The number of children’s flu deaths this past season has experts concerned. Between October and May, 172 children were killed by the flu in the United States, according to a new government report. About half of the deaths occurred in otherwise healthy children, but less than one fourth of them had been fully vaccinated. The alarming H3N2 strain takes the blame for the high toll. Experts say next year’s vaccine should protect better against that form of flu.
Feel free to hit snooze this weekend, it can prolong your life…because apparently, you can catch up on the sleep you lost during the week. A study in the Journal of Sleep Research tracked more than 38,000 people in Sweden over 13 years, focusing on their weekday vs. weekend sleeping habits. The study shows that people under the age of 65 who sleep for five hours or less every single night don’t live as long as those who consistently sleep seven hours at night. But weekend snoozers, who catch up on Saturday and Sunday? They live just as long as the well-slept.
And finally, even doctors have to dress to impress. A study in the journal BMJ Open shows that a doctor’s attire can impact how patients feel toward them. According to the survey performed in clinics and hospitals of 10 major medical centers, what a doctor wears influences a patient’s satisfaction with their care. Forty-four percent of patients surveyed say they prefer their doctor to wear a white coat and tie, while 26 percent prefer scrubs with a white coat.
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