More young adults have health insurance now than three years ago. And many of them are getting that coverage under a provision of the Affordable Care Act that allows them to stay on their parents' health policies until they turn 26, U.S. ...
Tags: health insurance, Affordable Care Act, health policies
The prevalence of a painful condition known as shingles is increasing in the United States, but new research says the chickenpox vaccine isn't to blame. Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, the varicella zoster ...
Tags: shingles, chickenpox vaccine, varicella zoster virus, health
Pregnancy rates continue to decline in the United States, a federal report released Thursday shows. The rate reached a 12-year low in 2009, when there were about 102 pregnancies for every 1,000 women aged 15 to 44, according to the latest ...
Tags: pregnancy rates, US
People with asthma face special risks from influenza, and a new report suggests far too few American asthma patients receive the seasonal flu shot. "Asthmatics are at increased risk for complications from the flu," said one expert, Dr. ...
Tags: people with asthma, asthma, influenza, asthma patients, seasonal flu shot
Although measles has been virtually eliminated in the United States, outbreaks still occur here. And they're usually triggered by people infected abroad, in countries where widespread vaccination doesn't exist, federal health officials said ...
Tags: measles, US, disease detectives, investigate disease outbreaks
Adults with autism who were intentionally infected with a parasitic intestinal worm experienced an improvement in their behavior, researchers say. After swallowing whipworm eggs for 12 weeks, people with autism became more adaptable and ...
Tags: autism, parasitic intestinal worm
Cancer death rates continue to decline in the United States, mainly because anti-smoking efforts have caused a drop in lung cancer deaths, researchers report. From 2001 through 2010, death rates for all cancers combined decreased by 1.8 ...
Tags: cancer death rates, US, anti-smoking efforts
As the final phase of the Affordable Care Act, sometimes called "Obamacare," begins, a new report shows that more than 45 million Americans still don't have health insurance. As troubling as that number may seem, it represents only 14.6 ...
Few people realize how effective the vaccines against HPV (human papillomavirus) are for preventing cervical cancer, and even fewer talk about the vaccine with their doctors, according to a survey of more than 1,400 people. "From previous ...
Tags: human papillomavirus, vaccines against HPV, cervical cancer
The holiday season is one of the most dangerous times of the year on U.S. roads. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve, as many as 900 people nationwide could die in crashes caused by drunk driving, safety officials report. "We've made ...
Tags: holiday season, holiday, drunk driving, safe driving
People with cancer face a higher risk for serious flu-related complications, so getting vaccinated should be at the top of their to-do list this winter, an expert says. "The flu shot is recommended annually for cancer patients, as it is ...
Abuse of narcotic painkillers and other prescription drugs is a growing problem in the United States, and a leading doctors' group is urging members to exercise tighter control on the medications. The American College of Physicians (ACP) ...
If you see or smell mold in your home, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends these cleaning methods: Use a diluted bleach solution (no more than 1 cup bleach per gallon of water), soap and water or a commercial ...
Tags: health tip, mold, cleaning methods
This year's flu season may be off to a slow start nationwide, but infection rates are spiking in the south-central United States, where five deaths have already been reported in Texas. And the predominant strain of flu so far has been ...
In a new position statement, U.S. pediatricians say raw milk and cheeses are simply too risky for infants, children and pregnant women. The statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics, published online Dec. 16 in the journal ...
Tags: raw milk, cheeses, infants, pregnant women, children