People who inject drugs often face big hurdles when thinking about quitting. A recent study looked at what makes someone ready to change their drug use habits. Researchers talked to 472 people in Los Angeles and Denver between 2021 and 2022. They found that people were at different stages of readiness to quit. Some were not thinking about quitting at all. Others wer...
Measles has made a comeback in North Carolina. A child in the Greensboro area tested positive for the virus. This has put hospitals in the Triangle area on high alert. They are watching for any new cases. Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air and stay on surfaces. Experts say it was only a matter of time before the virus showed up in the state....
In the late 1500s, China faced a massive drought that lasted for years. This wasn't just any dry spell—it was one of the worst in history. During this time, something else happened: diseases started spreading like wildfire. But how are these two things connected? Droughts can be brutal. They don't just make the ground dry; they mess with people's lives. In Ming Dyna...
The success of vaccination drives across Central and Eastern Europe is a mixed bag. Some countries are doing well, while others are lagging behind. Why is this happening? It's a complex issue involving money, culture, politics, and even the internet. Let's dive into seven countries: Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, and Lithuania. Each...
Countries have different ways of handling infectious diseases. They use non-medical measures to control outbreaks. These measures can have big effects on both health and the economy. So, it's crucial to find the right balance. A new approach helps figure out which measures work best. It looks at past actions and considers cultural and social differences. This w...
In the world of drug use, there's a hidden battle that often goes unnoticed. This fight isn't about the drugs themselves, but about the lasting effects of tough times in childhood. These tough times are called adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs for short. They can leave deep marks on a person's life, affecting everything from mental health to physical well-being....
Lymphatic filariasis is a serious condition. It is caused by a parasite called Wuchereria bancrofti. This parasite leads to hydroceles and lymphedema in millions of people around the world. These are painful and disfiguring conditions. They can severely impact a person's quality of life. The current approach to tackle this problem involves mass drug administration. ...
Measles is back with a vengeance. The U. S. has seen over 900 cases so far this year, spreading across 29 states. Texas is the hotspot, with hundreds of confirmed cases. But why is this happening? The main culprit is low vaccination rates. Most people who got measles this year either skipped the vaccine or their vaccination status is unknown. Measles is no joke. It ...
The COVID-19 pandemic hit New York City neighborhoods in very different ways. Some places had more cases than others. This made it hard to plan how to help everyone equally. Most forecasts didn't look at the small details of each neighborhood. But, a recent effort changed that. It used data from mobile devices to track how people moved around the city. This included ...
Hospitals today face a big problem. Diseases that spread quickly have been popping up more often. These outbreaks put a lot of stress on healthcare systems. They need better ways to manage resources and handle crises. This is where the idea of hospital resilience comes in. It is all about how well hospitals can bounce back from tough situations. Hospitals are on the ...