US Report Says Smoking is Even Worse Than Believed

A new report from the United States Surgeon General finds that smoking tobacco is even deadlier than was known. The report says smoking causes birth defects – a leading cause of death among babies. It also links smoking to cancer of the liver and colon, diabetes and other diseases. The first U.S. surgeon general’s report on tobacco […]

World Health Organization Warns of Polio in Pakistan

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health report The World Health Organization has declared the Pakistani city of Peshawar, the world’s “largest reservoir” of endemic poliovirus. And WHO officials fear Pakistanis could face travel restrictions unless steps are taken immediately to stop the disease from spreading. Researchers studied all the cases of poliomyelitis in Pakistan last year. […]

Scientists Search for a New Way to Stop Mosquitoes

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report. The sound of a mosquito can mean trouble in many parts of the word. But the bite of a mosquito can sometimes kill. The flying insect can carry diseases like malaria. The World Health Organization estimates that almost 630,000 people died in 2012 from malaria and causes linked to […]

Children in Burkina Faso Educate Families about Malaria

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report. Malaria can be both prevented and treated. Yet the disease is still the third biggest killer of children in the world. There is a lack of good information about malaria in some areas. Malaria is spread by bites from mosquitoes. The insects are less likely to bite people who […]

New Material Might Protect Bones From Breaking

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report. British scientists say they have developed a material that could help protect older adults from breaking bones when they fall. The new substance is called Armourgel. Scientists say it is soft enough to be put in everyday clothing. As people get older, many develop the disease osteoporosis. This condition […]

Scientists Explore the Healing Power of Rhythm

American researchers say contact with rhythm may help people with neurological diseases lead a better life. The researchers reported the finding after they carried outexperiments with a famous rock and roll musician. Scientists say timing has a major influence on how the human brain works. And when the timing is off, so is the processing of information. The […]

Study Finds Community-Based Mental Health Treatment

Schizophrenia is a long-term and often disabling brain disorder. People with schizophrenia suffer a break in the links among their thoughts, feelings and behavior. They may hear voices that other people do not. Schizophrenics often withdraw from reality — from family and friends. This means they may not seek help for the disorder. The main treatment for schizophrenia is […]

Animal Drug Used to Help People with Depression

For VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report. Ketamine is a drug that puts people and animals into a deep sleep. Doctors inject it into patients so they can be operated on. However, Ketamine may prove useful as a mental health too. A new study shows that the anesthesia drug may help people who suffer from depression. […]

Experts Watch MERS Outbreak for Signs That It Could Spread

For VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report. Experts are watching a deadly viral outbreak in the Middle East for signs that it could spread around the world. David Swerdlow studies the spread of disease across large populations. He is leading the US centers for Disease Control and Prevention response to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS. […]

The Brains of Women and Men Really Are Different

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report. A man enters a store to buy milk. He walks out of the store with milk. That is all — milk. At the same time, a woman enters the same grocery store to buy milk. She buys it. But, she also buys chicken and lemons to make […]