HealthBeat
Romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak continues to grow
Want to avoid E. coli? Better stay away from chopped romaine lettuce. The number of people sickened in a multistate E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce has climbed to 53 people in 16 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC is recommending people don’t eat any store-bought chopped romaine […]
April 19, 2018 2:47 pm
WSU researchers study effects of pot on depression, anxiety
Researchers at Washington State University have confirmed what medical marijuana users have been saying for years: Smoking pot helps with anxiety, stress and depression. The WSU researchers looked at how self-reported levels of stress, anxiety and depression were affected by smoking different strains and quantities of cannabis at home. They concluded that smoking cannabis can […]
April 19, 2018 2:14 pm
Research shows marijuana ends up in breast milk
New research shows that a marijuana compound ends up in mom’s breast milk, but the exact consequences of that are still unclear. Research published this month in Obstetrics and Gynecology looked at marijuana use among eight women in Colorado, where recreational marijuana is legal. The women were between two and five months postpartum and were […]
April 12, 2018 5:05 pm
Survey: Young women don’t see STD risk
While more than half of young women are sexually active, more than 85 percent of those who are do not believe they are at risk for chlamydia or gonorrhea, according to a new report. Quest Diagnostics surveyed thousands of young women 15 to 24 years old, their mothers and primary care and OB/GYN providers about […]
April 11, 2018 5:00 pm
Surgeon general urges people to carry opioid antidote
In an effort to combat the opioid’s crisis, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams says more Americans should be carrying the overdose antidote naloxone. Adams released a public health advisory Thursday, recommending more people carry the medication that is already carried by many first responders. Individuals, including family, friends and those who are personally at […]
April 5, 2018 4:03 pm
Poll: Majority will buy own health plan, even without mandate
The vast majority of people say they will continue to buy their own health insurance, even without an individual mandate requiring they do so, according to a new poll. The March Kaiser Health Tracking Poll surveyed non-group health plan enrollees about the individual mandate and their health coverage. As part of the Republican tax plan […]
April 4, 2018 5:17 pm
Medical costs still preventing people from visiting doctor
In the past year, 44 percent of people report skipping a visit to the doctor when they were sick or injured because of the cost of being seen. And about 40 percent say they skipped a recommended medical test or procedure because of the cost, according to a new national poll. The survey, conducted by […]
March 29, 2018 5:21 pm
Study: Thousands of children injured in hoverboard falls
New research reveals that nearly 27,000 children and teens were treated at hospital emergency departments for injuries sustained while riding hoverboards during the first two years of sales. Researchers analyzed 2015-16 injury data among children younger than 18 and found that injuries were most common among 12-year-old boys. The body parts most often injured are […]
March 27, 2018 11:28 am
Washington’s most-prescribed drug isn’t an opioid
The most frequently prescribed medication in the U.S. – and in Washington – is a drug to treat thyroid deficiencies. But the second-most common drug prescribed across the country? An opioid pain medication. New data from GoodRx, an online prescription service, shows that levothyroxine is the most frequently prescribed medication in 26 states, including Washington […]
March 22, 2018 5:21 pm
Report: Cost of Alzheimer’s tops quarter of a trillion dollars
Caring for the estimated 5.7 million American’s who will have Alzheimer’s disease this year will surpass a quarter of a trillion dollars, according to a new report from the Alzheimer’s Association. The anticipated $277 billion cost is an increase of nearly $20 billion since last year, according to the 2018 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures […]
March 21, 2018 5:50 pm