Author: Lindsey Tanner
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Rise in teen suicide, social media coincide; is there link?
CHICAGO — An increase in suicide rates among U.S. teens occurred at the same time social media use surged and a new analysis suggests there may be a link. Suicide rates for teens rose between 2010 and 2015 after they had declined for nearly two decades, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease…
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Study finds over-the-counter pain pills as effective as opioids in ER patients
CHICAGO — Emergency rooms are where many patients are first introduced to powerful opioid painkillers, but what if doctors offered over-the-counter pills instead? A new study tested that approach on patients with broken bones and sprains and found pain relievers sold as Tylenol and Motrin worked as well as opioids at reducing severe pain. The…
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Science Says: How repeated head blows affect the brain
CHICAGO — Researchers are tackling fresh questions about a degenerative brain disease now that it has been detected in the brains of nearly 200 football players after death. The suspected cause is repeated head blows, an almost unavoidable part of contact sports. As a new NFL season gets underway, here’s a look at what’s known…
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Fewer heavy Americans are trying to lose weight, study finds
CHICAGO — Fewer overweight Americans have been trying to lose weight in recent years, and researchers wonder if fat acceptance could be among the reasons. The trend found in a new study occurred at the same time obesity rates climbed. “Socially accepted normal body weight is shifting toward heavier weight. As more people around us…
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Bacon, soda & too few nuts tied to big portion of US deaths
CHICAGO — Gorging on bacon, skimping on nuts? These are among food habits that new research links with deaths from heart disease, strokes and diabetes. Overeating or not eating enough of the 10 foods and nutrients contributes to nearly half of U.S. deaths from these causes, the study suggests. “Good” foods that were under-eaten include:…
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Doctors warn against teen pot use amid looser marijuana laws
CHICAGO — An influential doctors group is beefing up warnings about marijuana’s potential harms for teens amid increasingly lax laws and attitudes on pot use. Many parents use the drug and think it’s OK for their kids, but “we would rather not mess around with the developing brain,” said Dr. Seth Ammerman. The advice comes…
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Teen suicide attempts fell as same-sex marriage became legal
CHICAGO — Teen suicide attempts in the U.S. declined after same-sex marriage became legal and the biggest impact was among gay, lesbian and bisexual kids, a study found. The research found declines in states that passed laws allowing gays to marry before the Supreme Court made it legal nationwide. The results don’t prove there’s a…
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Dying from cancer: Could your location determine your fate?
CHICAGO — Americans in certain struggling parts of the country are dying from cancer at rising rates, even as the cancer death rate nationwide continues to fall, an exhaustive new analysis has found. In parts of the country that are relatively poor, and have higher rates of obesity and smoking, cancer death rates rose nearly…
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U.S. women increasingly use pot during pregnancy, study finds
CHICAGO — U.S. women are increasingly using marijuana during pregnancy, sometimes to treat morning sickness, new reports suggest. Though the actual numbers are small, the trend raises concerns because of evidence linking the drug with low birth weights and other problems. In 2014, almost 4 percent of pregnant women said they’d recently used marijuana, up…
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Upside to morning sickness: Fewer miscarriages, stillbirths
CHICAGO — It’s dreaded by moms-to-be but morning sickness is actually a good sign — for the baby, a government study shows, confirming common pregnancy lore and less rigorous research. Women with nausea early in pregnancy were half as likely to have miscarriages and stillbirths as those who sailed through the first few months. Miscarriages…