Category: Public Health
More children are getting ACL injuries – here’s what could be done to prevent them
One particularly nasty sporting injury is damage to the ACL – the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee, which attaches the thigh (femur) and shin (tibia) bones. ACL injuries have rocketed among children in England, and our research suggests that one cause of this is that children are not developing basic movement skills, such as jumping and hopping.
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Accidental falls in the older adult population: What academic research shows
Accidental falls are among the leading causes of injury and death among adults 65 years and older worldwide. As the aging population grows, researchers expect to see an increase in the number of fall injuries and related health spending.
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Microplastics are in our brains. How worried should I be?
Sarah Hellewell, Curtin University; Anastazja Gorecki, University of Notre Dame Australia, and Charlotte Sofield, University of Notre Dame Australia Plastic
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Expert: The Impact of Climate Change on Global Nutrition Is a National Security Issue
Weather events over the past several years have led to lower harvests, lost agricultural incomes and increasing food prices. All those factors contribute to increasing rates of malnutrition.
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Wildfire smoke is a health risk for pregnant people — both physically and mentally
As the West’s wildfire season worsens, a new Human Rights Watch report urges policymakers to address the toll it’s taking on pregnancy and birth outcomes.
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U.S. Has Lowest Life Expectancy Among Rich, English-Speaking Countries: Study
A new study comparing expected lifespans among six high-income English-speaking countries found that Australians live the longest while American lifespans faltered over the last three decades.
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COVID infections spreading in Oregon, Washington and California
Washington saw 2,905 positive COVID tests in the week ending July 27. The weekly trend rate, which is determined by taking the number of positive tests divided by the population and multiplying by 100,000, is 36.9. The weekly rate of positive tests has gone up steadily over recent weeks. The average number of hospitalizations over the week ending in July 27 was 260. Just over 3% of hospital beds in the state were occupied by COVID patients.
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As wildfires become more frequent and intense, how will persistent smoke exposure affect long-term health?
Although Canada has seen notable improvements in air quality over the past 30 years, increasingly frequent and intense periods of wildfire smoke threaten to undo this progress. In the last two decades, while emissions from most pollution sources declined, Canadians’ exposure to wildfire smoke has increased by approximately 220 per cent.
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Health News Headlines
Wildfire smoke expected in Seattle – ACL tears in women – 5 ways to manage hypertension
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Audit finds cracks in Washington’s egg inspection program
Washington’s Department of Agriculture failed to complete hundreds of required inspections of egg production and packing facilities in recent years, raising food safety concerns, according to a new state audit.
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Four steps to stay safe from wildfire smoke this summer
Breathing wildfire smoke can harm everyone’s lungs, heart, and overall health. And this year we’re expecting hotter weather and less rain—meaning more smoky days.
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How the Paris Olympics could become a super-spreader event for dengue
Visitors from more than 200 countries are expected in France for the Olympics. Many of those countries are already experiencing dengue this year.
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Climate change and mental health: How extreme heat can affect mental illnesses
Many people can relate to the sleepless nights during hot summer months, as well as anecdotal experiences of irritation and aggression when thermally uncomfortable.
But for those living with mental illnesses, the hazard of extreme heat is more dire than temperamental responses to day-to-day disruptions.
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12 Tips for Beach Safety: Safe Fun in the Sun, Sand and Sea from Pediatricians
Whether your favorite spot is near the ocean or the edge of a river or lake, it’s always best to prepare for your surroundings and make sure that health hazards don’t spoil your good time.
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The number of births continues to fall, despite abortion bans
Births continued a historic slide in all but two states last year, making it clear that a brief post-pandemic uptick in the nation’s birth numbers was all about planned pregnancies that had been delayed temporarily by COVID-19.
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