https://medicalxpress.com/family-medicine-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Family medicine Individuals with disabilities have a lower prevalence of breast and cervical cancer screening, according to a study published in Cancer. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-breast-cervical-cancer-screening-adults.html Tue, 15 Sep 2026 08:20:04 EDT news708673373 Every month, around 2.7 million Australians have a statin dispensed to lower their risk of heart attack and stroke. Statins reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, the collective term for conditions involving the heart and blood vessels. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-statins-healthy-people-heart-disease.html Mon, 14 Sep 2026 07:40:01 EDT news708586141 According to a new randomized study of primary care patients with diabetes, those who received Lifestyle Redesign® occupational therapy generated more than $250,000 in health care cost savings compared with patients who received usual care alone. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-occupational-therapy-generated-health-primary.html Wed, 09 Sep 2026 10:40:06 EDT news708163502 As Prime Minister Mark Carney prepares to host the inaugural Canada Investment Summit in Toronto this September, a new review co-led by researchers at UBC argues that the country is leaving one of its largest economic and health care opportunities untouched: the integration of psychological care into primary care. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-lay-case-psychologists-primary-health.html Tue, 08 Sep 2026 15:00:06 EDT news708092222 For many in the workforce, spending hours at a computer is an unavoidable part of daily life. Sitting for prolonged periods in the same position can contribute to low back pain (LBP), which affects up to 80% of people over their lifetime and remains a leading cause of disability worldwide. A group of French researchers decided to find out whether wearing a soft, flexible lower-back support belt can help people with common, unexplained lower back pain feel better and move more easily. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-soft-belts-ease-everyday-pain.html Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:30:01 EDT news708076124 A prospective cohort study found that adults whose hemoglobin levels were 1 to 3 g/dL above the World Health Organization's (WHO) current anemia thresholds had lower mortality compared with those whose hemoglobin levels were both below and above this range. While the findings do not warrant updated anemia thresholds, they do suggest that further investigation of borderline anemia is warranted. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-borderline-hemoglobin-linked-higher-death.html Mon, 07 Sep 2026 17:00:01 EDT news707988739 Alcohol use appears to trigger specific biological changes in the human body that are linked to the development of chronic disease. These biological changes are already apparent in young adults with a short history of alcohol consumption. A new study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research found specific biomarkers of chronic disease across multiple biological systems related to both immediate and long-term alcohol use patterns. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-markers-chronic-disease-young-healthy.html Mon, 07 Sep 2026 12:40:09 EDT news708000721 The poet Dylan Thomas famously wrote, "old age should burn and rave at close of day"—and a high-profile cohort of professional athletes seems to be taking him literally. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-older-athletes-aging-major-losses.html Sun, 06 Sep 2026 10:30:02 EDT news707400623 A primary care physician is hard to find. The thousands needed nationwide are even tougher to discover. A new paper led by a faculty member at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (HMSOM) points to why—and outlines strategies to boost recruitment, starting in undergraduate medical education. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-national-action-primary-pipeline-medical.html Fri, 04 Sep 2026 15:20:06 EDT news707748934 We've all been there. You spend an hour at the gym, and before you even reach the locker room, you start thinking about your favorite takeout meal—after all, you've earned it! https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-im-weight-hungrier.html Fri, 04 Sep 2026 07:40:01 EDT news707721302 The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to take notes can change the nature of interactions between patients and clinicians, sometimes missing vital information, according to the results of a new review. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-ai-scribes-capture-patients.html Thu, 03 Sep 2026 18:30:03 EDT news707649177 The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children—better known as WIC—reaches an extraordinary share of American families. An estimated 41% of all U.S. infants participated in the federal nutrition program in fiscal year 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-aisle-missouri-wic-families.html Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:40:05 EDT news707641262 Leading U.S. medical groups are urging people to get updated flu and COVID-19 vaccinations this fall, banding together Wednesday to issue shot guidelines—and highlight the science behind them—saying they hope to ease confusion caused by the Trump administration's changing advice. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-doctors-flu-covid-vaccine-aiming.html Wed, 02 Sep 2026 13:00:01 EDT news707572278 Buprenorphine access and treatment differ between urban and rural areas, according to research published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-buprenorphine-treatment-differs-urban-rural.html Wed, 02 Sep 2026 08:00:06 EDT news707553912 Older pedestrians aren't injured by motor vehicles at a greater rate than younger pedestrians, according to 2023 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. But they're more likely to die. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-older-pedestrians-fare-worse-car.html Tue, 01 Sep 2026 21:00:01 EDT news707474145 A study by the University of Eastern Finland identified three distinct body mass index (BMI) trajectories among people with type 2 diabetes. Over the 10-year follow-up period, the BMI trajectories were associated with significant differences in comorbidities, diabetes medication and health care service use. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-distinct-bmi-trajectories-people-diabetes.html Tue, 01 Sep 2026 09:40:10 EDT news707474119 Older adults living with several chronic diseases, a condition known as multimorbidity, may respond differently to interventions aimed at preventing disability, depending on the combination of diseases they have. A new study, published in Nature Aging and led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome, suggests that looking at patterns of multimorbidity, rather than individual diseases alone, could help make prevention more personalized. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-disease-profiles-reveal-uneven-benefits.html Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:00:10 EDT news707396402 Adolescence is a critical time for nutritional health, given the rapid physical growth, hormonal changes and neurodevelopmental shifts taking place. Yet diet quality is at its lowest during this pivotal life stage, compounded by unique physiological, social and behavioral factors facing adolescents. In fact, public health guidance has noted that nutrient gaps among adolescents set the stage for a "constellation of potential nutritional risk factors." This public health challenge is exacerbated by the lack of scientific research and specific, evidence-based dietary guidance tailored to adolescents. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-evidence-based-specific-dietary-guidance.html Fri, 28 Aug 2026 13:00:06 EDT news707133561 Tens of thousands of new mothers across Britain may be suffering from undiagnosed PTSD following childbirth, according to a University of East Anglia report. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-thousands-mothers-britain-undiagnosed-ptsd.html Thu, 27 Aug 2026 19:10:01 EDT news707044501 American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) adults in California have poorer access to health care, report more adverse childhood experiences and are more likely to have suicidal thoughts or attempt suicide than all adults in the state, according to a new study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-american-indians-alaska-natives-california.html Thu, 27 Aug 2026 12:20:06 EDT news707049002 For two years, anyone has been able to walk into a vape shop or convenience store in Michigan and other states, hand over cash or a credit card, and walk out with as much of a substance called 7-OH and other related products as they can afford. Or they can click online and get it shipped to them. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-latest-kratom-availability-addiction.html Wed, 26 Aug 2026 16:20:10 EDT news706979270 Patients with extreme obesity are more common among those undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery than previously recognized, and although they face a greater burden of certain health conditions and surgical complications, their overall surgical risk remains relatively low, according to a new study led by researchers at LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-extreme-obesity-common-bariatric-surgery.html Wed, 26 Aug 2026 15:00:08 EDT news706966950 A new study has identified why many men struggle with weight loss, finding that traditional diet programs are often perceived as too restrictive and primarily aimed at women. The research, published in PLOS One and led by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in England, is the first academic study to investigate men's motivation for losing weight, their personal experiences and the weight-loss approaches they find most appealing. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-men-struggle-weight-loss.html Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:00:28 EDT news706959181 Canned tuna is a lunch box staple for many people. It's affordable, high in protein and doesn't need to be cooked, making it a nutritious and convenient option for busy days. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-canned-tuna.html Tue, 25 Aug 2026 21:00:01 EDT news706868828 Patients diagnosed with conditions after an emergency hospital admission or an emergency room visit face a higher risk of death than those diagnosed in nonemergency settings, according to a large population-based study by Emma Whitfield and colleagues from University College London, UK, published in PLOS Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-emergency-linked-poorer-outcomes-wide.html Tue, 25 Aug 2026 14:00:08 EDT news706786621 During a historic drought in northern Kenya, a pastoralist community turned to a food source it had long viewed as a fallback for people without livestock: fishing. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-historic-kenyan-drought-reshaped-livelihoods.html Tue, 25 Aug 2026 11:40:08 EDT news706875781 A recent study from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, shows that physical activity declines substantially with age, even among older adults who are in good physical condition. Over a four-year follow-up period, physical activity energy expenditure decreased by an average of about 17%. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-older-adults-faster-daily.html Tue, 25 Aug 2026 11:20:09 EDT news706869089 Dr. Genaro DeLeon, a resident physician at the Cleveland Clinic, couldn't decide between pursuing surgery or family medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-family-medicine-shortage-future-doctors.html Mon, 24 Aug 2026 23:00:03 EDT news706797218 The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense (VA/DoD) updated their obesity management guideline in 2025 to reflect advances in obesity assessment and treatments. The guideline emphasizes assessing health risks beyond body mass index (BMI) alone, using comprehensive lifestyle intervention as the foundation of care, and flexibly integrating medications, including GLP-1 therapies, as well as endoscopic and surgical options when appropriate. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-obesity-guideline-personalized-effective-weight.html Mon, 24 Aug 2026 17:00:07 EDT news706777161 Hand grip strength. Balance tests. Standing up from a seated position on the floor. These physical challenges are often touted as measurements of healthy aging and even predictors of longevity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-mobility-insights-crystal-ball.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 11:20:01 EDT news706613940