Author: Melissa Patrick
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Surgeon general calls youth e-cigarette use a public health threat
image Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids The Office of the U.S. Surgeon General issued its first report on electronic cigarettes Dec. 8, calling them a “major public health concern” for youth....
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Ky. again No.1 in adult smoking: 25.9 percent, just ahead of W.Va.
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Once again, Kentucky ranks first for its adult smoking rates, barely inching ahead of West Virginia to take back the first place spot, according...
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Many Kentuckians on Obamacare have higher deductibles, fewer options and fewer providers; signup deadline extended to Dec. 19
Kentuckians who are signing up for health insurance through the federal exchange are not only facing higher prices and fewer plan options, they are also finding fewer doctors and hospital...
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Rep. Tom Burch, ousted as House Health and Welfare chair by Republican takeover, gives the gavel to Rep. Addia Wuchner
Rep. Tom Burch By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News FRANKFORT, Ky. – After 30 years as chair of the House Health and Welfare Committee, Rep. Tom Burch of Louisville is out, due...
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It’s never too late to stop smoking, study finds; Kentucky offers help at 1-800-QUIT-NOW
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News It’s never too late to reap the health benefits of quitting smoking, a new study finds. “Even participants who quit smoking as recently as...
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Baby Boomers’ number: 4.8% of older adults in U.S. used marijuana in 2013, up from 2.8% a decade ago
As the number of older adults using marijuana increases, researchers say more information is needed to determine the effects of the drug on seniors. “Given the unprecedented aging of the...
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Got a virus? You don’t need an antibiotic but you might get one; Kentucky leads the nation in outpatient antibiotic prescriptions
Antibiotics don’t cure illnesses caused by viruses, and can even cause “dire consequences” when used inappropriately, so it’s important to take them only when necessary, says a news release from the state Cabinet...
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Obese children 9 to 11 should be tested for fatty liver disease; almost 20 percent of Kentucky’s children are obese
Obese children from 9 to 11 should be screened for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, according to new guidelines endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Fatty liver disease is not...
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Huge new health law has provisions for research, opioids, mental health, faster approval of drugs and medical devices, and more
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Congress passed legislation Wednesday, Dec. 7 that will, among other things, increase funding for medical research and speed up the federal approval of new...
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UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging gets grant of nearly $1 million to test new Alzheimer’s ‘drug candidate’ on humans
The University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging has been awarded a grant to develop new prevention treatments for Alzheimers. The Alzheimer’s Association awarded a “Part of the Cloud Translational...