News

 Babies born today in 13 US counties have shorter expected lifespans than their parents did when they were born decades ago, according to a new study. For example, life expectancy at birth in Owsley County, Kentucky, was 72.4 in 1980, dropping to 70.2 in 2014.

Despite strong declines in the rate of tobacco smoking over the past 25 years, one out of every four men still smoke daily, as do one out of every 20 women. In a new analysis from the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) published today (April 5, 2017) in The Lancet, authors discovered that the prevalence of daily smoking declined on a global scale – decreasing by 28% for men and 34% for women between 1990 and 2015.

A new study shows that the Eastern Mediterranean Region is witnessing an increase in chronic disorders, including mental illness.

The rate at which Americans die from cancers varies dramatically by where they live, according to a new scientific analysis.

More than 2,000 US counties witnessed increases of 200% or more in deaths related to substance abuse and mental disorders since 1980, including clusters of counties in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio with alarming surges over 1,000%, according to a new scientific study.

A new report from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington highlights the substantial prevalence of diabetes in Africa. The report was launched at a Pan African World Diabetes Day Forum hosted by Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company and global leader in diabetes care, together with the Ministry of Health and the Royal Danish Embassy.

The University of Washington’s Population Health Initiative, which aims to bring together the research and resources of the UW and partners around the Puget Sound and beyond to improve the health and well-being of people around the world, has received a significant vote of support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the university announced Tuesday.

Improvements in sanitation, immunizations, indoor air quality, and nutrition have enabled children in poor countries to live longer over the past 25 years, according to a new scientific analysis of more than 300 diseases and injuries in 195 countries and territories.

Though the rate of HIV/AIDS-related deaths in Namibia has decreased since its peak in 2005, in 2013 it remained the leading cause of death for all ages. In addition, while life expectancy in Namibia declined between 1990 and 2004 – largely due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic – it has rebounded. However, 2013 life expectancy for both sexes is slightly below 1990 levels. These findings come from a new report of Namibia health indicators.

People are more likely to adopt heart healthy behaviors when guided and encouraged via the Internet, their cell phones or other devices, according to 23 years of research reviewed in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

There is a three-fold difference between the “best” and “worst” counties in the United States regarding prevalence of diabetes, and as Americans begin planning their menus for Labor Day celebrations, one must ask: Are those fatty foods and sugar-infused drinks worth the health risk? A new scientific paper calls the difference between the counties “staggering,” and notes that public health systems – on local and statewide levels – have important roles to play in increasing awareness of and screening for diabetes.