Reading Room
The reading room includes articles and videos of potential interest to consumers and medical professionals. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the NC Medical Board, its members and staff. Note: Some links may require subscriptions.
How quality sleep can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke
Medical News Today
April 23, 2024
A study published in the journal JAMA Network Open reports that midlife and older adults with healthy sleep habits have a better chance of avoiding cardiovascular disease.
Researchers used data collected between 2008 and 2018 from the Dongfeng-Tongji cohortTrusted Source, an ongoing, prospective study in Shiyan, China.
The research team looked at 15,306 individuals with an average age of 66 years with 58% being female and 42% being male. The researchers reported that 5,474 (36%) people had persistent unfavorable sleep patterns and 3,946 (26%) had persistent favorable sleep patterns.
Read More…Global loneliness epidemic hitting middle-aged Americans hardest of all
Science Alert
April 9, 2024
Middle-aged Americans are lonelier than their European counterparts. That’s the key finding of my team’s recent study, published in American Psychologist. Our study identified a trend that has been evolving for multiple generations, and affects both baby boomers and Gen Xers. Middle-aged adults in England and Mediterranean Europe are not that far behind the US. In contrast, middle-aged adults in continental and Nordic Europe reported the lowest levels of loneliness and stability over time.
Measles elimination in the U.S. is under ‘renewed threat’
NBC News
April 11, 2024
Measles has spread at a rapid clip this year. From January to March, the U.S. recorded around 30% of the total cases seen since the beginning of 2020. From 2020 through 2023, the U.S. recorded an average of five measles cases in the first quarter of each year. Those low numbers were due, in part, to the Covid pandemic, when fewer people were interacting in person. By contrast, this year’s first-quarter tally was 97, according to a report the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Thursday (4/11).
