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☆ Minority Children in US Get Poorer Healthcare, Analysis Finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Nancy Lapid(Reuters) - The quality of healthcare for minority children in the United States is universally worse than it is for white children, even after accounting for insurance coverage, an analysis of dozens of recent studies found. The pattern was similar across all medical specialties, including newborn care, emergency medicine, primary care, surgery, hospital care, endocrinology, mental health care, care for developmental disabilities, and palliative care, researchers said. Even after adjusting for type of health insurance, family socioeconomic position, and other health conditions, the disparities were clear. “Across multiple healthcare specialties, non-white children receive poorer care relative to white children," study coauthor Dr. Monique Jindal of the University of Illinois Chicago School of Medicine said in an email. “The impacts of housing, employment, health insurance, the criminal justice system, and immigration are impossible to disentangle and are cumulatively responsible” for the poorer care for minority children, she said.

Persons: Nancy Lapid, Monique Jindal, ”, Jindal, Bill Berkrot Organizations: University of Illinois Chicago School of Medicine, Adolescent Locations: United States

☆ US life expectancy climbs in 2022 after COVID retreat
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Mariam E Sunny | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The study estimated babies' life expectancy if mortality conditions when they were born were to persist throughout their lives. "There were positive outcomes all around ... all the groups by race and sex experienced increases in life expectancy," Arias said. Life expectancy increased by 1 year for Asian non-Hispanic infants to 84.5 years, and by 0.8 year for White non-Hispanic babies to 77.5. In all groups, previous declines in mortality due to COVID explained more than 80% of the increases in life expectancy, according to the report. Declines in deaths from heart disease, unintentional injuries, cancer, and homicide also contributed to longer life expectancy overall, but their impact varied.

Persons: Octavio Jones, Elizabeth Arias, Arias, COVID, Mariam Sunny, Nancy Lapid, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Department of Health Sarasota COVID, REUTERS, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, White, Thomson Locations: Sarasota , Florida, U.S, Alaska, Bengaluru

REUTERS/George Fre/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 27 (Reuters) - Overweight or obese adults lost more weight and shed pounds faster using Eli Lilly's (LLY.N) Mounjaro than those taking Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) popular rival weight loss drug, according to an analysis of health records and other data. After 3 months of treatment, patients on Mounjaro had lost an average of 2.3% more body weight than those taking Ozempic, the study also found. By 6 months, the difference had widened to 4.3%, and by 12 months, the Mounjaro group had lost an average of 7.2% more weight. An Eli Lilly spokesperson said the company does not promote or encourage the off-label use of any of its medicines, although its drug is now approved for weight loss. A trial is underway comparing the weight loss formulations of the two injected medicines in patients overweight or obese but without type 2 diabetes.

Persons: Lilly, George Fre, Eli Lilly's, Mounjaro, Eli Lilly, Nancy Lapid, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Pharmacy, REUTERS, Novo, Thomson Locations: Provo , Utah, U.S

The transplant surgery took 21 hours. Initially, doctors were just planning to include the eyeball as part of the face transplant for cosmetic reasons, Rodriguez said during a Zoom interview. Presently, the transplanted eye is not communicating with the brain through the optic nerve. James, who had retained vision in his right eye, knew he might not regain vision in the transplanted eye. "Hopefully this opens up a new path.”James might still regain sight in the transplanted eye, Rodriguez said.

Persons: Aaron James, Eduardo D, Rodriguez, James, it's, ”, Eduardo Rodriguez, Rodriquez, ” Rodriguez, “, ” James, Nancy Lapid, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Hot, NYU Langone, Surgeons, NYU Langone Health, Thomson Locations: Hot Springs , Arkansas, New York, Arkansas

Nov 7 (Reuters) - The number of newborns with syphilis in the United States surged more than 10-fold in the last decade, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on Tuesday. The agency said 3,761 cases were recorded in 2022, the highest in over 30 years, up from 334 cases in 2012. The 2022 cases included 231 stillbirths and 51 infant deaths. Congenital syphilis occurs when a mother with syphilis passes the infection to her baby during pregnancy. The CDC recommends screening for syphilis at the first prenatal care visit to reduce perinatal transmission.

Persons: Laura Bachmann, Bachmann, Sriparna Roy, Nancy Lapid Organizations: U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC's, CDC, Thomson Locations: United, Bengaluru

☆ Brazil child cancer deaths linked to soy farming, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Ana Mano | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. researchers found a relationship between soy production and related community exposure to agrochemicals including glyphosate, a widely used weedkiller that some genetically modified soybean seeds are designed to tolerate. "We find a statistically significant increase in pediatric leukemia following expanded local soy production," the PNAS article said, based on Brazilian childhood cancer incidence and disease mortality data spanning 15 years. Specifically, the study found a correlation between soy farming and childhood blood cancers, especially acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common blood cancer in children. There were 123 additional deaths of children under age 10 from 2008 to 2019 from ALL following the expansion of soybean production in Brazil, the researchers found. That number would have been higher were it not for the country's high-quality cancer treatment centers, the researchers said.

Persons: Adriano Machado, Ana Mano, Nancy Lapid, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, SAO PAULO, U.S . National Academy of Sciences, Thomson Locations: Luziania, Goias, Brazil, U.S, China, United States

Scientists are keeping an eye on the new lineage, named BA.2.86, because it has 36 mutations that distinguish it from the currently-dominant XBB.1.5 variant. So far there is no evidence that BA.2.86 spreads faster or causes more serious illness than previous versions. COVID infections and hospitalizations have been rising in the U.S., Europe and Asia, with more cases in recent months attributed to the EG.5 "Eris" subvariant, a descendant of the Omicron lineage that originally emerged in November 2021. But many countries have drastically reduced testing of patients and their efforts to analyze the genomes of the viruses causing new COVID cases. Updated COVID booster shots now being developed have been designed to target the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5.

Persons: Emily Elconin, Wesley Long, Eric Topol, Topol, Long, Moderna, Eris, Deena Beasley, Nancy Lapid, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Moderna Inc, Pfizer, World Health Organization, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, CDC, EG, Omicron, Houston Methodist Hospital, Scripps Research, COVID, U.S, Pfizer Inc, Thomson Locations: Waterford , Michigan, U.S, Europe, Asia, United States, Israel, Denmark, La Jolla , California

☆ Explainer: Extreme heat may mean using a different sunscreen
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Nancy Lapid | Thomson Reuters | Nancy Has Been A Health News Editor At Reuters For More Than A Decade. Previously She Was A Writer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Because mineral sunscreens aren't absorbed, older formulations often had a greasy feel and a white appearance. People who do not like the thicker texture of mineral sunscreens often use chemical sunscreens in creams or sprays. The ingredients form a thin protective film that absorbs UV rays and changes their structure, converting them into heat before they penetrate the skin. Extreme heat also means more sweating, and sweat can contribute to itchiness and rashes some people experience from ingredients in chemical sunscreens, Radusky added. Even in the absence of extreme heat, people with sensitive skin should opt for mineral sunscreens, the AAD advises.

Persons: Johnson, Brian Snyder, Jacqueline, Ross Radusky, Radusky, Nancy Lapid, Michele Gershberg, Aurora Ellis Organizations: REUTERS, American Academy of Dermatology, Sun Protection, Research Center, Thomson Locations: Gloucester , Massachusetts, U.S, Scottsdale , Arizona, Dallas , Texas

☆ Nearly half of US drinking water may contain toxic 'forever chemicals'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Rachel Nostrant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 6 (Reuters) - Nearly half of U.S. tap water samples contain toxic "forever chemicals," substances used in hundreds of household items from cleaning supplies to pizza boxes to which broad exposure can carry serious health risks, according to a new study. But analyzing tap water allows for a more accurate assessment of what people are drinking, said Kelly Smalling, a USGS hydrologist who led the research. The study samples, which came from public supplies and private wells between 2016 and 2021, were tested for 32 types. Public water supplies are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency while private wells are not. It would require monitoring of public water systems and disclosure when PFAS levels exceed limits.

Persons: Kelly Smalling, ” Smalling, Rachel Nostrant, Nancy Lapid, Howard Goller Organizations: Geological Survey, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Environmental Protection Agency, Biden administration’s, Infrastructure Law, Thomson Locations: U.S

☆ U.S. maternal mortality more than doubled since 1999, most deaths among Black women - study
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Nancy Lapid | Thomson Reuters | Nancy Has Been A Health News Editor At Reuters For More Than A Decade. Previously She Was A Writer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 3 (Reuters) - The number of U.S. women who died within a year after pregnancy more than doubled between 1999 and 2019, with the highest deaths among Black women, researchers said on Monday. There were an estimated 1,210 maternal deaths in 2019, compared with 505 in 1999, according to a study published in the medical journal JAMA. Unlike previous U.S. studies of maternal mortality, which focused on national trends, the current study analyzed data state-by-state. To the researchers' surprise, Black women had the highest maternal mortality rates in some Northeast states. "Our findings provide important insights on maternal mortality rates leading up to the pandemic, and it's likely that we'll see a continued increase in the risk of maternal mortality across all populations if we analyze data from subsequent years," Bryant said.

Persons: Dr, Allison Bryant, Brigham, Bryant, Nancy Lapid, Michael Erman Organizations: American Indians, Alaska Natives, Blacks, Pacific Islanders, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Thomson Locations: Alaska, California, Massachusetts, Boston, Midwest, Great

☆ Scientists isolate human gene able to fend off most bird flu viruses
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Natalie Grover | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 28 (Reuters) - UK researchers have homed in on a human gene implicated in thwarting most bird flu viruses from infecting people. Nicknamed B-force by the researchers, the gene was found to block the replication of most strains of bird flu in human cells. However, the gene's antiviral activity failed to protect against seasonal human flu viruses. This gene is part of a broader defensive apparatus in the human immune arsenal against bird viruses. To be sure, viruses mutate all the time, and this does not mean that bird flu viruses could not evolve to escape the activity of BTN3A3.

Persons: Massimo Palmarini, ”, Sam Wilson, Natalie Grover, Nancy Lapid, Christina Fincher Organizations: MRC, University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, World Health Organization, WHO, Thomson Locations: London

☆ Explainer: What health experts say wildfire smoke novices need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Nancy Lapid | Thomson Reuters | Nancy Has Been A Health News Editor At Reuters For More Than A Decade. Previously She Was A Writer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Many in those states are wondering what they need to know about a first-time wildfire smoke event. Are health risks lower during a first-time wildfire smoke event? People in the Northeast may like to think they are not at risk from the wildfire smoke drifting down from Canada because research on health effects comes largely from regions where people are exposed to wildfire smoke for weeks at a time, year after year. Particulates from wildfire smoke enter most buildings in high concentrations, experts say. Bein of UC Davis compared indoor wildfire smoke exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke exposure.

Persons: Doug Brugge, Keith Bein, Jasvinder Singh, Singh, Nancy Lapid, Caroline Humer, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Air Quality Research, University of California, Medstar Franklin Square Medical, Environmental Protection Agency, UC Davis, Thomson Locations: Canada, U.S ., Davis, Medstar, Baltimore, U.S, United States, Northeastern

☆ US schools cancel recess, skylines vanish behind Canada wildfire smoke
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Tyler Clifford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The U.S. National Weather Service issued quality air alerts from New England to South Carolina. In Bethesda, Maryland, a high school moved its graduation ceremony indoors, while a Brooklyn, New York, elementary school postponed its "Spring Fling" dance party. The smoke is crossing the U.S. northern border from Canada, where wildfire season got off to an unusually early and intense start due to persistent warm and dry conditions. Rochester, New York, near the Canadian border, had the worst air quality in the country, according to IQAir, while six towns along Maryland's Eastern Shore and Delaware were ranked in the bottom 10 for air quality. "This is an unprecedented event in our city and New Yorkers must take precaution," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.

Persons: Eric Adams, Tyler Clifford, Denny Thomas, Ken Li, Nancy Lapid, Joseph Ax, Mark Porter, David Gregorio Our Organizations: YORK, U.S, National Weather Service, D.C, Twitter, East Coast, York City, Thomson Locations: Vermont, South Carolina, East, Ohio, Kansas, Midwest, New England, Washington, Bethesda , Maryland, Brooklyn , New York, Montclair , New Jersey, New York, Canada, York, Delhi, Rochester , New York, Shore, Delaware, Manhattan, New, Toronto, Canada's, Quebec

☆ Explainer: What are the health risks from wildfire smoke?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Nancy Lapid | Thomson Reuters | Nancy Has Been A Health News Editor At Reuters For More Than A Decade. Previously She Was A Writer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

More toxic than normal air pollution, wildfire smoke can linger in the air for weeks and travel hundreds of miles. Along with particles of soil and biological materials, wildfire smoke often contains traces of chemicals, metals, plastics and other synthetic materials. New data from California also show an increase in fungal infections in the months following wildfire smoke exposure, likely due to fungal spores in the smoke. But the health effects of wildfire smoke exposure over multiple seasons are not yet clear. Doug Brugge, who chairs the Department of Public Health Sciences at UConn School of Medicine, said wildfire smoke can be deadly.

Persons: Kent Pinkerton, Davis, Keith Bein, Doug Brugge, Nancy Lapid, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Center for Health, University of California, UC, Davis . Studies, Environment, UC Davis, U.S . Environmental Protection Agency, of Public Health Sciences, UConn School of Medicine, Thomson Locations: United States, Canada, New York City, California, U.S

☆ Global push to tackle maternal and newborn deaths has stalled, WHO report finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Annually since 2015 there have been about 290,000 maternal deaths, 1.9 million stillbirths, and 2.3 million newborn deaths within a month after birth, the report said. Countries need to ramp up investment in primary care to see different results, said Anshu Banerjee, the WHO's director of maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and ageing. Only 12% of 106 reporting countries have fully-financed maternal and newborn health plans, it said. The report also found that only 61% of reporting countries have systems for keeping track of stillbirths. The report found that 10 countries with the highest maternal deaths, stillbirths and neonatal deaths account for 60% of all such deaths globally.

The CDC report showed that the rate of drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl increased from 5.7 per 100,000 people in 2016 to 21.6 per 100,000 in 2021. Fentanyl-related deaths rose by about 55% in 2019-2020, and 24.1% in 2020-2021, said Merianne Rose Spencer, one of the report's authors. Between 2016 and 2021, the rate of drug overdose deaths involving methamphetamine increased more than fourfold, and cocaine-related overdose deaths more than doubled, the CDC said. Heroin related deaths decreased from 4.9 per 100,000 in 2016 to 2.9 in 2021, the report found. The Biden administration has been pushing for action as U.S. drug-related overdose deaths surpassed 100,000 in 2021, according to government estimates.

When we've been awake for a long time, our sleep drive kicks in and tells us we need to sleep. During REM sleep, the cortex – responsible for cognition and emotion-processing – is activated in some regions and deactivated in others. After cycling through non-REM and REM sleep around 4 to 5 times, the basal forebrain and other structures receive signals to start exiting sleep. WHEN SLEEP GOES WRONGIn the U.S. alone, 50 to 70 million people experience some type of chronic sleep disorder, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). In the United States, a list of board-certified sleep medicine physicians and accredited sleep disorders centers is available from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

☆ Candida auris fungus spreading in U.S. hospitals - CDC
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FollowMarch 21 (Reuters) - Potentially deadly fungal infections with Candida auris are spreading rapidly in U.S. healthcare facilities, with cases nearly doubling between 2020 and 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. A high fever with chills that does not get better after taking antibiotics may be a sign of Candida auris infection. The CDC noted that spread of the infections in 2021 may have been exacerbated as the healthcare system was hit by pandemic-related stressors, such as staff and equipment shortages. Other countries have also reported increased spread of the fungus, the researchers said. Reporting by Leroy Leo in Bengaluru; editing by Caroline Humer, Nancy Lapid and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Pregnancy-related deaths in US surged during pandemic - CDC
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Mariam Esunny | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The United States has one of the highest rates of pregnancy-related deaths among developed countries. It recorded more than 1,200 deaths in pregnant women in 2021, compared with 861 in 2020 and 754 in 2019, according to CDC data. About 32.9 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births were reported in 2021, compared with 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020 and 20.1 in 2019. The mortality rate for Black women in the United States was at 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021, about 3 times higher than white and Hispanic women. UN agencies reported last month that nearly all parts of the world saw a spike in maternal mortality rates in 2020.

☆ Economists warn of costs if Medicare covers new obesity drugs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Nancy Lapid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

March 11 (Reuters) - The cost of expanding U.S. Medicare prescription drug coverage to pay for expensive, new obesity medications could be catastrophic, health economists warned in a report published on Saturday. Big-selling diabetes drugs have been repurposed as obesity treatments after demonstrating weight loss of more than 20% in clinical trials. While they are far more effective than older drugs, lifetime use might be required to keep lost weight off. But should the bipartisan The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act get reintroduced and passed by Congress, Medicare will be compelled to cover drugs for weight loss. The Medicare health program covers more than 60 million Americans, most over age 65.

☆ Kidney dialysis-related infection rates higher in U.S. minorities -report
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Nancy Lapid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Feb 6 (Reuters) - Preventable bloodstream infections related to kidney failure treatment are more common in U.S. Patients whose kidney function falls below a certain level require a dialysis machine periodically to do the organs' work of cleansing the blood. The highest use of central venous catheters was seen in Black patients ages 18 to 49. Even after accounting for use of these catheters, the risk of S. aureus bloodstream infections was still higher in Hispanics than in whites. There were also more S. aureus bloodstream infections in areas with higher poverty, crowding, and lower education levels.

☆ U.S. experts recommend weight-loss drugs for obese children
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Bhanvi Satija | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Metformin has been used off label to achieve weight loss in children. Of the 27 randomized trials of metformin for weight loss in children reviewed by the guidelines panel, 74% showed some positive effect of the medication. Wegovy last month won U.S. approval for chronic weight management in children ages 12 and older. For children ages 2 to 12 years, AAP said there was not currently enough evidence to recommend use of these medications. They also include recommendations for diagnosing obesity annually in children ages 6 years and older, through checks on BMI, and practices such as motivational interviewing.

The United States this week also expanded its voluntary genomic sequencing program at airports, adding Seattle and Los Angeles to the program. "Previous COVID-19 wastewater surveillance has shown to be a valuable tool and airplane wastewater surveillance could potentially be an option," she wrote. French researchers reported in July that airplane wastewater tests showed requiring negative COVID tests before international flights does not protect countries from the spread of new variants. They found the Omicron variant in wastewater from two commercial airplanes that flew from Ethiopia to France in December 2021 even though passengers had been required to take COVID tests before boarding. Osterholm and others said mandatory testing before travel to the United States is unlikely to keep new variants out of the country.

The methods for counting COVID deaths have varied across countries in the nearly three years since the pandemic began. CAN CHINA'S COVID DATA BE TRUSTED? With one of the lowest COVID death tolls in the world, China has been routinely accused of downplaying infections and deaths for political reasons. Globally, the study estimated 18.2 million excess deaths in 2021-2022, compared with reported COVID deaths of 5.94 million. China actually cut its accumulated death toll by one on Dec. 20, bringing the total to 5,241.

☆ Opposition to U.S. school vaccine mandates rose during pandemic -survey
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Shawana Alleyne-Morris | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

That was up from 16% in a 2019 Pew Research Center poll conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic, KFF researchers said. Most were either unvaccinated or had received just one of two recommended doses of MMR vaccine, according to City of Columbus Public Health. Opposition to required childhood inoculations was strongest among those who identified as Republican in the survey, with 44% now opposed to childhood school vaccine mandates, up from 20% before the pandemic. Among those identifying as Democrats, 88% still support school vaccine mandates. Although childhood vaccine recommendations are made by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, school immunization requirements are set by individual states.

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