Tuberculosis on the rise for first time in decades after COVID-19 interrupted public health interventions and increased inequality

Before SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, spread across the world in 2020, tuberculosis was responsible for more deaths globally than any other infectious disease. But thanks to targeted public…

COVID-19 Worries Influence Emotional Quality of Daydreams

Summary: A new study investigated the connection between COVID-19-related anxieties and the emotional content of daydreaming and nighttime dreaming. It found a significant correlation between daily COVID-19 worries and the…

More than 1.5 million Americans lost Medicaid coverage in the spring of 2023 due to the end of pandemic policies – and paperwork problems

CC BY-ND At least 1.5 million Americans lost Medicaid coverage in April, May and the first three weeks of June 2023, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit that…

Annual numbers of excess deaths in the US relative to other developed countries are growing at an alarming rate

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea People in the U.S. are dying at higher rates than in other similar high-income countries, and…

Pivotal points in the COVID-19 pandemic – 5 essential reads

Experts have made it clear that the end of the COVID-19 national emergency, which was lifted on May 11, 2023, does not mean an end to the pandemic. But this…

What does ending the emergency status of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US mean in practice? 4 questions answered

The COVID-19 pandemic’s public health emergency status in the U.S. expires on May 11, 2023. And on May 5, the World Health Organization declared an end to the COVID-19 public…

Disinfectants and cleaning products harboring toxic chemicals are widely used despite lack of screening for potential health hazards

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Concerns about unnecessary use of a common class of antimicrobial chemicals used in disinfectants reinforces recommendations…

Many people are tired of grappling with long COVID – here are some evidence-based ways to counter it

A patient of mine, once a marathon runner, now gets tired just walking around the block. She developed COVID-19 during the 2020 Christmas holiday and saw me during the summer…

Study Using AI Reveals Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia, Not Cytokine Storm, Found as Key Factor in COVID-19 Fatalities

Summary: A recent study found that secondary bacterial pneumonia, rather than the much-discussed “cytokine storm,” is a significant factor in COVID-19-related fatalities. Almost half of the patients who required mechanical…

Watch out for dangerous combinations of over-the-counter cold medicine and prescription drugs – two pharmacoepidemiology experts explain the risks

When colds, flus and allergies hit, many people automatically turn to over-the-counter medications to push through and treat their symptoms. These include decongestants, painkillers, cough or allergy medicines and combinations…