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Health News Results - 280

24 Oct
EPA Finalizes Tough New Standards on Lead Paint Dust

EPA Finalizes Tough New Standards on Lead Paint Dust

In a move that further toughens safety standards for lead paint dust, the Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday announced the finalization of a rule that declares any detectable amount of the toxin in a home or child care center to be hazardous.

“Too often ou...

08 Oct
EPA Finalizes Rule to Require Removal of Lead Pipes in U.S. Water System

EPA Finalizes Rule to Require Removal of Lead Pipes in U.S. Water System

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday finalized a rule that will require the removal of all lead pipes from the country's water systems.

“We’ve known for decades that lead exposure has serious long-term impacts for children’s health. And y...

16 Jul
Could Living in Poor Neighborhoods Fuel Prostate Cancer in Black Men? Study Says It Might

Could Living in Poor Neighborhoods Fuel Prostate Cancer in Black Men? Study Says It Might

The stress of living in a poor neighborhood might contribute to higher rates of aggressive prostate cancer in Black men, a new study warns.

Black men are more th...

14 May
San Francisco Set to Ban 'Forever Chemicals' in Firefighter Gear

San Francisco Set to Ban 'Forever Chemicals' in Firefighter Gear

San Francisco is on the verge of passing a ban on "forever chemicals" in the protective clothing firefighters wear while battling blazes.

City lawmakers are expected to pass an

11 Apr
Climate Change May Be Fueling a Rise in Stroke Deaths

Climate Change May Be Fueling a Rise in Stroke Deaths

Intense weather fluctuations caused by climate change could be contributing to an increase in stroke deaths, a new study claims.

Freezing cold fronts and broiling heat...

10 Apr
EPA Sets Strict Limit on PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' in U.S. Drinking Water

EPA Sets Strict Limit on PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' in U.S. Drinking Water

The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that it has finalized a first-ever rule that will drastically lower the amount of PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," in the nation's drinking water.

"Drinking water contaminated with PFAS has plagued communiti...

26 Mar
Warmer Autumns May Doom Hardworking Honey Bees

Warmer Autumns May Doom Hardworking Honey Bees

Honey bees fly to flowers whenever the weather is right, and warmer autumns and winters are putting these crop pollinators at risk, researchers warn.

Using climate and bee population models,

20 Feb
EPA Will Spend $5.8 Billion to Help Clean Up U.S. Drinking Water

EPA Will Spend $5.8 Billion to Help Clean Up U.S. Drinking Water

Nearly $6 billion in funding will soon be spread through every U.S. state and territory as part of a massive, ongoing effort to clean up the nation's water supply, the Biden Administration announced Tuesday.

EPA Ad...

16 Feb
Despite the Evidence, Nearly 15% of Americans Deny Climate Change

Despite the Evidence, Nearly 15% of Americans Deny Climate Change

Nearly 15% of Americans still deny that climate change is real, according to a new national assessment from the University of Michigan.

Evidence of climate change has been mounting, including science which has shown that climate-related natural disasters are growing in f...

01 Feb
More Cancers Linked to Contaminated Water at Camp LeJeune

More Cancers Linked to Contaminated Water at Camp LeJeune

A much anticipated government study finds that military personnel stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between 1975 and 1985 face at least a 20% higher risk for certain cancers than those stationed elsewhere.

Why the increased risk?

For decades, the drinking...

05 Jan
Cleaning Toxins From Your Home After a Wildfire: Experts Offer Tips

Cleaning Toxins From Your Home After a Wildfire: Experts Offer Tips

It's easy to see the immediate health hazards of wildfire smoke, as people struggle to breathe through a sooty haze.

But a new study finds that harmful chemicals found in wildfire smoke can linger in a person's home for weeks after the immediate threat has passed, posing...

05 Dec
Wildfires Are Undoing Gains Made Against Air Pollution

Wildfires Are Undoing Gains Made Against Air Pollution

Unhealthy air from wildfires is causing hundreds of additional deaths in the western United States every year, a new study claims.

Wildfires have undercut progress made in cleaning America's air, and between 2000 and 2020 caused an increase of 670 premature deaths each y...

30 Nov
EPA to Require Removal of All Lead Pipes From U.S. Water System

EPA to Require Removal of All Lead Pipes From U.S. Water System

THURSDAY, Nov. 30, 2023 (Healthday News) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it plans to require the removal of all lead pipes from the country's water systems.

The proposed rule, an ambitious effort that will cost up to $30 billion over t...

14 Nov
Controlled Fires Cut Wildfire Risk by 60%, Study Shows

Controlled Fires Cut Wildfire Risk by 60%, Study Shows

Controlled forest burns can prevent the sort of high-intensity wildfires that have plagued the Western U.S. and Canada as a result of climate change, a new study argues.

A low-intensity fire in the mixed conifer forests of California provides an estimated 60% reduction i...

01 Nov
Does Meat Need Warning Labels on How It Harms Climate, Health?

Does Meat Need Warning Labels on How It Harms Climate, Health?

Adding warning labels to meat about its impact on climate and health could lower its consumption, a new study suggests.

British researchers investigated what adding cigarette-style graphic warning labels to meat in a cafeteria setting might do.

"Reaching net zero i...

30 Oct
U.S. Heat-Related Heart Deaths Will Multiply With Warming Temperatures

U.S. Heat-Related Heart Deaths Will Multiply With Warming Temperatures

As sweltering summer days become more common, the number of Americans who die of heat-related heart problems or strokes could soar over the next few decades, a new study projects.

The study -- published Oct. 30 in the journal

20 Oct
A Tropical Skin Infection Spread by Sand Flies Is Spreading in the U.S.

A Tropical Skin Infection Spread by Sand Flies Is Spreading in the U.S.

Climate change is bringing diseases once considered tropical afflictions to the United States, and new research warns that a parasite spread by sand flies may be the latest to join this growing list.

The Leishmania parasite causes several forms of the disease le...

18 Oct
Could a Warming Climate Bring Yellow Fever to America?

Could a Warming Climate Bring Yellow Fever to America?

Yellow fever may be resurfacing in the United States, thanks to climate change.

The mosquito-borne viral illness decimated southern U.S. cities from 1820 to 1905, and now a new report says it could return to those areas.

One of the potential reasons fo...

16 Oct
Car Exhaust Could Harm a Woman's Pregnancy

Car Exhaust Could Harm a Woman's Pregnancy

Air pollution from heavy traffic may be driving pregnancy complications and health concerns for infants.

Researchers who matched more than 60,000 birth records with air-monitoring data found that pregnant patients living in an urban area with elevated levels of nitrogen ...

14 Oct
Ragweed, Mold & More: Get Ready for Fall Allergies

Ragweed, Mold & More: Get Ready for Fall Allergies

While the hot, dry summer may have offered a break to people with some environmental allergies, that reprieve could be over.

Ragweed and mold are in the air this fall.

"This summer was good news for people who are sensitive to mold and pollen as there were little o...

11 Oct
Climate Change Will Harm Children's Mental Health: Report

Climate Change Will Harm Children's Mental Health: Report

Raging wildfires, droughts, floods and record-breaking heat brought on by climate change are taking a toll on kids' already fragile mental health.

This is the main message from a

11 Oct
Renters May Age Faster Than Homeowners, Study Finds

Renters May Age Faster Than Homeowners, Study Finds

Renting a home, rather than owning it outright, may speed up the body's aging process, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that when compared with people who owned their home outright (no mortgage), those who rented showed signs of faster "biological aging" -- which ...

11 Oct
Local Rates of Flu, RSV Show Up in a City's Wastewater

Local Rates of Flu, RSV Show Up in a City's Wastewater

Toilet bowls reveal much about the health of a community, alerting scientists to coming outbreaks of flu and other seasonal viruses, researchers say.

"Just one flush can hold a lot of information," said

10 Oct
Runaway Global Warming Will Make Some Areas Too Hot for Human Life

Runaway Global Warming Will Make Some Areas Too Hot for Human Life

The signs of climate change are everywhere, from raging wildfires to flash flooding to soaring temperatures.

Now, a new study warns that things could get worse, with scientists reporting that even small increases in global temperatures will make some parts of the Earth ...

05 Oct
Going Vegan Healthy for Dogs, Cats -- and the Planet

Going Vegan Healthy for Dogs, Cats -- and the Planet

Should Fluffy and Fido go vegan?

A new study says yes -- for the environment.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization est...

02 Oct
Exercise Can Preserve Astronauts' Heart Health on Long Space Flights

Exercise Can Preserve Astronauts' Heart Health on Long Space Flights

Extensive exercise regimens are keeping astronauts healthy and protecting their hearts during extended space missions, new research finds.

A study from scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas found no loss of heart mass or output, and no loss of function i...

26 Sep
Climate Change's Hotter Days Could Bring More Alcohol, Drug Crises

Climate Change's Hotter Days Could Bring More Alcohol, Drug Crises

Sweltering temperatures appear to fuel drug-related hospital visits, a problem that could be worsening with climate change, a new study suggests.

"We saw that during periods of higher temperatures, there was a corresponding increase in hospital visits related to alcohol ...

25 Sep
Unsafe Neighborhoods Have Higher Levels of Child Abuse

Unsafe Neighborhoods Have Higher Levels of Child Abuse

Having safer neighborhoods, where families feel less stress, can help prevent child abuse, according to new research that supports this long-suspected theory.

When parents feel higher levels of stress or hopelessness about their surroundings, they may have a harder time ...

21 Sep
Gun Injuries Rise as Neighborhoods Gentrify

Gun Injuries Rise as Neighborhoods Gentrify

As working class neighborhoods gentrify, you'll likely see rents rise, pricey restaurants move in -- and maybe also a rise in gunshot wounds, researchers say.

In U.S. neighborhoods that gentrified, gun injuries were 62% higher than they were in similar neighborhoods that...

21 Sep
Wildfire Smoke Pollution a Growing Global Threat

Wildfire Smoke Pollution a Growing Global Threat

More people around the world are exposed to wildfire smoke that has the potential to harm human health, and their numbers are growing, new research finds.

More than 2 billion people are exposed to at least one day of potentially health-impacting wildfire smoke each year...

20 Sep
Rat-Borne Parasite That Can Cause Brain Disease Spreading in Southern U.S.

Rat-Borne Parasite That Can Cause Brain Disease Spreading in Southern U.S.

Brown rats found and analyzed near Atlanta now carry rat lungworm, researchers report.

It's a parasite that can trigger a dangerous brain encephalitis in both people and pets, and which now threatens a wide area of the U.S. Southeast.

Researchers in Georgia say the...

20 Sep
Average Hospital Bed Has a Big Carbon Footprint

Average Hospital Bed Has a Big Carbon Footprint

How big is a hospital bed's carbon footprint?

Pretty big, new research shows.

One hospital bed alone was roughly equivalent to the carbon footprint of five Canadian households, according to researchers studying a British Columbia hospital during 2019. They identif...

13 Sep
Dirty Air Could Raise Breast Cancer Risk

Dirty Air Could Raise Breast Cancer Risk

Air pollution has long been known to harm the heart and lungs, but new research suggests it might also raise the risk of breast cancer.

Researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) discovered ...

12 Sep
People Exhale Less COVID Virus as Their Infection Wanes

People Exhale Less COVID Virus as Their Infection Wanes

When you have COVID-19, when are you most infectious? Researchers are getting closer to an answer, with a new study finding that folks exhale the highest amounts of virus during the first eight days of their illness.

Scientists found that patients exhale quite a bit of ...

08 Sep
Global Warming Could Make Pregnancies More Dangerous

Global Warming Could Make Pregnancies More Dangerous

Global warming has been linked to higher rates of asthma, heart disease and other health concerns. Now, new research suggests that rising temperatures across the planet may place pregnant women at greater risk for severe pregnancy-related illnesses, especially in their third t...

06 Sep
Warm Waters Raise Risk for Flesh-Eating Bacteria. Here's Tips to Stay Safe

Warm Waters Raise Risk for Flesh-Eating Bacteria. Here's Tips to Stay Safe

As waters warm across the United States and hurricanes and flooding season begins, the odds of being infected by flesh-eating bacteria are also rising, U.S. health officials warn.

According to a Sept. 1

04 Sep
Common Plastics Chemical Could Harm Boys' Development

Common Plastics Chemical Could Harm Boys' Development

Phthalates are commonly used in plastics, and researchers have now tied them to developmental issues in toddler boys who were exposed to the chemical in the womb.

The

31 Aug
Poorer Neighborhoods Linked to Higher Asthma Rates in Kids

Poorer Neighborhoods Linked to Higher Asthma Rates in Kids

When factoring in why children get asthma, a child's neighborhood may be important to consider.

New research finds that living in a neighborho...

30 Aug
Segregation Has Close Ties With Lead Poisoning in Black American Kids

Segregation Has Close Ties With Lead Poisoning in Black American Kids

Young Black children living in racially segregated U.S. neighborhoods are at heightened risk of potentially brain-damaging lead exposure, a new study warns.

The study, of nearly 321,000 North Carolina children under the age of 7, found that those living in predominantly ...

25 Aug
Canadian Wildfire Smoke Caused Spikes in Asthma-Related ER Visits Across the U.S.

Canadian Wildfire Smoke Caused Spikes in Asthma-Related ER Visits Across the U.S.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires sent high numbers of people suffering from asthma attacks to America's emergency rooms this spring and summer, according to two new reports.

From April 30 to August 4, 2023, smoke from out-of-control wildfires in Canada increased emergency ...

23 Aug
Climate Change Is Stressing Out the Young, But Inspiring Some to Action

Climate Change Is Stressing Out the Young, But Inspiring Some to Action

Young people have high levels of distress about climate change, and a new study argues that their anguish could be key to fighting it.

"People of all ages are being affected by the climate crisis. Young people in particular, though, will live through more of the unfoldin...

23 Aug
Space Travel Takes Toll on Astronauts' Blood, Bone

Space Travel Takes Toll on Astronauts' Blood, Bone

When astronauts travel to space, the experience depletes their red blood cells and bone, according to a new study.

Fortunately, it appears their bodies can eventually replenish them after they've returned to Earth, thanks to fat stored in the bone marrow.

"We foun...

23 Aug
Another Source of Lead Exposure for Kids: Secondhand Smoke

Another Source of Lead Exposure for Kids: Secondhand Smoke

One source of lead exposure in children may surprise you.

It's secondhand smoke, according to a Texas A&M University study.

"Furthe...

16 Aug
Race, Income Big Factors in Deaths After U.S. Hurricanes

Race, Income Big Factors in Deaths After U.S. Hurricanes

Death rates skyrocket during extreme weather events among the most vulnerable Americans, especially those from minority groups.

A study looking at hurricanes over more than three decades showed that their impacts varied and were driven by differences in social, economic...

15 Aug
Could the Aloe Plant Double as an Insecticide?

Could the Aloe Plant Double as an Insecticide?

While vast quantities of peels from the aloe vera plant are thrown out every year as agricultural waste, this natural ingredient has potential to be a powerful insecticide, new research suggests.

"It's likely that millions of tons of aloe peels are disposed of globally e...

15 Aug
Summer Buzzkill: Sorting Out Mosquito Myths & Facts

Summer Buzzkill: Sorting Out Mosquito Myths & Facts

Mosquitoes can be a big pest, leaving behind itchy bumps on skin and potentially spreading serious diseases, such as West Nile virus.

Sam Telford III is a professor of infectious disea...

09 Aug
Chemical Contamination on International Space Station Exceeds That Found Back Home

Chemical Contamination on International Space Station Exceeds That Found Back Home

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are living in an environment that contains higher levels of potentially harmful chemicals than seen in American homes, new research reveals.

The discovery is important because it could guide the design of future spa...

08 Aug
Carcinogens Found at Montana Nuclear Missile Base as Cancer Cases Rise Nearby

Carcinogens Found at Montana Nuclear Missile Base as Cancer Cases Rise Nearby

An investigation into a high number of cancers at a Montana nuclear missile base has led to the discovery of unsafe levels of a likely carcinogen.

The hundreds of cancer cases appear to be connected to underground launch control centers at Malmstrom Air Force Base.

27 Jul
Extreme Heat Can Take Toll on People Battling Mental Health Issues

Extreme Heat Can Take Toll on People Battling Mental Health Issues

While the record-breaking heat the United States is experiencing this summer can stress people to their limits, it can be particularly hard to navigate for those with mental health issues.

"All mental illnesses increase with heat because it results in more fatigue, irrit...

26 Jul
High Cadmium Levels Linked to Endometriosis

High Cadmium Levels Linked to Endometriosis

Women are more likely to develop endometriosis if they have elevated levels of cadmium in their system, a new study reports.

Twice as many women with slightly or moderately elevated levels of the toxic element wound up with endometriosis compared to women with the lowest...