Effects of segregation negatively impact health
A groundbreaking multidisciplinary study on African-American health in St. Louis, ‘For the Sake of All,’ releases its fourth brief. This one examines the long-term effects of how segregation affects access to health-promoting resources and health outcomes such as chronic disease and death.
Pregnancies more likely in teens who smoke, drink and use drugs
High school students who smoke, drink, use drugs or engage in other risky behaviors also are more likely to become pregnant or to impregnate a sexual partner, according to new research from psychiatry researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. And it wasn’t just one pregnancy. Those involved in risky activities had an even greater risk for multiple pregnancies.
Dangerous lung worms found in people who eat raw crayfish
Doctors at the School of Medicine have diagnosed a rare parasitic infection in six people who had consumed raw crayfish from streams and rivers in Missouri.
Cigarette smoking impedes tendon-to-bone healing
Copyright The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. Used with permission.Increased cell proliferation in the saline solution group (B) compared to the nicotine group (A)Orthopaedic surgery researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified yet another reason not to smoke. Studying rotator cuff injury in rats, the research team found exposure to nicotine delays tendon-to-bone healing, suggesting this could cause failure of rotator cuff repair following surgery in human patients. This study, the first to evaluate the effects of nicotine on rotator cuff repair, found that inflammation persisted longer in the shoulder joints of rats exposed to nicotine. The researchers also noted less cellular proliferation and decreased collagen production, indications of poor healing. More…
Heavy backpacks cause thousands of injuries to children each year
Backpacks are intended for convenience, but they can also be a source of pain for children who lug them around. Thousands of kids report injuries due to backpacks each year. Overloaded packs and improper usage are often the culprits in these injuries. Matthew Dobbs, a WUSM pediatrician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, outlines the risks of wearing a backpack and preventative measures that can be taken in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.