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Real Health
The Cost of Freeing Drinking Water from “Forever Chemicals”
Situated in a former sand and gravel pit just a few hundred feet from the Kennebec River in central Maine, the Riverside Station pumps half a million gallons of fresh groundwater every day. The well station processes water from two of five wells on either side of the river operated by the Greater Augusta Utility District, or GAUD, which supplies drinking water to nearly 6,000 local households. Most of them reside in Maine’s state capital, Augusta, just a few miles to the south. Ordinarily, GAUD prides itself on the quality of its water supply. “You could drink it out of the ground and be perfectly safe,” said Brian Tarbuck, GAUD’s general manager.
Can Family Doctors Deliver Rural America From Its Maternal Health Crisis?
Zita Magloire carefully adjusted a soft measuring tape across Kenadie Evans’ pregnant belly. Determining a baby’s size during a 28-week obstetrical visit is routine. But Magloire, a family physician trained in obstetrics, knows that finding the mother’s uterus and, thus, checking the baby, can be tricky for inexperienced doctors.
Vigorous Physical Activity linked to Lower MASLD Risk
People who engage in vigorous-intensity physical activity earlier in life—even if it declines over time—continue to reap benefits in middle age, according to study findings published in JAMA Network Open. Over 25 years, individuals with a history of vigorous exercise had a lower risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) than those who did little vigorous activity. However, this study did not see a similar benefit with moderate-intensity physical activity.
A Revealing Look at HIV Hot Spots in the Alabama Black Belt
When researchers looked at HIV data in Alabama, they found that 11 of the state’s 67 counties had elevated HIV rates and three were severe hot spots, according to AL.com and a study by the University of Alabama. Researchers hope that by looking at these HIV data they can...
Older Americans Say They Feel Trapped in Medicare Advantage Plans
In 2016, Richard Timmins went to a free informational seminar to learn more about Medicare coverage. “I listened to the insurance agent and, basically, he really promoted Medicare Advantage,” Timmins said. The agent described less expensive and broader coverage offered by the plans, which are funded largely by the government but administered by private insurance companies.
Leading Oncology Organization Issues Call-to-Action to Expand Access to Clinical Trials
A new call-to-action published today, January 9, in the journal Cancer details practical steps for the oncology research and clinical care communities to expand access to clinical trials and enable patients to participate closer to their homes. The paper, authored by members of an American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)...
States Begin Tapping Medicaid Dollars to Combat Gun Violence
To tackle America’s gun problem, a growing number of states are using Medicaid dollars to pay for community-based programs intended to stop shootings. The idea is to boost resources for violence prevention programs, which have been overwhelmed in some cities by a spike in violent crime since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emergency or Not, COVID Is Still Killing People. Here’s What Doctors Advise to Stay Safe.
With around 20,000 people dying of COVID in the United States since the start of October, and tens of thousands more abroad, the COVID pandemic clearly isn’t over. However, the crisis response is, since the World Health Organization and the Biden administration ended their declared health emergencies last year.
Nearly 40% of People With HCV Are Unaware of Their Status
Only 60% of people with hepatitis C know that they have the disease, according to findings published in PLOS ONE. Increased awareness, leading to expanded treatment, is a key strategy for the elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a public health threat. In 2016, the World Health Organization called...
Senate Hearing Highlights Long COVID Crisis
The Sick Times’ live coverage of this hearing on our Twitter. On January 18, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) convened a hearing about long COVID, discussing research priorities and healthcare challenges for the disease. Senators heard from people with long COVID and scientists studying it in front of a packed room full of long COVID advocates and allies, along with thousands watching online.
Rising Suicide Rate Among Hispanics Worries Community Leaders
If you or someone you know may be experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting “988.”. A group from teens to seniors gathered in an office inside a grocery store, where Spanish-language food signs cater to the large Hispanic population in this northwestern Georgia city dominated by the carpet industry.
“MIPrEP. MIChoice” Spotlights Michigan HIV Prevention Stories
A single mom. A Middle Eastern man. A drag queen. And a Black activist. These varied individuals—plus five others—share the spotlight in a new HIV prevention campaign by Michigan’s health department titled “MIPrEP. MIChoice.” Specifically, these diverse spokespeople share their reasons for taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to remain HIV negative. The goal is to promote the use of PrEP, notably among Black and brown communities and other populations with high rates of HIV and low rates of PrEP uptake.
Children of Color Receive Worse Pediatric Care
Children of color in the United States receive worse health care compared with white children, according to a recent review published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. After reviewing several studies examining the quality of care children receive, researchers found widespread inequities across a range of pediatric specialties, including neonatology, primary care, emergency medicine, surgery, developmental disabilities, mental health care and palliative care, NPR reports.
Childhood Cancer Linked to Later Medical Problems
People with a history of cancer during childhood or adolescence have a greater risk of physical and cognitive problems later in life, according to findings published in JAMA. An estimated 500,000 people with a history of childhood cancer are currently living in the United States, and some 15,000 individuals ages 19 and under are diagnosed with cancer every year. More than 85% of these children and adolescents survive at least five years, but around 95% of people with a history of childhood cancer will experience subsequent problems linked to their cancer or its treatment by the age of 45, including a third who will experience severe or life-threatening problems.
What Would a Nikki Haley Presidency Look Like for Health Care?
As South Carolina governor from 2011 to 2017, Republican Nikki Haley became well known as one of the Affordable Care Act’s loudest critics. That has raised questions about what it could mean for the nation’s health care policy if she became president. “I would be very concerned,” said...
Blood Cancer Research Poised for Another “Banner Year” in 2024
More than 25,000 medical professionals from across the world came together in December to discuss the latest blood cancer developments during the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH). This annual event gives us the opportunity to think about what advances are on the horizon as LLS works to strengthen cures, care and quality of life for people with blood cancer and their families.
Cancer Deaths Still Declining, but Progress Threatened by Increasing Incidence
The American Cancer Society (ACS) released [on January 17] Cancer Statistics, 2024, the organization’s annual report on cancer facts and trends. The new data show overall cancer mortality has continued to decline, resulting in over 4 million fewer deaths in the United States since 1991. However, this progress is jeopardized by increasing incidence for 6 of the top 10 cancers as the projected number of new diagnoses now tops 2 million (2,001,140) for the first time. These important findings are published today in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, alongside its consumer-friendly companion, Cancer Facts & Figures 2024, available on cancer.org.
Immune Cells vs. Cancer Metastasis: “It’s a Numbers Game” [VIDEO]
New research published January 8 in the journal Cancer Cell cracked an important code in the quest to prevent metastatic cancer. Co-led by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s metastasis researcher Cyrus Ghajar, PhD, and immunotherapy expert Stanley Riddell, MD, the research explains why the body’s natural immune system doesn’t eliminate disseminated tumor cells lying dormant in bone marrow or other sites and offers three potential T-cell immunotherapies that actually do.
Can Plant Compounds Reduce Breast Cancer Recurrence and Death?
Natural compounds in soy and other plants may reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence and improve survival, according to a meta-analysis of observational studies published in JNCI Cancer Spectrum. Randomized controlled trials would be the best way to confirm these findings, but such studies of food consumption can be difficult to conduct.
Semaglutide Associated With Lower Risk of Suicidality Compared to Other Obesity and Diabetes Drugs
Semaglutide [sold as Ozempic, Wegovy or Rybelsus], a highly popular medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat obesity and manage type 2 diabetes, was associated with a 49% to 73% lower risk of first-time or recurring suicidal ideations compared to other medications for controlling obesity and type 2 diabetes that work via different mechanisms.
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Real Health is the leading health magazine for African Americans in the United States. Launched in 2004, the goal of Real Health is to help African Americans of all ages achieve optimum health and wellness—physically, mentally and emotionally—by offering readers current, accurate information based on the latest science through well-researched stories that educate, entertain, uplift and motivate members of the community at large to be their best selves.
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