Latest news with #riskfactors
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Illinois launches tool to help students facing trauma
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The state of Illinois has unveiled a new tool to help children facing trauma. The compares different risk factors a student could face. It factors in statistics like a certain school district's access to health care, the graduation rate, and food insecurity. Knowing what specifically the children of a community need can let leaders prepare them for a better future. 'School districts across the state are impacted by the trauma that that students face in home or in their communities on a daily basis,' Illinois State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders said. 'And this is just one more tool to help not just school districts, but also policymakers make decisions that are in the best interest of those children.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Heart disease the leading threat to American women. How to identify warning signs.
Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S., yet many remain unaware of its warning signs and risk factors.
Medscape
24-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Dementia Risk May Follow a Geographic Pattern
TOPLINE: Dementia incidence varied significantly by US region in a new study, with the Southeast showing a 25% higher risk and the Northwest and Rocky Mountains each showing a 23% higher risk compared to the Mid-Atlantic. Investigators said the findings highlight the need for a geographically tailored approach to address dementia risk factors and diagnostic services. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a cohort study using data from the US Veterans Health Administration for more than 1.2 million older adults without dementia (mean age, 73.9 years; 98%% men) from 1999 to 2021. The average follow-up was 12.6 years. Ten geographical regions across the US were defined using the CDC National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion definition. The diagnosis of dementia was made using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revision codes from inpatient and outpatient visits. TAKEAWAY: Dementia incidence rates per 1000 person-years were lowest in the Mid-Atlantic (11.2; 95% CI, 11.1-11.4) and highest in the Southeast (14.0; 95% CI, 13.8-14.2). After adjusting for demographics, compared with the Mid-Atlantic region, dementia incidence was highest in the Southeast (rate ratio [RR], 1.25), followed by the Northwest and Rocky Mountains (RR for both, 1.23), South (RR, 1.18), Southwest (RR, 1.13), and Midwest and South Atlantic (RR for both, 1.12). The Great Lakes and Northeast regions had < a 10% difference in incidence. Results remained consistent after adjusting for rurality and cardiovascular comorbidities, and after accounting for competing risk for death. IN PRACTICE: 'This study provides valuable insights into the regional variation in dementia incidence among US veterans in that we observed more than 20% greater incidence in several regions compared with the Mid-Atlantic region,' the investigators wrote. 'By identifying areas with the highest incidence rates, resources can be better allocated and targeted interventions designed to mitigate the impact of dementia on vulnerable populations,' they added. SOURCE: This study was led by Christina S. Dintica, PhD, University of California, San Francisco. It was published online on June 9 in JAMA Neurology. LIMITATIONS: This study population was limited to US veterans, limiting the generalizability of the findings. Education level was defined using educational attainment rates in the participants' zip codes rather than individual data. Additionally, because residential history was limited to a single location per participant, migration patterns could not be tracked. DISCLOSURES: This study was supported by grants from the Alzheimer's Association, the National Institute on Aging, and the Department of Defense. One author reported serving on data and safety monitoring boards for studies sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, as well as holding advisory board membership and receiving personal fees from industry. Full details are listed in the original article. The other four investigators reported no relevant financial conflicts. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A Study Has Revealed The Biggest Risk Factors For Getting Early Dementia, And Knowledge Is Power
A recent study by the University of Exeter and Maastricht University published in JAMA Neurology has identified some of the factors that can lead to early cases of dementia ― some of which may surprise you. The data analyzed the behaviors of over 350,000 participants younger than 65 across the United Kingdom to evaluate young-onset dementia, which occurs before age 65. The researchers found there are 15 common issues that can contribute to the early development of the condition. A few have to do with genetics and other elements outside our control, but many others are modifiable. The study is meaningful to experts because it 'looks at young-onset dementia risk factors in a way that has only been done in late-onset dementias previously,' according to Dr. Kevin Bickart, an assistant professor in neurology at the University of California Los Angeles Health's David Geffen School of Medicine. The study features 'a very large sample that was prospectively followed from healthy baseline to a dementia diagnosis with lots of data collection.' Here's what to know: The biggest risk factors for young-onset dementia: Related: "This Has Taken Me Years And Years And YEARS To Figure Out": This Woman's Clever Way To Tell If Someone Is Your Real Friend Is Being Called The Most Accurate Thing Ever Related: 25 Eye-Opening Confessions From A Trauma Therapist That Changed The Way I Think About Mental Health The large-scale study looked at 39 possible risk factors and determined that 15 of them made the biggest difference when it came to developing dementia before the age of 65. Those include: Social isolation Lower formal education Lower socioeconomic status Carrying two copies of the APOE gene (a marker that influences Alzheimer's risk) Vitamin D deficiency Hearing impairment Alcohol use disorder No alcohol use (abstinence) Depression High C-reactive protein levels Lower handgrip strength (physical frailty) Orthostatic hypotension (a form of low blood pressure) Stroke Diabetes Heart disease Although some recognized risks are out of many people's control ― like being a carrier of the APOE gene or your socioeconomic status ― others can be managed through lifestyle changes. What you can do to lower your risk of early-onset dementia. Overall, the study results are consistent with what medical experts have been advising patients for years. Dr. Arman Fesharaki-Zadeh, an assistant professor of psychiatry and of neurology at the Yale School of Medicine, recommended three 'lifestyle measures' that folks may want to consider when trying to lower their risk of young-onset dementia ― starting with physical exercise. 'An active daily exercise practice can have far-reaching benefits, which include enhanced neurocognitive function,' Fesharaki-Zadeh said, adding that physical activity can boost neurogenesis (the formation of new neurons and synapses), vasculogenesis (the creation of new blood vessels) while also providing inherent mood benefits. Next, focus on eating nourishing foods. Fesharaki-Zadeh championed a Mediterranean-based diet, mentioning its well-documented benefits. 'Such dietary practice, which includes food groups such as green leafy vegetables, olive oil, salmon and blueberries, is rich in vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, as well as antioxidants ― all neuroprotective factors,' he explained. Fesharaki-Zadeh recommended cognitive, mood and social stimulation to keep your mind sharp. For cognitive stimulation, this could look like learning a new language or attending a seminar, listening to music or dancing. Basically, anything that engages your mind will help it stay healthy. Mood stimulation, on the other hand, relates to stress reduction practices, 'such as mindfulness and yoga,' Fesharaki-Zadeh said. As for social stimulation, it's pretty simple: Try to connect with other humans face-to-face and actually talk to them as much as possible. 'In the era of pandemic and now post-pandemic, quality social connections should increasingly be encouraged and practiced,' Fesharaki-Zadeh said. While these habits don't cover the whole list of dementia risk factors, they are a pretty solid article originally appeared on HuffPost. Also in Goodful: Therapists Are Revealing The Moments That Made Them Break Their "No Judgment" Rule, And I'm Honestly Speechless Also in Goodful: 19 "Garbage" Modern Trends People Refuse To Partake In Despite Their Popularity Also in Goodful: Medical Professionals Are Sharing "Mundane" Things That Actually Make So Many People Sick
Medscape
12-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Do You Know Your Brain Care Score?
Despite most strokes being preventable, someone in the US experiences a stroke every 40 seconds. Noor F. Shaik, MD, PhD Could a new risk score focused on the brain help change that? The McCance Brain Care Score (BCS) aims to empower patients and practitioners to better care for their brains. We already have the American Heart Association's (AHA) PREVENT online calculator for predicting the 10- and 30-year risk for heart attack, stroke, and heart failure, as well as the Framingham Risk Calculator that estimates 10-year risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, including strokes and heart attacks. While they incorporate variations of the known modifiable risk factors, the BCS takes a more holistic, patient-forward approach and addresses dementia and late-life depression. Here are some aspects that make it stand out to me. 1. Intuitive scoring system. The BCS incorporates well-known modifiable risk factors (eg, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, alcohol use) into a 21-point score rather than a risk percentage. Each risk factor gets a number. For hypertension, the biggest modifiable contributor to stroke risk, this ranges from 0 to 3, with more points for better blood pressure control. The McCance Brain Care Score 2. Gamification of health. Adding the points across several modifiable risk factors yields a score of up to 21, with higher scores linked to better neurologic outcomes. A 5-point higher BCS was associated with an approximate 50% lower risk for stroke in those under 60 years of age. This scoring system capitalizes on the gamification of health, a concept that is increasingly popular because of health apps and wearables such as the Apple Watch and FitBit. Nearly 1 in 3 US adults use health wearables that may nudge them toward health-promoting behaviors such as hitting benchmarks for daily steps or weekly physical activity. Gamification tactics have been shown to improve medication adherence; whether they can lead to sustained behavioral changes remains to be seen. I like the idea of improving people's health while making it a fun challenge to get a 'high' score. 3. Practicality. The BCS presents the modifiable risk factors as opportunities for change and capitalizes on this by giving people goals. For example, the score provides multiple ways to get points for a healthier diet, such as eating 4.5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day or less than 36 oz of sweetened beverages (such as juice and soda) per week. The targets are specific, measurable, and realistic. 4. Widespread applicability and generalizability. Another highlight of the BCS is that it can be used by anyone, even those who have already had a stroke. The score also incorporates risk factors tied to dementia and late-life depression. Given that dementia cases are expected to double by 2060, this has broad application. The BCS shares risk factors with cardiovascular disease and multiple cancers, allowing people to use it to reduce their chances of multiple diseases. For example, in UK adults aged 40-69 years, a 5-point higher BCS was associated with a 43% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and a 31% lower risk for leading cancers (specifically, a 66% lower risk for lung cancer, 21% lower risk for colorectal cancer, and 16% lower risk for breast cancer). 5. Increasing popularity. The score is very new. The first validation study was published less than 2 years ago. But since then, there have been at least five other papers on the score's utility, and the questionnaire has even been adapted by The New York Times . Have you or any of your patients taken the BCS? It might be a fun poster to have in your doctor's office or waiting room, and it could serve as a focal point to discuss positive habits and opportunities for change. With these strategies, we can empower our patients to proactively reduce their risk for stroke, heart disease, and cancer, and help them live longer, healthier lives.
