MINNEAPOLIS – E-cigarette sales are climbing — and it’s primarily young people who are getting hooked. Those between the ages of 18 and 24 vape the most, but 9% of youth between 11 and 15 years old say they’re regular vapors, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One of them, 22-year-old Jackson Allard …
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Most Americans — more than 65% — have private health insurance, but a new report has revealed a potentially very expensive drawback. Patients who have private (commercial) coverage may end up paying significantly more for their medical care compared to those who have public health insurance, such as Medicare, according to recent data from RAND Corp. in Washington, D.C. As …
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The number of U.S. fatal overdoses fell last year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data posted Wednesday. Agency officials noted the data is provisional and could change after more analysis, but that they still expect a drop when the final counts are in. It would be only the second annual decline since the current national drug death …
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Many cat owners are rejoicing at the news that a drug used to treat an otherwise fatal illness for cats will be available in the United States as of June 1. “Stokes Pharmacy has formed an exclusive partnership with the Bova Group to offer a U.S.-made compounded oral treatment for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP),” according to a statement from Stokes …
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A Jimmy Buffett-themed cruise ship promising customers “paradise” was given a failing grade by health officials earlier this month. Margaritaville at Sea Paradise fell short during an unexpected health inspection from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) May 1. The examination was conducted by Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) officials. The incident report, available on the CDC’s website, shows …
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How good would an algorithm have to be to take over your job? It’s a new question for many workers amid the rise of ChatGPT and other AI programs that can hold conversations, write stories and even generate songs and images within seconds. For doctors who review scans to spot cancer and other diseases, however, AI has loomed for about …
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Pastors and other clergy members often serve as pillars of support in times of crisis. Yet what happens when they’re the ones who need to be lifted up? Mark Dance, a former pastor who lives in Dallas, knows firsthand that mental health struggles can impact those in church leadership. During his three decades of leading various churches, Dance, now 59, …
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Barbara Nabulo was one of three girls in her family. But when a sister died, her mother wailed at the funeral that she was left with just one and a half daughters. The half was the ailing Nabulo, who at age 12 grasped her mother’s meaning. “I hated myself so much,” Nabulo said recently, recalling the words that preceded a …
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With a majority of Americans preferring to live in their own homes as long as possible, experts stress the importance of modifications to keep dwellings safe and accessible. Here’s a summary of tips from the National Institute on Aging and AARP, which offers a free room-by-room guide with practical suggestions for older adults living independently. ENTRANCE WAY Have at least …
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A New Jersey mom had just given birth when she received a life-changing cancer diagnosis — and her biggest fear was she wouldn’t be able to have more children. When Kelly Spill first started experiencing bleeding, her doctors chalked it up to pregnancy and childbirth, especially given her young age of 28. But then came the weight loss, fatigue and …
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