Radio Health Journal
The latest in health, science, technology, and the intersection of medicine and public policy.
Many people who need hearing aids never get them, in part because they currently require a prescription and expensive treatment. An expert discusses the FDA’s new proposed category of over-the-counter hearing aids.
Johns Hopkins says we're a lot better off than we were last year at this time. Plus, you may be getting a lot of gift cards as presents for the holidays due to supply chain issues. And finally, a study finds that you can decontaminate used face masks by popping them in the oven.
Getting less than six hours of sleep per night has long been known to be hazardous to health, but the discovery of the mechanisms behind those hazards is leading scientists to strengthen their warnings.
The vaccine for Covid-19 was developed with record speed while still following required safety protocols. A noted investigative reporter discusses the development process he uncovered for his exhaustive book and explains why the hundreds of interviews he did have reassured him that the vaccine is safe.
An antidepressant called Fluvoxamine significantly reduces the chance someone getting Covid would need hospitalization. Match.com dating survey finds singles today are seeking emotional maturity rather than looks. STING drug shown to be an effective glioblastoma treatment in some dogs. And finally, OSU Wexner survey finds Americans are planning to remain cautious during the holidays.
Traumatic brain injury can profoundly change the injured in personality and temperament, as well as physically and cognitively. Spouses bear the brunt of these changes to the point many feel like they’re living with a stranger. Two experts and the spouse of a TBI victim discuss the many ways life changes after an injury and what can help to get them through the ordeal.
Medicine in intensive care units has become so technically focused that many doctors believe they’ve lost their connection with the humanity of patients, and a high degree of patients are experiencing post intensive care syndrome.
Research shows Black women have a higher risk of triple-negative breast cancers than previously known—nearly triple the risk of white women. Plus, online dating violence begins as early as age 12. And finally, science proves that when you’re nice to others, they’re more likely to be nice to you.
Covid-19 vaccines are now approved for children as young as 5, but while people are afraid of getting the vaccine themselves, they’re even more nervous about getting it for their children. Misinformation is accelerating against use of the vaccine in kids. Experts discuss and correct the most prevalent myths.
The White House and many health officials have taken an aggressive approach to communicating the need for Covid-19 vaccines. Most people are prompted to get vaccinated by mandates and words that generate fear, but it’s clear that they backfire with a sizable minority of others. A communications expert discusses how certain words motivate some groups and repel others.
There are now two new pills that can prevent people from getting severely ill after contracting Covid-19. Then, a new type of magnetic brain stimulation is showing promise as a treatment for depression. And finally, if you crave one type of food over another blame your genes.
Around a half million people are homeless in the US on any given night, but the street homeless who are most visible often incorrectly influence our assumptions about the homeless. A noted researcher discusses myths and truths about their addictions, employment, residences, and more, and why people often become homeless.
A National Book Award-winning author discusses his experience as a first-time dad at 56, and now as a 73-year old father with teenagers.
A new analysis in the journal JAMA Network Open finds that most insurance companies are no longer waiving co-pays and deductibles for Covid hospitalization. Plus, a study finds depression rates are even higher now than they were in 2020. 17% of four and five year-olds get put on medication when diagnosed with ADHD. And finally, teenage girls have been especially stressed during the pandemic …
Rural hospitals have long struggled to maintain staffing levels of nurses and other professionals that are adequate for good care. The pandemic has made it much worse, as staffers have quit and patient loads have increased. Experts discuss the roots of the staff shortage, the effects on care safety, the extreme cost of efforts to attract and retain staff, and the threat to hospital survival posed …
Many people are unfamiliar with arterial blockages away from the heart. Peripheral artery disease, or PAD, affects African Americans much more than other populations for unknown reasons. An expert physician discusses PAD, the possible consequences, warning signs, and a clinical trial of treatments.
Major surgery such as a heart bypass may increase the risk of dementia. Then, a study finds that gun violence is up by 30% since the start of the pandemic. Also, could the anxiety of being heard by someone else play a role in stuttering? And finally, research says about half of pregnancies in the United States are unintended.
Among active duty and veterans of the War on Terror, suicides have claimed four times more lives than combat since 9-11, according to a recent study. The study’s author discusses why the toll is higher than for previous conflicts, and he and another expert in tragedy recovery discuss what the military, VA, and loved ones can do to prevent suicide.
Twins share a bond that can’t be understood by non-twins. When one twin suddenly dies, it can leave a huge hole and in the life of the other. A twinless twin who became a therapist specializing in twin loss discusses the issue.
Even if the Covid pandemic were to disappear tomorrow, a new study shows that the human toll of Covid would go on. Then, among college-educated women, unwed motherhood isn't as rare as it used to be. And finally… people with bipolar disorder may someday be given dietary guidelines to help control it.
Facial recognition technology is everywhere, from your smartphone to the grocery store to city streets. But do we really want to be constantly tracked? Law enforcement finds it immensely helpful, but many experts say it’s a massive invasion of privacy that needs limitation. Experts discuss.
Wild animals carry out “criminal acts” with amazing frequency, ranging from simple breaking and entering to theft to manslaughter. Wildlife managers spend much of their time trying to prevent these acts or clean up after them. Noted science writer Mary Roach discusses animal criminals and how human behavior is encroaching on wildlife habitat, forcing them into more criminal acts than ever.
An influential government task force issues new advice about low-dose aspirin. Plus, a study finds that people with natural immunity to Covid-19 don’t have it for very long. And finally, safe sex is still important--a quarter of people with STDs don’t tell their partners.
Many experts believe we have missed our chance to eliminate Covid-19, and that now it is very likely to become an endemic disease--one that persists, though at lower levels, and never goes away. Two noted infectious disease experts discuss what that means for precautions and lifestyles in perpetuity.
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