Headed to the beach or park for a little fresh air? Don’t forget your sun protection, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) advises. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, affecting one in five Americans, but many don’t protect themselves from harmful UV rays. Sixty percent of respondents to an AAD survey said they had had such a bad sunburn their clothes were uncomfortable, and 43% hurt too much to sleep. “Sunburns are highly preventable, but each year, one in three U.S. adults gets sunburned,” said AAD president Dr. Bruce Thiers. “As dermatologists, we know that unprotected exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays is a major risk factor for skin cancer,” he said in an academy news release. “It only takes a few simple steps to protect yourself from the sun, and it can reduce your risk of getting sunburns, skin cancer and premature skin aging, such as wrinkles and age spots.” To protect yourself, the AAD recommends: Seek shade when the sun’s rays are strongest, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Rule of thumb: If your shadow is shorter than you are, seek shade. Wear sun-protective clothing, including a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection. Use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher on areas not covered by clothing.…  read on >

An Alzheimer’s diagnosis is devastating, no matter your sex. But the disease strikes far more women than men. Journalist and author Maria Shriver is determined to help researchers figure out why women make up two-thirds of those with Alzheimer’s disease. And why certain races and ethnicities are harder hit, too. “Some of the biggest research challenges in terms of gender disparity reach back to the many years of neglect by researchers to include women in their studies,” said Shriver, 64. “The lack of female representation in scientific research has left critical gaps in knowledge about the gender differences that exist in our unique bodies and responses to treatment. So we’re starting out from behind,” she explained. To address some of these issues, Shriver founded the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement (WAM). In partnership with AARP, her group just released a new report called “It’s Time to Act: The Challenges of Alzheimer’s and Dementia for Women.” Seventy-five Alzheimer’s and dementia researchers contributed to the report, which includes a 10-year strategic plan for researchers, policymakers and caregivers. During a virtual meeting to announce the report, Jo Anne Jenkins, CEO of AARP, said, “The lifetime risk for women to develop Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia after age 45 is estimated to be one in five. For men it’s one in 10.” And the report noted that by the time…  read on >

Four of the earliest U.S. cases of a rare inflammatory syndrome in kids with COVID-19 are described in a study that offers insight into the condition. The four children — aged 5, 10, 12 and 13 — arrived at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City with what is known as exaggerated cytokine storm, an abnormal autoimmune response to the new coronavirus. Nasal swab tests for the virus were negative, but antibody testing confirmed previous COVID-19 infection. The previously healthy children were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit and were given intravenous immunoglobulin and tocilizumab, an immunosuppressive drug often used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Study co-author Dr. Jennifer Sanders said severe reactions to COVID-19 infection in kids remain rare. But even if their initial infection was very mild, some become critically ill several weeks later due to this exaggerated immune response. It’s known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C. Sanders is an assistant professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The cases underscore the need for emergency doctors to be on the lookout for the syndrome among kids who have been infected with COVID-19, even if they initially appear to be well, said Dr. Temima Waltuch, a pediatric emergency medicine fellow. “This syndrome appears to be its own entity but patients are presenting with symptoms…  read on >

People with physically demanding jobs take more sick leave. They also have higher unemployment rates and shorter work lives, a new Danish study finds. “This study showed that high physical work demands are a marked risk factor for a shortened expected working life and increased years of sickness absence and unemployment,” study co-author Lars Andersen and colleagues wrote. Andersen is with the National Research Center for the Working Environment in Copenhagen. For the study, the researchers looked at people ages 30, 40 and 50 in Denmark who had a job as of November 2013. The investigators examined their periods of sick leave, unemployment and disability pension payments until 2017. More men than women had physically demanding jobs, such as carpentry, masonry, painting, plumbing, cleaning and manufacturing. Men with such jobs were an average of nearly three years younger than men in physically undemanding jobs, while women in physically demanding jobs were about 10 months older than those in physically undemanding jobs. For both men and women, physically demanding jobs were strongly associated with shorter work life (years worked until retirement), and more sick leave and unemployment, compared with physically undemanding jobs. For men age 30, working life would be expected to last almost 32 years for those with physically demanding jobs and nearly 34 years for those with physically undemanding jobs. Among women, the figures…  read on >

With many beaches and parks opening in time for Memorial Day, the American Cancer Society is reminding people to practice sun safety. Overexposing yourself to the sun increases your risk for skin cancer, which is the most common cancer in the United States, with almost 5.5 million cases each year. That’s more than breast, colon, lung and prostate cancers combined. “COVID-19 has forced Americans to remain indoors, and many people are anxious to get back to outdoor activities with some stay-at-home orders being lifted,” said Dr. Laura Makaroff, senior vice president of prevention and early detection at the American Cancer Society (ACS). “As more people get outside, practicing social distancing and avoiding crowded areas is still very important to reduce the risk of COVID transmission, and it is also important to not forget the risks of sun exposure and sunburn and take appropriate steps to protect your skin,” Makaroff said in an ACS news release. One of every 5 Americans will have some type of skin cancer in their lifetime. Melanoma, the deadliest type accounts for about 1% of all skin cancer cases, the ACS said. But skin cancer is very preventable. More than 90% of skin cancers are caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or indoor tanning. You can reduce the risk of skin cancer by: Not intentionally getting a sunburn…  read on >

Carrying excess pounds can be painful, literally. A new study finds that being overweight or obese ups the risk of pain in people with musculoskeletal disorders. “Pain, osteoarthritis and weight share a complicated relationship,” said study author Dr. Diana Higgins. She’s a researcher with the VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University School of Medicine. “Overall, the more weight a patient with a musculoskeletal disorder carries, the more likely they are to report experiencing pain, which may affect functioning and quality of life,” Higgins said in a VA news release. Researchers analyzed data on nearly 2 million U.S. veterans with musculoskeletal disorders, such as non-traumatic joint disorder; arthritis; low back, back or neck pain. Overall, 58% said they had pain. Nearly eight in 10 patients were overweight or obese. The higher a patient’s body mass index (BMI), the more likely they were to report pain. BMI is an estimate of body fat based on weight and height. Compared to those of normal weight, those with moderate obesity (BMI of 35 to 39) were 9% more likely to report pain. And those with severe obesity (BMI of 40 or higher) were 23% more likely. The connection between excess weight and increased risk of pain was strongest in patients with arthritis, with 40% of overweight patients and 55% of severely obese patients reporting pain. The association between…  read on >