Story at a glance In 2021, the U.S. spent 17.8 percent of GDP on health care, nearly double the average of 9.6 percent for high income countries, according to a new report from The Commonwealth Fund. Health care spending per capita in the U.S. was three or four times greater than for countries like South…
Author: Chia-Yi Hou
Fertility rate increases for first time since 2014: CDC
Fertility rates in the U.S. increased in 2021 for the first time since 2014, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The general fertility rate in 2021 was 56.3 births per 1,000 women in the 15 to 44-year-old age range, a 1 percent increase over 2020 numbers. This is…
Prescriptions of antipsychotic drugs for people with dementia increased during the pandemic
Story at a glance Prescriptions of antipsychotic drugs increased for people with dementia substantially in the initial months of the pandemic and remained elevated in 2021, according to a study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. Antipsychotic drugs may be prescribed to people with dementia to help with behavioral and psychological symptoms. Although, the authors…
Parents worry about growing post-pandemic youth mental health crisis
Story at a glance A growing youth mental health crisis is fueling concern among parents as children and teens continue to struggle after returning to school in person. Young people’s mental health declined sharply in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools were closed and most students were learning remotely. School administrators and…
What we know about how COVID-19 vaccines may affect menstrual cycles
Since early in the pandemic, women have reported experiencing changes in their menstruation after they got COVID-19 or were vaccinated against it. Their cycles had gotten longer, some said. Their bleeding was heavier. Research has backed up those anecdotal reports, showing COVID-19 vaccination having a temporary but noticeable impact on women’s periods and their accompanying…
What we know about the Ohio measles outbreak
A measles outbreak in Ohio is raising concerns about the spread of the disease and how a decline in vaccination rates among children might be leading to additional outbreaks. Eighty-five cases have been reported in Ohio as of Friday, mainly in Columbus and other parts of Franklin County, according to Columbus Public Health. Most of…
Half of Gen Z workers feel burnout at least once a week: survey
Story at a glance Half of Gen Z professionals feel burnout at least weekly, according to a new survey. In the survey from The Mary Christie Institute, more than 1,000 recent college graduates between 22 and 28 years old were asked about their mental health and working life. Half of the participants also said they…
Four ways to make mental health a priority in the new year
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. For many people, the start of a new year can signify a new beginning or a new commitment to improving their lives. But it also comes at a time of year when feelings of…
How to mentally prepare for holiday gatherings
Story at a glance End-of-year holiday festivities bring with them numerous sources of stress and anxiety. For the last few years, more typical family conflict and scrutiny have come with a side of pandemic fears — and this holiday season, with COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the flu all circulating, is no different. Psychiatrist…
Long COVID rehab program produces ‘impressive’ results
Story at a glance A rehabilitation program for long COVID symptoms in the United Kingdom shows “impressive” results, according to a new paper in the Journal of Medical Virology. Participants had fewer episodes of exhaustion after six weeks in the program and their ability to be active and quality of life showed “moderate improvement.” The…