Officials Blame Fentanyl For Spike In Overdoses Among Young Adults In California
New research shows that the number of overdoses for those between 20 and 29 years of age doubled since 2012.
Capital Public Radio/KXJZ:
Number Of Heroin Poisonings Has Doubled For Some Age Groups In California
The number of heroin overdoses in California has doubled for certain age groups in the last four years. Data released by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development shows that 20- to 29-year-olds have had more heroin overdoses than any other age group since 2012. Last year, there were 412 overdoses among that age group. That's double the amount in 2012. (Johnson, 2/1)
In other public health news —
The Mercury News:
UCSF Study Backs Research On Predicting Dementia
A UC San Francisco study that examined a population of older adults for more than a decade showed that poor performance on a simple odor test was linked to increased risk of developing dementia years later. The study of more than 2,400 older black and white adults, directed by Dr. Kristine Yaffe, a UCSF professor of psychiatry, neurology, epidemiology and biostatistics, was published this week in the journal Neurology. Previous research has shown that olfactory function may be an early marker for cognitive impairment, but the evidence had been mostly restricted to the white population. The new study is the first to look at that association in both black and white older adults. Researchers followed the patients for nearly 12 years. (Seipel, 2/1)