Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
More Americans With HIV Hit By Rare Meningococcal Infections Last Year
Patients with HIV in the United States saw an increase in rare, deadly meningococcal infections last year, new preliminary data shows. Nearly 10% of all meningococcal disease cases in 2022 were among people with HIV, according to a report published Thursday afternoon by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Kekatos, 6/15)
In other health and wellness news 鈥
Alcohol use has been linked to 61 different diseases, most of which had not been identified as having drinking-related outcomes by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to a new study.聽Beyond the more widely known conditions 鈥 such as liver cirrhosis, stroke and gastric cancers 鈥 a new study identified links to diseases including gout, cataracts, ulcers and some fractures, according to a press release announcing the findings. (Rudy, 6/15)
Several Arizona marijuana establishments have voluntarily recalled certain products over potential contamination with Aspergillus and Salmonella. Arizona is one of 23 states that has legalized marijuana for recreational use. ... Three samples that were positive for Salmonella鈥擟ap's Frozen Lemon, Twisted Lemonz, and Ghost Train Haze鈥攊nvolved live resin concentrate. The one that yielded Aspergillus was plant trim, a product called Cherry Punch. (Schnirring, 6/15)
The US Food and Drug Administration yesterday warned consumers and retailers in Hawaii, Georgia, and Minnesota about certain frozen raw oysters imported from South Korea that may be contaminated with norovirus. Hawaiian health officials reported five illnesses in restaurant customers who ate the oysters, and norovirus GII has been detected in two product samples. Minnesota also reported five illnesses, likewise involving people who ate oysters at restaurants. The affected products were also distributed in Georgia. (Schnirring, 6/15)
Taking stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin without having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD,聽the condition for which they are commonly prescribed, can result in decreased productivity, according to a new study. The medications have been widely used by people who don't actually have an ADHD diagnosis but believe they might boost focus or productivity. (Moniuszko, 6/15)
People who prefer to go to bed and get up later 鈥 a sleep chronotype known as being a night owl 鈥 may die early from bad habits they develop when they stay up late, according to a new study. (LaMotte, 6/16)
How old do you feel? Odds are the age you feel does not match up with the number of candles you blow out on your birthday cake. Middle-aged and older adults tend to feel younger than their chronological age, research shows. Many adults feel a few years to decades younger, and this may be a good thing. A younger subjective age is correlated with better overall health and can serve as a 鈥渂iopsychosocial marker鈥 predictive of healthy aging beyond chronological age, studies show. (Sima, 6/15)
Full-time workers nationwide need to earn more than $23 hourly to afford a modest one-bedroom rental, according to a new report.聽... The report also found there are no states where minimum wage workers putting in 40 hours weekly can afford a modest two-bedroom rental. A worker earning minimum wage must work an average of 104 hours per week to earn enough to pay for it. (Barnes, 6/15)