Healio (11/12, Kellner ) reports, “Nearly half of adolescents who vape nicotine – and almost three-quarters of near-daily users – do so for relaxation, according to study findings.” The researchers said, “Screening for nicotine vaping alongside stress and anxiety may be an important tool for early intervention efforts because using to relax is associated with increased risk of future dependence.” The findings were published in Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “Teens vape nicotine to help them relax, survey finds,” Sara Kellner, Healio, November 12, 2024

Healio (11/12, Southall ) reports, “Significant barriers to divorce during pregnancy and reproductive health care led to serious health risks among pregnant or recently pregnant women in the U.S. between 2018 and 2021, according to results of a cross-sectional study.” Researchers found “significantly high rates of intimate partner homicide…when state law prohibited divorce finalization during pregnancy.” Investigators “specifically observed high rates of intimate partner homicide among white females aged 10 years to 24 years.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Barriers to divorce during pregnancy, reproductive care pose risks for women,” Jennifer R. Southall, Healio, November 12, 2024

The Hill (11/12, Timotija ) reports that “excessive drinking continued increasing in 2022, after rising during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers “found that heavy alcohol use from 2018 to 2020 jumped by 20 percent, and then increased another 4 percent from 2020 to 2022.” The spike “was seen in all regions of the U.S., races and genders, besides Asian Americans and Native Americans.” According to the study, “in 2023, over 69.3 percent of Americans said they had had some alcohol, a slight increase from 69.03 in 2022. … In 2018, it was 66.3 percent.” Meanwhile, “heavy drinking went up from 5.1 percent in 2018 to 6.3 percent in 2022.”

HealthDay (11/12, Foster ) reports that “the latest findings were culled from data in the National Center for Health Statistics’ National Health Interview Survey.”

Related Links:

— “Excessive drinking inches higher after pandemic increase: Research,” Filip Timotija, The Hill, November 12, 2024

MedPage Today (11/11, Putka ) reports, “Childhood asthma was associated with difficulties with memory and other cognitive functions, according to an observational cohort study.” In an “analysis, children with earlier onset of asthma had lower rates of memory improvements as measured by the Picture Sequence Memory Test compared with those without asthma.” Researchers found that “when children with later-onset asthma were compared with the kids without asthma, no such difference was observed.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links: — MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

HealthDay (11/11, Thompson ) reports, “Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder can influence a child’s weight in ways that will shape their long-term health, a new study says.” Children “with AD/HD tend to have lower birth weight, which increases their risk of developmental delays and health problems, researchers in the U.K. found.” However, “these kids also are more likely to develop obesity after age 5, a weight swing that can place even more risk upon their health in adulthood, researchers said.” The findings were published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “How ADHD May Influence a Child’s Weight,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, November 11, 2024