Not-So-Happy-Birthdays: Parties Helped Spread COVID, Study Finds

Birthday celebrations raised the risk of spreading SARS-CoV-2 by 30% last year in U.S. counties with high rates of COVID-19, according to a new study.

No such surge was seen in places with low rates of infection.

For the study, researchers at Harvard Medical School and the RAND Corporation analyzed health insurance claims data from n...

Low Vaccination Rates for Seniors in 11 States a 'Powder Keg' for New Cases

U.S. health experts warn there is a ticking time bomb in 11 states where 20 percent or more of seniors still haven't gotten a COVID-19 vaccine.

Top priority for vaccinations was given to Americans aged 65 and older because they are far more vulnerable to serious illness and death from the virus than younger people are. Accordingly, th...

Survey Finds Many Adults Don't Want Kids -- and They're Happy

MONDAY, June 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Marriage and children may be the norm for most Americans, but a new study shows that many people are choosing to remain child-free — and they're happy that way.

The study of 1,000 Michigan adults found that one-quarter had opted not to have kids. And, on average, their life-sat...

Screen All Kids for Heart Problems, Pediatricians' Group Says

All children should be screened for conditions that may put them at risk for cardiac arrest or death, a new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement recommends.

The screening should be done whether or not kids play sports, and it is particularly important as they begin middle school or junior high, the statement says.

It...

New Genetic Insights Into Cause of ALS

Researchers say they've identified a new gene associated with an increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) -- and that their discovery could lead to improved treatments for the deadly disease.

ALS -- also called Lou Gehrig's disease -- is a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and ...

Drinking Rose During Pandemic, Especially for Women & Black Americans

It might have seemed harmless to while away hours stuck at home during the pandemic with extra wine and cocktails. But new research instead points to a troubling trend: Alcohol use and risky drinking rose among Americans over the last year.

For the study, the researchers surveyed the same group of U.S. adults twice in 2020. The first poll...