Drug overdoses and suicide are common causes of death among women who die within a year of giving birth, a new study finds. In fact, in the study based on data from California, these two causes accounted for nearly 20% of postpartum deaths from 2010 to 2012. “These deaths are rare but devastating for families,” said study co-author Claire Margerison, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Michigan State University, in East Lansing. “We need to place more emphasis on prevention.” For the study, Margerison and her colleagues analyzed more than 1 million medical records from California hospitals. While maternal death rates during and after pregnancy are rising nationwide, California is below the national average. Even so, drug overdose was the second-leading cause of death among California women in the first year after giving birth. Suicide ranked seventh. Suicide and fatal overdoses were more common among white and poor women, the study found. The data aren’t sufficient to identify trends but could inform future studies, the researchers said. The findings, however, might be a sign of what’s occurring across the country. Although maternal death rates have dropped in California because of efforts to improve care, mental health and drug abuse continue to affect many new mothers. Some of these deaths might reflect stigmas that stop women from getting help for mental health and drug…  read on >

Fifty-six of America’s 500 biggest cities have major gaps in life expectancy between neighborhoods, a new study reveals. These gaps can mean people in one neighborhood live 20 to 30 years longer than those just a mile away — and the inequalities are prevalent in cities with high levels of racial and ethnic segregation, according to New York University researchers. They said their findings should be a wake-up call for city leaders nationwide. “Your neighborhood shouldn’t influence your odds of seeing your grandchildren grow up,” said lead researcher Dr. Marc Gourevitch, chairman of the department of population health at NYU Langone Health System. His colleague, co-author Benjamin Spoer, said researchers have known for a while that conditions from neighborhood to neighborhood can have “profound influence” on how long and how well people live. “But we were surprised to see just how large the gap in life expectancy can be between neighborhoods, and how strong the link was between life expectancy and segregation, across all different kinds and sizes of cities,” Spoer said in an NYU news release. Chicago had the biggest gap in life expectancy between neighborhoods at 30.1 years. That was followed by Washington, D.C., at 27.5 years; New York City, 27.4; and New Orleans and Buffalo, N.Y., both at 25.8 years. Scores on measures of racial and ethnic segregation in these cities were…  read on >

If you or a family member has asthma, your doctor has most likely mapped out the steps you need to take to treat an asthma flare. Creating a healthier home by minimizing your triggers can be as effective as medication for reducing symptoms and flares, according to a study from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Triggers include indoor pollutants like cigarette smoke and gas stoves, as well as allergens such as mold, pets and pests — from dust mites that hide in bedding to cockroaches. One approach is to talk to your doctor about allergen-specific immunoglobulin E antibody tests or skin testing to identify the allergens that affect you most. Then you can map out a strategy to rid your home of the worst offenders. HEPA or “high-efficiency particulate air purifiers” do a great job of removing airborne allergens. True HEPA devices can trap particles in the air that are as small as 0.3 microns — that’s less than 1/25,000 of an inch. HEPA filters are available for your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, and for specially equipped vacuum cleaners. Protect mattresses and pillows with zippered allergen-proof covers, and launder bed linens regularly in hot water followed by a hot spin in the dryer, experts at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology suggest. To prevent mold, keep your kitchen, bathrooms and basement…  read on >

It’s not just Moms: Just ahead of Father’s Day, a new survey finds that about half of American dads say they’ve been criticized about their parenting styles. The way they enforced discipline topped the list of things naysayers called them to task on, with two-thirds of critiques focused on that subject. Forty-four percent of the time, the criticism came from a family member, often the other child-rearing partner, the findings showed. “Addressing a child’s misbehavior is one of the greatest challenges of parenting, and parents aren’t always on the same page when it comes to expectations and consequences,” said survey co-director Sarah Clark, of the University of Michigan. That could prove problematic for families, Clark said. “Inconsistency between parents in responding to a child’s behavior can send mixed messages to the child, and result in conflict and criticism between parents,” she explained in a university news release. The next big topic for dad shaming involved the kinds of food men gave their kids (40% of critiques). Not paying enough attention to the children was also an issue of contention, as was the accusation that dad-child playtime could get too rough — about one-third of fathers said they’d felt judged for these two things. Other issues raised had to do with how a dad’s parenting style impacted a child’s sleep habits, safety or overall appearance. The…  read on >

Obesity can worsen multiple sclerosis symptoms, researchers say. Their study involved 140 patients with the relapsing-remitting form of MS, which means patients have periods of attacks (relapses), followed by periods of remission with no or few symptoms. The researchers found that obesity at the time of diagnosis was associated with more severe disability. The reason: increased inflammation. The researchers looked at the connection between the autoimmune disease, which can produce pain, stiffness and loss of balance, and excess weight. They checked levels of inflammation in the central nervous system, and levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. They found that obese patients have higher levels of two proteins that promote inflammation — interleukin-6 and leptin, which is produced by fat cells. Excessively heavy patients also had lower levels of interleukin-13, an anti-inflammatory agent. Higher triglycerides and higher HDL cholesterol previously have been linked to higher IL-6 levels, the researchers pointed out. “This study confirms that obesity is associated with greater symptomatic severity of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis,” said study co-author Dr. Mario Stampanoni Bassi, a neurologist at Neuromed Mediterranean Neurological Institute in Pozzilli, Italy. “Our results therefore suggest that excessive body weight, or altered lipid profile, are associated to increased central inflammation,” he said in an institute news release. This causes symptoms to worsen. Body weight and high cholesterol or triglycerides are implicated in various chronic inflammatory conditions,…  read on >

About 22% of people who live in conflict areas suffer from mental health problems, a new study review finds. Common problems include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, according to the World Health Organization. About 9% have a moderate to severe mental health condition. These conclusions are based on a review of 129 previously published studies. The numbers are significantly higher than the global estimate of 1 in 14 in the general population. Researchers said earlier studies underestimated how living in war zones and other conflict areas affects mental health. They found that depression and anxiety increased with age, and said depression was more common in women than men. Mild mental health conditions were the most common (13%). An estimated 4% of conditions were moderate, and 5% were severe. The report was published June 11 in the journal The Lancet. “I am confident that our study provides the most accurate estimates available today of the prevalence of mental health conditions in areas of conflict,” lead author Fiona Charlson said in a journal news release. She is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Queensland in Australia and the University of Washington in Seattle. Conflict areas today include Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen. In 2016, the number of wars was at a historic high — with 53 ongoing conflicts…  read on >

Much research has explored the mental and physical health benefits of maintaining social contacts well into later life. Studies also show that maintaining sexual health can have profound benefits that may include slowing down the aging process. Besides the exercise value of sex, research has found that sexual pleasure and intimacy may help ease everyday aches and pains, with effects that can last for a few days. Having frequent sex can boost your mood and even lead to a better outlook when you’re at work the next day — increasing both your job satisfaction and engagement. Add heart health to the list. A study of men in their 50s published in the American Journal of Cardiology found that having sex at least twice a week was associated with a 45% lower risk of heart disease compared to less frequent sex. It also showed that low sexual frequency may be linked to erectile dysfunction. A separate study found that quality rather than quantity seems to protect women from heart disease in later life. Other research has linked sex to some surprising benefits, such as boosting immune function. Though it might not seem like something you’d want to engage in during a migraine or cluster headache, a study published in Cephalalgia found that it can bring about partial or even total pain relief. And, last but not…  read on >