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EVERYTHING
Binge Drinking Rates Rising Among Young Women
What: A study in JAMA found that from 2021 to 2023, more women ages 18-25 reported binge drinking (31%) versus men of the same age (30%), a reversal of previous years' trends. From 2017 to 2019 around 22% of women that age reported binge drinking in the past month, compared to around 29% of men the same age.
Key Line: “'Sex-based differences in alcohol use have narrowed over the last decade,' Bryant Shuey, MD, MPH, a clinician investigator in the Center for Research on Health Care and an assistant professor in the department of general internal medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues wrote. 'Alcohol-related liver disease and mortality have increased more rapidly among young and middle-aged adult females than males, a trend that worsened beginning in 2020.'”
Source: HCPLive
BIRTH CONTROL
CDC Team Behind Contraceptive Care Guidelines Fired
What: Science reports that HHS Sec. Kennedy fired the entire team at the CDC that was responsible for updating contraceptive care guidelines for physicians. The guidelines provided crucial information on safe and effective birth control methods for patients with various medical conditions.
Key Line: "...CDC scientists who developed, and physicians who used, the contraceptive guidelines were skeptical that they will survive in anything like their current form. 'No one else does this work. Even [professional physicians’ associations]. They look at CDC to do it,' says one senior CDC scientist who wished to remain anonymous. 'You lose this expertise, it will be gone forever.' They added that their team’s return on investment was 'astronomical,' as its work costs less than $1 million annually."
Source: Science
ABORTION ACCESS
Far-Right Group Targets Birth Control in Anti-Abortion Campaign
What: Jezebel breaks down how the "Alliance Defending Freedom" is going after birth control, in part by demanding the Trump administration sever ties with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) because they dare to recommend insurance coverage for IUDs and emergency contraception. ADF falsely claims that some birth control methods prevent implantation of fertilized eggs.
Key Line: “'ACOG remains steadfastly committed to our mission,' the organization said in a statement to Jezebel. 'We are proud of what we have achieved through our longstanding, evidence-based work with the federal government to save lives and improve health outcomes for all our patients; and we hope to continue this meaningful work in the future.'”
Source: Jezebel
Florida Sees Largest Drop in Number of Abortions in 2024
What: A Guttmacher Institute analysis found Florida had a more that 14% drop in abortions over the past year, totaling around 12,100 fewer procedures since the state's ban went into effect last May. It was the biggest drop across all states.
Key Line: "Kansas and Virginia, however, saw big increases in the number of abortions provided to people coming from other states. According to the analysis, 4,300 out-of-state patients traveled to Virginia for abortion care."
Source: Tallahassee Democrat
MENOPAUSE
Menopause at an Early Age Can Exacerbate Cognitive Decline
What: A study of over 8,000 patients found that women who started menopause before age 40 had worse outcomes on cognitive tests compared to those who started menopause after age 50. The study aimed to understand if early menopause directly influences cognitive function and depressive symptoms, known dementia risk factors.
Key Line: "The results imply that women who experience early menopause may constitute a sex-specific high-risk group for cognitive decline. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the relationship between levels of female hormones and cognitive function. 'Understanding this relationship in-depth could potentially help us design treatments that delay the onset of dementia in at-risk patients,' says [lead author Miharu] Nakanishi."
Source: Tohoku University
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