Susan Perry
MinnPost
Chicago, IL, United States
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Past articles by Susan:
After 13 years, thanks and farewell
This is my last posting for Second Opinion; I’ve decided to retire from the column. → Read More
Which cloth masks are best? The more layers the better, a new study suggests
“Even a single-layer face covering is better than nothing,” researchers said. → Read More
Stay-at-home orders linked to significant decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations, U of M study finds
“We found that the hospitalizations were roughly two to three times lower than what would be expected based on the initial trends,” said Soumya Sen, the study’s lead author. → Read More
Right now — during the COVID-19 pandemic — is an especially good time to quit smoking
The Minnesota Department of Health launched a group of free programs this week to help state residents quit nicotine. → Read More
The diets of most U.S. children remain nutritionally ‘poor,’ despite improvements
The study found that young people are drinking less sugary beverages and consuming slightly more fruit and whole grains than they were in 1999. → Read More
Loss of smell and taste are possible symptoms of coronavirus, and a sign that you should self-isolate, experts say
Medical personnel who are treating people with anosmia should use personal protective gear and avoid doing nonessential procedures, the specialists add. → Read More
American teens are delaying first use of drugs, including tobacco and alcohol, study finds
Significantly fewer young people are using drugs — including alcohol and tobacco — before their 16th birthday than just a decade ago, the study found. → Read More
Popular songs have gotten sadder over 50-year period
The effect can be seen even with single words, researchers found. The use of the word “love” in the top 100 songs, for example, has dropped in half since 1965. → Read More
More than 15% of American adults get no exercise, including in Minnesota, CDC says
In Minnesota, 21.2 percent of adults — more than 1 in 5 — report being physically inactive. → Read More
Average body temperature has fallen over last 150 years, study finds
The authors of the new study have concluded that the average normal body temperature has dropped almost a full degree, to 97.9°F. → Read More
Study shows sharp rise in e-scooter injuries since 2017
The most common injuries were fractures (27 percent), followed by contusions and abrasions (23 percent) and lacerations (14 percent). → Read More
Teenage boys with progressive attitudes about gender are less likely to be violent, study finds
The study also found that teenage boys who report that they have witnessed their peers abusing women and girls are significantly more likely to bully and fight with others. → Read More
A not yet fully developed working memory may explain teens’ higher risk of car crashes, study suggests
“There is considerable variation in working memory development during the teen years, and some teens may not be as ready to drive on their own without additional assistance,” said Daniel Romer, the study’s senior author. → Read More
Eating gluten doesn’t cause symptoms in those without celiac disease or NCGS, study finds
People with celiac disease must follow a gluten-free diet. But they are a relatively small group — about 1 percent of the population. → Read More
1 in 10 older adults are binge drinkers, study finds
The researchers found that older binge drinkers were more likely to be men and to be smokers and users of cannabis. → Read More
Americans’ confidence in scientists rises, but so does partisan divide
In 2019, 86 percent of Americans had at least “a fair amount” of confidence that scientists act in the public interest — up three percentage points from the previous year. → Read More
A well-timed warm bath or shower can lead to better sleep, study suggests
The analysis found that the optimum time to take a shower, bath or footbath was one to two hours before going to bed. → Read More
Americans have upped their sitting time, but not their exercise time
Both insufficient physical activity and prolonged sitting have been individually linked to an increased risk of a number of chronic illnesses, as well as to early death from all causes. → Read More
Plant-based diets may help prevent type 2 diabetes, study suggests
"We found that eating plant-based diets was associated with, on average, 23 percent reduction in diabetes risk," said Qi Sun, the study’s senior author. → Read More
1 in 20 patients experience preventable harm while receiving medical care, study finds
Disability and death caused by preventable medical harm is equal to that caused by multiple sclerosis or cervical cancer in developed countries. → Read More