Radio Health Journal
The latest in health, science, technology, and the intersection of medicine and public policy.
Scientists are testing hundreds of different kinds of animals as well as waste and storm water for Covid-19, looking for reservoirs for possible mutation. They’ve learned even pets can possibly harbor the virus but probably aren’t a threat. An expert discusses how the knowledge will combat Covid variants.
The mental health wreckage of the last year will take longer to overcome than simply completely global vaccination. Experts discuss how it’s showing up and what people can do to get back on track.
Pain varies from person to person and is totally subjective. It can’t be truly measured. This makes pain management one of the greatest challenges in healthcare. An expert discusses how pain works and how doctors struggle to contain it.
Knee replacements are successful for 80 percent of recipients, yet many assume the success rate should be higher. Those who are not successful often are bitterly disappointed. However, patients and physicians can take steps to avoid a bad result. New techniques also offer much faster recovery. Experts discuss.
Americans have waited anxiously for the Covid-19 vaccine. Now that it’s being rapidly deployed, how much will it change life for those who’ve received it? Experts answer.
The annual switch to daylight saving time brings more accidents, heart attacks, and other health effects. Surprisingly, they don’t completely go away until we go back to standard time in the fall. Experts discuss health and mental effects of body clocks not being in synch with the actual time, and how year-around consistency would help. But should it be standard time or DST? Experts discuss …
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected women’s employment much more dramatically than men, especially women of color.
Parkinson’s disease has become one of the fastest growing diseases and causes of disability in the world. Evidence shows that environmental toxins such as pesticides play a role. Experts discuss what we know about Parkinson’s and how we could curtail its rise, saving lives and restoring quality of life.
The number of cars on the road has been dramatically lower during the pandemic, yet the number of crash deaths has actually increased. That means the number of crashes and traffic deaths per mile driven have skyrocketed. Experts discuss this unprecedented scenario and what we can do about it.
Healthcare workers in ER’s and ICU’s are in their 11th month of fighting Covid-19 and its exhaustion and depression. Two front line doctors describe how they’re managing to stay optimistic amid so much chaos, and how the vaccine has given them a goal keeping them afloat.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that a new, more contagious version of Covid-19 will become the predominant strain by March, testing the new vaccine’s effectiveness. At the same time, researchers are trying to find ways to get the vaccine to more people more quickly by lengthening time between doses, with unknown results. Infectious disease experts discuss where we are in …
Surveys show that as many as 80% of people omit information, stretch the truth or outright lie to their doctors. Experts discuss why it happens, consequences, and methods that might reduce the amount of less-than-truthful answers to doctors’ questions.
Some Americans say there is no way they’ll get a Covid-19 vaccine, yet some may have no choice if they want to keep their jobs.
Cars will soon be able to provide data as well as receive it. Experts explain how cars can talk with roads, traffic signals and central computers, and how roads themselves may collect data on the cars they carry. In the future, autonomous cars may use these links to greatly speed travel and make it much safer.
Poor communication and mixed messages have contributed greatly to poor acceptance of anti-coronavirus actions such as masking and social distancing, and experts fear it may be the same with the new vaccines. Experts discuss what we’ve done right in messaging and the lessons from what we’ve done wrong.
Osteoporosis is increasing as America ages. However, fewer people are being tested for bone density and are agreeing to treatment because of side effects of osteoporosis medications. Experts discuss the devastating effects of increased broken bones and what can now be done to prevent them.
Therapists report an increase in orthorexia, a not-yet recognized eating disorder where people become fixated on eating only healthy things and/or exercising hours per day. It can take over an afflicted person’s life and result in physical symptoms much like anorexia.
Studies show that people with autism are twice as likely as others to engage in substance abuse, contrary to previous belief that they are extremely unlikely to use drugs or alcohol. An expert and an author who has used alcohol to cope with his autism discuss the developments and their impact.
A safety expert and a veteran school crossing guard—the nation’s “favorite crossing guard”-- discuss.
After criminal convictions, many people with substance use disorder are placed on probation with the condition they remain completely drug free. They are often jailed when they relapse, setting back recovery and removing them from treatment that helps keep them clean. Is that fair, when relapse is a common symptom of their disease (and many others)?
With the federal government’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants, many of them are skipping going to the doctor or the emergency room for fear of deportation.
We explore the concept of false memory, particularly in the context of sexual abuse allegations, and discuss how, less than half a century ago, sexual abuse and incest were taboo topics, with experts believing they were rare.
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