Media Coverage
The work done by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine faculty members (and even some students) is regularly highlighted in newspapers, online media outlets and more. Below you’ll find links to articles and videos of Feinberg in the news.
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New York Times
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Exercise May Help Counteract the Toll of Poor Sleep
In an ideal world, experts say, you would get both ample exercise and ample sleep. But a new study suggests that exercise could potentially help counteract the health consequences of not getting a proper amount of sleep. The new research builds upon a large body of work showing just how critical both sleep and fitness are for overall health. “What this tells us is that if you can’t manage your sleep optimally right now, we should be scheduling time to get moderate or vigorous physical activity,” said Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, a former president of the American Heart Association and the chair of the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. And not everyone has the same need for sleep, which means that some people can function well or feel sufficiently rested with fewer hours.
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NBC 5 Chicago
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Strep Is on the Rise in Kids. Parents Should Be Aware of These Less Common Symptoms.
A recent explosion in strep infections, many of which are presenting with few or atypical symptoms, is concerning experts around the U.S. Strep throat – caused by the bacteria Group A streptococcus and common in children and teens – can occur any time of the year, but peak season usually starts in December and goes through April. And while it is typical to see strep throat spike around this time of year, this is the worst it has been in a long time, experts warn. “It is important to recognize strep because if we treat it, then you can prevent complications,” said Dr. Alin Abraham, MD, health system clinician of general internal medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The sore throat and other symptoms of strep throat usually go away on their own within five to seven days, says Abraham. But it’s still necessary to seek treatment from a healthcare provider in order to treat the bacterial infection itself. If left untreated, it can lead to complications like abscesses, ear or sinus infections, rheumatic fever and kidney problems, the experts note.
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TODAY
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Should parents get to control whether teens use social media? It’s already law in one state
After Utah became the first state to require parental consent in order for minors to use social media, parents, teens and experts are sharing their thoughts on government-enforced mandates for social media use. Sara Houston Katsanis, MS, a research assistant professor focusing on pediatric consent and social media at Northwestern University, says the mandates are “quite extreme,” adding that “teenagers will find ways to access what they are interested in, especially if it’s touted as something forbidden.” “I don’t disagree that social media is a problem and tech addiction is a problem among teenagers and among children,” Houston Katsanis tells TODAY.com. “Rather than trying to restrict what children have access to, let’s work with communities to limit the need for phones.” Numerous studies have found links between an increase in social media use and adverse mental health outcomes in teens, including depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.
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Chicago Tribune
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Mike Adamle, the former’s Bears running back and sportscaster, deals with slowly advancing dementia: ‘I’ll wake up one day, and there goes another part of me’
Adamle’s mind is slowly eroding, a result of the brain-rattingl concussions he suffered playing for Northwestern and the NFL Chiefs, Jets and Bears. He has post-traumatic epilepsy. His doctors also believe he’s showing symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a disease also tied to brain trauma and frighteningly common among former football players. Dr. Stewart Shankman, a professor and Northwestern Medicine’s chief of psychology in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, said he’s hopeful mental issues someday no longer will be stigmatized but rather viewed like other chronic diseases. “Nobody has to come out that they have diabetes or come out that they have thyroid problems,” Shankman said. “They just take their medicine and move on. But we need to be moving forward by having more awareness.”
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NBC 5 Chicago
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Health Experts Set the Record Straight on Menopause, From Symptoms to Treatments
Women can spend more than half their life in menopause, but women’s health experts say there are still many misconceptions about menopause care. “A lot of women think hot flashes is menopause. That’s one thing but, really, estrogen affects so many parts of your body – your bones, your brain, your skin,” said Pat Handler MSN, instructor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a certified menopause provider at the Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause at Northwestern Medicine. Handler explained the different between perimenopause, which can start in your early 40’s, and menopause. “Perimenopuase is when a woman’s hormones begin to fluctuate,” Handler said. “Menopuase is when a woman has completely stopped making estrogen.” Northwestern Medicine created the Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause in 2017 to help women navigate menopause and the various treatment options.
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Yahoo! News
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Asthma medication shortage is making some families feel ‘helpless and frustrated.’ Here’s what parents need to know.
Albuterol, a fast-acting medication used to treat breathing problems in children, has been on the FDA’s shortage list since October. But while there’s plenty of chatter on social media about the shortage, doctors say parents shouldn’t panic – and that there are numerous ways to handle it. Dr. Michael Bauer, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, says that patients who have used albuterol in a nebulizer should be able to use an inhaler if they can’t find the drug in liquid form. “Almost anyone can use an inhaler, and when used properly, it provides the same delivery of albuterol and relief of symptoms as the aerosolized form,” he says. (However, he says, infants and small children will need to use a spacer device — a holding chamber that makes it easier to breathe in the medicine — and will likely need some coaching.)
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The Wall Street Journal
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Why Is the Maternal Mortality Rate So High in the U.S.?
Maternal mortality rates in the U.S. surged in 2021 to their highest level since 1965, as Covid-19 exacerbated longstanding problems including access to care and heart health. Rates have been trending upward over the past two decades in the U.S., even as they’ve fallen in most other countries. Public-health researchers say expanding insurance coverage so that more women are covered would be one step. Another would be making sure women are heart-healthy before they become pregnant, addressing problems such as hypertension and obesity earlier on. Ensuring women have regular care after giving birth is also vital, said Dr. Sadiya Khan, assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. People from minority groups are more likely to have their health complaints ignored, data show. It is vital to train physicians so they are aware of their own assumptions about a patient’s background, say public-health experts.
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New York Times
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A Little Motivation to Take a Walk
“Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information Podcast,” a frequently hilarious and always informative exploration of menopause, hosted by Dr. Lauren Streicher, the medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause.
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CNN
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Ozempic prescriptions can be easy to get online. Its popularity for weight loss is hurting those who need it most
Telehealth and social media are playing a significant role in driving demand for Ozempic, a prescription drug that treats Type 2 diabetes, experts told CNN. The current drug shortage has limited access for patients with diabetes who rely on it to control their blood sugar.
Digital health companies make medications like Ozempic easier to get by providing prescriptions online. Many advertise quick and easy — sometimes same-day — access.
“Anecdotally, it’s almost easier to get medication [via digital health companies],” said Dr. Disha Narang, endocrinologist and director of obesity medicine at Northwestern Medicine, Lake Forest Hospital. “But not always the safest.” People who put in average weights on the online intake forms were still offered the antidiabetic drug, Narang told CNN. -
Wall Street Journal
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U.S. Maternal Mortality Hits Highest Level Since 1965
“Heart health entering pregnancy has gotten worse in the past decade,” said Dr. Sadiya Khan, assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Prepregnancy is the time to really optimize maternal outcomes.”
