Your Health

Parents say they're getting excellent child care. Researchers aren't convinced.

What Makes For Quality Child Care? It Depends Whom You Ask

12:12pm October 18, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

Parents look for a place where their child will be loved and happy, but often have to make decisions based on cost and location. Researchers are looking for a rich developmental experience.

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WFYI's Jake Harper reports health stories for Side Effects Public Media in Indianapolis. His newest health anxiety stems from the human papillomavirus, or HPV.

Is 20-Something Too Late For A Guy To Get The HPV Vaccine?

8:37pm October 17, 2016

by Jake Harper

A generation of young men missed out on the HPV vaccine. Now, 29-year-old journalist Jake Harper wonders if that's putting him and other men at risk.

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Gary Linfoot was paralyzed by a helicopter crash in Iraq. He's one of the few veterans still using an iBOT, which allows him to rise up to eye level using Segway-style balancing technology. The wheelchair was discontinued in 2009, but may soon be reissued

A Reboot For Wheelchair That Can Stand Up And Climb Stairs

7:19pm October 17, 2016

by Quil Lawrence

Toyota announced this year that it's backing the return of the iBOT, which went out of production in 2009. Inventor Dean Kamen says a reboot would include improvements using the latest technology.

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A new poll finds 88 percent of parents rate child care as very good or excellent. But researchers say that's off base. By their measures, just 10 percent of child care rates as high quality.

NPR Poll: Are Parents Overrating The Quality Of Child Care?

5:46pm October 17, 2016

by Joe Neel

Almost all parents rate their child care as very good or excellent, according to a new NPR poll. But researchers say that's off base, and that just 10 percent of child care is high quality.

Yana Shapiro relaxes while taking an intravenous vitamin treatment at RestoreIV in Philadelphia.

Skeptics Question The Value Of Hydration Therapy For The Healthy

10:51am October 17, 2016

by Taunya English

Some spa-like clinics will inject an expensive mix of water and vitamins into your bloodstream, ostensibly to ward off illness and boost energy. But can't drinking fluids offer the same benefit?

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Medical apps are getting pretty good at monitoring the heart. The question is what to do with that data.

You Can Monitor Your Heart With A Smartphone. But Should You?

5:00am October 15, 2016

by Erin Ross

Smartphones can be used to test for atrial fibrillation, a common heart condition that can cause strokes. But it's still not clear who should use this emerging technology.

Lack of access to quality medical care remains a major factor in higher breast cancer death rates among African-Americans.

Breast Cancer Death Rates Are Down, But Racial Disparities Persist

5:08pm October 13, 2016

by Nancy Shute

Black women are more likely to die of breast cancer than are white women, and that's especially true for older women, the CDC reports. Lack of access to quality health care is a big factor.

Kratom, seen in capsule form here, has been under review by the Drug Enforcement Administration for possible restriction.

Kratom Gets Reprieve From Drug Enforcement Administration

4:36pm October 12, 2016

by Lauren Silverman

The agency has decided to leave kratom off its list of highly restricted drugs for now. The DEA is asking for public comment and help from the Food and Drug Administration in evaluating kratom.

Since a single scientific study rarely provides a definitive answer, researchers combine the results of several studies to reach clearer conclusions.

Reviews Of Medical Studies May Be Tainted By Funders' Influence

4:33pm October 12, 2016

by Richard Harris

Researchers often combine the results of many medical studies to evaluate treatments. But when the combiners have a financial interest, the results might be inaccurate, a scientist says.

Skip The Math: Researchers Paint A Picture Of Health Benefits And Risks

9:50am October 12, 2016

by Jay Hancock

A Maryland physician teamed up with an environmental scientist to develop a visual approach for helping patients better understand the risks and benefits of medical tests and treatments.