Health

By Marie-Louise Connolly and Catherine Smyth BBC News NI health unit12 minutes agoImage caption, Dr Ursula Mason is chair of the Royal College of GPsMore people than ever are having to use private healthcare which could mean more people getting into debt.That is according to the chair of the Royal College of GPs in Northern Ireland. Dr Ursula Mason, a GP in Carryduff, said there had been a "significant rise" in patients having their "health needs met in the private sector".She added the scope of such treatments had expanded beyond the traditional hip or knee replacement."More often than not people are putting their hands in their pockets and asking family, perhaps, to fund private care," she said.One independent hospital in Northern Ireland, Kingsbridge, has reported a 33% increase in f...

Health officials in Osceola County issued a health alert on Wednesday regarding a concentration of toxic blue-green algae in Lake Marian.The Florida Department of Health in Osceola County said the department found harmful blue-green algal toxins in Lake Marian, near the boat ramp. The issued alert is a response to a water sample taken by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection last Thursday at the lake northwest of Yeehaw Junction.Blue-green algae blooms, also known as cyanobacterial blooms, are common in most aquatic environments in Florida and can produce toxins that are harmful to animals and humans, if ingested or exposed to in high concentrations, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.The algae, which can live in fresh or salt water may also ...

Five locks of Ludwig van Beethoven's hair have been used to help uncover information about the German composer's health. Beethoven, who died in 1827, notably had several health problems and wanted his favorite physician, Dr. Johann Adam Schmidt, to give the public information on the disorder that caused his hearing loss. Schmidt ended up dying 18 years before Beethoven. But nearly two centuries later, researchers were able to study the composer's health, and published their peer-reviewed study in Current Biology. ...

Welcome to the State Health Benefit Plan’s (SHBP) Medicare Advantage University. Whether you are getting ready to move to an SHBP Medicare Advantage Plan or you have already enrolled, join us at one of the State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) Medicare Advantage University Educational Sessions. These in-person and virtual sessions are designed to help you learn more about Medicare Advantage (MA) and make sure you are getting the most out of your benefits. This virtual meeting can be accessed at this link using the passcode: 1800298. Download the Anthem or UnitedHealthcare flyer for additional instructions on how to access the virtual meeting. For questions or to reserve your spot, call 1-844-823-5455 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. ...

15 minutes agoImage source, DERBYSHIRE HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTImage caption, The facilities are designed to reduce the number of patients who travel outside the county for treatmentWork is due to start on new £148.4m mental health facilities in Derbyshire aimed at reducing the number of patients having to travel outside the county for care.Two new 54-bed inpatient units are to be built in Derby and Chesterfield.It is hoped they will improve safety, privacy and dignity for psychiatric patients by eliminating dormitory-style accommodation.The developments are due to open in 2025.The facilities, at the Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, are being built in the grounds of Kingsway Hospital, in Derby, and the Chesterfield Royal Hospital.Image source, DERBYSHIRE HEALTHCARE NHS...

(CNN) Surveillance video released by a prosecutor Tuesday shows Irvo Otieno being pinned to the floor by multiple security officers at a Virginia state mental health facility in the moments leading up to his death earlier this month. Dinwiddie County Commonwealth's Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill's office also released 911 calls about the incident in which a caller described Otieno as "very aggressive" and repeatedly asked for an ambulance, saying he was not breathing. Taken together, the video and emergency calls...

If we are serious about addressing the alarming worsening of teens’ mental health, we must reduce their social media use.The connection is well-established. Abundant research has linked depression and self-harm to frequency of social media use. And a new study from the American Psychological Association shows that cutting back helps teens feel better. Companies are aware of this; Facebook executive-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugen revealed that the company’s own research found that use of their platforms was linked to anxiety, depression and body image issues in teens.Federal health data highlight why this is so crucial. In 2021, 42 percent of high school students reported feeling so sad or hopeless almost every day for at least two weeks that they stopped doing their usual activitie...

This undated photo made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a strain of Candida auris cultured in a petri dish at a CDC laboratory. The U.S. toll of drug-resistant "superbug" infections worsened during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials said Tuesday, July 12, 2022. Shawn Lockhart/AP hide caption toggle caption Shawn Lockhart/AP This und...