The inflammation caused by a mosquito bite helps Zika and other viruses spread through the body more quickly, a new study in mice suggests. “Mosquito bites are not just annoying — they are key for how these viruses spread around your body and cause disease,” said senior study author Dr. ... Read More »
Lower activity of a specific gene may affect a person’s social behavior, including the ability to form healthy relationships, researchers say. The OXT gene is involved in the production of oxytocin, a hormone linked with a large number of social behaviors in people. It’s sometimes referred to as the “love ... Read More »
While general advice on how to improve diet to reduce diabetes symptoms and obesity can work, researchers in a recent study found a personalized, specific nutrition plan was far more effective for achieving health goals. Researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center found structured nutrition therapy helped patients reach health goals ... Read More »
Americans spend a good chunk of their healthcare dollars on alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, yoga, chiropractic care and natural supplements, a new government report shows. In fact, they paid more than $30 billion out of pocket in 2012 on chiropractors and other complementary health practitioners, as well as supplements ... Read More »
Behavior problems are more likely to hold boys back in school than girls, a new study shows. “When I compared 4- and 5-year-old boys and girls who had the same levels of behavior problems — including difficulty sustaining attention, regulating emotions, delaying gratification and forming positive relationships with teachers and ... Read More »
Many male primary care doctors regard heart disease as a man’s issue and don’t assess risk in female patients, a new French study finds. Many of these physicians “will be surprised by our findings, and I hope this will help them ensure they assess [heart] risk equally in their male ... Read More »
Despite concerns aired by doctors that advanced practice clinicians are redundant and prescribe unnecessary tests and treatment, researchers suggest they could become a key part of healthcare as more and more people gain access to services. Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles found that, for a range of ... Read More »
Running water is essential to providing basic healthcare, but in developing countries where the population lives without running water, doctors must weigh the danger of not washing hands, instruments or wounds during surgery against not performing a procedure at all. More than one-third of hospitals in developing countries do not ... Read More »
Two studies highlight the complex relationship between parents’ perceptions and their children’s weights. One study found that no matter a child’s actual weight, those whose parents believed they were overweight gained more weight. The other study found that more than 82 percent of parents underestimate the weight of their overweight ... Read More »
Women who suffer from migraine headaches may have a slightly increased risk of heart disease or stroke, a new study suggests. “Migraine should be considered a marker for increased risk of cardiovascular disease, at least in women,” said lead researcher Dr. Tobias Kurth, director of the Institute of Public Health ... Read More »
For all those parents who fret about how quickly their baby will learn to walk, read up. British scientists report that toddlers who can walk, run and jump by the time they are 18 months old may have stronger bones as teenagers. The researchers suggested that their findings could help ... Read More »
Only half of parents of children with asthma fully understand the use of their youngsters’ asthma medications, a new study finds. A survey of parents of 740 children with probable persistent asthma found just 49 percent knew what kind of medication their child was prescribed and how often to use ... Read More »
