer when, as part of a supervised scientific trial, he took a large dose of the psychedelic agent in "magic mushrooms," psilocybin.

Head donned a mask and headphones to shut out the world around him, and had an experience that changed the course of his life.

"At some...

Omicron Spreading Through Africa Twice as Fast as Delta Did

The Omicron variant appears to spread at twice the rate as the Delta variant does, due mostly to a combination of contagiousness and an ability to dodge the body's immune defenses, scientists report.

The degree to which each factor contributes to the spread of Omicron is still unclear, according to the findings of an analysis posted on Twi...