In a move that further toughens safety standards for lead paint dust, the Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday announced the finalization of a rule that declares any detectable amount of the toxin in a home or child care center to be hazardous. “Too often our children, the most vulnerable residents of already overburdened communities, are the most profoundly impacted by the toxic legacy of lead-based paint,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a news release announcing the new rule. “EPA is getting the lead out of communities nationwide. These protections will reduce lead exposures for hundreds of thousands of people every year, helping kids grow up healthy and meet their full potential.” How will the tougher standard accomplish that? The new rule would trigger extensive cleanup by a property owner once a doctor, public health official or other expert identifies signs of lead exposure, depending on state and local laws. It also establishes an aggressive new standard for cleanup that would reduce lead to be at the lowest detectable levels that can be measured in a lab. Lead dust can be created when lead paint crumbles or is disturbed. The EPA estimated that the rule will reduce lead exposure for up to 1.2 million people every year, including up to 326,000 children under the age of 6. “We can all breathe a little easier now that…  read on >  read on >

A “case of the Mondays” is more perilous than just the return-to-work blues, a new study warns. Suicide risk is highest on Monday in the United States and around the world, an international team of researchers has discovered. “Mondays and New Year’s Day were both associated with increased suicide risk in most countries,” concluded the team led by Yoonhee Kim, an associate professor with the University of Tokyo’s Department of Global Environmental Health. Mondays constitute 15% to 18% of total suicides, compared with other days, researchers found. Results also show that weekend suicide risk varies greatly between countries. Suicide risk is lowest on Saturdays or Sundays in many countries across North America, Asia and Europe. However, suicide risk increases during the weekend in South and Central American Countries, Finland and South Africa. For the study, researchers analyzed suicide data for 740 locations in 26 countries and territories from 1971 to 2019, including more than 1.7 million suicides. Previous studies have shown that suicide risk differs by day of the week, but results have been inconsistent, researchers said in background notes. Suicide risk increased on New Year’s Day in all countries, especially in men, the results showed. The researchers said there are several potential explanations for the increased suicide risk on Mondays and New Year’s Day. One is the “broken-promise effect theory,” which holds that people…  read on >  read on >

Most Americans say they’re stressed out over the future of the United States and the presidential election, a new poll shows. The Stress in America poll, conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA), found that 77% of adults are stressed about the future of the nation, and 69% are worried about the upcoming election. The economy is another significant source of stress, with 73% reporting worry over it. People are particularly worried about the potential fallout from the election results. About 72% said they are worried the election results could lead to violence. More than half (56%) believe the election could be the end of democracy in the United States. Further, this stress is testing people’s relationships with those close to them. About a third (32%) say the political climate has caused strain between themselves and family members, and 20% say they limit time with relatives who don’t share their views. “For nearly a decade, people have faced a political climate that is highly charged, which has led to the erosion of civil discourse and strained our relationships with our friends and our families. But isolating ourselves from our communities is a recipe for adding more stress to our lives,” said American Psychological Association CEO Arthur Evans Jr. “We must remember that the most extreme voices are often the loudest, and that the majority of…  read on >  read on >

Stress is flooding the nation as the 2024 U.S. presidential election nears its climax. This stress is only natural, but it can be managed, said Eric Storch, vice chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences with Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “There is uncertainty with change,” Storch said in a Baylor news release. “People worry about how their lives will change depending on the election results or that the elected individual may not represent them or their values — this can heighten feelings of distress throughout the election.” A new poll from the American Psychological Association shows just how distressed Americans are: About 77% of adults are stressed about the future of the nation, while 69% are worried about the upcoming election. It’s tricky to manage that stress, so Storch recommends a mixed bag of tactics to help keep it together through the end of the year: Take control over the things within your power to control, such as actively supporting your political position and voting Limit exposure to the media, which can trigger fresh stress Understand that whether your candidate wins or loses, another election will take place in the future Focus on stress relievers like physical activity, good sleep and socializing with loved ones If you find your anxiety unmanageable, seek counseling “Distress can be channeled into feelings of helplessness, or it can…  read on >  read on >