In this mixed-methods qualitative study of hospital patients discharged to rehabilitation centers, significant disparities in denials for admission were observed among survivors of violence, who were disproportionally Black or Hispanic. Stigmatizing language found in medical records suggested that bias within the referral process may have contributed to these disparities. These findings underscore the need for reformed clinical documentation practices and enhanced oversight of rehabilitation referral processes to promote equitable access to care.

In the PREDIMED-Plus trial, an energy-reduced Mediterranean diet and physical activity lifestyle intervention mitigated weight loss– and age-related bone mineral density decline among older women with metabolic syndrome compared with conventional ad libitum Mediterranean diet recommendations. Weight-loss lifestyle interventions with longer follow-up are warranted in the future to confirm these results in relation to bone health.

In a new study, researchers estimated that smoke from wildfires and prescribed burns caused $200 billion in health damages in 2017, and that these were associated with 20,000 premature deaths. Senior citizens were harmed the most, and Native American and Black communities experienced the greatest damages per capita.

Bottom Line: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends providing interventions or referrals, during pregnancy and after birth, to support breastfeeding. The association between breastfeeding and health benefits in children has been previously well established; health benefits have also been found for women who breastfeed. However, breastfeeding rates in the U.S. are relatively modest; as of 2021, 59.8% of infants at age 6 months are breastfed and 27.2% of infants at that age are exclusively breastfed. The USPSTF routinely makes recommendations about the effectiveness of preventive care services and this recommendation updates and is consistent with the 2016 recommendation statement on primary care interventions to support breastfeeding.

Study carried out in Brazil’s semi-arid biome found that removing animals did not lead to significant improvements, even after three years of spontaneous soil recovery. Researchers suggest complementary measures such as green manure and strategic tree planting.