Title: Pandemic Brought More Woes for Kids Prone to Headaches
Category: Health News
Created: 8/9/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/10/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: As Pandemic Eases, It's Boom Times for Cosmetic Surgeons
Category: Health News
Created: 8/24/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/24/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: Pets Have Helped People With HIV Through Two Pandemics
Category: Health News
Created: 6/23/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 6/23/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: HIV Testing Plummeted During Pandemic
Category: Health News
Created: 6/27/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 6/27/2022 12:00:00 AM

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, global trends of reduced healthcare-seeking behaviour were observed. This raises concerns about the consequences of healthcare avoidance for population health.AimTo determine the association between healthcare avoidance during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and all-cause mortality.Design and settingThis was a 32-month follow-up within the population-based Rotterdam Study, after sending a COVID-19 questionnaire at the onset of the pandemic in April 2020 to all communty dwelling participants (n = 6241/8732, response rate 71.5%).MethodCox proportional hazards models assessed the risk of all-cause mortality among respondents who avoided health care because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mortality status was collected through municipality registries and medical records.ResultsOf 5656 respondents, one-fifth avoided health care because of the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 1143). Compared with non-avoiders, those who avoided health care more often reported symptoms of depression (n = 357, 31.2% versus n = 554, 12.3%) and anxiety (n = 340, 29.7% versus n = 549, 12.2%), and more often rated their health as poor to fair (n = 336, 29.4% versus n = 457, 10.1%) . Those who avoided health care had an increased adjusted risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01 to 1.67), which remained nearly identical after adjustment for history of any non-communicable disease (HR 1.20, 95% CI = 0.93 to 1.54). However, this association attenuated after additional adjustment for mental and physical self-perceived health factors (HR 0.93, 95% CI = 0.71 to 1.20).ConclusionThis study found an increased risk of all-cause mortality among individuals who avoided health care during COVID-19. These individuals were characterised by poor mental and physical self-perceived health. Therefore, interventions should be targeted to these vulnerable individuals to safeguard their access to primary and specialist care to limit health disparities, inside and beyond healthcare crises.

BackgroundCOVID-19 pandemic restrictions may have influenced behaviours related to weight.AimTo describe patterns of weight change among adults living in England with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and/or hypertension during the pandemic.Design and settingAn observational cohort study using the routinely collected health data of approximately 40% of adults living in England, accessed through the OpenSAFELY service inside TPP.MethodClinical and sociodemographic characteristics associated with rapid weight gain (>0.5 kg/m2/year) were investigated using multivariable logistic regression.ResultsData were extracted on adults with T2D (n = 1 231 455, 43.9% female, and 76.0% White British) or hypertension (n = 3 558 405, 49.7% female, and 84.3% White British). Adults with T2D lost weight overall (median δ = −0.1 kg/m2/year [interquartile range {IQR} −0.7–0.4]). However, rapid weight gain was common (20.7%) and associated with the following: sex (male versus female: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.78 [95% confidence interval {CI} = 0.77 to 0.79]); age (older age reduced odds, for example, aged 60–69 years versus 18–29 years: aOR 0.66 [95% CI = 0.61 to 0.71]); deprivation (least deprived Index of Multiple Deprivation [IMD] quintile versus most deprived IMD quintile: aOR 0.87 [95% CI = 0.85 to 0.89]); White ethnicity (Black versus White: aOR 0.95 [95% CI = 0.92 to 0.98]); mental health conditions (for example, depression: aOR 1.13 [95% CI = 1.12 to 1.15]); and diabetes treatment (non-insulin treatment versus no pharmacological treatment: aOR 0.68 [95% CI = 0.67 to 0.69]). Adults with hypertension maintained stable weight overall (median δ = 0.0 kg/m2/year [IQR −0.6–0.5]); however, rapid weight gain was common (24.7%) and associated with similar characteristics as in T2D.ConclusionAmong adults living in England with T2D and/or hypertension, rapid pandemic weight gain was more common among females, younger adults, those living in more deprived areas, and those with mental health conditions.

The usual challenges of conducting primary care research, including randomized trials, have been exacerbated, and new ones identified, during the COVID-19 pandemic. HOMER (Home versus Office for Medication Enhanced Recovery; subsequently, Comparing Home, Office, and Telehealth Induction for Medication Enhanced Recovery) is a pragmatic, comparative-effectiveness research trial that aims to answer a key question from patients and clinicians: What is the best setting in which to start treatment with buprenorphine for opioid use disorder for this patient at this time? In this article, we describe the difficult journey to find the answer. The HOMER study began as a randomized trial comparing treatment outcomes in patients starting treatment with buprenorphine via induction at home (unobserved) vs in the office (observed, synchronous). The study aimed to enroll 1,000 participants from 100 diverse primary care practices associated with the State Networks of Colorado Ambulatory Practices and Partners and the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network. The research team faced unexpected challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and dramatic changes in the opioid epidemic. These challenges required changes to the study design, protocol, recruitment intensity, and funding conversations, as well as patience. As this is a participatory research study, we sought, documented, and responded to practice and patient requests for adaptations. Changes included adding a third study arm using telehealth induction (observed via telephone or video, synchronous) and switching to a comprehensive cohort design to answer meaningful patient-centered research questions. Using a narrative approach based on the Greek myth of Homer, we describe here the challenges and adaptations that have provided the opportunity for HOMER to thrive and find the way home. These clinical trial strategies may apply to other studies faced with similar cultural and extreme circumstances.

A new variant of mpox is surging in Central Africa, raising concerns about how quickly it could spread further afield

The Puerto Rican singer covers the latest issue of 'Out' magazine.

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Early in the pandemic there was a widespread belief that science would be our salvation. With the help of science we would be spared the worst consequences, such as occurred during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. A vaccine would arrive, reliably, after a few hard months of research, and in short order the problem would...

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At this moment in time the pre-pandemic cardiology research agenda needs to be completely reprioritized. There are two broad areas that now take precedence over all existing research concerns. On the one hand, researchers need to achieve a better understanding of the staggering incidence of deferred or delayed treatment of cardiovascular events and conditions as...

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I recently posted the following thread on Twitter: I am so disappointed by the large number of pre-pandemic medical skeptics who have now turned into mask/vaccine skeptics. I largely agreed with many of them back in the day. /1 Pre-pandemic they used their skills and intelligence to rightfully question whether, say, a stent should be inserted...

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The latest information about the novel coronavirus identified in Wuhan, China, and advice on how pharmacists can help concerned patients and the public.

Few correctional facilities in the United States have treatment programs for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD), despite clear evidence that certain medications reduce the risk of overdose and death. Even in facilities where treatment is available, the COVID-19 pandemic has complicated efforts to provide such care.

Research has consistently demonstrated strong links between people’s health and societal sectors such as employment, community development, education, housing, and transportation.

A number of friends and mental health professionals helped me with this post. You know who you are. Thank you.

To the student for whom school is a safer place, but now you’re stuck at home in a toxic environment during the pandemic,

I see you. You’re not invisible. In fact, a lot of people see you and are thinking about you. I can’t tell you how many of my friends and colleagues have brought you up in the past few months, and expressed worry for what you're going through. Hang in there.

When schools started sending students home in March and April, I thought of you immediately. I waited with you to see if schools might open again in a few weeks, but of course that didn't happen. I waited with you hoping this country would get its shit together and start prioritizing realistic approaches to containing the pandemic, so that you'd be able to go back to school in the fall. And now it's clear that many of you won't be able to do that. It's also possible that those of you who can go back won't be able to stay there for long, though I continue to hope it won't play out that way. I, and a lot of people, wish you didn't have this uncertainty pressing down on you right now.

Hang in there!

Here are some tools from my own PTSD toolbox that might help. Some are more immediately helpful, some are stopgaps and temporary coping mechanisms. Some might spark ideas for you:

When possible, create distance from the toxicity. In my own experience, sometimes the smallest amount of distance can help. If you can safely go for a walk now and then, do it. If there's a physical spot where you can be alone sometimes, find it. If you can spend time online with friends, or even socially-distanced time outside, do it. Are you caring for siblings in some way? Is there some way in which you've been placed in the position of caring for your own parents? If so, that's a lot. If you ever have the opportunity to take some time to care for no one but yourself, I hope you won't begrudge yourself that. You deserve care as much as anyone else.

For some of you, maybe there's even some other home where you could live (if only temporarily), like the house of a safe relative or family friend. Have you considered whether that might be the case for you? Give it some serious thought. This is important, though: Before making any major decisions or drastic changes, talk it through with a trusted adult. If you don't have a trusted adult, talk it through with a youth crisis line (see below). Your safety is the most important thing, and setting off an internal family drama may not be worth it and may even be dangerous. Also, you don't want to move yourself into a situation that's just as harmful, or even more so. This leads me to the next step.

Reach out to people who can support you. This might be friends, other family members, teachers, therapists or counselors, anyone in your life who actually sees and cares who you are and what you need when they look at you. Reaching out to trustworthy supports might give you a place to vent some steam and get some validation, and it might also lead to some practical help. Don't be afraid to consider professional organizations and helplines too. The first two organizations below are geared to helping kids and teens in danger of physical and sexual violence, but according to my professional source, they'd likely help if the threat is emotional too. The third organization is open to helping with any kind of crisis:

Safe Place
https://www.nationalsafeplace.org/
Here's a link to find a Safe Place site near you.
Or, to use TXT 4 HELP, text the word “safe” and your current location (city/state/zip) to 4HELP (44357). Within seconds, you will receive a message with the closest Safe Place site and phone number for the local youth agency. You will also have the option to text interactively with a professional for more help.

SafeHouse Center
https://www.safehousecenter.org/friends-family/children-youth-services/ 
https://www.safehousecenter.org/
They have a National HelpLine, available 24/7, at 734-995-5444 (English and Spanish). Advocates and volunteers can answer questions, give support, and provide information and referrals.

Crisis Text Line
https://www.crisistextline.org/
Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime. Crisis Text Line is there for any crisis. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from their secure online platform. In the UK, text HOME to 85258. In Ireland, text HOME to 50808.

Note that while these are (inter)national organizations, there are a lot of local organizations as well. Do a little poking around and see what might be available to you, or ask someone you trust to do so.

Journal. This one definitely isn't for everyone, but if it's something you can do safely and if it appeals to you, give writing a try. It can be immensely clarifying — and can help with plans and goals — to write what you're going through and how it feels. I have a journal now, and years of journals stashed somewhere or other, and I'll probably never look at them again… I don't know that I've ever once gone back to look at something I've journaled. But I 100% know it helps me feel understood while I'm doing it, which is what matters.

Do creative projects. Again, this one isn't for everyone, but my larger point is this: If you can find an outlet for your distress, and most especially, a way to express it, so that there can be some way you're telling the truth of your experience to the world rather than bottling it up — it can help. It can allow you to take back your ownership of yourself and your experience, and it can give you power against the lies to which other people are subjecting you. I would venture to say that everything I write is some version of this. (But you don't have to write a book! I also knit, sew, draw, do collage, take pictures, or even get pleasure out of arranging items symbolically in my house. You get to decide what creativity is, and what helps you feel better!)

Find an anthem. This is also in the category of self-expression and connection. Find artists who seem to get what you're going through, and spend time with them. (Of course it doesn't have to be musicians. A book, or a character in a TV show, can do the same thing!) Some of my anthems over the years: "Girl" by Tori Amos. "Oh Father" by Madonna (the link opens a YouTube video).  "No More Drama" by Mary J. Blige. "Cold As It Gets" by Patty Griffin.

Trust your sense of things — while having compassion for your self-doubt. If you live in a toxic home, there's a good chance that the toxicity around you includes other people's denial of the fact that it's a toxic home. Trust your own unhappiness, anxiety, avoidance, self-loathing, fear. Trust your sense that all is not okay. This self-trust can be challenging no matter what kind of abuse you're experiencing — but I want to give a special shout-out to people experiencing emotional abuse. It can be especially hard to believe your environment is toxic if the damage is "merely" emotional. In fact, it can be hard to metabolize a word like "abuse" when the abuse is "merely" emotional. Surely no one's abusing me? Surely this is just regular life, not abuse?

It's okay if that word doesn't feel right to you. You get to decide what words apply. But trust the panicked feeling you have, the one that's driving you to want to escape. Trust your gut. Something is wrong, whatever you want to call it. A person in your situation deserves help and relief, just like anyone else.

At the same time, this is important: Depending on your situation, you may not be able to do much with your gut realizations at the moment. And if there's not a lot you can do to fix your situation right now, there might be limits to how helpful it is to realize how bad your situation is. So, also have compassion for the ways you end up doubting yourself. It's normal and okay to doubt yourself; it's not a weakness. Your self-doubt may even be a temporary survival mechanism, working hard to keep you safe and get you through this, which is important. Your self-trust, in the meantime, will outlive this situation and be a source of healing someday.

If you can, hold onto your sense of humor. This might not be possible, depending on your situation. But if it is, it can be another release. Example: I once went through a stretch of time during which I had relentlessly recurring dreams that I was moving to a new home that wasn’t emotionally safe for me. When I say relentlessly recurring, I mean that I had some version of this dream every single night for three months. Every single night for three months. Except for one night! One night during this stretch, I had a dream that I was moving to a new home and it was perfect. It had an elegant dining room, fancy staircases, a lounge — it was noticeably bigger and fancier than any of the other homes in any of the other dreams I'd had — and I belonged there, I could be myself there, I was emotionally safe there. I was so, so happy. So were all the other people who apparently lived in this home, because it seem to be sort of like… a gigantic, perfect hotel? It wasn’t until I woke up from this dream that I recognized this “hotel.” We were on the Titanic.

I'm sorry, but that's hilarious. Thank you, unconscious, for cracking me up. If there's anything right now that cracks you up… Hold onto it.

Hang on. Someday you'll be able to build your own life. You will. For now, whenever you can, do get whatever help you can. You deserve it.

I hope something on this list is helpful. If nothing else, remember that I, and so many other people, are thinking about you and pulling for you. There are even people who've dedicated their lives to looking out for you; reach out to them. We know there's light at the end of your tunnel, so hang in there. You're not invisible. We see you!

Love,
Kristin

Despite talk of a green recovery, global greenhouse gas emissions continued to rise as the world emerged from coronavirus lockdowns

Experts speaking at the UN's Economic and Social Council's annual Special Meeting on International Cooperation in Tax Matters concluded that the international community must do more to tackle tax base erosion and profit shifting and offshore tax evasion.

medlinkNurses/medlink in outpatient clinics and similar departments demonstrated greater resilience compared to their counterparts working in urgent

New study outlines the findings on the link between COVID-19 and fertility. The findings of the study are published in the journal iScience/i. Throughout

Living with pet dogs can help HIV/AIDS survivors to fight against loneliness and isolation during both COVID and AIDS pandemics. The findings of the study are published in the journal iAnimals/i.

A variant of avian flu virus, commonly found in Chinese poultry farms, is undergoing mutations that raise concerns about potential human transmission,

medlinkCOVID-19 pandemic/medlink encountered a significant increase in low birth weight cases in India, reports a new research from the University of Notre Dame.

Leaders at the United Nations stated yoga can help the world recover from its ravages. "As we take steps to recover from the pandemic, let yoga

Millions of Americans who gained Medicaid coverage during the medlinkCOVID-19 pandemic/medlink have lost their benefits since March 2023 due to the

Coronavirus has spread in more than 150 countries all over the world now. WHO (World Health Organisation) has officially called the virus pandemic and issued various guidelines to take in precaution against its spread. The virus originated from Wuhan, China and has now 2,03,843 cases around the globe. The death rate has increased, to 8,321 till now due to coronavirus infection. On the contrary; 82,866 people have recovered after testing positive. Thus giving us hope to fight back this deadly virus. Currently, India has 151 cases of coronavirus and 3 deaths so far in Maharashtra, Karnataka & Delhi. Maharashtra & Kerala are on the top list of having positive patients. PRECAUTIONS: WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY.

Berlin ; Boston : De Gruyter, [2023]

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2023.

SHGs and prisoners in Himachal Pradesh are stitching masks/PPEs, and making sanitisers

In Himachal Pradesh, the scheme comes as a breather to those who lost their jobs

How children without access to online education in Jharkhand and Bihar villages get their lessons

The relationship between growing inequality and booming asset markets has never been this stark

How AirAsia India innovated with a distance-learning training programme for its cockpit crew

As demand for travel rises, industry must meet it while ensuring passenger safety

Post pandemic, the airlines must revamp strategies and resort to long-term measures to recover from the crisis 

Are they finally paying up or paying off?

The Centre will implement the G20 Pandemic Fund, which is aimed at enhancing the country’s “animal health security”, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2024]

As more coronavirus cases appear outside of Asia, Dr. Seema Yasmin breaks down what you need to know about pandemics.

WIRED's Nick Thompson and Adam Rogers discuss the current state of the Covid-19 pandemic, from testing to vaccines to the ways our world is changing.

Anthony S. Fauci, director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in conversation with Steven Levy, WIRED.

Audrey Tang, digital minister, Taiwan, in conversation with Adam Rogers, WIRED.

Matt Mitchell Ford Foundation Tech Fellow and Founder, CryptoHarlem and Avi Schiffmann, Founder, The Coronavirus Tracker in conversation with Tom Simonite, WIRED.

Produced by WIRED Brand Lab with Qatar Foundation | This year, the coronavirus pandemic has put educational institutions to the test globally. From fully remote to hybrid learning, parents and teachers have exhausted every possible option to keep students on track, but is stress making it biologically impossible? For this WIRED guide, we met up with experts from Qatar Foundation to learn how stress may hinder a student’s ability to learn if they don’t prioritize practicing resilience and self-care.

Even before COVID-19, loneliness was becoming the defining condition of the 21st century. At WIRED Smarter, Noreena Hertz, Economist and Author of The Lonely Century, joined us to share challenges of working from home and how we can redesign the workplace so that it has community at its heart. "In the UK 1 in 5 adults said they were lonely most or all of the time, and that's before the pandemic." ABOUT WIRED SMARTER Curated by WIRED’s award-winning editorial team, WIRED Smarter gathers the disruptive minds across business, technology, retail, finance and politics to investigate how innovation, technological advances and world events are changing the way we interact with customers. CONNECT WITH WIRED Events: http://wired.uk/events Subscribe for Events Information: http://wired.uk/signup Web: http://bit.ly/VideoWired Twitter: http://bit.ly/TwitterWired Facebook: http://bit.ly/FacebookWired Instagram: http://bit.ly/InstagramWired Magazine: http://bit.ly/MagazineWired Newsletter: http://bit.ly/NewslettersWired

Indian vaccine manufacturers and regulators have changed the way they conceive, test and evaluate vaccines, emboldening them to apply emerging technologies to old diseases and experiment with new ways to inoculate

Social distancing measures amid the coronavirus pandemic have been rather difficult for everyone. While people remain locked indoors, social media companies offer huge respite from boredom that often becomes unbearable.

These companies have not only welcomed new users over the past couple of months but also have taken many steps to ensure engagement and good browsing experience. Let us thus take a look at how these companies have performed since the pandemic broke out and the factors likely to push them ahead.

3 Social Media Stocks That Gained Despite the Odds

Topping the list of social media companies are Facebook, Inc. FB, Twitter, Inc. TWTR and Snap Inc. SNAP that have fared well during the pandemic. Shares of these three giants have returned decently so far this year and year-over-year revenue growth impressed in recently released results.

Of course not everyone can become the next YouTube or Instagram star, but many like Lipovetsky have used social media as a platform to spread a message, and in turn make it a career in the process.

Content can not be more of the same however, and being relevant while standing out remains crucial. Right now more of the same is not going to work. Creators need to think about what is working today and how to change it up for tomorrow.

When US consumers started spending more time at home in March and April, they also started using social media more, providing an unexpected boost to the platforms.

Depending on the research source, up to 51% of US adults are using social media at higher rates during the pandemic. But even though elevated social usage continued at least into May, causing us to upgrade our forecast for time spent on social networks by US social network users, we believe that when consumers eventually get back to their normal routines of school, work and social activities, the trends will moderate. We think this will start to happen later in 2020, with a more visible downward trend evident in 2021 and beyond.