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WEDNESDAY, April 14, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Suicides did not rise in wealthier nations early in the COVID pandemic, but continued monitoring of long-term mental health and economic effects is needed, a new study says."We know that many people have had their lives changed dramatically by the pandemic, and the journey for some of them is ongoing," said lead author Jane Pirkis, director of the Centre for Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, Australia. "We need to recognize that suicide is not the only indicator of the negative mental health effects of the pandemic -- levels of community distress are high, and we need to ensure that people are supported." The new study comes days after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a nearly 6% drop in suicides in...

WEDNESDAY, April 14, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- A U.S.-wide ban on teen use of tanning beds would prevent thousands of cases of skin cancer and save millions in health care costs, researchers say.Indoor tanning has been linked to an increased risk of melanoma -- the deadliest type of skin cancer -- and the highest risk is among people who start using tanning beds at a young age. Despite that danger, many U.S. teens do.While banning the beds can save lives, only a few countries have done so."A ban on tanning bed use in minors is not universal in Canada and the U.S.," said lead author Dr. Antoine Eskander of the University of Toronto. "In Brazil and Australia there is a total ban not just in minors, while in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom,...

WEDNESDAY, April 14, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Don't forget to floss: New research adds to evidence linking gum disease with Alzheimer's disease.The mouth is home to both harmful bacteria that promote inflammation and healthy, protective bacteria, the study authors explained.In the new study, the researchers found that people who have more harmful than healthy gum bacteria were more likely to also have a protein marker for Alzheimer's disease, known as amyloid beta, in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). "To our knowledge, this is the first study showing an association between the imbalanced bacterial community found under the gumline and a CSF biomarker of Alzheimer's disease in cognitively normal older adults," said lead author Dr. Angela Kamer. She's associate professor of...

TUESDAY, April 13, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Extremely rare but life-threatening blood clots linked to the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine appear similar to those caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine approved for use in Europe and Canada, U.S. health officials said Tuesday.Federal officials called for a "pause" in use of the one-dose J&J vaccine while they review data linked to six women between 18 and 48 years of age who developed blood clots a week to two weeks after their shots. The officials stressed that decisions on whether to get the shot should be left to individuals."This is a recommendation. It's not a mandate," Dr. Peter Marks, director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said during a media briefing. "If an individual...