Why grieving a pet can be as hard as grieving a person For many of us, pets are more than just animals. They are family. So, when a beloved pet dies, the grief can feel overwhelming. Jan 8, 2026 0 17
New US diet guidelines push whole foods, meat and dairy The federal government has released new dietary guidelines that shift how Americans are urged to eat. Jan 8, 2026 0 19
Illness is more than just biological. Medical sociology shows how social factors get under the skin and cause disease Health and medicine is more than just biological—societal forces can get under your skin and cause illness. Medical sociologists like me study these forces by treating society itself as our laboratory. Health and illness ... Jan 8, 2026 0 14
Report reveals prevalence of allergic conditions in US adults, children in 2024 In 2024, 31.7% of adults and 29.5% of children had a diagnosed seasonal allergy, diagnosed eczema, or a diagnosed food allergy in the United States, according to two data briefs published online Jan. 8 by the National Center ... Jan 8, 2026 0 15
Odds of infant mortality higher among US-born than non-US-born individuals U.S.-born individuals have higher odds of infant mortality than non-U.S.-born individuals, according to a study published online Jan. 6 in JAMA Network Open. Jan 8, 2026 0 10
Freestanding birth centers are closing as maternity care gaps grow Dr. Heather Skanes opened Alabama's first freestanding birth center in 2022 in her hometown of Birmingham. Skanes, an OB-GYN, wanted to improve access to maternal health care in a state that's long had one of the nation's ... Jan 8, 2026 0 9
NC public health officials urge vaccination as measles cases, flu deaths rise With multiple measles cases reported in North Carolina, rising flu deaths and shifting federal recommendations, state health officials stressed the importance of vaccination and urged people to contact their health care providers ... Jan 8, 2026 0 8
More than a quarter of adults worldwide could benefit from GLP-1 medications for weight loss, study finds The worldwide prevalence of obesity has more than doubled in the last three decades, bringing with it an increase in weight-related diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancers. This public health crisis strains ... Jan 8, 2026 0 50
Mental trauma follows 1 in 7 dog-related injuries in the UK, according to claims data Mental trauma, including specific phobias and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), follows one in seven dog-related injuries, while over half of cases result in the need for time off work and/or loss of earnings, suggests ... Jan 8, 2026 0 8
Breastfeeding may lower moms' later life depression/anxiety risks for up to 10 years after pregnancy Breastfeeding may lower mothers' later life risks of depression and anxiety for up to 10 years after pregnancy, suggest the findings of a small observational study, published in the open access journal BMJ Open. Jan 8, 2026 0 12
