by Keila DePape, McGill University Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain AI-powered apps offering medical diagnoses at the click of a button are often limited by biased data and a lack of regulation, leading to inaccurate and unsafe health advice, a new study found. McGill University researchers presented symptom data from known medical cases to two popular, representative...
Category: <span>Clinical Practice</span>
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Data analysis finds little to no relationship between social media use and mental health, challenging previous research
by Samuel Jeremic, Curtin University Credit: CC0 Public Domain A new Curtin University study has challenged the perception that heavy social media use has a significant impact on mental health, finding little to no relationship between the two. The study, titled “Investigating the links between objective social media use, attentional control, and psychological distress,” is published in Social Science & Medicine....
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Using artificial intelligence to personalize infection treatment and address antimicrobial resistance
by University of Liverpool Design of the microsimulation study. Credit: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54192-3 New research from the Centers for Antimicrobial Optimization Network (CAMO-Net) at the University of Liverpool has shown that using artificial intelligence (AI) can improve how we treat urinary tract infections (UTIs), and help to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses,...
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Virtual t’ai chi, qigong program shown to ease back pain
by New York Medical College Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain An online program of t’ai chi, qigong and meditation has been shown to be helpful in reducing lower back pain and related discomforts, potentially offering a safe and low-cost treatment option to the hundreds of millions of people suffering from low back pain. In a randomized clinical...
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Less than 50% of many prenatal supplements have the adequate amount of choline and iodine
by Julia Milzer, CU Anschutz Medical Campus Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain New research reveals that many prenatal vitamins don’t contain enough of the nutrients that are essential for a healthy pregnancy, while others contain harmful levels of toxic metals. The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, checked the amounts of choline and iodine in nonprescription and prescription prenatal...
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Adjustable beds and Medicare: What to know
Medicare covers different types of durable medical equipment (DME), which may include an adjustable bed if a person meets the criteria. For people with certain medical conditions, such as a broken hip or paraplegia, an adjustable bed can mean greater comfort and a lower risk of further injury. This article looks at Medicare coverage requirements....
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Common water disinfectant creates potentially toxic byproduct: Study
Today, more than 113 million Americans rely on chloraminated drinking water, with the compound also in use across Canada, Asia, and Europe. A group of chemical compounds used to disinfect water for one-third of the US population and millions of others globally produces a potentially toxic byproduct, according to new research published Thursday, sparking calls...
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Flu, COVID vaccination rates remain low as winter nears
by Ernie Mundell Worn down by pandemic-era vaccine overload, many Americans are ignoring pleas by health officials to get immunized against the flu and COVID-19, new data shows. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data for immunizations as of Nov. 9, only about a third (34.7%) of U.S. adults say they’ve gotten the influenza...
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Fibromyalgia: Why is this common, debilitating condition being ignored in male patients?
by Daniel Sanjuán Sánchez, Benjamín Gaya-Sancho and Borja Romero Bilbao, The Conversation Credit: Inzmam Khan from Pexels Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by muscle pain throughout the body, fatigue, sleep problems and cognitive difficulties. The condition predominantly affects women, but men can also suffer from it. However, they often do so in silence, as they...
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New modified consensus statement on low-dose oral minoxidil initiation for patients with hair loss
by George Washington University Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Hair loss significantly impacts patients’ quality of life, and it may be nonscarring or scarring. Etiologically, hair loss may be hereditary (androgenetic alopecia [AGA]); related to age; congenital (hair shaft disorders); traction-induced; inflammatory (primary scarring alopecia); autoimmune (alopecia areata); or secondary to medical, surgical, or emotional stressors (telogen...