Radio Health Journal
The latest in health, science, technology, and the intersection of medicine and public policy.
Researchers have been looking for an already existing drug to quickly take on Covid-19, and apparently, now they’ve found one. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration has closed the door on using the malaria treatment Hydroxychloroquine (hy-drox-ee-klor-oh-quin) to treat Covid-19. Then, social isolation has been a lifesaver the last few months, but if it goes on too long, isolation can lead to …
With thousands of people demonstrating in the streets after the death of George Floyd, health experts are concerned that the crowds, shouting, and lack of masks may contribute to a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Skin protection and sunscreen are something most of us consider, but overexposure to UV rays is extremely dangerous to the eyes as well. An expert discusses.
A study finds a much lower death rate among coronavirus patients placed on a ventilator. Then, everyone’s wiping down surfaces with disinfectant these days…but they may become contaminated again within seconds. Then, a new study shows that one reason older men have a higher risk for Covid-19 is because they’re not worried about it. And finally, if you’re counting on your child to grow out of being …
Stuttering is an extremely misunderstood disability. Many stutterers go to great lengths to avoid the words or phrases that trip them up, and are often successful in keeping their disability hidden. Yet then it may be mistaken for other problems. Experts explain, using former Vice President Joe Biden as an example.
Scientists have learned that the habits and environments of our parents and grandparents can have a strong effect on our health and longevity.
People who recover from a coronavirus infection often still have a long way to go to recover their mental health. Then, a study that shows sick leave is a good way to slow the spread of diseases like Covid-19. Plus, doing good for other people is contagious. And finally, if you’re feeling stressed and anxious about the pandemic, you can bet your dog or cat is feeling it just as much.
It’s illegal for health insurers to use genetic testing to discriminate against policyholders. However, life insurers can and do discriminate on that basis if the test is in your medical file.
Seven hundred children under age 15 drown in the US each year, most within sight of a parent or other adult. Experts discuss one major reason: drowning doesn’t look like most people picture it.
Researchers are working on an app with a sensor to test for Covid-19 using only a drop of saliva. Then, life was more stressful than it was 25 years ago… and for middle aged people, it’s much more stressful. Plus, a study shows that emergency room visits for children for mental health disorders has increased 60 percent of the last 10 years. And finally, a study shows that homeschooled adolescents …
Scientists have discovered that singing is an exceptionally effective way to spread viruses through the aerosolized particles it expels, which may travel much farther than the six foot safety zone many people follow. This means choruses and choirs may not get back to “normal” after the Covid-19 pandemic until much later than most activities, and only with rapid, effective testing or a vaccine. …
Women may have been known through the centuries as the weaker sex, but researchers have learned that they are anything but weak. Their 2 X chromosomes are both active and cooperate with each other, especially in immune response. An expert discusses new findings on their genetic superiority.
A newly developed smartphone app is remarkably effective at predicting if a person is infected with Covid-19. Then biomarkers for ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease can be found in a person’s teeth in the first decade of life. Then, a study shows that changing the way physical therapy is done can improve strength by an additional 30 percent. And finally, The labels on drinks for kids don’t help adults …
Over the last 8,000 years, the human jaw has been getting smaller due to an increasingly soft diet and a lack of jaw exercise. The result is an epidemic of crooked teeth and serious health consequences, as two experts explain.
For people under about age 70, Covid-19 is much harder on men than on women, especially those with strong male characteristics like scalp balding and plentiful body hair. A group of researchers has a theory as to why—that male hormones provide the virus with an entry into the cell. One of the researchers discusses what that could mean in terms of treatment.
Scientists have come up with a blood test that screens for a panel of biomarkers for pancreatic cancer that's nearly 92 percent accurate. Then, a new study shows that heart valve blockages in men and women may be caused by completely different factors. Plus, a report is out indicating Americans are feeling depressed right now. And finally, doctors and nurses can’t go back and forth like they used …
The Covid-19 lockdown has triggered increased alcohol use in many people, and an alcohol use disorder in some. Help can be difficult to access, as face-to-face counseling and group sessions have been halted. For women, it can be even more difficult, as they are much more comfortable in more rare single-sex sharing situations. Two experts discuss today’s dangerous alcohol triggers and how to seek …
Spring is the season of rituals—prom, graduation, commencement and weddings. Social distancing has taken most of these rituals away. An expert discusses the importance of rituals in our mental health and why it’s OK to grieve their loss.
People with heart attacks and other health emergencies are avoiding the emergency room for fear of contracting Covid-19. Then, a study showing that artificial intelligence can predict with about 80 percent accuracy which moderately-infected Covid-19 patients will get worse and which ones won’t. Next, a study saying that having your first child by C-section may lead to impaired fertility. And …
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a quicker economic crash than we’ve ever seen. Opening the nation too fast will likely trigger a “W” shaped recovery with wide swings of growth then decline. Either way, the effects will last for years. Experts discuss likely scenarios.
Now telemedicine has been forced on us and on insurers by Covid-19 restrictions, and many providers swear by them. Three experts discuss.
A number of new treatments for Covid-19 are showing promise and could be fast-tracked if clinical trials continue to show good results. Then, another trial of 53 severely ill patients reported in the New England Journal of Medicine found that 68 percent showed clinical improvement with Remdesivir. Then, viruses like Covid-19 that jump from animals to people are going to become more common. Then, …
Mental health is difficult to maintain when people are required to stay inside at home. In fact, we’re asked to engage in activities that normally would indicate mental distress. A noted psychologist with the NIH discusses ways to stay mentally healthy during the pandemic lockdown.
Nursing homes have been a hotbed of fatal Covid-19 infections. The virus was loose in many of them before they could even know it. An industry expert discusses what nursing homes are doing now to keep the virus out and their patients safe.
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