Millennials have increaseing incidence of liver disease related to alcohol consumption; the EPA will regulate 2 chemicals in drinking water; unpaid caregivers are on the rise in the United States.
Rates of acute liver disease related to alcohol consumption have been rising among millennials, according to an article from USA Today. A recent study found that from 1999 to 2017, the number of alcohol-related deaths more than doubled: from 35,914 to 72,558. A separate study reported that between 1999 and 2016, there was a dramatic increase in cirrhosis deaths in the United States, with the largest increase reported in people aged 25 to 34. “Alcohol consumption has risen in this country...There are more people drinking, and the people who drink are drinking more,” said Naga Chalasani, MD, head of hepatology at Indiana University Health.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to regulate 2 nonstick and stain-resistant compounds in drinking water, The Washington Post reports. Specifically, the class of chemicals targeted is perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Concerns have been raised regarding the safety of chemicals found in everyday items like pizza boxes and carpet. Several states already have their own stringent PFAS limits for drinking water in the absence of federal guidance. Among the targeted sources of contamination are military installations that use PFAS-laden foam for firefighting and businesses that may work with PFAS. Labeled “forever chemicals,” the compounds persist in the environment and have been linked to health problems.
A new report from the CDC found that more than 1 in 5 Americans are unpaid caregivers. The national survey included data from 44 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington D.C. Data showed more than 60% of unpaid caregivers are women. In addition, almost 45% of caregivers were ages 45 or younger. By region, the report found 14% of respondents in Puerto Rico reported being unpaid caregivers. Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, and Louisiana all reported a prevalence of over 25%. Researchers point out that for younger adults, caregiving may adversely affect their ability to work, thus impacting incomes. As the baby boomer generation ages, the prevalence of informal caregivers is expected to increase.
Urticaria Diagnosis Challenged by Overlapping Pruritic Skin Conditions
April 23rd 2025Urticaria is complicated to diagnose by its symptomatic overlap with other skin conditions and the frequent misclassification in literature of distinct pathologies like vasculitic urticaria and bullous pemphigus.
Read More
New Research Challenges Assumptions About Hospital-Physician Integration, Medicare Patient Mix
April 22nd 2025On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Brady Post, PhD, lead author of a study published in the April 2025 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care®, challenges the claim that hospital-employed physicians serve a more complex patient mix.
Listen
Personalized Care Key as Tirzepatide Use Expands Rapidly
April 15th 2025Using commercial insurance claims data and the US launch of tirzepatide as their dividing point, John Ostrominski, MD, Harvard Medical School, and his team studied trends in the use of both glucose-lowering and weight-lowering medications, comparing outcomes between adults with and without type 2 diabetes.
Listen
ACOs’ Focus on Rooting Out Fraud Aligns With CMS Vision Under Oz
April 23rd 2025Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are increasingly playing the role of data sleuths as they identify and report trends of anomalous billing in hopes of salvaging their shared savings. This mission dovetails with that of CMS, which under the new administration plans to prioritize rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse.
Read More