Conflicting Ratings For Home Health Agencies Can Be Puzzling
Medicare compiles ratings of agencies' quality and of patients' perceptions. But the stars assigned by the government often don't align.
Your Health
Strokes On The Rise Among Younger Adults
Fewer people are having strokes now than decades ago. But that improvement seems to be mostly among the elderly. Young people are actually having more strokes, partly because of the rise in obesity.
Topical Estrogen May Help With Side Effects After Breast Cancer
Estrogen supplements have been linked to cancer risk, but vaginal estrogen is probably safe for women who have had breast cancer, a national gynecologists's group says. It can help with side effects.
More Women Are Having Mastectomies And Going Home The Same Day
There's very little data on how having a mastectomy as same-day outpatient surgery affects a woman's health. Laws in some states have restricted the use of so-called "drive by" mastectomies.
They Brought Cookies: For A New Widow, Empathy Eases Death's Pain
Her husband died. Then the neighbors started showing up. They brought soup. Cookies. Tea. But what they really brought was empathy. And that made the pain bearable.
How Scientists Misread The Threat Of Zika Virus
Zika was ignored by infectious disease scientists for years. This happens more often than you might think, especially with diseases discovered in remote regions. A researcher says we can do better.
When Fear Becomes An Unintended Public Health Problem
There's a fine line between telling people about an emerging public health threat, such as Zika virus, and scaring them out of their wits. Once alarm spreads, it can be hard to make the facts known.
When Getting A Blood Pressure Cuff Takes All Day
Sharlene Adams has hypertension but no car, computer or credit card. Insurance will pay for a blood pressure cuff, but the many small hurdles in her life make getting one a time-consuming ordeal.
Should Porn Stars Use Condoms? California Grapples With Regulation
"We're talking about gloves, full body cover and goggles," says a porn industry executive of the California proposal to require condom use on the set. Proponents say it's about workplace safety.
Want To Get A Great Night's Sleep? Head To South Dakota
Americans aren't getting enough sleep in general. But if you live in Minnesota or South Dakota you have a better chance of getting enough shuteye. And people in Hawaii are most sleep-deprived.