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Latina Women With Blood Pressure-Related Pregnancy Complications May Develop Heart Problems
Decades after blood pressure-related pregnancy complications, Hispanic/Latina women can have changes in heart structure and function. Hispanic/Latina women with a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) — conditions marked by high blood pressure during pregnancy — are more likely to have abnormalities in their heart structure and function decades later when compared with women without a history of HDP, according to a National Institutes of Health-supported study.
Last Large HIV Vaccine Trial Halted
PrEPVacc, the only current large HIV vaccine study, has been halted ahead of schedule because “there is little or no chance of the trial demonstrating vaccine efficacy in preventing HIV acquisition,” according to a December 6 announcement. Trial leaders shared the news at the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa, underway this week in Zimbabwe.
Backlash to Affirmative Action Hits Pioneering Maternal Health Program for Black Women
For Briana Jones, a young Black mother in San Francisco, a city program called the Abundant Birth Project has been a godsend. Designed to counter the “obstetric racism” that researchers say leads a disproportionate number of African American mothers to die from childbirth, the project has provided 150 pregnant Black and Pacific Islander San Franciscans a $1,000 monthly stipend.
$21M Grant to Reduce Hypertension During Pregnancy
Researchers in North Carolina received a $21 million grant to explore strategies to prevent hypertension during pregnancy, according to News & Observer. The condition disproportionately impacts Black women and is a top cause of maternal death. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects 1 in 3 adults worldwide. More than half...
DOJ Rules Against Tennessee’s Criminal Laws Targeting People With HIV
The Department of Justice (DOJ) found that Tennessee’s HIV criminalization laws violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Specifically, the department found that Tennessee’s aggravated prostitution statute singles out people with HIV for harsher punishment simply because of their HIV status. Under that statute, a charge that would otherwise be a misdemeanor is elevated to a felony if the person has HIV, regardless of risk of harm. What’s more, if convicted, individuals are mandated to lifetime placement on the sex offender registry.
Overdose Deaths Increased in Pregnant and Postpartum Women From Early 2018 to Late 2021
Drug overdose deaths rose markedly between January to June 2018 and July to December 2021 among 10- to 44-year-old girls and women who were pregnant or pregnant within the previous 12 months, according to a new study by researchers at National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health.
Antibodies Passed Through Placenta May Improve Survival for Infants with HIV
Certain antibodies that pass through the placenta are associated with the improved survival of infants who acquire HIV through nursing, according to findings published in the journal Open Forum Infectious Diseases. The Kenya-based study observed that preexisting antibodies that target a specific region of Env—a protein on HIV’s surface—were correlated...
Why It’s So Tough to Reduce Unnecessary Medical Care
The U.S. spends huge amounts of money on health care that does little or nothing to help patients, and may even harm them. In Colorado, a new analysis shows that the number of tests and treatments conducted for which the risks and costs exceed the benefits has barely budged despite a decade-long attempt to tamp down on such care.
Irregular Eating Can Raise Risk of Fatty Liver Disease
Irregular meal times and skipping meals can increase the risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), according to study findings published in Gut. In contrast, intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating may improve liver health. MASLD, the new name for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and its more severe...
Studying the Benefit of Multi-Cancer Early Detection Tests for Folks With Medicare
Grail, LLC announced November 20 that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) study for the company’s Galleri multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test to evaluate the technology’s capacity to reduce late-stage cancer diagnoses for the large group of cancers without a traditional screening strategy. The study is expected to enroll up to 50,000 Medicare beneficiaries, including diverse and rural seniors to ensure robust Medicare data in populations traditionally underrepresented in studies. The IDE Study will also include a control arm.
How Cancer Research Led to AIDS Breakthroughs
As the National Cancer Act was passed in 1971, hard-fought and hard-won funding for cancer research began to effect true change. Ground broke, laboratories filled, and our nation’s scientific workforce dedicated themselves to a new challenge of transforming how we understand and manage cancer. What we didn’t know then is that these investments in the name of cancer would be crucial for our nation to fight future epidemics. The act inadvertently prepared our nation for another deadly illness that was yet to make its ominous appearance.
NIH Highlights HIV Research and Response on World AIDS Day
Statement of Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, MPH, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Bill G. Kapogiannis, MD, acting associate director for AIDS Research and acting director, Office of AIDS Research, National Institutes of Health. On this 35th World AIDS Day, the National Institutes of Health (NIH)...
A Proclamation on World AIDS Day 2023
On World AIDS Day, my message is simple: Let us finish the fight. Since recognizing the first World AIDS Day 35 years ago, we have made enormous progress in preventing, detecting, and treating HIV — greatly reducing annual HIV diagnoses and transmission. But despite these advancements, about 39 million people continue to live with HIV, including more than one million people in the United States. Far too often, people living with HIV face discrimination that prevents them from accessing the care they need. So, as we reflect on our progress today, we must also come together to renew our promise to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Your Phone Could Help You Hang Up on Smoking
Can your phone help you quit smoking? That’s the goal of a project backed by the University of Colorado Cancer Center. The CU Cancer Center and its partners are reaching out to people who smoke cigarettes and vape in Colorado to offer a smartphone app that a study has shown can help them quit.
World AIDS Day 2023
Friday, December 1, marks the 35th annual Worlds AIDS Day, a time for people across the globe to remember those lost to the pandemic, honor those fighting HIV and living with the virus and raise awareness of and support efforts to end AIDS. “This year’s theme—‘World AIDS Day 35: Remember...
What Would a DeSantis Presidency Look Like for Health Care?
On the presidential campaign trail, Republican Ron DeSantis touts himself as a champion of medical freedom, outlawing vaccine mandates and protecting doctors who refuse to provide certain medical treatments on moral grounds. His record as Florida’s governor suggests a presidency that would prioritize individual freedom over public health, but his...
Cancer Incidence Rates Declined for Most Cancer Types During First Year of COVID-19
A new report led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) shows, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, cancer incidence rates declined for almost all cancer types examined. The declines were largely driven by local and regional stage disease, however, cancer incidence rates for distant stage or the most advanced type of disease decreased for just six of the 22 cancer types examined. The study is published November 16 in the International Journal of Cancer.
The Challenges of Cancer Caregiving
The cost of caregiving for patients with cancer can be measured in countless ways: emotionally, professionally, financially and in terms of time, to name a few. Jean Bryant, a fundraiser for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, has experienced them all. As a caregiver for her teen son and then her husband, both diagnosed with different types of lymphoma, she knows as well as anyone about the toll of being a caregiver for someone with cancer.
Deadly Mpox Outbreak Strikes Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is in the midst of an mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) outbreak that has led to nearly 600 deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Unlike last year’s global outbreak, this one involves a different type of mpox virus (Clade I) that causes more severe disease. For the first time, sexual transmission of this strain is playing a role, especially among men who have sex with men.
Caregivers Know Compassion Is Critical; Staying Organized Is, Too
Imagine you are in your late 30s, and you’ve accepted a new job. It’s busy and there’s a lot to take in, but you’re excited as you begin your new role. Then you get news, and your world changes overnight: Your spouse has cancer and will need to undergo treatment. You know they will need your help, but what, exactly, will be needed and how will you do it?
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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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