Health category, Page 102

The Flora family no longer visits the pediatrician as often as they used to. “We used to live in our pediatrician’s office,” said Jennifer Flora, 36, a Greensburg mother of three. “I would say, in the past two years, we have finally cut out the doctor visits, outside of yearly...

TOLEDO, Ohio — Ohio wants to put Lake Erie on a new, stricter pollution diet to fight back against the toxic algae blooms that have flourished for more than a decade, environmental regulators said Thursday. The state intends to establish a plan to reduce runoff that’s feeding the outbreaks by...

There’s a reason to think of hearts all year long, not just Feb. 14. On Valentine’s Day, the Joe Beretta Foundation will present its inaugural Hopeful Hearts Valentine’s Gala at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh. It features live entertainment by No Bad Juju, a three-course meal and a...

The proportion of people in families struggling to pay medical bills is down, but the number isn’t dropping like it used to, according to a big government study. In a 2018 national survey, just over 14% of people said they belonged to a family struggling with those bills, the Centers...

A University of Pittsburgh laboratory soon will tackle researching a possible vaccine against COVID-19 — the newly named disease caused by the coronavirus outbreak that surfaced in Wuhan, China, late last year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the University of Pittsburgh’s requests to be among U.S. academic...

A global storm of online posts about the coronavirus virus prompted public health experts to fight a war on two fronts — one against the respiratory virus that surfaced in Wuhan, China, late last year, and a second one against a sea of misinformation about it. Officials from the World...

UPMC and its linen supplier, Paris Cleaners Inc., have finalized a settlement agreement with six plaintiffs in a yearslong lawsuit in connection with a fatal mold crisis in 2014 and 2015 that prompted a federal investigation. Documents filed with the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday indicate that...

The flu contributed to another seven deaths in the past week of a flu season that shows no signs of letting up, according to data the state Department of Health released Tuesday. Through Saturday, 47 flu-associated deaths had been reported this flu season, up from 40 the week before. It’s...

February brings us to Valentine’s Day. And it’s also American Heart Month. Quick, it’s time to give something special to someone you love this week. And surprise, some of our favorite Valentine treats can also be good to our hearts. Chocolate: There is room for chocolate in a healthy diet,...

Dear Mayo Clinic: Why is my health care provider recommending that I get the Tdap vaccine now to prevent whooping cough, even though I am in my late 70s? Doesn’t whooping cough usually affect young children? Answer: While it’s true that babies are most at risk of pertussis infection and...

Craig Holly was determined to fight when the home health agency caring for his wife decided to cut off services. The reason he was given by an agency nurse? His wife was disabled but stable, and Medicare was changing its payment system for home health. Euphrosyne “Effie” Costas- Holly, 67, has...

Blood drives • American Red Cross will host these blood drives: — Noon-5:30 p.m. today, Saint Vincent College, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Unity — 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday , Seton Hill University McKenna Center, Seton Hill Drive, Greensburg Appointments: 800-733-2767 or redcrossblood.org; walk-ins welcome Classes/programs • Tours of the Family...

PHILADELPHIA — The proportion of high school students who identify as a sexual minority — lesbian, gay, bisexual or questioning— doubled in the past several years, according to a new study published Monday. Yet those greater numbers have not necessarily meant they have found greater acceptance or peace. The study,...

Two experimental drugs failed to prevent or slow mental decline in a study of people who are virtually destined to develop Alzheimer’s disease at a relatively young age because they inherited rare gene flaws. The results announced Monday are another disappointment for the approach that scientists have focused on for...

Two experimental drugs failed to prevent or slow mental decline in a study of people who are virtually destined to develop Alzheimer’s disease at a relatively young age because of rare gene flaws. The results announced Monday are another disappointment for the approach that scientists have focused on for years...

SALT LAKE CITY — Ann Lovell had never owned a passport before last year. Now, the 62-year-old teacher is a frequent flier, traveling every few months to Tijuana, Mexico, to buy medication for rheumatoid arthritis — with tickets paid for by the state of Utah’s public insurer. Lovell is one...

Dr. Keith Corl was working in a Las Vegas emergency room when a patient arrived with chest pain. The patient, wearing his street clothes, had a two-minute exam in the triage area with a doctor, who ordered an X-ray and several other tests. But later, in the treatment area, when...

The Chinese community in Pittsburgh would normally be celebrating this time of year, but the outbreak of the coronavirus in parts of China has spurred officials with the area’s Asian Pacific American advocacy group to postpone a planned Lunar New Year Parade. It was set for Sunday in the city’s...

WASHINGTON — The federal government Thursday began enforcing restrictions on flavored electronic cigarettes aimed at curbing underage vaping. But some teenagers may be one step ahead of the rules. Parents, researchers and students warn that some young people have already moved on to a newer kind of vape that isn’t...

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is urging the nation’s Department of Health & Human Services to quickly implement measures in the Kay Hagan Tick Act, aimed at improving research, prevention, diagnostics and treatment of tick-borne illnesses. The legislation is named in honor of former Sen. Kay Hagan, who died...