The federal government’s Medicare program and older adults together spend $4.4 billion a year on care that has low clinical value for patients and can even raise their risk of harm, a new study finds.

About The Study: In this cross-sectional analysis, negative patient experiences frequently centered on quality of communication and administrative issues. Negative feedback centered on unmet expectations, whereas positive reviews emphasized supportive staff interactions.

The earliest warning signs of multiple sclerosis (MS) may emerge more than a decade before the first classical neurological symptoms occur, according to new research from the University of British Columbia. Published in JAMA Network Open, the study analyzed the health records of more than 12,000 people in British Columbia and found that those with MS began using healthcare services at elevated rates 15 years before their first MS symptoms appear. The findings challenge long-held assumptions about when the disease truly begins, offering the most comprehensive picture to date of how patients engage with a range of healthcare providers in the years leading up to a diagnosis as they search for answers to ill-defined medical challenges.

The COVID-19 pandemic upended life for individuals and communities worldwide. Social isolation, health mandates, illness, and economic hardships took a toll on the well-being of families and children, but there were also silver linings to people’s experiences. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looks at impacts of the pandemic among youth and parents across the U.S. Midwest. Their findings can help provide insights for future policy and public health measures.