Opinion | I Got Monkeypox Drugs — Not Everyone Is So Lucky
When I first contacted my primary care physician about some minor rectal discomfort that surfaced a few days after New York City’s Pride festivities in June, he and I both knew the most likely diagnosis: a sexually transmitted bacterial infection. We performed an STI screen, and I went home to await the seemingly inevitable positive […]
Sexual Dysfunction, Hair Loss Among Long COVID Symptoms
People who had COVID reported a wider range of post-infection symptoms to their primary care physicians than expected, a retrospective matched cohort study in the U.K. showed. Overall, 62 symptoms were significantly associated with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection after 12 weeks, reported Krishnarajah Nirantharakumar, MBBS, MPH, of University of Birmingham in England, and colleagues. […]
Urinary Incontinence a Significant Burden in Long-Term Care Facilities
The burden of urinary incontinence (UI) related to overactive bladder on long-term care residents and staff is considerable, according to results of a survey of nursing directors. Among 71 nursing directors at long-term care facilities, 59% said that managing UI contributes to certified nursing assistant (CNA) turnover, reported Richard G. Stefanacci, DO, of Thomas Jefferson […]
Introducing a protocol for using robotic pets in memory care
You might think it was a typical therapy session at a long-term care facility. In a quiet room, a therapist sets down a pet carrier, brings out a cat, and sets it on a resident’s lap. As the resident gently strokes the cat’s fur, it purrs, and the therapist asks the resident questions about their […]
Post-Roe, Health Inequities Will Be Exacerbated, Experts Say
Experts explored the new legal landscape of reproductive health care in America after the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe v. Wade, during a webinar hosted by the Brookings Institution on Tuesday. One of the major implications of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision is that it will exacerbate health inequalities, said […]
Electroacupuncture Points to Improvements in Depression-Related Insomnia
Electroacupuncture added to standard care improved sleep quality in people with depression-related insomnia, a randomized clinical trial showed. At 8 weeks, a -6.2 point change (95% CI -6.9 to -5.6) from baseline in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores was seen in people with depression and insomnia who received electroacupuncture, reported Shifen Xu, PhD, of […]
Opinion | A Bold U.K. Plan to End the Smoking Epidemic
A new report, independently commissioned by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care of the U.K., provides cutting-edge recommendations with the aim of achieving a “Smokefree 2030.” This reflects the U.K. government’s ambition to reduce the smoking rate from 13.5% to 5% by the end of this decade. Authored by Javed Khan OBE, […]
Make the Diagnosis: Urinary Symptoms — What’s Your Diagnosis?
Presentation A 58-year-old man went to the urgent care complaining of frequent and painful urination that appears “cloudy”, occurring over the course of a few days, all throughout the day. The patient notes that they feel a slight pressure / pain in their lower back but that they feel fine otherwise. Patient is immunocompetent and […]
Report: Medicare Advantage Plans Wrongly Deny Care, Physician Payments
Medicare Advantage plans often denied medically necessary care to beneficiaries and payments to doctors that met Medicare coverage rules, according to a new report from the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG). OIG found that 13% of prior authorization requests that were denied met Medicare coverage rules, as did 18% of physician payment requests […]
When My Infant Daughter Was Declared Brain-Dead, I Had To Make An Unimaginable Choice
Nearly a decade ago, the doctor who had been responsible for my daughter’s care in the pediatric ICU asked me: “Would you consider organ donation?” My mind struggled to string his words into a decipherable sentence. My husband and I had just been told that our 1-year-old daughter, Rehma, was brain-dead. She was on a […]