Cleveland Clinic survey reveals insights into women’s health
A new national survey of women in the U.S. by Cleveland Clinic, in collaboration with YouGov, highlights knowledge gaps, barriers to care, and growing interest among women in clinical research participation. The results come ahead of National Women’s Health Awareness month, which is May.
The survey revealed that many women are not aware of how certain health conditions impact women and men differently. For example, despite nearly two-thirds of Alzheimer’s disease diagnoses being in women, 32% of women believe it affects both sexes equally. Similarly, 31% of women believe stroke affects women and men equally, even though it’s more common and fatal for women. In addition, even though heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States, 62% of women don’t realize it impacts women and men at similar rates.
Annual report: Cancer deaths continue to decline
The annual cancer statistics report from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), published in the journal Cancer in April, shows some signs of progress in America’s fight against the disease. Overall, rates of new cancer diagnoses and cancer-related deaths have declined. Between 2018 and 2022, cancer death rates have decreased by 1.7% each year for men and 1.3% for women, the report stated.
Measles jumps borders in North America with outbreaks in Canada, Mexico and U.S.
North America’s three biggest measles outbreaks continue to increase, with more than 2,500 known cases; three people have died in the U.S. and one in Mexico, according to AP News. Mexican and U.S. officials also say the genetic strains of measles spreading in Canada match the other large outbreaks. Recent World Health Organization report said measles activity in the Americas region is up elevenfold from the same time last year and that the risk level is “high” compared to the rest of the world’s “moderate” level, according to AP News.
Study finds social factors explain poorer cardiovascular health in rural areas
A study published by the National Institutes of Health found that adults living in rural areas have worse cardiovascular health than those in urban communities due to social factors such as income, education, having enough food and owning a home. The agency found that those living in rural rather than urban areas were more likely to have heart disease (7% vs. 4%), high blood pressure (37% vs. 31%), high cholesterol (29% vs. 27%), obesity (41% vs. 30%) and diabetes (11% vs. 10%).