Mom's Mental Health

Between 2016 and 2023, the mental health of mothers in the U.S. significantly declined, according to new research. And while the decline occurred across socioeconomic groups, it was sharpest among single mothers, those with less education, with publicly or uninsured kids and those born in the U.S.

Study authors analyzed self-reported data from a nationally representative survey where respondents categorized their own mental and physical health as either excellent, very good, good or fair/poor, STAT reported. Over the eight-year study period, excellent mental health decreased by 12.4 percentage points -- from 38% to 26% -- while fair/poor mental health went up by 3.5 percentage points, an almost 64% increase.

Fathers also experienced similar declines in mental health over the same period, but the prevalence was consistently worse among mothers. In 2023, one in 12 mothers reported fair/poor mental health compared to just one in 22 fathers.

Body of Knowledge

Most Americans take approximately 3,000 to 4,000 steps per day, or roughly 1.5 to 2 miles, on average. A daily average of 10,000 steps per day is commonly recommended, but that total is not based on empirical evidence. Depending upon a person's age, fitness level and overall health, a healthy target can be lower or higher.

Get Me That, Stat!

New research says the Census and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been miscounting Native American and Alaska Native deaths, revealing that the gap in overall U.S. life expectancy between these populations and the general population is wider than official statistics suggest.

The new reality: Native Americans and Alaska Natives have a life expectancy of under 73 years, which is closer to how long somebody in El Salvador lives (72) than the overall life expectancy in the U.S. (78).

Counts

52: Percentage of medical school graduates who are female

29: Percentage of full professors in medical schools who are female

25: Percentage of department chairs who are female

25: Percentage of health care CEOs who are female

12: Years earlier women typically leave the health care profession compared to men (Source: American Association of Medical Colleges)

Stories for the Waiting Room

Utah and Florida recently banned the addition of fluoride to public water supplies, claiming the government did not have prior consent. The naturally occurring mineral has long been used to help strengthen tooth enamel and prevent cavities. A new study reports that if the rest of the country follows the example of Utah and Florida, cavities will increase by 7.5% in the U.S. over the following five years, affecting 25.4 million additional teeth and costing almost $10 billion in additional dental bills.

Doc Talk

Restenosis: Renarrowing of a blood vessel that had been widened with angioplasty

Phobia of the Week

Kenophobia: Fear of empty spaces, voids or barren areas

Best Medicine

First parent: "I've decided not to vaccinate my kids."

Second parent: "Why?"

First parent: "I figured a doctor will do a better job."

Observation

"Hypochondria is the one disease I haven't got." -- English writer David Renwick (b. 1951)

Medical History

This week in 1998, an international team of scientists announced that they had accomplished the first reproducible cloning of a mammal from adult cells to produce three generations of cloned mice, more than 50 identical sisters in all. The cloning technique was said to be more reliable than the one used to create Dolly the sheep, and provided scientists with greater ability to manipulate the adult donor nucleus and study the roles genes play in aging and disease processes

Sum Body

There are hundreds of types of cells in the human body but just 12 primary types. Here they are, plus percentage of cell count in a person:

1. Erythrocytes (red blood cells): 84

2. Platelets: 4.9

3. Bone marrow cells: 2.5

4. Vascular endothelial cells: 2.1

5. Lymphocytes (immune): 1.6

6. Hepatocytes (liver): 0.8

7. Bronchial endothelial cells (lung): 0.5

8. Epidermal cells (skin): 0.5

9. Respiratory interstitial cells: 0.5

10. Adipocytes (fat cells): 0.2

11. Dermal fibroblasts (skin): 0.1

12. Muscle cells: 0.001

13. Other cells: 2.2

Fit to Be Tried

There are thousands of exercises, and you've only got one body, but that doesn't mean you can't try them all: Kegel exercises won't help you look better, but they do strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder, which might be, well, more comforting. Strong pelvic floor muscles help prevent incontinence, and the exercises benefit both men and women.

To do a Kegel exercise correctly, squeeze the muscles you would use to prevent yourself from passing urine or gas. Hold the contraction for two or three seconds, then release. Make sure to completely relax your pelvic floor muscles after the contraction. Repeat 10 times, four to five sets a day.

Medical Myths

It is not true that men's hair grows faster in anticipation of having sex. While sexual activity can increase levels of testosterone and the hormone plays a significant role in hair growth and loss, there is no scientific evidence of cause and effect or even correlation.

Hair growth is primarily determined by genetics influenced by other factors, such as stress, nutritional deficiencies and certain medical conditions.

Epitaphs

"I knew if I waited around long enough something like this would happen." -- Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950). Shaw was actually cremated and his ashes scattered in the garden of his Hertfordshire home, but he often joked that this would be a fine epitaph.

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To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.