US Prisoners Face Higher Odds of Dying From Cancer | Health & Fitness

MONDAY, Sept. 26, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Here’s another reason to stay out of jail: New research shows the risk of dying from cancer is sharply higher among those who are behind bars or have been recently released.

In Connecticut prisons, where the data for this study were gathered, the average age for a cancer diagnosis was 50. For those who were never behind bars, it was 66. Other benchmarks showed similar differences.

Cancer is the leading cause of death in prison.

“The question is: Is incarceration itself a cause of these poor health outcomes or is incarceration something that tracks with other risk factors for adverse health outcomes, such as poverty or living in communities with higher environmental risks?” said study co-author Dr. Cary Gross. He is founding director of the Cancer Outcomes, Public Policy and Effectiveness Research Center (COPPER) at Yale School of Medicine.

Gross said he has

Risk of Monkeypox Transmission Low in Health Care Settings

Physician’s Briefing Staff

TUESDAY, Sept. 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) — The risk of transmission of monkeypox is low in health care settings, according to research published in the Sept. 16 early-release issue of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Kristen E. Marshall, Ph.D., from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in Denver, and colleagues examined health care personnel (HCP) exposures and personal protective equipment (PPE) use in health care settings during care for patients who then received a diagnosis of Orthopoxvirus infection or monkeypox.

The researchers found that 313 HCP interacted with patients with subsequently diagnosed monkeypox infection while wearing combinations of PPE during May 1 to July 31, 2022; 23 percent wore all recommended PPE during their exposures (gown, gloves, eye protection, and an N95 or higher-level respirator). Overall, 28 percent of exposed HCP were considered to have had

Amynta Group Acquires iFIT Health & Fitness Extended Warranty Operations

NEW YORK and LOGAN, Utah, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — AmyntaGroupa leading insurance services provider, has acquired the extended warranty operations of iFIT Health & Fitness Inc., operated through its wholly owned subsidiary, Universal Technical Services (UTS).

iFIT is the industry’s largest at-home fitness equipment company, whose equipment brands include NordicTrack, ProForm, Weider and FreeMotion. UTS is the exclusive distributor and administrator of branded extended warranty and maintenance plans for all iFIT fitness equipment brands in the US and international markets. As part of the transaction, Amynta has entered into a long-term strategic partnership with iFIT to deliver a full-service platform of extended warranty protection and maintenance plans for all iFIT fitness equipment. UTS is based in Logan, Utah and will operate under the continued leadership of Nick PalmerVice President of UTS, and Greg LindsayDirector of UTS.

“I am excited to welcome Nick, Greg and the

Deer Are Spreading Lyme Ticks in Suburban Backyards | Health & Fitness

TUESDAY, Sept. 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) — They look so cute, grazing quietly in your backyard. But the overpopulation of white-tailed deer across the Northeastern United States could help spread Lyme disease and another tick-borne illness, anaplasmosis, especially in suburban areas, a new study suggests.

The research points out that these deer, which carry ticks that transmit the two diseases, are no longer confined to wooded areas, but often live within yards of suburban homes, increasing the risk of transmission.

“Your yard is their home, and if you’re concerned about ticks or tick management, or potentially damage done, then you need to recognize that this is where they actually choose to live and either work with them or manage against them,” said lead researcher Jennifer Mullinax. She’s an assistant professor of wildlife ecology and management at the University of Maryland.

The deer themselves are not a threat to health. But

Corrections fined for violating tuberculosis outbreak rules | Health & Fitness

ABERDEEN, Wash. (AP) — The Washington state Department of Corrections was fined more than $84,000 for reportedly failing to follow safety rules meant to stop the spread of disease at its Aberdeen prison.

The state Department of Labor and Industries said Friday it cited and fined the agency, The Olympian reported.

The determination came after L&I inspectors responded to complaints related to an April tuberculosis outbreak. That month, the state Department of Health recorded the largest outbreak of the bacterial disease in 20 years, including cases at Stafford Creek Corrections Center.

Stafford Creek workers allegedly did not receive initial or annual fit testing for N-95 respirators, according to L&I. Without the tests, the respirators may not have fit correctly, inhibiting the ability to protect from infection.

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The disease is caused by a bacterium that often infects the lungs and is highly transmissible when those sickened

Monkeypox death confirmed by LA County health officials | Health & Fitness

AP

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles County resident with a compromised immune system has died from monkeypox, local health officials announced Monday. It’s believed to be the first US fatality from the disease.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced the cause of death, and a spokesperson said it was confirmed by an autopsy. The patient was severely immunocompromised and had been hospitalized. No other information on the person was released.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks cases and has not confirmed any US deaths from the disease. LA County officials say they worked with the CDC on their case.

A CDC spokesperson confirmed the cooperation but did not immediately respond when asked if this was the first US death.

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Texas public health officials on Aug. 30 reported the death of a person who had been diagnosed with monkeypox. The

Unhealthy Gums Could Up Your Odds for Dementia | Health & Fitness

MONDAY, Sept. 12, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Gum disease has far-reaching effects and may increase your odds of developing dementia, a new study suggests.

In a review of 47 previously published studies, researchers in Finland found that tooth loss, deep pockets around teeth in the gums, or bone loss in the tooth sockets was tied to a 21% higher risk of dementia and a 23% higher risk of milder cognitive decline.

Tooth loss itself — an indicator of gum, or periodontitis, disease — was linked to a 23% higher risk of cognitive (mental) decline and a 13% higher risk of dementia, according to the study.

“Maintaining adequate periodontal health, including retention of healthy natural teeth, seems to be important also in the context of preventing cognitive decline and dementia,” said lead researcher Sam Asher, from the Institute of Dentistry at the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio.

Asher noted

Blood Test Shows Promise at Catching Cancers Early | Health & Fitness

MONDAY, Sept. 12, 2022 (HealthDay News) — A single blood test that can screen for more than 50 cancers seems to work fairly well in the real world, a preliminary study reveals.

found that of over 6,600 apparently healthy people aged 50 and older, the blood test detected a possible cancer “signal” in Researchers roughly 1%. When those individuals had more extensive testing, cancer was confirmed in 38%.

Experts called the findings an “important first step” in seeing how the so-called multi-cancer early detection test could fit into real-world care.

“This is not ready for prime time,” stressed study co-author Catherine Marinac, a researcher at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

But if further studies confirm the blood test’s usefulness, she said, it could become a “game changer.”

The findings come from a study called Pathfinder, which is being run at multiple medical institutions across the United States to evaluate

Tigers’ Austin Meadows reveals mental health struggles | Health & Fitness

By DANA GAURUDER – Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Tigers outfielder Austin Meadows revealed on Friday he has been dealing with mental health issues along with physical ailments and will not play again this season.

“This season has been an unfortunate struggle with a series of injuries and illness, from dealing with vertigo early on, then COVID, then bilateral tendinitis in my Achilles, and then having to go through the rehab process each time,” he posted on social media. “What I have told very few people is that I also have been struggling with my mental health in a way that has extended my time away from the game I love so much.”

Detroit manager AJ Hinch has known of Meadows’ mental health issues for several weeks. Meadows addressed the subject with teammates on Friday.

“I’ve spent a lot of time with Austin in the last couple of

Northern California wildfire burns homes, causes injuries | Health & Fitness

By ADAM BEAM and OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ

WEED, Calif. (AP) — A fast-moving wildfire in rural Northern California injured several people Friday, destroyed multiple homes and forced thousands of residents to flee, jamming roadways at the start of a sweltering Labor Day weekend.

The blaze dubbed the Mill Fire started on or near the property of Roseburg Forest Products, a plant that manufactures wood veneers. It quickly burned through homes, pushed by 35-mph (56-kph) winds, and by evening had engulfed 4 square miles (10.3 square kilometers) of ground.

Annie Peterson said she was sitting on the porch of her home near the Roseburg facility when “all of a sudden we heard a big boom and all that smoke was just rolling over toward us.”

Very quickly her home and about a dozen others were on fire. She said members of her church helped evacuate her and her son, who is