Vaccine mistrust leaves populations vulnerable, global study shows
(Thomson Reuters) — Trust in vaccines — one of the world’s most effective and widely used medical products — is highest in poorer countries but weaker in wealthier ones where skepticism has allowed outbreaks of diseases such as measles to persist, a global study found on Wednesday.
France has the least confidence of any country …
Montreal researchers find link between gut bacteria and fibromyalgia
(Nicole Bogart/ CTV News) — A Canadian study has revealed a link between fibromyalgia and alterations in gut bacteria—a discovery researchers say could lead to faster diagnosis for patients grappling with the chronic pain condition.
Researchers at McGill University identified 19 species of gut bacteria that were either increased …
Widely prescribed anxiety drugs linked to 26% rise in suicide risk, study shows
(Alex Matthews-King/ The Independent) — People taking a widely used class of medication prescribed for anxiety, nerve pain or epilepsy are up to 26 per cent more likely to die by suicide, a study has warned.
British researchers, led by Oxford University, have called for a review on the use of gabapentinoid drugs in treating young people …
Ottawa releases long-awaited national dementia strategy
(Wency Leung/ Globe and Mail) — The federal government has released a long-awaited national dementia strategy, providing a road map for the first time for how it intends to address a costly and rapidly growing public health concern.
But while dementia experts welcomed the strategy as an important initial step, some emphasized the government …
High blood pressure at doctor’s office may be riskier than suspected
(Serena Gordon, HealthDay News) — If you dread seeing the doctor and your blood pressure reading always seems to be high at the doctor’s office, a new review says you should take those elevated readings seriously.
The problem is called white-coat hypertension (because of doctors’ traditional white coats) and it may signal …
Humans consume the equivalent of a credit card worth of plastic every week: report
(Julia Jacobo/ ABC News) — The consumption of plastic has become unavoidable in recent years, but a new report is proving just how much humans are ingesting on a regular basis.
People are consuming about 5 grams of plastic every week, which is the equivalent of a credit card, according to an analysis by the World Wildlife Fund and carried …
Menopause? Start estrogen replacement therapy sooner, to reduce heart disease
(Glen Pyle/ The Conversation) — Hormone replacement therapy for post-menopausal women was once seen as a fountain of youth. Studies showed regular estrogen supplementation decreased the risk of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in women.
This idea came crashing down in 2002 when the Women’s Health Initiative trial …
Poultry may raise bad cholesterol the same as red meat
(Tauren Dyson/ UPI) — Eating a chicken could raise a person’s “bad cholesterol” to similar levels as eating a steak, contradicting long-thought ideas about health differences between the meats, new research suggests.
Researchers found eating white meat poultry may raise low-density lipoprotein levels in the …
Most older adults feel at least 20 years younger than they are
(L.F. Carver/ The Conversation) — How old do you feel inside? Not your chronological age (that pesky number on your birthday cake) but how old is the real you, the person inside?
In North America, we generally group people into socially constructed age ranges such as: childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood and old …