Health Lab

Michigan Medicine's daily online publication featuring news and stories about the future of health care. 

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Health Lab
12 stories from 2024 worth a second look
Writer-selected articles you’ll want to read for the new year
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Trending Articles See all Health Lab articles little girl in pain with pink background touching stomach and seeing inside red
Health Lab
Diagnostic stewardship optimizes detection of appendicitis
University of Michigan researchers found that emergency departments vary widely in how they balance the need to diagnose appendicitis with the potential harms of overtesting.
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Health Lab
Topical Mupirocin lowers lupus inflammation
J. Michelle Kahlenberg, M.D., Ph.D., led a team of researchers looking at an alternative treatment for lupus rashes with a topical treatment called mupirocin. 
two men together walking outside
Health Lab
Exercise can reduce your cancer risk and help prevent its return
A director of exercise and health behavior in oncology shares ways to help cancer survivors live longer and better lives by incorporating exercise and other physical activity into everyday routines.
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Health Lab
Urine-based test detects aggressive prostate cancer
Researchers at have validated a previously developed urine test, which can potentially bypass invasive procedures for prostate cancer detection among men who are unlikely to benefit. 
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Health Lab
Over 1/3 of parents say their child has experienced dental problems that reflect oral hygiene habits
More than one in three parents say their child has faced issues like tooth decay, cavities, stained teeth, gum concerns or tooth pain over the past two years linked to their oral health routine, a national poll suggests.
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Health Lab
Firearm hospitalizations dropped before the pandemic, then shot up
Hospital stays related to gun injuries dipped then rose sharply, and paralleled gun sales trends, with disparities by age, race and health insurance status.
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Trending Research Articles little girl in pain with pink background touching stomach and seeing inside red
Health Lab
Diagnostic stewardship optimizes detection of appendicitis
University of Michigan researchers found that emergency departments vary widely in how they balance the need to diagnose appendicitis with the potential harms of overtesting.
paperwork with white and blue and red and says medicare john smith hospital part a medical part b 09-01 09-0
Health Lab
How did health insurance coverage changes affect older adults?
Two University of Michigan studies show how past policy decisions have affected older Americans with modest or low incomes.
kids on the floor
Health Lab
Protecting children from poor air quality: 6 things to know
As smoke from wildfires trigger poor air quality alerts across the country, many parents may worry about the impact on their child’s health. Here, a Michigan Medicine expert provides six ways to help reduce exposure.
hospital beds in hallway
Health Lab
Using data to drive sepsis care
Michigan Medicine expert, Hallie Prescott, M.D., discusses successful statewide efforts to improve sepsis treatment–and setting the bar for change at the national level
drawing of doctor with question mark about head with patient questioning and stressed over paperwork in exam room
Health Lab
People find medical test results hard to understand, increasing overall worry
In a published research letter in JAMA, researchers tested whether people could understand standard pathology reports and whether a patient-centered report might improve understanding.
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Health Lab
First-of-its-kind blood test for head and neck cancer
A Michigan Medicine lab has begun providing a first-of-its-kind new cancer test. Developed at the University of Michigan, MyHPVscore is a highly accurate blood test that can detect HPV-related head and neck cancer by measuring fragments of tumor DNA in a patient’s bloodstream.