Health category, Page 107
Latrobe presentation will focus on skin cancer
Skin cancer, the most common type of cancer in the United States, will be the topic of an informational program Wednesday in Latrobe. The 6 p.m. presentation by Dr. Melissa Pugliano-Mauro, residency program director in the University of Pittsburgh Department of Dermatology, is part of an ongoing series of health-related...
U.S. reports 1st case of person-to-person spread of new virus
NEW YORK — Health officials Thursday reported the first U.S. case of person-to-person spread of the new virus from China. The man is married to the Chicago woman who got sick from the virus after she returned from a trip to Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak. There have...
For 1st time in 4 years, U.S. life expectancy rises — a little
NEW YORK — Life expectancy in the United States is up for the first time in four years. The increase is small — just a month — but marks at least a temporary halt to a downward trend. The rise is due to lower death rates for cancer and drug...
Allegheny County flu death toll reaches 5, Health Department confirms
Two more Allegheny County residents have died from flu complications, bringing this flu season’s county death toll to five, according to the county’s Health Department. The latest deaths were people in their 30s who had underlying medical conditions, according to the Allegheny County Health Department. All of those who have...
Pennsylvania reports 9 new flu-related deaths
After a two-week respite, Pennsylvania reported an increase in flu-related deaths in the past week, according to the state Department of Health. As of the week ending Jan. 25, a total of 33 flu-related deaths have been reported this flu season, which started Sept. 29. That’s up by nine from...
Latest UPMC South plans include smaller footprint in Jefferson Hills
UPMC has presented plans for a much smaller medical facility in Jefferson Hills than initially planned. While the health care giant still seeks to build a 63-bed hospital in the borough, some of the outpatient services initially planned for the medical center proposed near the intersection of Elliot Road and...
‘Hope Scarves’ bring joy, optimism to UPMC cancer patientsVideo
In the crowded lobby of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center on Tuesday, Lara MacGregor, founder of Hope Scarves, stepped to the microphone and told a story of friendship. During a trip to a cancer conference in 2009, MacGregor was taking a moment in the lobby of her hotel. She felt overwhelmed...
Westmoreland Manor water being tested for Legionnaires’ disease
State health officials confirmed Tuesday an investigation is ongoing at Westmoreland Manor for a suspected case of Legionnaires’ disease. Residents and employees at the county-owned nursing home in Hempfield have been using bottled water to drink and to clean with since Friday, when the investigation started. “The department is investigating...
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Dietary supplements useful in some situations, but also can be harmful
Dear Mayo Clinic: Why does my doctor want to know what supplements I’m taking, even if I don’t have any health problems and don’t take more than the recommended amounts? Answer: It’s important to tell your health care provider about any dietary supplements you take. Although you don’t need a...
Health Happenings: Week of Jan. 27
Classes/programs • Excela Health fitness classes for the mind, body and spirit at Westmoreland Hospital, 532 W. Pittsburgh St., Greensburg, unless otherwise noted: — Strength and Tone, 3:30-4:15 p.m. Mondays beginning Feb. 3 — Interval Training, 4:30- 5:30 p.m. Mondays beginning Feb. 3 — Chair Fit, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays beginning...
Mixed blessing: Social media provides spread of health information, misinformation
Combine the vast power and reach of social media, the unlimited resources of websites and apps, and the unquenchable thirst for health information and motivation. The result is a powerful tool for researchers, health care providers and patients. But like many aspects of the internet, it can be a mixed...
Ben Schmitt: Here’s what I found during my Dry January experience
The concept of Dry January left me a bit wary. I generally savor the post-work beer or cocktail after a long day of juggling breaking news, meetings and headlines. But, like a lot of people, I did my fair share of imbibing over the holiday season. So, after waking Dec....
Pittsburgh planning aid for sister city of Wuhan, China, stricken with coronavirus
Pittsburgh is planning a care package for its sister city of Wuhan, China, ground zero for the deadly coronavirus that’s so far killed at least 80 people in China, Mayor Bill Peduto said Monday. The disease has sickened nearly 3,000 people, almost all in China. About a dozen other countries...
Too soon to tell if new virus as dangerous as SARS cousin
The new virus from China has the world on edge because it’s a close cousin to viruses that killed hundreds in separate outbreaks. While it’s too early to tell if this latest threat will prove as deadly, health authorities are drawing on lessons from that grim past. WHAT’S THE LINK...
Too soon to tell if new virus as dangerous as SARS cousin
The new virus from China has the world on edge because it’s a close cousin to viruses that killed hundreds in separate outbreaks. While it’s too early to tell if this latest threat will prove as deadly, health authorities are drawing on lessons from that grim past. What’s the link...
Pittsburgh Central Catholic student has whooping cough, officials say
Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh will undergo “extensive cleaning” this weekend after learning one of its students has been diagnosed with whooping cough, school officials said Friday. School officials sent out a letter to parents and guardians on Jan. 23 stating the state Department of Health confirmed a case...
Chicago woman becomes 2nd U.S. case of new virus from ChinaVideo
WASHINGTON — A Chicago woman has become the second U.S. patient diagnosed with the new pneumonia-like virus from China, health officials announced Friday. The woman in her 60s returned from China on Jan. 13 without showing any signs of illness, but a few days later she called her doctor to...
Should Pennsylvanians worry about deadly coronavirus?
Health officials say Pennsylvanians have little to fear so far from a deadly respiratory illness spreading across Southeast Asia. The coronavirus, which presents itself with symptoms similar to a common cold or the flu, has so far killed 18 people, mainly in China, and has sickened people in Taiwan, Japan,...
National survey shows contradictory attitudes toward flu vaccine
Pennsylvania has nearly 40,000 confirmed flu cases so far this season, yet 43% of respondents to a nationwide survey said they won’t get a flu shot. In the survey of 1,226 Americans, conducted by Qualtrics, 74% of those who were not planning to receive a flu vaccination said it was...
High drug costs outweigh ‘Medicare for All’ as top health care issue for voters
WASHINGTON — The debate over creating a single government health plan for all Americans may have dominated the Democratic presidential campaign, but most voters are focused on a more basic pocketbook issue: prescription drug prices. In poll after poll, the high cost of medications is at or near the top...
Unusual study details woes among veterans of foster care
NEW YORK — Americans who have spent time in foster care are far more likely than other adults to lack a college degree, health insurance and a stable health care provider, according to a new federal analysis that is unprecedented in its scope. One striking finding in the report: Less...
Rate of new flu cases slows in Western Pennsylvania
Confirmed cases of the flu in Western Pennsylvania increased at a slower rate last week than in either of the previous two weeks, according to state Department of Health data. “While it is far too early to say that flu season has peaked, we have seen fewer cases over the...
West Deer acquires box for residents to safely dispose of medication
West Deer residents now have a safe place to drop off unwanted medications. The township recently acquired a Safe Medication Disposal box, which is in the lobby of the municipal building. West Deer police partnered with KidCents and The Rite Aid Foundation to get the box, which was donated by...
Health Happenings: Week of Jan. 20
Blood drives • American Red Cross will host these blood drives: —12:30-5 p.m. Thursday, Ascension Church, 621 Division St., Jeannette — 1-5:30 p.m. Friday , New Life Tabernacle, 851 S. Center Ave., Hunker Appointments: 800-733-2767 or redcrossblood.org; walk-ins welcome • Vitalant (formerly Central Blood Bank) will host a blood drive...
Quinn on Nutrition: Nuts that are not nuts
Question: “You have helped me out in the past so I thought I’d get your opinion on this. On a recent show, a doctor was talking about which foods to eat and which to avoid. He said that you should be eating nuts, but don’t eat cashews, as they are...
