Health

(NEW YORK) — Up to one in five young athletes ages 10 to 31 may have pre-hypertension, a precursor to high blood pressure, according to a new preliminary study.

More than 20% of athletes studied met the criteria for having high blood pressure, which can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.

Teenage boys appeared to be more at risk than teenage girls, according to the study, with more than double the rates of stage 1 and stage 2 hypertension. Twenty-eight percent of athletes who played multiple sports had high blood pressure, the study found.

Normal blood pressure is considered to be 120/80 or below, according the American Heart Association. Stage 1 hypertension is considered to be a systolic, or upper number, reading of 130-139 and/or a lower, or diastolic, reading of 80-89. Stage 2 hypertension is a systolic reading of 140 or higher, and/or a diastolic reading of 90 or higher.

The doctors who led the research say young people should still be encouraged to play sports, because an active lifestyle reduces the risk of metabolic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. However, they say not enough people may be aware of their underlying condition.

“When we think of hypertension, we often think about older patients,” said lead author Dr. Aneeq Malik, a third-year internal medicine resident at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dr. Malik also co-founded the nonprofit Saving Hearts Foundation, which hosted free heart screening events where the study data was collected.

“Even people who we consider extremely healthy young adults, people who engage in physical activity, are still at increased risk,” Malik said.

Malik also stressed that the study results should not deter young people from being active: “Just because you are engaging in sports doesn’t necessarily mean that is the cause for why these people are at greater risk.”

The study is being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Care of the Athletic Heart Conference. Though it has not gone through the typical scientific vetting process, some doctors say it still helps call attention to an often overlooked issue.

“There is a stark need for an increased focus on prevention as opposed to treatment alone,” said Dr. Anuradha Lala, a cardiologist at the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in New York, who was not involved in the study. “A huge part of prevention is adequate and appropriate screening.”

Lala also said it’s important to understand the “influence of racial and ethnic background on the incidence and prevalence of hypertension at earlier ages.” The study found that African American and Hispanic participants, for example, had higher rates of hypertension.

She further noted that multiple factors can lead to high blood pressure, and recommends that parents can help address it by being “conscious about diet, sleep, and the psychological well-being that our children are exposed to and encountering.”

Michelle March, MD, MPH, MEd is a general pediatrics research fellow at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

Arifeen Rahman, MD is a resident in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Stanford Medicine and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — In summer 2022, the global mpox outbreak seemed poised to overwhelm the U.S. with cases rising exponentially every week and no signs of slowing.

A successful public health campaign — promoting behavior changes and vaccination — helped cases drop dramatically.

However, a new small study published Thursday and led by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) says that mpox cases are still circulating at low levels in the U.S. and primarily among unvaccinated high-risk groups.

Dr. David Talaen, co-lead author and a professor of emergency medicine and infectious diseases at UCLA, said after the 2022 global outbreak, there were small, localized outbreaks seen in cities including Chicago and Los Angeles, so the team wanted to examine if mpox was remerging.

“The second thing was that mpox is not strictly a sexually transmitted infection,” he told ABC News. “It can be transmitted between people just with any skin-to-skin contact, and the rash can be on any part of the body. So, we were curious if cases might have been overlooked and in groups other than the risk group that was identified in 2022, which was gay and bisexual men who have sex with men.”

For the study, the team looked at data from 13 U.S. emergency departments between June 2023 and December 2023, specifically among patients who visited EDs with a rash that resembled the rash mpox patients have.

Of the 196 patients with a rash, mpox was diagnosed in just 1.5% of them. Each of the patients with mpox identified as gay or bisexual men who have sex with men and had not been vaccinated against mpox.

The mpox patients had also engaged in sex with one or more partners they met through smartphone dating apps, the study found.

No mpox cases were identified in other groups, including women, children or unhoused individuals.

Anyone can get or spread mpox regardless of their gender or sexual orientation, but the U.S. outbreak began spreading primarily among gay or bisexual men and has continued to do so at low levels.

Many public health experts credit this community with rapidly responding to the outbreak through awareness campaigns and high vaccine uptake, which likely helped prevent further spread.

The authors wrote that the findings “underscore the importance of educating persons at risk for mpox regarding behavioral risks and encouraging these persons to be vaccinated.”

Currently, the JYNNEOS vaccine, a two-dose vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration to prevent smallpox and mpox, is the only vaccine being used in the U.S.

Data from Africa has shown two doses of JYNNEOS are at least 85% effective in preventing mpox infection.

To increase the number of JYNNEOS doses available earlier in the outbreak, the FDA authorized a proven strategy in August 2022 to inject the vaccine intradermally, just below the first layer of skin, rather than subcutaneously, or under all the layers of skin.

This allows one vial of vaccine to be given out as five separate doses rather than a single dose.

Talaen said the public health campaign was successful due to the dramatic decline in cases related to the 2022 outbreak, but that it doesn’t mean the disease disappeared.

“There was an idea that after the 2022 outbreak and the decline of cases the disease is gone; it’s not gone,” he said. “Cases still continue. So, it’s important for people to protect themselves, both through their behaviors and if, at-risk, through vaccination.”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Walking or running with a weighted vest can enhance workouts and offer numerous health benefits.

In addition to walking and running, weighted vests can be utilized in activities like hiking and bodyweight exercises to increase intensity and resistance.

To help explain some of these benefits and inform your shopping decisions, ABC News tapped Casey Gilbert, a Barry’s instructor and the founder of CG Coaching.

“I love weighted vests because they increase the weight that you are carrying while working out without putting that load into your arms,” Gilbert said. “This is for people who might have weakness in their arms, or maybe have an arm injury and can’t carry things with their hands — it adds the weight you might be looking for.”

Why do you want to add weight to your body when walking?

Gilbert called weighted vests the “definition of functional fitness.”

“If you’re asking your body to be able to operate with a higher load — putting more weight on your body — you’re overloading the muscles so that when you are walking without a weighted vest, it feels like less impact and you’re able to move more freely,” Gilbert shared. “This is the definition of functional fitness, I find it really helpful.”

How much should my vest weigh?

Gilbert says comfort is key. Weights in these vests can vary widely, from as little as 5 pounds to over 50 pounds, and it’s important to choose a vest that allows you to start light and progressively add more weight as your strength and endurance improve, according to Gilbert.

“I always tell women who have children to stop lifting 5-pound weights unless their child weighs five pounds,” he added. “I would say 20 to 40 pounds is a great way to simulate things you’re gonna be carrying throughout the day and prepare your body for it so that you can strengthen your core, your joints, your ligaments, and of course, your muscles.”

Who should use a weighted vest?

Weighted vests are truly for anyone. Gilbert said that even for someone who might be older and have some mobility issues, just getting them to wear 5 or 10 pounds in a weighted vest while standing up and sitting down a few times is great exercise.

“This a great way to increase their upper body strengthen without adding a physical dumbbell or barbell,” he said.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(MEXICO) — The World Health Organization confirmed Wednesday the first-ever fatal case of a subtype of bird flu in Mexico.

It is the first laboratory-confirmed human case of the H5N2 strain of bird flu, or avian influenza, and the first-ever reported case in Mexico.

This strain is different than the bird flu strain that is currently circulating in livestock and has infected three dairy workers in the United States.

The Mexico patient was a 59-year-old resident with no history of exposure to poultry or other animals, according to the WHO.

On April 17, the patient developed fever, nausea, diarrhea, shortness of breath and general malaise. He was hospitalized on April 24 at the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases in Mexico City and died the same day.

The patient’s relatives said the person had underlying conditions and they had been bedridden for three weeks for other reasons prior to contracting bird flu, the WHO said.

Test results eventually revealed the patient was infected with bird flu subtype H5N2, which has never been documented in humans before.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — A new study analyzing maternal mortality rates found that nearly two-thirds of maternal-related deaths in the U.S. happen up to a year after a woman has given birth.

The finding is part of a wider study by The Commonwealth Fund that analyzed maternal mortality rates among 14 developed nations, concluding that maternal mortality in the U.S. continues to far exceed that of other high-income nations.

Researchers used data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). They found 22 women die for every 100,000 live births in the United States, compared to 0-14 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in other countries. Sixty-five percent of deaths happened after delivery.

“This is unacceptably high. We know that nearly 80% of the deaths are preventable with the right treatment and right care for women,” Munira Z. Gunja, the lead author in the study and a Senior Researcher in the International Health Policy Program at The Commonwealth Fund, told ABC News.

“In the U.S., we are really leaving women behind and not making sure we’re providing them with the right care to allow them to give birth in a safe way,” she said.

The Commonwealth Fund analyzed data from the United States, Australia, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

In the United States, 22% of maternal deaths happened during pregnancy, most often the result of heart conditions and stroke. Approximately 13% of all deaths occurred on the day of delivery.

After delivery, 12% of deaths took place in the first week postpartum, the most common contributors being high blood pressure, severe bleeding and infection. Twenty-three percent of deaths occurred up to 42 days after birth. Late deaths, which accounted for 30% of all deaths, happened up to one year after birth and were frequently associated with cardiomyopathy.

Black mothers experience the highest rate of death in the U.S. According to the report, 49.5 Black women die for every 100,000 live births.

The United States was found to be the only country in the study without a universal health system. Roughly eight million women are left uninsured, and Black women are disproportionately affected, Gunta said.

“We know that there are many steps the U.S. could implement to really reduce or eliminate maternal deaths altogether. Other countries have been able to achieve this; the U.S. could do the same,” Gunja said, later adding that understanding the timing of deaths is really important when it comes to maternal care so barriers to care can be identified to make sure women are doing well postpartum.

When looking at maternal care provided in other countries, the U.S. is the only country that does not guarantee at least one home visit by a midwife or nurse within one week of delivery, despite evidence suggesting home visits are associated with better mental health, breastfeeding outcomes and reduced health care costs.

Data found that in most high-income countries, midwives far outnumber obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns). The U.S., Canada and Korea were the only countries where ob-gyns outnumbered midwives, with the lowest total supply of providers, with 16 midwives and 13 ob-gyns for every 1,000 live births.

Gunja said expanding midwifery care and diversifying the workforce is critical in reducing mortality rates in the United States, especially for Black women.

“Having a midwife … come to your home, provide care, really create a relationship with you, be a trusted source and be someone who may look like you racially or ethnically, is really also proven to be a big part in building trust,” Gunja said. “Midwives can really be a trusted source of care for patients that we don’t always get when we go to see our ob-gyn.”

The study found that an increase in the midwife and obstetrician workforce, comprehensive maternal care coverage, guaranteed paid maternity leave and postpartum home visits could help reduce the alarming rates of maternal mortality in the U.S.

The Commonwealth Fund study comes just four weeks after the CDC published its yearly report on maternal mortality in the U.S., finding that there was a decrease in maternal mortality rates in 2022 following three years of continuous increases. While this decrease is a step in the right direction, Gunja said there is still a lot of work to do.

“We know that most of these deaths are preventable, and we know that a lot of other countries have been able to achieve near-zero or zero deaths,” Gunja said.

“Starting to actually implement policies, and not just at a state level but at a federal level, so that way we can ensure that every woman, so not just women who have the right employer or women who live in the right state have the right support to take care of themselves before pregnancy, during and after pregnancy,” she said.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — A panel of independent advisers for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted against recommending approval of psychedelic treatment — along with therapy — to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during a meeting on Tuesday.

The treatment, developed by Lykos Therapeutics, is a pharmaceutical version of midomafetamine, better known as MDMA and sometimes referred to as ecstasy.

The Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee appeared to have serious doubts about the safety and efficacy of the treatment.

On the question of whether the available data shows that the drug is effective in patients with PTSD, nine of the advisers voted no and two voted yes. On the question of whether the benefits of MDMA outweigh the risks for the treatment of patients with PTSD, 10 advisers voted no and just one voted yes.

The FDA is expected to make a decision by Aug. 11, according to Lykos Therapeutics. The FDA usually follows the recommendations of the advisory panel, although the recommendations are not binding.

PTSD is a disorder that develops in some people after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

People can experience a range of symptoms including nightmares, unwanted memories, anxiety, depression or heightened reactions, and the conditions can last for months or years.

A multitude of studies have suggested that psychoactive drugs, including cannabis, ketamine magic mushrooms and MDMA, may help treat PTSD and other mental health disorders.

Some psychiatrists began using MDMA for treatment in the late 1970s and early 1980s with claims that it helped promote trust and improved communication between doctors and patients, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

MDMA was classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning it has “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse,” by the Drug Enforcement Administration in 1985.

In the 1990s, the FDA approved the first human trial examining use of MDMA to relieve pain in terminally ill patients as well as being used in combination with psychotherapy.

The company said it conducted two late-stage randomized placebo-controlled trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MDMA when used in combination with psychological intervention, such as talk therapy.

“This will be the first MDMA-assisted therapy and psychedelic-assisted therapy to be reviewed by the Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee, a significant milestone in the field of psychedelic medicine, resulting from decades of clinical research and advocacy,” Amy Emerson, CEO of Lykos Therapeutics, said in a press release.

“We look forward to the opportunity to discuss the comprehensive data package of investigational MDMA and how, if approved, it may be used as a prescription treatment in combination with psychological intervention in adults with PTSD,” the statement continued

In briefing documents released on Friday, the FDA said that based on the clinical trial data submitted by Lykos Therapeutics, “participants appear to experience rapid, clinically meaningful, durable improvement in their PTSD symptoms.”

However, the federal health agency also noted concerns that the drug has the risk of causing “patient impairment” and the potential for “serious harm” as a result of impairment.

In the documents, the FDA said that if the drug is approved, there must be safeguards in place to monitor patients such as seen during the clinical trial, in which participants were monitored by two therapists for eight hours in a controlled setting and had to agree to not drive until the following day.

The FDA proposed further precautions, including enrolling patients in a registry to track side effects and progress.

Additionally, the FDA raised concerns about how the studies were conducted. Although designed to be double-blind — meaning neither the participants nor the researchers know who is receiving MDMA and who is not — the drug produces such “profound alterations” that the vast majority of participants were able to guess whether they received MDMA or a placebo, the agency wrote.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Plenty of travelers, whether visiting a new city or returning somewhere familiar, can relate to the surprise and delight of seeing your step count after a day of strolling the sights. And beyond the well-documented health benefits of walking, finding a pedestrian-friendly destination can make it all the easier to get around.

Now, new analysis has revealed which cities across the globe will help you reach your step-count goals — and in which you might fall short.

A recent study published in the journal Environment International by researchers Rafael Prieto-Curiel and Juan Pablo Ospina gathered data from nearly 800 cities across 61 countries to determine and model their various modes of transport: active mobility — walking or biking — public transport and cars.

The data was collected from nearly 850 million people in remote and urban regions alike to get a snapshot of where and why people ditch public transit or cars in favor of their own two feet for more active forms of travel.

An analysis of that data from The Economist has since revealed the most and least-walkable cities across the globe.

Most and least-walkable cities in the U.S.

For anyone looking to avoid a car, North America may not be the best spot to do so, as the study found. According to the study’s findings, nearly 92% of respondents in the U.S. and Canada regularly journey by car. Less than 4% of respondents in the U.S. and Canada said they walk or bike, and just under 5% take public transit.

The 100 least active walkable cities were all found in North America, which as The Economist noted may be the result of pro-car policies and government subsidies over decades.

Cities in the U.S. including New York, Boston and Houston were all clustered in the bottom left quadrant of The Economist’s plot chart depicting populations that mostly took journeys by car instead of active mobility, like walking or biking.

Unsurprisingly, larger, sprawled out cities tend to be less active than their smaller, densely populated counterparts, where people more frequently journey places by foot or on a bike.

There was not a single U.S. city in the top 10 list of most active walkable cities, and many showed up far down The Economist’s list: Corvallis, Oregon, for example, ranked 415. Flagstaff, Arizona, came in at 427, Boulder, Colorado, came in at 429 and Manhattan, New York, was ranked 434.

Most active, walkable cities around the world

The most active walkable city, according to The Economist’s analysis, is Quelimane, a small seaport town in Mozambique.

The other cities that rounded out the top 10 are in Europe, including four in Spain.

Peja, Kosovo, ranked No. 2 on the list, and the tree-lined canal streets of Utrecht in the Netherlands scored the No. 3 spot.

The Spanish port city Bilbao, which is known for the Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum, landed at No. 8 on the list, and León in northwest Spain, full of Roman ruins and Gothic cathedrals, was situated at No. 9.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Physicians are calling for primary care doctors to ask patients about loneliness and social isolation at routine health checks and when managing chronic diseases as emerging research suggests it could be just as important as checking blood pressure, heart health and lifestyle factors for health outcomes.

Published in the Annals of Family Medicine, the new guidance highlights several areas to better address social isolation and loneliness in the healthcare system through screening, chronic disease management, policies and partnerships with community resources in an effort to recognize this as a medical issue.

Last year, the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy declared loneliness and isolation an epidemic and its health impacts have been compared to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.

Loneliness and social isolation can lead to a number of negative mental and physical health problems, according to research, and doctors say it’s important to discuss this topic in routine health visits and when managing chronic diseases.

“I think loneliness should be incorporated into healthcare and into primary care, because of how much it affects health,” Dr. Sebastian Tong, family physician at the University of Washington and corresponding author of the new guidance, told ABC News. “We’re seeing the prevalence is much higher than many chronic diseases.”

Research studies show that loneliness is common among young people and adults and estimates show about half of all U.S. adults experience loneliness, higher than the percentage of American adults who have chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes or obesity, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.

“Patients should know that this is a common lived experience and may contribute to their emotional and physical health and health outcomes,” Dr. Mylynda Massart, family medicine physician, founder and director, UPMC Primary Care Precision Medicine Center and chair of Family Medicine at UPMC Magee Women’s Hospital, told ABC News.

Loneliness has been linked with higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

“If we can prevent or intervene early in loneliness, we may see a really nice downstream effect in terms of people’s overall mental health,” Dr. Jen Brull, president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians, told ABC News.

Social isolation has been associated with an increased risk of early death from any cause, a 50% increased risk of dementia, 29% increased risk of heart disease and 32% increased risk of stroke in older adults, according to the CDC.

“From my clinical experience, people come in with, for example, uncontrolled diabetes, and when I get down to the root of it, they’re living alone, they’re spending most of their time alone, and they aren’t able to motivate themselves people exercise or get healthy food,” Tong said.

Doctors say people can do their own self-assessment by asking questions like, “how often do you speak to someone outside of the home, are those meaningful conversations, do you feel fulfilled by your social interactions or do you think there is a gap in your social interactions and do these interactions impact your satisfaction with your current life situation,” Massart said.

But recognition is just the start as doctors say finding solutions that meet individual needs is necessary but challenging.

“Recognizing, understanding and diagnosing [social isolation and loneliness] is only half of the equation; we need system-wide treatments to find the right match for each patient based on their individual needs, environment, and preferences,” Massart said.

Community resources that involve group activities, therapy, or aid in transportation may already be in place in many areas that can mitigate social isolation and loneliness but these tools may miss some resources in more rural areas and doctors say this is where local health clinics may help the most.

“In smaller rural places, primary care docs have partnered and are aware of church organizations, community organizations, places that are in smaller pockets,” Brull said.

Massart said ultimately addressing social isolation and loneliness takes a village. 

“It always comes down to caring for each other and supporting each other through a network of more than one individual,” she said.

If you or a loved one are in crisis, free, confidential help is available 24/7 by texting or calling The Lifeline at 9-8-8.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Cases of whooping cough are on the rise across the United States, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

There have been at least 4,864 whooping cough cases reported this year. This is nearly three times higher than the 1,746 cases reported at the same time last year.

The number of cases for 2024 is similar to those seen in 2018-2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The national trends mirror those seen in many U.S. states. The Oregon Health Authority said Thursday that 178 cases have been reported as of May 29, a 770% increase from the 20 cases reported by at the same time in 2023, according to local ABC News affiliate KATU-TV.

Additionally, local reports indicate that schools in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Minnetonka, Minnesota, are seeing outbreaks of whooping cough.

Dr. Felicia Scaggs Huang, an assistant professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases and medical director of infection prevention and control at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, said whooping cough cases are on the rise globally but that the number of cases in 2024 is similar to those before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Although these numbers are up significantly from last year, these numbers are more similar to what we saw before the COVID-19 pandemic and, historically, we do see increases in cases on a cycle of every three to five years,” she told ABC News.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a very contagious respiratory illness caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis.

These bacteria attach to the cilia — the tiny, hair-like structures found on the surface of cells – of the upper respiratory system and release toxins. The toxins damage the cilia and cause the upper airways to swell, according to the CDC.

Whooping cough is spread from person-to-person through coughing and sneezing. Infected people can be contagious for weeks without knowing they have whooping cough.

Early symptoms often resemble a common cold — runny nose, cough and low-grade fever — and typically last for one to two weeks. Symptoms, however, can progress to rapid, violent cough coughing fits that can last up to 12 weeks.

Infants under age one, pregnant women and immunocompromised people are at highest risk but, according to Dr. Syra Madad, an infectious disease epidemiologist and chief biopreparedness officer for New York City Health and Hospitals, “the truth is everybody is at risk.”

Babies who contract whooping cough may have a cold-like illness, struggle to breathe or have apnea, which is life-threading pauses in breathing, the CDC said.

Scaggs Huang said some people can fracture their ribs because of coughing episodes or developing pneumonia.

“Elderly adults or infants less than 6 months may have more complications, like pneumonia and low oxygen levels that require hospitalization,” she said.

Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics and receiving treatment early can reduce the severity of the infection. Most whooping cough symptoms can be managed at home, according to the CDC.

A vaccine for whooping cough was introduced in the late 1940s and the number of cases each year has since dropped dramatically, decreasing more than 90% compared to the pre-vaccine era.

Before the vaccine, there were an estimated 200,000 cases annually among children and up to 9,000 children died, according to the CDC.

There are two types of vaccines used today to protect against whooping cough: diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine for babies and children younger than 7 and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccines for children aged 7 and older, adults and pregnant women.

“People often think ‘Well once you get vaccinated you have lifelong immunity,’ and that’s actually not the case. You certainly need to get those booster doses,” Madad said.

Scaggs Huang said people should apply lessons learned from COVID-19 to other infectious diseases.

“I think a lot of the lessons we’ve learned from the COVID-19 pandemic apply to a lot of other respiratory infections,” Scaggs Huang said. “If you see someone who is sick, ask them to keep your distance, especially if you have a young infant or an elderly or immunocompromised person in your home. If you’re sick, stay at home, and, if you’re ever traveling or you’re in an area where there are a lot of pertussis cases, it’s OK to wear a mask in public on an airplane or at the hospital.”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Ahead of Pride Month, a new report has highlighted increased cancer risk for those who identify as LGBTQ+ as researchers say that LBGTQ+ people may be more likely to smoke, drink alcohol or be living with obesity — all linked to cancer — and that they also may be more likely to avoid going to the doctor for fear of discrimination, which could cause delays in cancer diagnosis.

In an interview with ABC News, the chief scientific officer for the American Cancer Society Dr. William Dahut, also an experienced clinician-researcher in the field of prostate cancer, said that “we are very aware particularly in this population of a hesitancy about receiving healthcare. Because of biases, because of the lack of [physician] familiarity… we were concerned outcomes could be worse.”

The comprehensive analysis was released Friday by the American Cancer Society, a nonprofit organization focused on ending cancer for all people, and it is the first to provide national data on behavioral risk factors, cancer diagnoses and screening in this population.

Preventative cancer screening and vaccination rates in LGBTQ+ individuals were similar to heterosexual peers, except for lower cervical and colorectal cancer screening among transgender men.

“That was a little bit of positive news,” Dahut commented.

However, more than 1 million LGBTQ+ people are estimated to be living with cancer, although the research so far has been limited. The new report summarizes data collected from three major national surveys — the National Health Interview Survey, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and National Youth Tobacco Survey — to estimate risk factors and cancer incidence among those who identify as LGBTQ+.

The authors highlight policies in nine states where it is legal for medical professionals to refuse care to LGBTQ+ patients, covering an estimated 20% of the LGBTQ+ population.

Researchers said that doctors and nurses should be educated specifically on how to provide loving and inclusive care to LGBTQ+ people.

Sarah Danziger, M.D. is an Internal Medicine Resident at Dartmouth and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.