Risk of arthritis higher in some states, COVID-19 may have spread between humans and deer, and more health news
Risk of arthritis higher in some states
If you live in West Virginia you’re more likely to experience joint pain due to arthritis, according to a new study that looked at the differences in pain across states.
“The risk of joint pain is over three times higher in some states compared to others, with states in the South, especially the lower Mississippi Valley and southern Appalachia, having particularly high prevalence of joint pain,” said first author Rui Huang, a doctoral student in sociology at the University at Buffalo in upstate New York.
“We also observed educational disparities in joint pain in all states that vary substantially in magnitude, even after adjusting for demographic characteristics,” she said in a university news release.
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FDA approves first over-the-counter birth control pill
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the nation’s first over-the-counter birth control pill, a move that will likely pave the way for far greater access to contraception for Americans.
Women will be able to buy the progestin-only oral contraceptive at drug stores, convenience stores, and grocery stores, the FDA said. There is no age limit.
Opill (norgestrel) should be available in stores starting in January or February, The Washington Post reported. The suggested retail price is expected to be announced this fall. Opill was first approved by the FDA in 1973. Other types of birth control pills will remain prescription only.
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A third of American couples are choosing “sleep divorce”
More than one-third of coupled Americans who want better sleep are opting for a “sleep divorce.”
They’re not actually divorcing, but sleeping in another room so that they each sleep better.
“We know that poor sleep can worsen your mood, and those who are sleep deprived are more likely to argue with their partners. There may be some resentment toward the person causing the sleep disruption, which can negatively impact relationships,” said Dr. Seema Khosla, a pulmonologist in North Dakota and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).
“Getting a good night’s sleep is important for both health and happiness, so it’s no surprise that some couples choose to sleep apart for their overall well-being,” Khosla said in an academy news release.
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Nearly 1 in 10 U.S. children has a developmental disability
More kids in the United States are getting a developmental disability diagnosis, with prevalence close to 9% in 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
Among 3- to 17-year-olds, 8.56% have ever been diagnosed with a developmental disability, compared to 7.4% in 2019, according to the agency’s National Health Interview Survey.
The diagnoses are far more common among boys than girls. More than 1 in 10 boys had an intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder or any other developmental delay in 2021, the researchers reported.
Most of the increase fell into the category of “any other developmental delay,” a broader category that includes speech disorders and learning disabilities.
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Being isolated may shrink the aging brain
Older adults who regularly spend time with family and friends may have bigger brains to show for it, a new study suggests.
Healthy brain aging is a complex matter, and researchers are still trying to understand which factors keep the mind sharp and which ones feed declines in memory and thinking.
But a number of studies have suggested that social life matters. Social stimulation is thought to help support mental acuity; on the other hand, social isolation in the golden years has been linked to an increased risk of dementia.
Exactly why, though, is unclear.
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COVID-19 may have spread between humans and deer
New research shows that humans and deer passed the coronavirus back and forth in late 2021 and early 2022, raising concerns that this animal reservoir could become a source of new variants.
Humans passed the virus to deer more than 100 times during that period, according to the study, which was led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Deer passed the virus back to humans at least three times, the study found.
In addition to providing new opportunities for the virus to mutate, which could cause new variants that later infect people, this animal reservoir could keep variants going that have slowed their spread to humans.
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Concussions won’t lower your kid’s IQ
If your child has ever taken a knock to the head on the playing field, a new study has some reassuring news: There’s no evidence that a concussion shaves points from a kid’s IQ.
Researchers found that compared with children and teens who’d suffered broken bones or sprained ankles, those with a recent concussion did just as well on IQ tests up to three months after the head injury.
The study — published July 17 in Pediatrics — should ease the worries of many parents, as well as young people who’ve taken a knock to the head in sports, play or accidents.
They often ask whether the injury will dull their mental sharpness, noted lead researcher Ashley Ware, an assistant professor of psychology at Georgia State University.
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