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Newswise

Kitchen counters and bathroom sinks turned into miniature medical testing labs over the past year, as millions of people swabbed their noses and found out in minutes if they had COVID-19.

Even before the pandemic, many Americans bought tests that had them spit into a tube at home and pop it in the mail so a company could run tests and alert them to potential health risks lurking in their DNA. In fact, a new poll shows, 48 percent of people age 50 to 80 have bought at least one kind of at-home health test, including 32 percent who acquired COVID-19 tests and 17 percent who took a DNA test.

The use of such direct-to-consumer medical tests varies greatly by age, race/ethnicity, marital status, income and years of education, according to the new report from the National Poll on Healthy Aging. Even so, 82 percent of older adults say that in the future, they would be somewhat or very interested in taking a medical test at home.

The vast majority (92 percent) of older adults agree the results they receive from these tests should be shared with their doctor or other healthcare provider. But among those who actually have bought and used a home test for a non-COVID-19 infection such as HIV or a urinary tract infection, just 55 percent shared their result with their primary care provider, the poll shows. On the other hand, 90 percent of those who bought and used a cancer-related home test said they shared the result.

The poll is based at the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation and supported by AARP and Michigan Medicine, UM’s academic medical center.

“As more companies bring these direct-to-consumer tests to market and buy ads promoting them, it’s important for healthcare providers and policymakers to understand what patients might be purchasing, what they’re doing with the results, and how that fits into the broader clinical and regulatory picture,” said Dr. Jeffrey Kullgren, the poll’s director.

“As we’ve seen in COVID-19, it’s important to share results from a home test with a provider so that it can be used to guide care and be counted in official statistics,” added Kullgren, a primary-care physician and health care researcher at Michigan Medicine.

The poll shows that 53 percent of older adults believe at-home tests are regulated by the government. The reality is complicated. Many types of tests that people can buy to take at home, or that they take at home on the advice of a health professional, are reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as medical devices, or overseen by the FDA’s program for testing laboratories that process samples sent to them. But not all of the tests that people can buy directly online or in a store are regulated this way. For instance, tests marketed as “wellness” tests rather than ones used for diagnosis or to guide treatment aren’t regulated; neither are those with minimal risk.

The FDA has a searchable database of home tests it has approved based on evidence about their safety and accuracy, and a page about the COVID-19 at-home tests it has authorized under emergency conditions. It also offers more information about direct-to-consumer tests and home use tests involving a healthcare professional. But not all tests get the full FDA review; the agency advises consumers to ask vendors or healthcare providers about the status of a test.

“Home tests can be a convenient way for older adults to check if they have an illness, such as COVID-19,” said Indira Venkat, senior vice president of AARP research. “But consumers should make sure they know whether the test they are taking is FDA-approved, and how their health or genetic information might be shared.”

The poll report was done online and via phone in among 2,163 adults 50 to 80 years old. Findings included:

  • Black older adults were much less likely to have bought an at-home medical test than whites or Hispanics.
  • Purchasing of at-home COVID-19 tests was highest among the 50-to-64 age. Purchasing of other types of tests didnt differ by age group.
  • Older adults were more likely to have bought at-home tests if they had more years of education, higher household incomes, or were married.
  • Advertising played a role in many decisions to buy an at-home test, including 44 percent of those who took a DNA test and 11 percent of those who took a cancer test.
  • 74 percent see at-home tests as more convenient than ones taken through their healthcare provider.
  • 59 percent say at-home tests can be trusted to provide reliable results.

 

Source: Newswise, an online site for health and medical news.

srmedia by — December 14, 2022 in Health & Fitness
Respiratory infections rising; here’s what to do

By Nigel Turner

COVID-19 is still circulating in Pierce County. Flu season has begun. And the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports an  increase in cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV).

Everyone should take precautions this respiratory season. But some groups are especially at risk for severe illness:

  • Children under 5 years old (especially under 2).
  • Adults 65 or older.
  • Those who are pregnant.
  • Anyone with a health condition like asthma, diabetes or heart disease.

RSV infects nearly all children by the time they turn 2. It usually causes only mild cold-like symptoms in older children and adults, but can cause severe illness in infants, especially premature babies, those with certain heart or lung diseases, and older adults (see related story). It’s the most common cause of severe lung infections in children younger than 1 in the U.S. About 58,000 under 5 are hospitalized with RSV each year. CDC says 1 to 2 percent of children under 6 months who are infected with RSV may need to be hospitalized.

RSV can spread when someone who has RSV coughs or sneezes, virus droplets from a cough or sneeze land in eyes, nose, or mouth, through direct contact like kissing the face of a child with RSV, and touching a surface that has the virus on it, like a doorknob, and then touching one’s face before washing.

People infected with RSV are usually contagious for three to eight days and may become contagious a day or two before they start showing signs of illness.

You can help limit the spread of RSV just like you’ve done for COVID-19 the past few years and the flu before that. Especially if you are around young children or older adults, take these steps:

  • Stay home if you’re sick.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes.
  • Wash your hands often.
  • Consider wearing a mask around those most at risk.
  • Limit the time you spend in childcare centers or other potentially contagious settings.

Now is also the time to get an updated COVID-19 booster. Bivalent Pfizer and Moderna boosters protect against both the original COVID-19 strain and omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5. They provide the best protection against severe illness.

Everyone 5 and older is eligible to get an updated booster two months after their last booster dose or primary series of vaccines. There are also Novavax boosters for people 18 and older who can’t or don’t want to get an mRNA vaccine. Find your dose at tpchd.org/vaxtothefuture.

 

Nigel Turner, part of the staff at Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, wrote this article for its Reliable Sources blog.

 

RSV, enemy virus of children, can be worse for older adults

Covering coughs and sneezes is one of the main ways people can help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus, better-known as RSV, is a common and serious respiratory virus among infants and toddlers and has reached what health authorities recently called unprecedented levels. It also can affect older adults more frequently and just as seriously, and often result in death.

“While symptoms are usually mild and cold-like,” RSV can cause the death of more than 14,000 older adults per year compared to an estimated 500 deaths annually for children younger than 5 years old, said says Lindsay Clarke, a senior vice president of the Alliance for Aging Research, a national non-profit organization that wants to raise awareness of the illness.

Spread through coughs, sneezes, and touching the eyes, nose, or mouth after being in contact with a contaminated surface, RSV symptoms are similar to other respiratory illnesses and include cough, sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, low-grade fever, and headaches. As their bodies age, people have a higher risk of serious complications, including difficulty breathing, lung infection, and congestive heart failure.

Staying up to date on adult immunizations is one way to guard against a mild or serious case of RSV. Clarke encouraged people to talk to their healthcare provider or go online at agingresearch.org/ourbestshot to learn more about preventive steps.

The national Centers for Disease Control has reported that RSV cases have surged partly because of reduced practice of public health measures implemented during the height of the COVID pandemic, such as masking and social distancing.

srmedia by — November 30, 2022 in Health & Fitness

Results of an ongoing study suggest that certain rheumatoid arthritis drugs may lower cases of Alzheimer’s and related dementias in people with cardiovascular disease.

While the findings released in April don’t support broad use of such drugs for treating dementia, they may be promising for specific groups of people at risk for developing the disease, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a medical research agency that’s part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Researchers analyzed Medicare claims from more than 22,000 people, looking at whether those with rheumatoid arthritis who took one of three classes of arthritis drugs were protected from dementia. There were notable associations with lowered dementia risk among the people who have cardiovascular disease and were treated with arthritis drugs called TNF inhibitors.

The DREAM (Drug Repurposing for Effective Alzheimer’s Medicines) study is led by scientists at NIH’s National Institute on Aging in collaboration with researchers at Harvard Medical School, Rutgers University, and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

The study previously identified U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs that are being tested as treatments for Alzheimer’s and related dementias.

srmedia by — November 16, 2022 in Health & Fitness
Why you should get a colonoscopy

By Hannah Chudleigh

Most people assume a colonoscopy is one of those annoying responsibilities that pile on with age. Unfortunately, that mindset, along with a social taboo around talking about it, keeps people from getting the vital procedure.
The fact is a colonoscopy can save your life. It’s used to find polyps that may indicate colon or rectal cancer, which is more treatable when caught early. The test is recommended for people who are 45 and older.
If you have any of these seven signs, it may be wise to talk to your healthcare provider to about a colonoscopy.

  1. Your stool is a different shape.  If it is ribbon-like or more narrow than normal, you may have a blockage somewhere along your large intestine.
  2. A family member gets colon cancer. Everyone is at risk of getting colon cancer. However, that risk more than doubles if you have a family history of it. 3. You get diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia. This is a sneaky sign of colon cancer that usually gets missed until the cancer has started spreading. Several conditions can cause iron-deficiency anemia, but colon cancer and intestinal bleeding are usually not the first causes to be ruled out. This is especially true if you’re a woman, because doctors may assume the anemia is from heavy menstruation. If you have anemia and your doctor can’t explain why, ask for a colonoscopy and see if it could be a bowel problem.
  1. You don’t feel relief after using the bathroom.If you still feel you need to go, you may need a colonoscopy to see what’s going on. Whether it’s a blocked bowel, an intestinal tumor, or an inflamed duodenum, you’ll want to get your condition checked by a doctor.
  1. You have certain medical conditions. People with ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or other gastrointestinal conditions are more at risk of developing colon cancer.
  2. Your stool is bloody. This is a very serious sign. You should schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider immediately. This includes bleeding from the rectum as well as having blood in your stool. Of course, this could be something less serious—such as hemorrhoids—but it could also be indicative of some very dangerous conditions.
  3. Your bowel habits have changed. You know what’s normal for you. If a change lasts longer than a few days, call your healthcare provider. This can include the shape or texture of your stool, the frequency that you go to the bathroom, the color, or any kind of pain. If there’s been a significant change in your bowel habits, schedule a colonoscopy to make sure it’s not a long-term problem.

Even if you aren’t experiencing any of the symptoms, you should still get a colonoscopy regularly. Here are some sobering facts that demonstrate why:

 

Source: SelectHealth, a not-for-proit health plan in Idaho, Utah, and Nevada.

A colonoscopy, which is used to help detect possible colon or rectal cancer, is recommended for people 45 and older.
srmedia by — November 2, 2022 in Health & Fitness