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Our new study shows that vaping among teenagers is linked to childhood trauma. Here’s why quitting smoking can be harder

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If you experience childhood trauma, you might be more likely to use substances resembling alcohol, tobacco AND other medicines Later. But what does the evidence say about vaporizers?

Our new study was the primary to examine the links between childhood trauma and vaping habits among Australian teenagers. Those who had a traumatic experience before age 12 were more likely to have tried vaping, vaped repeatedly, or intended to achieve this in the long run.

Despite bans on the import and sale of vaporizers containing nicotine, labeling gaps meant they were still easily accessible. A study of 423 vaporizers confiscated from New South Wales retailers in 2022 found that 98.8% contained nicotine.

While quitting nicotine is a challenge for most individuals, our research suggests that young individuals who have experienced trauma may face additional challenges and wish tailored support.

Trauma and substance use

For individuals who experience trauma early in life, the results can go far beyond the event itself. Trauma is a form psychological harm brought on by experiences that pose a serious threat to your life or the lifetime of others. These may include emotional, physical and sexual abuse or exposure to natural disasters and serious accidents.

Research links childhood trauma to negativity physical AND sanity results. This covers it higher rates substance use and addiction.

The reasons for this are complex and should involve numerous aspects, including social and environmental influences. For example, young individuals who have experienced trauma are more likely be exposed to using psychoactive substances by people around them.

But trauma also affects brain development, which can impact whether we’re more likely to use substances.

Traumatic experiences can lead to greater ones impulsiveness AND dangerous behavior. Trauma can also disrupt the way in which you take care of stress, lift our response to future stressors.

Despite the restrictions, nicotine-containing vaporizers are still available.
Sophon Nawit/Shutterstock

Self-medicating is dangerous for the developing brain

This is more often experienced by individuals who experienced trauma in childhood difficulty identifying, understanding and expressing emotions (so-called alexithymia). This is why we regularly speak about substance use as self-medication – a way to cope with emotional pain and stress.

However, self-medication is particularly problematic for young people. An adolescent’s brain is still developing, so it is more susceptible to the harmful effects of external aspects nicotine, alcohol and other medications.

Young people develop into addicted to nicotine faster than adults – and stronger cravings may make it harder for them to quit.

We found a link between early trauma and teenage vaping

A handful of studies I discovered consistent links between childhood trauma and vaping. But tests focused mainly on adults fairly than asking teenagers about vape use. It was only one study about trauma and vaping in Australia and involved adult women.

But we all know there are young people in Australia exposed to vaporizers early – and that the variety of teenagers who vape is growing.

Our new study examined self-report surveys of two,234 Year 7 and eight students from 33 schools in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia, collected as a part of the study Health4Life study. The surveys assessed history of trauma at age 12 and vaping use three years later.

We found that individuals who experienced a traumatic experience at age 12 were more likely to say at age 15 that that they had tried vaping (64%), vaped repeatedly (63%), or intended to vape in the long run (44%).

Challenges of quitting smoking

Our new findings show a good younger group of Australians are prone to vaping and nicotine addiction. Many people may already be addicted.

Nicotine is there highly addictive and quitting smoking often takes multiple attempts due to difficult withdrawal symptoms. People often require a mix of behavioral support – resembling counseling – and pharmacological support, which can include nicotine alternative therapy or therapeutic vaporizers.

Current guidelines for primary care physicians emphasize the shortage of research on supporting teenagers in quitting smoking. The available evidence is based on studies conducted in adults or on smoking.

New federal laws we now have made therapeutic vaporizers – used to treat nicotine addiction – available on prescription to people under 18 years of age. However, this is subject to state and territory laws.

Other challenges

A history of trauma may increase the challenges of quitting smoking.

We know family AND social support are strong protective aspects for young people – for instance, when in search of help quit smoking.

However, this support is less likely to be available to children who’ve experienced violence and abuse given: more than likely the perpetrators they’re their circle of relatives.

Childhood trauma can also lead to a scarcity of trust in health care professionals.

In addition to GPs and counsellors, young people exposed to early trauma are likely to need specialist psychological support to develop healthier coping strategies.

A teenage girl with the hood of her sweatshirt pulled up holds her head in her hands and looks at the floor.
Trauma can change the way in which our brains develop and the way in which we take care of stress and emotional pain.
fizkes/Shutterstock

What young people need

We need a mix of universal and targeted prevention strategies.

In 2022-23, we now have developed a universal school prevention program, the so-called OurFutures vaping program. It is currently being evaluated with over 5,000 students in New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland, and refined in response to student and teacher feedback.

We also need strategies that recognize childhood trauma as a risk factor for vaping and give attention to harm reduction. We must do more to reduce childhood trauma evidence-based methods break cycles of abuse.

Consistent AND culturally secure These methods can help discover young individuals with trauma early and supply them with access to comprehensive support trauma-informed care.

Not all young people exposed to trauma will experience negative effects, but many will – and Australia must be higher prepared to respond.

This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

Car exhaust fumes can be linked to autism, a developmental disorder increasingly diagnosed in black children

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Autism, ASD, car exhaust, autism risks, autism in Black children, theGrio.com

New research has found that exposure to automotive exhaust fumes in utero or in the early stages of a child’s development may cause autism.

According to a study published Tuesday, November 12 in the journal Brain medicineexposure to nitric oxide (NO) – produced during fuel combustion – while pregnant or in the primary months of the mother’s life may pose a “significant risk” of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the kid.

“NO is a common air pollutant, produced mainly by vehicle emissions and the combustion of fossil and industrial fuels. Exposure to NO and its NO2 derivatives while pregnant and early childhood may disrupt normal brain development,” the study authors wrote.

The authors added that “the timing of exposure is key.”

According to the researchers, exposure to these pollutants while pregnant and early development “constitutes a significant risk of ASD because these periods are essential for brain development.”

The study also found that folks with a family history or genetic history of autism spectrum disorder may be at increased risk of developing the condition, affecting the best way individuals communicate, learn, interact and behave.

It’s not nearly automotive exhaust fumes. The study examined other air pollutants, including ozone, wonderful particles and other emissions, and located that every one of those toxins combined increased the danger of developing autism.

In particular, it listed benzene as a “volatile organic compound commonly found in vehicle exhaust, industrial processes and tobacco smoke” that, when combined with NO2, can also increase the danger of ASD.

Air pollutants may promote the event of ASD because they cause inflammation. Experiencing neuroinflammation brought on by exposure to NO over an prolonged time frame may “impact” brain activity related to social and cognitive functions which might be typically impaired by ASD.

“Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy may activate the mother’s immune system, leading to inflammation and abnormalities in fetal brain development,” the authors wrote, adding: “Elevated concentrations of inflammation-related cytokines in maternal serum in utero and early infants have been associated with their lives. with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes.”

One sec nearly 40% of Americans live without healthy airautism disproportionately affects black and Latino children in the US. This condition can be on the rise in this country.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention1 in 36 children were diagnosed with ASD – a rise from 1 in 44 just two years earlier. Predominantly, the condition still affects boys more often than girls, although this too has been established girls are frequently diagnosed with ASD later in life.

Holly Robinson Peete was

For generations, white children seemed to have the disease at higher rates than other children, but in recent years this risk has modified as more black and brown families gain access to quality health care and earlier diagnoses .

As increasingly black families select to live with an autistic member of the family, several organizations have emerged to help spread awareness, advocate and supply support. These organizations include The color of autismthat gives families with culturally competent support and care; Autism in blackwhich offers educational and counseling services to Black parents raising autistic children; and Black Autism Support Societywhich goals to fill gaps in support for the black community.


This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Health and Wellness

Perfect Imperfection of Wabi-Sabi Makeup – Essence

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Fairchild/Penske Media archive via Getty Images

Perfection is an addictive ideal of beauty that we have now all fallen victim to. This is clear in every thing from our drugs cabinets full of “anti-aging” skincare products to standardization Botox parties. What’s more, we even see it in horror movies (think: ) – revealing our insatiable desire to research and abandon perceived flaws.

This season, nonetheless, perfection is an outdated trend. Wabi-sabi— a Japanese worldview characterised by finding beauty in imperfection — is gaining popularity as a crucial antithesis to the fear of perfection. While aesthetic surgery is entering itsThe undetectable era” in response to the improvements of the watch, the makeup world is questioning whether beauty even exists in perfection.

“Don’t stress about imperfection. Embrace it. Relaxed, vibrant makeup feels more real and authentic” – MAC Senior National Artist Fatima Thomas says ESSENCE. “Things that are a little bit uneven, like a little blurry or a little bit uneven, can actually be quite visually pleasing.”

Below, Thomas explains the impact of Wabi-sabi beauty and her skilled techniques in achieving this look.

The rise of Wabi-sabi makeup

“A lot of people are taking a less stringent approach to makeup,” says Thomas. “When you worry less about having every line be perfect, every blend being perfect, you can actually enjoy applying and wearing makeup.” With beauty tricks like showering after punching to set the look with steam or sleeping in eyeliner for a soft grunge aesthetic, “Wabi-sabi allows for greater freedom and self-expression.”

Why now’s the proper time to adopt this mindset

“Do you really need to spend an extra 10 minutes to get your eyeliner perfect, or is it already good enough,” she asks. “After the pandemic and global inflation, people don’t want to stress about their makeup,” she continues, as TikTok’s viral “dopamine menu” trend turns beauty right into a form of therapy. “Wabi-sabi is about doing your best, and if it’s a little shaky, it’s okay.”

What does imperfect makeup appear like?

With airbrushes and editing apps distorting our view of achievable beauty: “I believe [imperfection] it is an opposition to digital filters and Photoshop,” he says. “It could be intentional or accidental, but it takes away the urge to rush and refine everything to look photoshopped.”

According to Thomas, the wabi-sabi approach relies more on philosophy than on any particular view. However, the important thing to imperfections is in nuances: “Do your makeup quickly and refrain from fixing minor imperfections.”

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Health and Wellness

Companies that help insurance companies deny pre-authorization claims –

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Medicare, Melissa D. Hall


KFF survey found that roughly 6 in 10 insured adults have experienced problems while using their insurance. Issues include denied claims, network adequacy, pre-authorization delays and denials. As the investigation shows, this is just not a surprise. A hidden industry makes money by denying doctors’ payment requests, called prior authorizations.

According to a ProPublica investigation, one in every of the important thing participants on this scheme is Evernorth’s EviCore. A ProPublica investigation found that EviCore is owned by the big insurance company Cigna. The largest U.S. insurance companies employ EviCore and supply protection to 100 million consumers.

EviCore apparently uses a synthetic intelligence-supported algorithm that insurance industry insiders call “the shield.” The algorithm system will be customized, which ultimately results in more pre-authorization claim rejections.

What’s even weirder is that EviCore reportedly has some contracts that allow it to make more cash the more it cuts health care spending by insurance companies.

EviCore is just not alone. Another big player is Carelon Medical Benefits Management, a subsidiary of Elevance Health, formerly Anthem. Although the corporate has been accused in court of unlawfully denying legitimate insurance applications, it denies all allegations.

How companies respond

EviCore claims that the approval process ensures that the procedures are protected, obligatory and price-effective.

“We are improving the quality and safety of healthcare, and – by a happy coincidence – we are significantly reducing unnecessary costs,” said an EviCore doctor in the course of the company’s series of webinars.

But based on the investigation, EviCore’s approach is way more sinister than it suggests. EviCore reportedly guarantees a 3-to-1 return on investment, which implies your insurer can pay $3 less for medical care and other costs.

For some perspective, in 2021 in Arkansas, EviCore denied prior authorization requests almost 20% of the time. Medicare Advantage plans denied prior authorization requests about 7% of the time in 2022, based on a ProPublica evaluation of knowledge.

A Cigna spokesperson said on behalf of EviCore: “Simply put, EviCore uses the latest evidence-based medicine to ensure patients get the care they need and avoid services they don’t need.”

The spokesperson added that the corporate uses algorithms in some clinical programs “only to expedite the approval of appropriate care and reduce administrative burdens on healthcare providers.”


This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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