Health

Personal conflicts, even violence, are not uncommon in long-term care

Personal conflicts, even violence, are not uncommon in long-term care

Related media - News 24 hours Those most likely to be involved are younger and able to walk, "able to move and put themselves in harm's way," Dr. Pillemer said. Most had at least moderate cognitive impairment. The studies also found that incidents occurred more often in specialized dementia units. “Memory care has positive elements, but it also puts residents at greater risk of assault,” Dr. Pillemer said. “More people with brain disease, uninhibited people, gather in a smaller space.” Because so many, both perpetrators and victims, suffer from dementia, "sometimes we can't say what started it all," said Leanne…
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New Nutrition Guidelines Put Less Sugar and Salt on the Menu for School Meals

New Nutrition Guidelines Put Less Sugar and Salt on the Menu for School Meals

Linked media - Associated media The Sugar Association, a trade group, said it supported limiting added sugars in a weekly menu but called applying limits to individual products like flavored dairy products “arbitrary.” The group also warned that the new standards might lead to increased use of artificial sweeteners, which is not addressed but could have its own health ramifications. Schools will need to reduce sodium in lunches by 15 percent from current levels and in breakfasts by 10 percent by the 2027-28 academic year. This was scaled back from a proposed reduction of 30 percent by the 2029-30 school…
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 Billion Donation Will Provide Free Tuition at a Bronx Medical School

$1 Billion Donation Will Provide Free Tuition at a Bronx Medical School

Associated media - Associated media When she focused on the bequest, she realized immediately what she wanted to do, she recalled. “I wanted to fund students at Einstein so that they would receive free tuition,” she said. There was enough money to do that in perpetuity, she said. Over the years, she had interviewed dozens of prospective Einstein medical students. Tuition is more than $59,000 a year, and many graduated with crushing medical school debt. According to the school, nearly 50 percent of its students owed more than $200,000 after graduating. At most other New York City medical schools, less…
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What to Know About Lead Poisoning in Children

What to Know About Lead Poisoning in Children

Linked media - Associated media How do I know if my children have high blood-lead levels? Lead exposure can go unnoticed until levels accumulate, doctors say. High levels of lead can result in stomach pain, vomiting, fatigue, learning difficulties, developmental delays and even seizures. Pediatricians recommend blood tests for infants and toddlers who live in homes built before 1978 or have other risk factors. Medicaid programs and some states require screening, but it is not typically advised for children older than 3. While officials have said there is no safe level of lead, parents do not automatically need to worry…
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A Fading Weapon in the HIV Fight: Condoms

A Fading Weapon in the HIV Fight: Condoms

Associated media - Associated media Gay and bisexual men are using condoms less than ever, and the decline has been particularly steep among those who are young or Hispanic, according to a new study. The worrisome trend points to an urgent need for better prevention strategies as the nation struggles to beat the H.I.V. epidemic, researchers said. Over the past decade, prevention medication known as PrEP has helped fuel a moderate drop in H.I.V. rates. And yet, despite persistent public health campaigns promoting the drugs, they have not been adopted in substantial numbers by Black and Hispanic men who are…
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UnitedHealth Cyberattack Disrupts Prescription Drug Coverage

UnitedHealth Cyberattack Disrupts Prescription Drug Coverage

Connected media - Associated media Updated on Feb. 27 to include new company statements. A cyberattack on a unit affiliated with UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest insurer, has disrupted drug prescription orders at thousands of pharmacies for about a week. The assault on the unit, Change Healthcare, a division of United’s Optum, was discovered last Wednesday. The attack appeared to be by a foreign country, according to two senior federal law enforcement officials, who expressed alarm at the extent of the disruption on Monday. UnitedHealth Group, the conglomerate, said in a federal filing that it had been forced to disconnect some…
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