Infotrak

Prescription drug users in some urban neighborhoods are living in pharmacy deserts, limiting access to vital medicines. Dima Mazen Qato, PharmD, MPH, PhD, Hygeia Centennial Chair and Director for the Program on Medicines and Public Health at the USC School of Pharmacy, explains the reasons behind the problem, and why it is growing.

Growing companies are always on the lookout for talented people to hire. Jeff Korzenik, author of "Untapped Talent: How Second Chance Hiring Works for Your Business and the Community", says there's a massive pool of productive job seekers being overlooked by businesses. Who these people are may surprise you.

If you've ever wondered if an item can be recycled or if you should just toss it in the garbage can, you're not alone. Jennie Romer, Recycling Expert, author of "Can I Recycle This? A Guide to Better Recycling and How to Reduce Single-Use Plastics" outlines the most common items that consumers incorrectly believe can be recycled and why. She also explains why only 9% of the plastic ever produced has been recycled.

Many patients seek a second opinion before treatment for a complex medical condition. Thomas Beckman, MD, Fellow in Advanced General Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, led a study at Mayo that found that only 12 percent of second opinions confirm that the original diagnosis was complete and correct. He explains what illnesses should merit the pursuit of a second opinion.

A significant number of Americans suffer from mental health issues, but one expert says that number skyrocketed during the pandemics and lockdowns. Christy Kane, PhD, Trauma Psychologist, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and author of "Fractured Souls and Splintered Memories: Unlocking the 'Boxes' of Trauma." says data indicates that the need for mental health services for children increased by 98% in the past year. She also estimates that 90% of the overall population is struggling mentally to deal with changes connected to COVID-19.

Virtually every American can take simple steps to lower their carbon footprint by making changes in travel, commuting, investing, and even cooking. James Beard Award-winning author Paul Greenberg outlines how a "Climate Diet" can help the planet.

Experts predict that Social Security will start running out of funds in less than 15 years. But smart parents can help their kids retire with a healthy nest egg by setting up an investment fund today. Chris Carosa, Certified Trust & Fiduciary Advisor, author of "The Parent's Guide to Turning Your Teen into A Millionaire," explains that the strategy should yield $2 million or more of retirement savings.

From time to time, every one of us faces difficulties in life. How we deal with these situations makes all the difference. Katherine May, author of "Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times," explains how to deal with these periods she calls "wintering," and what nature can teach us about slowing down to cope with life's darkest moments.

More than 70,000 American lives were lost to drug overdoses in 2019, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the problem grew even worse during the pandemic. Daniel Hartung, Pharm.D., M.P.H., Professor in the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy, led a study that found that 20% of pharmacies refuse to dispense a key medication, buprenorphine, to treat the addiction. He explains possible reasons behind the problem, and why the availability of this drug is so important in the battle against the opioid epidemic.

Tourniquets save lives, and while the increased use of tourniquets has raised survival rates and reduced the need for blood transfusions, there are still many situations where tourniquets could be used, but are not. Reynold Henry, MD, MPH, General Surgery Chief Resident at Los Angeles County and USC Medical Center, explains how you could save a life.

You've heard of clinical hypnotherapy, but what is it? Steve G. Jones, EdD, clinical hypnotherapist, President of the American Alliance of Hypnotists, author of 22 books on hypnotherapy, explains the most common misconceptions about clinical hypnotherapy. He also outlines the problems that hypnotherapy can solve, and how self-hypnosis may be useful.

Startling statistics show that over 100 million Americans are currently out of the labor force, and less than 6% of those are even looking for a job. Holly Wade, Executive Director of the National Federation of Independent Business Research Center, said that 91% of small businesses said they had few or no qualified applicants for job openings in the past three months. She explained what may eventually reverse the trend.

Roughly 35 million Americans take statins to lower cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke. But are enough people taking statins? Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, MD, Preventive Cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic says the answer is no.

The pandemic has impacted America's education system in many ways. One positive aspect is the use of modern technology, with real time audio video interaction. Ravi Hutheesing, author of “Pivot: Empowering Students Today to Succeed in an Unpredictable Tomorrow,” joins us to explain how the COVID-19 lockdowns exposed the strengths and weaknesses of America's education system.

Sperm counts among men in the industrialized world have plummeted by 60 percent in the past 40 years. Could this worrisome trend impact the future of the human race? Shanna H. Swan, PhD, Professor of Environmental Medicine and Public Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, author of "Count Down: How Our Modern World Is Threatening Sperm Counts, Altering Male and Female Reproductive Development, and Imperiling the Future of the Human Race," says if trends continue at the current rate, most couples may have to seek assisted reproduction by the year 2045.

You see and hear ads that say "we buy houses for cash." But what types of real estate investors are behind those ads? Eric Sussman, PhD, adjunct real estate professor at the University of California Los Angeles, explains the pluses and minuses for home sellers.

They taste like energy drinks, but pack a wallop in terms of alcohol content. Supersized alco pops are sending a shocking number of young people to emergency rooms. Matthew E. Rossheim, PhD, MPH, CPH, Assistant Professor in the Department of Global and Community Health at George Mason University, will explain what parents need to know.

Recent studies estimate that we use an astounding 129 billion face masks globally every month, roughly 3 million each minute. Prof. Elvis Genbo Xu, from the Department of Biology at the University of Southern Denmark, says little effort has been made so far to address the massive environmental impact of these disposable masks, most of which are not biodegradable.

Take whatever money you have saved for retirement, and cut it in half. That's what one top retirement planning expert says, because most of us don't realize the dramatic impact of taxes. But there are ways to minimize the pain, according to Ed Slott, author of “The New Retirement Savings Time Bomb: How to Take Financial Control, Avoid Unnecessary Taxes, and Combat the Latest Threats to Your Retirement Savings.”

Rates of suicide, bullying, eating disorders and other mental health challenges are rising dramatically among teenagers. Achea Redd, author of "Authentic You: A Girl's Guide to Growing Up Fearless and True," outlines the character traits that are critical to thrive as an adolescent, and what parents can do to help.