Each year, approximately 4,000 children undergo a tracheostomy-;the surgical placement of a breathing tube-;due to respiratory or neuromuscular disorders or chronic disease progression. Bacterial respiratory infections are the most common reason for hospitalization of these children at a cost of $300 million in U. S. hospital charges. In spite of its frequency, there is very […]
COVID-19 economic downturn likely to have prompted an extra 267,000 infant deaths in 2020
An extra 267,000 infants will likely have died in 2020 in low and middle income countries as a result of the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, finds a modelling study, published in the online journal BMJ Open. This toll is 7% higher than expected for the year, say the World Bank economist authors. The global […]
Young lured to tobacco addiction via e-cigarettes – WHO
GENEVA (Reuters) – The tobacco industry’s sleek marketing is attracting youngsters to e-cigarettes which can lead to tobacco addiction, despite claims by some executives that they aim to solve the smoking epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.FILE PHOTO: A saleswoman demonstrates vaping at the Vape Shop that sells e-cigarette products in Beijing, […]
A new screening system to give insights into autistic adults' perspective taking difficulties
In a series of short films, actors portray ‘real world’ situations to highlight subtle social interactions. Autistic adults may have different behaviors or perspectives in the workplace or in social situations which may lead them into compromised situations. Some might be excluded from social and job opportunities, taken advantage of financially or by criminals. With […]
More than 1.5 MILLION children lost a caregiver due to COVID-19
More than 1.5 MILLION children around the world lost a parent, grandparent or caregiver due to COVID-19, study finds More than 1.5 million children lost a parent, grandparent or primary caregiver due to COVID-19, a new study estimates Researchers at the CDC and Imperial College London made this estimate based on Covid mortality and fertility […]
Study explores COVID-19 transmission risk during school bus transportation
Although in-school transmission of COVID-19 among K-12 students is low when safeguards are in place, the risk of acquiring COVID-19 during school bus transportation is unclear. A study published in the Journal of School Health reports on the bus transport experience of an independent school in Virginia. For the study, the school monitored 1,154 students […]
California takes a nibble at offering food stamps to undocumented immigrants
One week the food pantry had frozen crabmeat; other weeks, deli meat or plant-based "meat." The week before the Fourth of July, there was no meat at all, and a reminder that the pantry would be closed the next two weeks. Even though she never knows exactly what she'll get, Lesli Pastrana is grateful for […]
Being vaccinated doesn’t mean you must go maskless. Here’s why.
For more than a year, public health officials have repeatedly told us that masks save lives. They've warned us to keep our distance from our neighbors, who've morphed into disease vectors before our eyes. Now they are telling us that if we're vaccinated, we no longer need to wear masks or physically distance ourselves in […]
Study reveals prevalence of multimorbidity among people using methamphetamine
People who use methamphetamine are more likely to have health conditions, mental illness, and substance use disorders than people who do not use the drug, according to a new study by researchers at the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at NYU School of Global Public Health. The findings are published in the […]
FDA authorizes marketing of a device to help diagnose autism spectrum disorder
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized marketing of a device to help diagnose autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Cognoa ASD Diagnosis Aid is a machine learning-based software intended to help health care providers diagnose ASD in children 18 months through 5 years of age who exhibit potential symptoms of the disorder. Autism spectrum […]