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Text Message Program Helps Teens at Risk for Suicide

Kids considering suicide after receiving mental health care at a hospital can be helped by automated text messages that help them feel hopeful and supported, a new study finds.

Children receiving the texts as part of a program called Caring Contacts said they felt more positive after receiving the messages.

“Prior research has ...

Parents Think Social Media, Tech Is School Kids' Greatest Foe: Poll

Parents are worried that social media and technology will get in the way of schoolkids building meaningful connections with classmates and teachers during the upcoming school year, a new poll finds.

Half of parents (50%) say too much time spent with technology will be their kids’ top challenge in forming positive connections with tho...

FDA Moves to Further Reduce Salt Levels in Food

Emboldened by success in its initial efforts to cut dietary salt intake by Americans, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday announced Phase II of the endeavor.

U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that a person consume no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day, the equivalent of about one teaspoon of salt.

Excess...

New Deals Will Cut Medicare Costs for Expensive Drugs

The Biden administration said Thursday that it has signed deals with drug companies that will lower the prices on 10 of the most popular and expensive drugs used by American seniors.

Taxpayers should save $6 billion because of the new prices, while seniors using Medicare could save roughly $1.5 billion on their medications, the U.S. Center...

Frequent Coffee Drinkers Could Put Their Hearts at Risk

Chugging coffee, swilling colas or pounding down energy drinks could cause heart damage over time, a new study warns.

All of these drinks contain caffeine, and a new study finds that folks who drink more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day appear more likely to develop heart disease.

The research was reported Thursday at the Amer...

WHO Declares Africa Mpox Outbreak a Global Health Emergency

The World Health Organization on Wednesday made the rare move of declaring an ongoing African outbreak of mpox a global health emergency.

A new clade (strain) of the virus, plus its troubling spread throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and nearby countries in central Africa, drove the declaration, said WHO director general Dr....

Brain-Computer Combo Lets Mute Man With ALS 'Talk' Again

Casey Harrell was losing his ability to speak due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

“Not being able to communicate is so frustrating and demoralizing. It is like you are trapped,” said Harrell, 45.

But a new brain-computer interface is allowing Harrell to speak to others once more, with...

1 in 4 Brain Injured Patients Who Seem Unresponsive Have 'Covert' Consciousness

Some comatose patients with severe brain injury might be paying closer attention to their surroundings than previously thought, a new study says.

About 1 in 4 patients respond to instructions covertly, with their brains showing activity even though their bodies aren’t moving, researchers found.

When asked to imagine opening and clo...

Need a Low-Cost Eye Exam, Glasses? The State You Live In Is Key

When it comes to Medicaid and vision care, how much coverage people get depends on the state in which they live, a new study finds.

Most Medicaid enrollees have at least some routine vision coverage, but an estimated 6.5 million adults live in states without comprehensive coverage for routine eye exams, researchers found. Likewise, about 1...

High Blood Pressure Raises Odds for Alzheimer's Disease

Untreated high blood pressure in your 60s could raise your risk for Alzheimer's disease later, new research shows.

The good news: Simple steps can ease hypertension, researchers said.

The global study found that "taking blood pressure medications was associated with decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease throughout later life,” sa...

Work Stress May Help Bring on A-Fib

Low-paid employees under crushing work stress have a nearly doubled risk of developing a dangerous heart rhythm disorder, a new study finds.

White-collar workers with high-stress, low-reward jobs have a 97% increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation, which increases a person’s risk of stroke and heart failure, researchers report.

Kids' Bedtimes Might Influence Odds for Drug, Alcohol Use as Teens

Regular bedtimes won't just help your child be alert for a busy school day; they might also help keep them from abusing drugs or alcohol as a teen, new research suggests.

Youth who'd had early bedtimes in childhood and adolescence were significantly less likely to be drinking or using marijuana by the time they were 15, compared to kids wh...

Workplace Mistreatment Takes Tougher Mental Toll on Black Employees

Black employees in a toxic workplace are more susceptible to depression and sleep loss than whites are, according to new research.

Black workers being mistreated by employers got an estimated 100 fewer minutes of sleep per night than white workers or Black people not enduring mistreatment did, results showed.

They also were more like...

Looking for Symptoms to Catch Ovarian Cancer Early

Ovarian cancer is known as a "silent killer," since by the time symptoms arise the disease has often already spread.

But in certain cases of aggressive ovarian cancer, symptoms do arise in the tumor's early stages. In those instances, doctors on the alert can act quickly, offering patients a much better prognosis, a new study finds.

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Chemicals in Makeup, Sunscreen May Raise Odds for Dangerous Pregnancy Complication

Chemicals commonly found in sunscreen, makeup and other personal care products could be putting pregnancies at risk, a new study warns.

Phenols and parabens in these products increase a pregnant woman’s risk of high blood pressure by 57%, particularly at 24 to 28 weeks of gestation, researchers reported Aug. 14 in the journal Environ...