Financial rewards and personalized support can improve a smoker’s chances of quitting, a new study finds. “Our results show that a successful intervention to help [low-income] individuals quit smoking should be multifaceted and focus on both assisting with resources and, when possible, providing financial incentives,” said lead author Dr. Karen Lasser. She’s a general internist…
Many chronic diseases have an age dimension. As we grow older, the body’s ability to repair itself changes, and damage can accumulate in various parts of the body. Cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and dementia are all diseases that tend to afflict older adults more frequently than younger adults. Chronic obstructive pulmonary…
Flooding means health issues that unfold for years The flooding of Texas and Florida is a health catastrophe unfolding publicly in slow motion. Much of the country is watching as gallons of water rise around the chairs of residents in nursing homes and submerge semi-trucks. Some 20+ trillion gallons of water are pouring onto the…
Smoking during pregnancy is on the rise among American women with depression, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed data from more than 8,500 mothers-to-be who took part in an annual government health survey. It found a 2.5 percent rise in smoking rates among pregnant women with depression between 2002 and 2014. Smoking rates among other groups fell during that…
Obese people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who get weight loss surgery may go to the hospital less often with acute breathing problems after their operations, a U.S. study suggests. Among obese adults with COPD who had what’s known as bariatric surgery to lose weight, the proportion of patients who needed emergency room or…
A common asthma symptom is an exercise-induced bronchoconstriction – the constriction of the airways. Researchers investigated the potential of fish oil to improve asthma symptoms. Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is a prominent and common symptom in individuals with asthma. It even affects up to 50% of elite athletes, making it a concern for any individuals participating…
Study suggests vaping MAY help smokers quit. Do you agree? Between 2014 and 2015 the population-level rate of smoking cessation increased in the United States for the first time in at least 15 years, and researchers credit the use of electronic cigarettes by smokers trying to quit for much of the decline. Dual e-cigarette and…
Key Points: Tobacco smoke can be mainstream, side stream or second hand, all of which have a severely negative impact upon asthma symptoms Smoking remains the single biggest cause of premature mortality in the UK Shisha (waterpipe) use is dangerous. Every hour of shisha use is equivalent to smoking 100 cigarettes Tobacco smoking by the…