People who lost their Medicaid coverage had more chronic conditions and could perform fewer activities of daily living, such as bathing and getting dressed, without any assistance as compared with those who still had Medicaid coverage. In addition, they were twice as likely to experience depression and be in fair or poor health. As people’s health worsened, they also went to the hospital more often and stayed there longer. They also used outpatient surgery services more frequently.
How 7,000 steps a day could help reduce your risk of cancer
A large study involving over 85,000 people in the UK found that the more steps you take each day, the lower your chances of developing up to 13 different types of cancer.
As Rates of Some Cancers Increase in Younger People, Researchers Search for Answers
With rates of some cancers increasing among people under the age 50, researchers are trying to understand what factors are driving this trend and potential ways to address it
Type 5 diabetes is a newly recognised disease – here are all the types of diabetes you need to know about
Here’s a clear guide to the different types of diabetes, including some that you may not have heard of, along with information about what causes them and how they are treated.
Children’s health services could see trims even under scaled-back Medicaid cuts
Even as Republicans in Congress walk back their most aggressive proposal to slash federal Medicaid spending, they are weighing other options that could force states to cut services for children and other vulnerable populations.
Book Review: A Clear-Eyed Look at the Risks of ‘Diagnosis Creep’
Are normal differences among individuals being diagnosed as medical conditions?
Why do some people get a curved back as they age and what can I do to avoid it?
Older adults often develop a curved back, known as age-related kyphosis or hyperkyphosis.
Biden wanted Medicaid to pay for weight-loss drugs. Trump just said it doesn’t have to.
While doctors and patient advocates say these drugs are critical to helping patients struggling with obesity and can save money in the long run by reducing comorbidities such as heart disease, others say the medications are just too expensive for most states to afford.
Teachers and librarians are among those least likely to die by suicide − public health researchers offer insights on what this means for other professions
National and state data shows that educators in the U.S., including teachers, professors and librarians, are among the least likely to die by suicide.
Wildfire smoke and extreme heat can occur together: Preparing for the combined health effects of a hot, smoky future
It’s well understood that exposure to either wildfire smoke or extreme heat poses a significant threat to health. For example, there is substantial evidence linking wildfire smoke to an increased risk of hospitalizations for lung or heart complications, with emerging evidence that exposure may also affect birth outcomes and cognitive function. Similarly, we know that extreme heat can increase the risk of illness or death from conditions related to our lungs, hearts and brains.
23andMe users’ genetic data is at risk, state AGs warn
The fate of more than 15 million customers’ genetic data remains in limbo after popular DNA testing company 23andMe filed for bankruptcy in March.
The data is up for sale, stoking fears about how it might be used and prompting attorneys general from more than a dozen states to warn 23andMe users: Delete your data.
The MMR vaccine doesn’t contain ‘aborted fetus debris’, as RFK Jr has claimed. Here’s the science
Despite what Kennedy would have you believe, there’s no fetal debris in the MMR vaccine, and the trace amounts of DNA fragments that may remain pose no health risk.
What the evidence does show, however, is that vaccines like the MMR vaccine offer excellent protection against deadly and preventable diseases, and have saved millions of lives around the world.
When it comes to health information, who should you trust? 4 ways to spot a dodgy ‘expert’
When it comes to our health, we’re constantly being warned about being taken in by misinformation.
Yet for most of us what we believe ultimately comes down to who we trust, including which “experts” we trust.
The problem is that not everyone who presents themselves as an expert is actually an expert.
And an expert in one area isn’t necessarily an expert in everything.
Forming new habits can take longer than you think. Here are 8 tips to help you stick with them
You may have heard the popular claim that it only takes 21 days to form a habit.
It’s a neat idea. Short, encouraging and full of promise. But there’s just one problem: it’s not true.
Studies that measured time to reach automaticity (when a behaviour becomes second nature) found that habit formation took between 59 and 154 days. Some people developed a habit in as few as four days. Others took nearly a year.
Why sitting down – and getting back up – might be the most important health test you do today
If you or someone you love finds it difficult to stand up without using your hands, it might seem like a small issue. But in health and ageing, this movement – known as the “sit-to-stand” – can be a red flag. It’s one of the strongest indicators of frailty, a condition that can threaten independence and quality of life.