Health care

New studies offer hope for easing primary care doctor burnout

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America’s primary care doctors are burning out, cutting back their hours, and leaving their practices early, driven in part by the demands of handling the flood of digital messages from their patients. But a trio of new University of Michigan studies offer hope for easing this crisis, and improving both the care that patients get … Read more

Global study maps the spread of IBD in Africa, Asia, and Latin America

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Inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, has long been considered a modern condition of the industrialized West, with cases steadily increasing in North America and Europe throughout the 20th century. New research conducted by an international consortium shows that IBD and related conditions are now spreading through developing regions in Africa, … Read more

Medicaid & Addiction Treatment: A Lifeline

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Key Points Proposed Medicaid cuts threaten addiction and mental health treatment access. Medicaid is the largest payer for substance use disorder (SUD) services. Cuts could reverse progress in combating the overdose ⁣crisis. Denying mental health care increases the risk of substance abuse. Investment in treatment is more cost-effective than emergency care and incarceration. Medicaid ⁢Cuts … Read more

Study finds sharp rise in HIV prevention medication use among American youth

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Eight times more American young adults now take medication to protect them from HIV than a decade ago, a new study finds. But even with this positive news about increasing use of pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, the study also suggests that health care providers and public health agencies could do more to promote consistent use … Read more

Living in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods Linked to Earlier Menopause

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A new study led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute highlights the significant impact of living in disadvantaged neighborhoods on the onset of menopause. The research followed 691 women from pregnancy to midlife and found that those residing in highly vulnerable neighborhoods, particularly within 10 years of perimenopause onset, experienced menopause approximately two years … Read more

Mount Sinai researchers explore new depression treatment targeting brain’s potassium channels

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A mechanism involving potassium channels in the brain that control brain cell activity could provide a new and fundamentally different way of treating depression symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder, according to two complementary papers published recently by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. In two new research articles, published … Read more

New framework modernizes traumatic brain injury diagnosis after 50 years

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Advanced tools offer improved insights into patients’ condition and their potential for recovery. What’s new: After more than half a century, assessment of traumatic brain injuries gets an overhaul.  Why it matters: Clinicians say the proposed framework will lead to more accurate diagnoses and treatment, providing more rigorous care for some patients and preventing premature discussions about … Read more

Illicit fentanyl use in the U.S. far higher than previously reported

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More Americans use illicit opioids such as fentanyl than previously estimated, highlighting the need for better methods to understand the depths of the opioid crisis, according to a new study. A survey of American adults found that 11% reported illicit opioid use within the past 12 months and 7.5% reported use of illicitly produced fentanyl … Read more

Survey shows many U.S. adults know plant-based diets improve health

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Half of U.S. adults say they know eating a plant-based diet can improve their health and help prevent chronic diseases, according to a new Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine/Morning Consult survey. However, the survey also showed that just 1 in 5 primary care practitioners discuss this lifesaving message with patients. The poll included 2,203 U.S. adults … Read more