Health category, Page 117
Pinterest to direct vaccine-related searches to health orgs
NEW YORK — Pinterest says it will try to combat misinformation about vaccines by showing only information from health organizations when people search. Social media sites have been trying to combat the spread of misinformation about vaccines. Pinterest previously tried blocking all searches for vaccines with mixed results. Now it...
Biden health plan aims far beyond legacy of ‘Obamacare’
WASHINGTON — Wrapping himself in the legacy of “Obamacare,” Joe Biden is offering restless Democrats a health care proposal that goes far beyond it, calling for a government plan almost anybody can join but stopping short of a total system remake. Recent polls show softening support for the full government-run...
Health costs rising for Americans with employer-based insurance
Health costs for people with employee-sponsored health plans rose 18% over the past five years, outpacing inflation and wage increases, according to a new report by Kaiser Family Foundation. The findings reinforce a decade- long trend of rising employee health costs that is partly driven by rising deductibles. Over the past...
One step at a time: Greensburg man with cerebral palsy on journeyVideo
Bobby Mihalko makes his way across the uneven pavement behind Piff’s Power and Fitness in Youngwood on a hot July day in 90-degree weather, wearing a weighted vest and pulling a tire along uneven pavement. The bumpy gravel road and the sweat across his forehead are symbolic of the way...
Vitamin takers better served by lifestyle changes, experts say
Vitamin supplements, a multibillion-dollar industry, are a layperson’s favorite prescription. Tired? Take an iron supplement. Sad? Classic vitamin D deficiency. But a recent paper related to cardiovascular health, published July 9 in Annals of Internal Medicine, put this loyalty to the test. Surprise, surprise: vitamin supplements had little impact on...
Are beans considered complete proteins?
Question: Thanks for your very informative column on the nutritional value of beans. One of the things you said was that beans are high in protein. Many years ago I read that beans were an incomplete protein, so you should eat them with corn, and then the two together made...
3rd locally transmitted dengue fever case confirmed in Miami-Dade County
MIAMI — The third locally transmitted case of dengue fever this year has been confirmed in Miami-Dade County, the Florida Department of Health announced Friday. The first case of the mosquito-borne ailment was confirmed in March. The second came earlier this month. The three cases don’t seem to be related,...
Illinois patient’s death may be first in U.S. tied to vaping
Illinois health officials said Friday that a patient who contracted a serious lung disease after vaping has died, which could make it the first death in the United States linked to the smoking alternative that has become popular with teens and young adults. The Illinois Department of Public Health said...
Cheap combo pill cuts heart, stroke risks, study finds
LONDON — A cheap daily pill that combines four drugs cut the risk of heart attacks, strokes and heart failure in a large study, suggesting it could be a good way to help prevent heart problems especially in poor countries. The pills contained two blood pressure drugs, a cholesterol medicine...
Smiles From Sean brings emojis to UPMC Children’s Hospital
These emojis are aimed at creating real smiles. Bright yellow pillows, cinch bags, stress balls and key chains decorated with smiling faces will be given to kids at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Lawrenceville. Sean Rovers, 11, of Bethel Park came up with the idea to create happiness for...
The ‘fourth wave’ of the opioid crisis: Feds warn of a rise in meth use
WASHINGTON — Federal drug enforcement agents are alarmed that the opioid epidemic is fueling a spike in methamphetamine use. Across the country, meth overdose deaths and federal seizures from drug busts and border raids paint a stark picture of an increase in the drug’s proliferation. Demand for meth now poses...
Proposed law aims to increase vaccination rate in Pennsylvania
State Reps. Dan Frankel, D-Squirrel Hill, and Bridget Kosierowksi, D-Lackawanna, announced Tuesday the introduction of legislation to increase the vaccination rate of Pennsylvania children. The bill would require parents who seek nonmedical exemptions for their children meet with a doctor every year to learn about the risks of not getting...
Health Happenings – Aug. 20, 2019
Blood drives • American Red Cross will host these blood drives: — 1-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, BPO Elks Lodge 777, 151 Pittsburgh St., Scottdale — 1-5:30 p.m. Friday, North Huntingdon Town House, 11279 Center Highway — 12:30-6 p.m. Friday, Trinity Lutheran Church, 331 Weldon St., Latrobe — 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday,...
On-site pampering glams up HealthPlex mammograms
Although most women understand its importance, scheduling their annual mammogram is not something they anticipate in the way they might a relaxing massage or a soothing paraffin hand treatment. One area hospital is looking to change that. Women who make an appointment for the upcoming HealthPlex Imaging “Mamm & Glamm”...
Will there be a universal flu vaccine?
A better, more effective flu vaccine is a matter of when — not if — says Dr. Gregory Poland, director of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group. The National Institutes of Health is testing an experimental universal flu vaccine with the goal of providing high-efficacy, long-lasting protection against influenza viruses. “The...
The hazards of ‘Running While Female’
The thrill of hitting the trail at full stride and the exhilaration of the fabled “runner’s high” is often replaced by fear and trepidation for female runners in the area, across the country and around the world. Aug. 21 marks one year since the discovery of the body of 20-year-old...
Allegheny Health Network acquires Grove City Medical Center
Allegheny Health Network will acquire Grove City Medical Center, the network announced Monday. The Mercer County facility will be AHN’s ninth owned hospital and will extend the network’s reach to the north of Pittsburgh. Pending government approval, AHN plans to seal the deal in the next few months. The amount...
Those who use more emojis have more sex, study says
If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is an emoji worth? Perhaps a really good sex life. According to a pair of studies conducted by The Kinsey Institute (yeah, that one), texters who used emojis more often tended to have more dates, more romance, and more sex....
Backers of rural dental care find something to smile about
AUGUSTA, Maine — It can be hard to keep smiles healthy in rural areas, where dentists are few and far between and residents often are poor and lack dental coverage. Efforts to remedy the problem have produced varying degrees of success. The biggest obstacle? Dentists. Dozens of countries, such as...
Pitt professor wants to put student-athletes to sleep
Pitt professor Chris Kline wants college students and athletes to wake up to the fact many of them are “notoriously sleep-deprived.” Kline, an assistant professor in Pitt’s Department of Health and Physical Activity, served on an NCAA Task Force on sleep and wellness in 2017, co-authoring a paper that recommends...
Woman thought she had kidney stones, gave birth to tripletsVideo
A South Dakota woman who recently gave birth to triplets says she didn’t find out about her pregnancy until she went to the hospital with what she thought were kidney stones. KOTA-TV reports Dannette Giltz, of Sturgis, gave birth to the healthy triplets on Aug. 10. Giltz says that despite...
Pittsburgh rehab center worker celebrates 70 years of serviceVideo
Nora Morant was ready to quit her job after the first day. Instead she stayed for 70 years. Morant has worked seven decades for the Jewish Association on Aging. She hasn’t finished the job yet. “Cheers to 70 years!” was a fitting theme on Friday at Charles Morris Nursing and...
Mt. Lebanon business owner saves life thanks to Narcan training
Last Sunday, Shannon Rugh was taking a leisurely drive through a small town in northern Virginia when she decided to stop for a cup of coffee. For Rugh, 42, of Mt. Lebanon, it ended up being a fateful decision. Though she had visited the town before, she took a wrong...
These mannequins aren’t for fashion. They’re for medical training
Lying on the table, surrounded by two nurses, a woman shrieks in pain, “There’s something horribly wrong!” She’s in labor, and nurse Shanti Fernandez is helping to deliver her baby. While another nurse assures her that everything will be fine, Fernandez pulled out a healthy baby boy — made of...
Health Happenings – Aug. 13, 2019
Blood drives • American Red Cross will host these blood drives: — 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, Star Auto Mall, Route 30, Hempfield — 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, St. Vincent Parish Grove, 320 Monastery Drive, Unity — 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Friday , New Alexandria Senior Center for Active Adults, 207 W....
