While health problems from childhood exposure to lead and mercury are on the decline, these and other toxic chemicals continue to take a toll, a new study reports.

The progress likely owes to decades of restrictions on use of heavy metals. But researchers from NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City said that exposure to oth... Full Page

Medical marijuana may not provide long-term relief of sleep issues in people battling chronic pain, a new study finds, mainly because users may develop a tolerance to the drug.

The finding is important "considering the aging of the population, the relatively high prevalence of sleep problems in this population, along with the increasin... Full Page

The first U.S. case of a new coronavirus illness that originated in central China has been identified in a patient in Washington State, federal health officials announced on Tuesday.

In a news briefing, officials said that the male patient was hospitalized with pneumonia last week and had recently traveled to Wuhan, a city of 11 milli... Full Page

Many American cancer survivors struggle to pay for their medical care and have to cut back on spending, dip into their savings, or change their living situation.

These problems are more common among those under 65 than among older survivors, a new survey reveals.

Researchers focused on 401 cancer survivors, ages 18 to 64, and... Full Page

Shallower-than-normal brain waves may play a role in serious sleep problems in children with autism, a new study suggests.

Previous research has shown that between 40% and 80% of children with autism have sleep issues, such as trouble falling asleep or waking frequently during the night and rising early. These problems can be s... Full Page

Young school-aged children with behavior problems may have different bacteria in their guts than their well-behaved peers, new research suggests.

The study also noted that parents may play a key role in development of the particular bacteria in their child's gut (collectively known as the microbiome). That role even extends beyond the... Full Page

Little Johnny's cough has lasted for days, leaving Mom and Dad wondering if the symptoms warrant a trip to the doctor. A new study suggests that such parents may choose to skip that standard pediatric sick visit.

Overall visits to the pediatrician in the United States dropped by 14% between 2008 and 2016. Sick visits were down 24&... Full Page

The chemicals in sunscreens help shield people from the sun's rays, but they are also absorbed into the body at levels that raise some safety questions, a new study confirms.

The study, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is a follow-up to a 2019 investigation. Both reached the same conclusion: The active ingredients in pop... Full Page

For heart attack survivors, a fat belly could mean another one is likely, a new study suggests.

Earlier studies have shown that abdominal obesity puts people at risk for their first heart attack. This new study shows it also ups the odds for a second one, researchers say.

"Abdominal obesity not only increases your risk for ... Full Page

The epidemic of addictive vaping among youth continues, with e-cigarette devices by Juul continuing to surge in popularity among teens and young adults, new research shows.

The number of Americans aged 15 to 34 who said they had at least tried one of the small, convenient Juul devices more than doubled between 2018 and 2019, researcher... Full Page

Could a simple computer hack help make a dent in the opioid epidemic?

New research suggests that the number of painkillers prescribed to patients can be reduced just by lowering default computer settings that display a preset number of pills.

That simple change led doctors at two California hospitals to prescribe fewer opioid... Full Page

It might be the last thing you want to do when you are battling a cold, but exercise might actually make you feel better, suggests one health expert.

Here's why: Physical activity boosts your heart rate and promotes healthy blood flow, and it also opens up your lungs and releases endorphins, said Dr. Jayson Loeffert, a sports medicine... Full Page

Over 2 million Americans with heart disease have used marijuana, despite evidence that it might be harmful to them, a new research review finds.

The report, published in the Jan. 28 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, comes at a time when many states are legalizing medicinal or recreational marijuana use.... Full Page

Four in 10 gun owners have at least one gun at home that isn't locked up, even if there are children in the home, a new survey suggests.

To come to that conclusion, researchers questioned nearly 3,000 people while they waited for a free gun storage device (lockbox or trigger lock) at public gun safety events in 10 cities in Washington ... Full Page

Therapy for the entire family might help kids and teens vulnerable to bipolar disorder stay healthy longer, new research suggests.

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of Colorado and Stanford University studied 127 young people from ages 9 to 17.

They analyzed two types of treatment that... Full Page

Low birth weight babies stand a better chance of surviving when their mothers hold them close throughout the day, a new study finds.

This technique is called kangaroo care because it mimics how kangaroos shield their babies in their pouch.

In women, it involves holding the newborn tightly to her body with the help of a scarf... Full Page

Most American parents believe their teens spend too much time playing video games, but many underestimate the actual amount, a new survey shows.

The poll of nearly 1,000 parents with at least one child aged 13 to 18 found that 86% said their teen spends too much time gaming.

Among parents of daily gamers, 54% report t... Full Page

"Food insecurity" -- not having enough money to afford sufficient food -- increases the risk of premature death, new research suggests.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 510,000 adults in Canada between 2005 and 2017. Over the study period, nearly 25,500 people died prematurely. The average life expectancy in Cana... Full Page

Naloxone can prevent opioid overdose deaths, but only a tiny percentage of Americans at risk are prescribed the lifesaving drug.

That's the key finding from an analysis of nationwide data on adults with private health insurance.

The researchers found that while naloxone (Evzio, Narcan) prescriptions in this group rose betwee... Full Page

Travelers from China will now have to undergo enhanced screening at three major U.S. airports for symptoms of a new coronavirus that has caused an outbreak of pneumonia in China, federal health officials said Friday.

The three airports -- San Francisco (SFO), New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX) -- receive the most travelers from centr... Full Page