Prolonged sitting is linked to an array of adverse health effects, even for people who are...

Philly Voice (Health) 9/13 11:00P Courtenay Harris Bond

A growing body of research shows that extended periods of sitting increase the risk of cancer and other diseases, even for people who are physically active.

Are too many Americans taking antidepressants?

Philly Voice (Health) 9/13 1:12A Andrew McLean, University of Nor

About 1 in 6 Americans take antidepressants. Some health researchers and advocates have raised concerns that too many patients are using them and that patients who want to stop taking them struggle to do so.

CDC vs. Pennsylvania: Why conflicting public health messages jeopardize public safety

Philly Voice (Health) 9/11 11:00P Katrine L. Wallace, University o

It’s easy to dismiss the squabble between the CDC and Pennsylvania as political posturing. But for people seeking accurate information about how to keep their families safe, there’s an enormous cost when health authorities no longer speak in one...

Thousands of kids breathed in dust from 9/11. Now adults, they may have health issues tied to these...

Philly Voice (Health) 9/10 11:00P Courtenay Harris Bond

The World Trade Center Health Program strives to reach young adults who may have long-term health consequences due to 9/11 dust exposure as children. The program provides free monitoring and treatment for a wide range of physical and mental...

Fake doctor reviews are all over the internet. Here's how to spot them

Philly Voice (Health) 9/9 6:02A Courtenay Harris Bond

People gravitate toward fraudulent physician reviews, partly because they tend to offer more information than real ones, a new study found. And artificial intelligence is only aggravating the problem, the researchers said.

The wait times at Pa. hospitals' emergency departments are among the longest in the country

Philly Voice (Health) 9/8 11:00P Courtenay Harris Bond

Pennsylvania hospitals have the ninth-longest emergency room wait times in the United States, according to an analysis of new federal data. Patients wait an average of 3 hours and 30 minutes from the time they enter the emergency department to...

Pa. GOP lawmakers explore increased public health reporting for tick-borne diseases

Philly Voice (Health) 9/6 1:39A Peter Hall, Pennsylvania Capital

New legislation would require health care practitioners in Pennsylvania to report cases of babesiosis, a rare malaria-like disease that is spread by deer ticks, the same species responsible for most cases of Lyme disease. It would also require...

‘Must I take all my antibiotics?’ Why infectious disease experts are rethinking this longstanding...

Philly Voice (Health) 9/5 1:25A Amy J. Mathers, University of Vi

There are two reasons why clinicians instruct people to take a full course of antibiotics: So the infection doesn’t come back, and to prevent antibiotic-resistant bacteria. But these days, clinicians are starting to rethink this approach.

Tommy John's legacy is the surgery that bears his name. But his willingness to embrace change is a...

Philly Voice (Health) 9/3 11:00P Louis Bezich

Tommy John, who died last month at 83, is best remembered for the breakthrough surgery that bears his name. But his willingness to embrace change fueled a healthy, successful life, and is a lesson for everyone looking to live healthier.

These Philly walking groups help people boost their fitness and mental health, and they welcome...

Philly Voice (Health) 9/3 2:49A Courtenay Harris Bond

Walking groups gather several times each week at 25 Philadelphia parks as part of a free program dubbed WE WALK PHL. Walkers credit the program with helping them improve their fitness and mental health, and also with providing community.

Type 1 diabetes cases in U.S. expected to rise by 37% by 2049, study finds

Philly Voice (Health) 8/31 11:00P Michaela Althouse

The number of type 1 diabetes cases in the United States is projected to rise from 1.49 million to 2.05 million — a 37.6% increase, new research suggests. The increase can be attributed to environmental factors, genetics and increased detection.

CDC leaves Pennsylvania deaths off national measles tally after vaccine spat between RFK Jr., Gov....

Philly Voice (Health) 8/31 7:42A Kristin Hunt

The CDC did not include the two measles-associated deaths that Pennsylvania confirmed when publishing its latest measles count. The move followed a public spat between HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. and Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Taxi drivers rarely die of Alzheimer's – how complex mental maps and spatial reasoning protect your...

Philly Voice (Health) 8/29 11:00P Hatim Sharif, University of Texa

Taxi and ambulance drivers are less likely than workers in almost any other job to die of Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have repeatedly found a link between mentally complex occupations and delayed cognitive decline and lower dementia risk, even...

Professional gaming is brutal on the body – inside the growing field of treating esports injuries

Philly Voice (Health) 8/28 11:00P Erica D. Henn, Temple University

Video games have a reputation for keeping people glued to the couch. But for those who compete against the best players in the world, gaming can be surprisingly physically and mentally taxing.

Rheumatoid arthritis drug also may help people with hair loss caused by severe alopecia

Philly Voice (Health) 8/26 5:47A Courtenay Harris Bond

Alopecia areata can cause severe hair loss on the head and elsewhere on the body. Upadacitinib, a rheumatoid arthritis drug branded as Rinvoq, generated 80% scalp coverage in 55% of the people receiving the medication in a clinical trial.