Parts of southeastern Pennsylvania with higher rates of Alzheimer’s disease mortality had levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances that exceed federal minimums, according to data from Temple University researchers.
Findings from the ecological study were presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2026. Erin Kulick, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Temple, said the Alzheimer’s disease mortality rate in the study area is approximately 13% higher than the overall U.S. rate.
“Regardless of sex, we saw overall that the highest exposure

Click here to read the At Issue to this Healio Exclusive.
When new technology is developed, even one that seems revolutionary or inevitable, skepticism is normal.
John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, remembers the initial rollout of self-driving cars and some of the disaster stories he saw in the early days after that technology became available to the public. However, he told Healio | OSN — as he headed to the office in a self-driving car — this innovation has made him much more comfortable with something that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.
“I’m shocked how good it is,” he said,

Despite advances in medical therapy to decrease morbidity and mortality in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, age-adjusted mortality rates in 2021 were higher than in 1999, and rates of hospitalizations have increased since 2014.
This highlights the ongoing need for optimizing patient care through improved prescribing of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT). The four pillars of GDMT shown to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with HFrEF are renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors (angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor [ARNI] preferred over ACE

Family-centered behavioral therapy induced greater reductions in median BMI than standard of care for children and adolescents with obesity, according to findings from the TEAM UP trial published in JAMA Pediatrics.
In a randomized clinical trial conducted at 41 primary care practices, children were randomly assigned to participate in family-based behavioral treatment plus enhanced standard of care or enhanced standard of care alone for 18 months. A greater decrease in BMI and larger improvement in quality of life was seen with family-based behavioral treatment, though both groups experienced

There is low public awareness of lung cancer screening and mortality, and many adults have not talked about their lung cancer risk with their doctor, according to survey results.
These findings come from the American Lung Association’s Lung Health Barometer, a national survey conducted biennially, and in time for World Lung Cancer Day on Aug. 1.
“Clinicians should note the low awareness of lung cancer screening and that 76% of respondents have not spoken with their doctor about their risk for lung cancer, suggesting an opportunity for them to initiate these conversations with patients,

In five U.S. states with established lone star tick populations, 24% of individuals were estimated to test positive for alpha-gal IgE, according to findings published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
“Diagnosis of alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) should begin with a detailed clinical history,” Eleanor F. Saunders, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine at UNC Health, told Healio. “If the patient reports symptoms consistent with AGS, then it is appropriate to send alpha-gal IgE testing. This study shows what a high proportion of the population in some areas would test positive for alpha-gal

World Lung Cancer Day is observed each year on Aug. 1 to raise awareness about lung cancer, highlight the need for more research and to help overcome the stigma associated with the disease.
In conjunction with World Lung Cancer Day, Healio presents important updates on lung cancer prevention, active surveillance, the impact of obesity on survival, and more.

Many rheumatic medications can be used with confidence in the pregnancy setting.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Many medications used in rheumatology are safe in pregnancy, and most patients with rheumatic diseases can have successful pregnancies, said a presenter at the 2026 Rheumatology Nurses Society annual conference.
“It is important to remember that a large proportion of our rheumatology patients can have successful pregnancies,” Cuoghi Edens, MD, an associate professor of internal medicine and pediatrics in the sections of rheumatology and pediatric rheumatology at the University of Chicago

HHS launched The Real Food Show on July 30. What nutrition education research shows about whether cooking media changes eating habits.

Parotid and salivary gland tumors wrap around the facial nerve. Why most are benign, and why surgical timing is a genuine judgment call.