Survey Captures Breadth Of Health Problems Older Californians With HIV Face
The negative health effects of HIV don't stop with the virus -- they can be anything from depression and loneliness to nerve pain stemming from their life-saving drugs. Advocates and patients say it's a struggle to find services that address their issues. In other public health news: a rare, polio-like illness that affects children, sneezing, the heat, and blood pressure.
San Francisco Chronicle:
Older HIV Patients Struggle With Loneliness And Depression — And Lack Of Services
Older people with HIV are frequently lonely and depressed, many of them face serious housing and financial hardships, and they have high rates of physical ailments — such as chronic pain, heart disease, diabetes and fatigue — that can diminish their quality of life. All of that’s been known for several years. But services to meet their needs still fall short, say people with HIV and the groups that support them, and simply quantifying their mental and physical health problems has been a challenge. (Allday, 10/20)
East Bay Times:
Rare Polio-Like Disease May Have Spread To California
There are now four suspected cases of the rare polio-like disease, acute flaccid myelitis, under investigation in California, according to the state’s Department of Public Health. The mysterious disease, also known as AFM, causes sudden and unexplained paralysis, usually in children. Federal health officials have confirmed 62 cases of AFM in the U.S. this year across 22 states, and there are 65 more are under investigation including the four possible cases in California. This is the third time the nation has seen a nationwide spike of AFM. There was also an uptick in the terrifying disease in 2014 and 2016, as the LA Times reports. (D'Souza, 10/19)
LAist:
Sneezing A Lot Because Of Santa Ana Winds? It's More Than Just Allergies Making You Miserable
The Santa Ana winds are kicking up for the second time this week, and red flag warnings are in effect for parts of Southern California. If your eyes have been watering and you've been sneezing and coughing a ton, you're not alone — and you should prepare yourself for more. (Duran, 10/19)
KQED:
'This Heat Is Killing Me'
Two heat waves last year killed at least 14 people in the Bay Area, and the past five summers have been the hottest on record in California. It’s a warming world, and heat can pose a serious threat, even in the normally temperate Bay Area. (Levi, 10/21)
Los Angeles Times:
To Keep Your Blood Pressure In Check, Don’t Forget To Brush And Floss
Struggling to bring your high blood pressure under control, even with the help of medications? Open your mouth and say “aha!” if you see tooth decay or gums that are sore, bleeding or receding. You may have found the culprit. Researchers reported Monday that in adults whose hypertension was being treated with medications, systolic blood pressure — which measures pressure in the vessels when the heart beats — got higher as the health of their teeth and gums declined. (Healy, 10/22)