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Health News Results - 61

Following a cyberattack on the largest health insurer in the United States last month, health care providers continue to scramble as insurance payments and prescription orders continue to be disrupted and physicians lose an estimated $100 million a day.

That estima...

For nearly a week, prescription drug orders have been disrupted at thousands of pharmacies as the largest health insurer in the United States tries to fully restore services following a cyberattack.

The security breach was first detected last Wednesday at Change Healthcare, a division of UnitedHealth Group, and two senior federal law enforcement officials told the New York Times...

The world is being flooded with internet-driven misinformation, but there are ways to counter fake news with the facts, a new report says.

These include aggressive fact-checking, preemptively debunking lies before they take root and nudging people to be more skeptical before sharing information, the American Psychological Association analysis found.

The product of more than a year's...

It might seem that surfing the web could cause a person's mental health to suffer, but a landmark new study has concluded that internet use poses no major threat to people's psychological well-being.

Researchers compared country-level internet and broadband use to the mental well-being of millions of people in dozens of countries, and came away with no evidence that the internet is causin...

Is your kid suddenly clamoring for a fast food meal or a sugary cereal you've never even heard of? He or she may have seen the product featured on a favorite "kid influencer" video.

In a new study, researchers viewed the top 50 kid influencer videos on YouTube and found that 9 out of 10 featured unhealthy foods. Nearly 1 in 3 promoted a fast-food chain.

But, what in the world is...

Virtual follow-up care for surgical patients provides as much face time with doctors as in-person care, according to a new study.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many surgical patients are being offered virtual follow-up appointments instead of in-person visits, the researchers noted.

Their study included 400 patients who had minimally invasive laparoscopic removal of their...

Telemedicine has rapidly grown as a way to get medical care in the era of COVID-19, but a new study reveals that a doctor's evaluation by phone or video may miss crucial clues to impending health problems.

Telemedicine visits accounted for about 35% of primary care visits between April and June -- a huge increase for what prior to 2020 had been a rather obscure mode of delivering ...

Could a smartwatch app save a heart attack patient's life? Quite possibly, according to Italian researchers.

They found that electrocardiograph (EKG) readings from a smartwatch were nearly as accurate as standard EKGs among patients with suspected heart attacks.

"A [standard] electrocardiograph is not always readily available," said study author Dr. Ciro Indolfi. "[So] the a...

Most college students with an eating disorder never seek treatment, but more than 8 in 10 were willing to try a new treatment that combines digitally guided therapy with coaching assistance, a new study reports.

Even better, the new technique was more effective at reducing eating disorder symptoms than the usual care students receive.

"Eating disorders can be associated with...

If your child will be doing online learning this school year, you need to take steps to protect them from eye strain, the American Academy of Ophthalmology says.

"I really have seen a marked increase in kids suffering from eye strain because of increased screen time. Good news is most symptoms can be avoided by taking a few simple steps," pediatric ophthalmologist Dr. Stephen Lipsky, ...

The coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement have prompted some Americans to take a break from social media, new research finds.

The national survey by Ohio State Wexner Medical Center of 2,000 people found that 56% changed their social media habits because of tensions brought on by current U.S. events.

While 29% said their social media use increase...

Telemedicine has exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the United States on track to log more than 1 billion virtual doctor visits by the end of 2020, experts say.

But how important will telemedicine remain to U.S. health care after the pandemic becomes just a bad memory?

These sort of technology-based visits are expected to assume a permanent place moving forward, sai...

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, nearly 50% of Americans have used technology to communicate with their doctors, a new study finds.

But less than one-quarter have talked with their doctors about using health information technology, the researchers found.

"The results of our statewide survey indicate patients are using health information technology," said researche...

If you have diabetes and live in rural America, the closest specialist may be hours away. But new research shows that effective help may be as close as your phone.

The study found that a six-month telehealth program led to a significant drop in blood sugar levels. Participants had an average A1C level of 9.25% at the study's start and an average of 7.89% at the end. That bene...

Streaks of color swirl through a pulsing, black-and-white image of a patient's heart. They represent blood, and they're color-coded based on speed: turquoise and green for the fastest flow, yellow and red for the slowest.

This real-time video, which can be rotated and viewed from any angle, allows doctors to spot problems like a leaky heart valve or a failing surgical repair with unpr...

Bright yellow and looking like a headless deer, Spot can travel across ground too risky for humans. "Built for dirt and danger," in the words of its maker Boston Dynamics, this robot is now helping humans battle a different threat: the spread of coronavirus.

Equipped with an iPad and two-way radio, Spot has been making the rounds at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston since April. ...

Preschoolers may spend more time on smartphones or tablets than their parents realize, and some use apps intended for teens and adults, researchers report.

A new study tracked mobile device use among 350 children aged 3 to 5 over nine months and compared their findings with parents' estimates of their use.

Preschoolers with their own smartphones or tablets averaged two hours...

Groups that spread vaccine misinformation on social media have more impact than government health agencies and other expert organizations on undecided people, a new study finds.

The spread of false information could have significant public health consequences if an effective COVID-19 vaccine is developed, the researchers noted.

For the study, investigators developed an innov...

An analysis of Twitter data suggests that Americans are heeding social distancing and other safety recommendations during the coronavirus pandemic, researchers say.

Officials have told people to limit travel, stay home and distance themselves to slow the spread of the virus.

"The question though is how effective are these policies? Once you tell people to stay home, it doesn...

You went jogging and developed a cough. You did some yard work and now you're wheezing. Maybe your throat is scratchy.

Your first thought is: Do I have COVID-19?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posted a new coronavirus self-checker on its website that might ease your mind and steer you toward any medical help you might need.

The worst part a...

Everyone is glued to some sort of media these days, but for young kids, that screen time could delay or limit their language skills, a new research review suggests.

"Our findings are really consistent with the guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP], and the bottom line is that kids should use screens in moderation and parents should try to prioritize using screens t...

Social media is rife with misinformation about the safety of vaccines, according to a new study.

Lead researcher Lucy Elkin's team found that false claims about vaccines are readily available on Google, Facebook and YouTube despite efforts to control access to misinformation through computer programming and policy changes.

Elkin is a doctoral candidate in the Department o...

Here's a good reason to put your electronic devices down whenever you can: Experts say that using them incorrectly or too often can put you at risk for a range of injuries.

"When people position their hand, arm or neck in uncomfortable positions for a prolonged period of time, it can lead to strains and overuse injuries," said Dr. Michael Darowish, an orthopedic surgeon at Penn State ...

New research suggests that last summer's spate of severe lung illnesses tied to vaping prompted many Americans to consider giving up e-cigarettes.

Online searches about how to quit vaping spiked after serious lung injuries among vapers started being reported, the study authors found

As of January, more than 2,700 hospitalizations for vaping-associated lung injury had been re...

Many U.S. teenagers may be using their smartphones to harass, humiliate or otherwise abuse their dating partners.

That's according to a recent national survey of teens who'd been in a romantic relationship in the past year. Researchers found that 28% had been victims of "digital dating abuse" -- surprisingly, with boys being targets more often than girls.

While teen dati...

For better or worse, your social media friends might be influencing your eating habits, British researchers report.

They asked nearly 400 college students to estimate how much fruit, veggies, snacks and sugary drinks their Facebook friends ate each day.

Those participants who believed their social media buddies ate the recommended five daily portions of fruits and vegetables...

Cyberbullying can worsen symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in young people, new research shows.

That's the conclusion of a recent survey of 50 teens who were inpatients at a suburban psychiatric hospital near New York City. Researchers reported that those who had been bullied had higher severity of PTSD and anger than those who were not bullied.

"Even...

Vaping has been deemed hazardous for your health by public officials across America, but you wouldn't know it by scrolling through Instagram.

Instead, researchers discovered that Instagram posts that promote use of the devices outnumber anti-vaping content by a shocking ratio of 10,000 to 1.

Nearly one-third of U.S. teens use e-cigarettes. In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Adm...

From carpal tunnel to a stiff neck, too much time on the computer can cause a slew of health problems. But what if you ditch the keyboard and mouse for virtual reality?

New research from Oregon State University in Corvallis showed that even stepping into virtual reality may be bad for the body.

Virtual reality isn't just for playing games. It's also used for education and in...

Many people turn to the internet with health questions, but how reliable is the information you find? When it comes to probiotics, a new study urges caution.

The research found that of 150 websites that came up with a search of probiotics, most were commercial sites, hoping to sell a product. Others were news sites or health portals (providing links to other sites). Many of these site...

Most older Americans don't fully rely on or trust online ratings of doctors, a new study finds.

Among men and women between the ages of 50 and 80, only 43% have looked online to see how patients rated a doctor, researchers report.

Of these, two-thirds chose a doctor because of good online ratings and reviews, according to the National Poll on Healthy Aging, conducted b...

Machines can be trained to outperform humans when it comes to catching breast tumors on mammograms, a new study suggests.

Researchers at Google and several universities are working on an artificial intelligence (AI) model aimed at improving the accuracy of mammography screening. In the Jan. 1 issue of Nature, they describe the initial results: Computers, it seems, can beat radi...

A lot of the dope you read online about the benefits of marijiuana is just hooey, but it can influence attitudes and actions, researchers say.

Looking at tens of thousands of pot-related posts on Twitter, researchers saw a lot of bogus health claims that they fear may drown out solid science.

"These misleading messages are pervasive online," said researcher Jon-Patrick Alle...

Your smartphone, television and computer screens may be contaminating your home with potentially toxic chemicals, a new study suggests.

An international team of researchers found the chemicals -- called liquid crystal monomers -- in nearly half of dozens of samples of household dust they collected.

Liquid crystal monomers are used in a wide number of products ranging from fl...

The holidays are peak buying time, and perhaps the worst time of the year for people who simply can't control their urge to shop.

Now, research shows that the ease of online purchasing could be making things worse for people with so-called "buying-shopping disorder" (BSD).

BSD is still debated as a stand-alone diagnosis, and hasn't yet been included in the psychologists' bib...

The number of Americans who have a primary care doctor is shrinking -- with potential consequences for their health, researchers say.

Their new study found that in 2015, an estimated 75% of Americans had a primary care provider -- down from 77% in 2002. The declines were most pronounced among people under 60: For Americans in their 30s, for example, the figure dropped from 71&...

Even infants are now watching screens, and as they grow so does the time they spend doing it, two new studies show.

In fact, watching TVs, computers, smartphones, tablets or electronic games occupies about an hour a day of an infant's time and increases to more than 150 minutes by age 3. That's way beyond what's recommended, the researchers said.

"Since screen-time exposure ...

The HIV test came back positive and the patient, full of fear and denial, took to the STD forum on the popular social media site Reddit.

"I'm really scared because they said my results showed 'HIV-1 Confirmation.' I have to go back and get another test but I'm wondering is the doc wrong, do you think I have HIV?" the person wrote.

People worried that they have a sexually transm...

Analyzing people's tweets could reveal if they're lonely, researchers say.

Loneliness -- which has been linked with depression, heart disease, dementia and other health problems -- affects about 1 in 5 adults in the United States.

Researchers analyzed public accounts of Twitter users in Pennsylvania and identified more than 6,200 who used words like "lonely" or "alone" more ...

Medical devices that can connect to the internet might be at risk for hacking, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Tuesday.

"While advanced devices can offer safer, more convenient and timely health care delivery, a medical device connected to a communications network could have cybersecurity vulnerabilities that could be exploited resulting in patient harm," said Dr. Amy Abe...

Parents can relax a little about how much time their kids spend in front of screens, new research suggests.

A large review of the scientific evidence on the topic concluded that media time overall is not associated with the academic performance of children or teens.

But the more time kids spend watching TV or playing video games, the more likely their grades will suffer, the...

Taking courses online has made it easier for thousands of college students to meet their degree requirements, but this type of learning may hold the most benefit for people who are interested in continuing education throughout their lives.

Courses that let you explore a topic of interest or gain a new skill for work keep your mind sharp and could even pay off with a promotion. Being a...

Teens who spend more time with social media are more likely to suffer from social withdrawal, anxiety or depression, a new study says.

Twelve- to 15-year-olds who spent more than six hours a day on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media were nearly three times more likely to have these types of "internalizing" mental health issues, researchers report in the journal JAMA ...

Spending time on their phones or online doesn't harm teens' mental health, according to a new study that challenges a widely held belief.

"It may be time for adults to stop arguing over whether smartphones and social media are good or bad for teens' mental health and start figuring out ways to best support them in both their offline and online lives," said study co-author Candice Odg...

Posting selfies on social media won't do you any favors in terms of likability.

A small new study finds that many people take a dim view of others who post a lot of selfies on Instagram.

Researchers at Washington State University conducted an experiment to determine which posts lead to snap judgments about the user's personality.

The upshot: People who posted lots ...

A middle-aged woman had persistent symptoms that doctors couldn't explain. Frustrated, she took an increasingly common route: a search through the internet.

"Dr. Google" led the woman to specialists at Wake Forest University Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. There, she was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease (ADTKD). ...

Bingeing on social media isn't good for any teen, but new research has pinpointed three ways in which hours spent on Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Facebook may harm the mental health of young girls in particular.

"Almost all of the influence of social media on mental health could be explained by the three mechanisms examined -- namely experiencing cyberbullying, sleeping for less t...

School kids who get to bed early rather than staring at their devices at night may be better equipped to control their behavior, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that 8- to 11-year-olds who got adequate sleep and had limits on "screen time" were less likely than their peers to report problems with impulsive behavior.

Impulsivity is generally described as a tendency to...

Parents of budding teens can breathe a little easier: A new study says adolescent "sexting" is not an epidemic.

On the other hand, it's not disappearing, either, despite campaigns to curb it.

"Sexting is perceived as an epidemic because the news highlights extreme cases that involve tragic outcomes, and because it goes against standards of morality and decency that are hist...

Suicide rates among teens and young adults have reached their highest point in nearly two decades, a new study reports.

Suicides among teens have especially spiked, with an annual percentage change of 10% between 2014 and 2017 for 15- to 19-year-olds, researchers said.

"It really is an unprecedented surge," said lead author Oren Miron, a research associate at Harvard Medical...