Diabetes Plus Sleeping Badly Linked To Premature Deaths In Study - Kaiser Health News

People with diabetes and sleep problems are 87% more likely to die during the next nine years than people without either issue, according to new research. Also in the news: an E. coli outbreak; gut bacteria and heart health; NFL funding of cannabis research; and more.

CNN: People With Diabetes Who Sleep Badly Are At Greater Risk Of Dying Prematurely, Study Suggests 
People with diabetes who had trouble falling or staying asleep were 87% more likely to die of any cause over the next nine years than people without diabetes or sleep problems, a new study finds. The study, published Tuesday in the Journal of Sleep Research, analyzed data from nearly half a million middle-aged participants in the UK Biobank Study, which houses in-depth genetic and health information on UK residents. (LaMotte, 6/8)

AP: E. Coli Outbreak Among Children Prompts Health Officials Investigation
Health officials in eastern Iowa are looking for the source of an E. coli outbreak that has sickened several children in Maquoketa. At least three children from Maquoketa are being treated at an Iowa City hospital after developing hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication caused by a toxin-producing E. coli strain, the Telegraph Herald reported. Doctors say the E. coli strain can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps and vomiting. HUS symptoms include dark-colored urine, increased fever, abdominal pain and headache and can affect kidney function. (6/8)

WJCT 89.9 FM: UNF Study Looks At How Gut Bacteria May Affect Heart Health 
A new study at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville is trying to make a connection between a happy gut and a healthy heart. Gut bacteria is connected to many types of disorders. UNF nutrition and dietetics professor Andrea Arikawa is conducting research on the effect that eating fermented vegetables, like Korean kimchi and sauerkraut, has on the body's microbiome and heart health. (Corum, 6/8)

Bloomberg: NFL Pledges $1 Million To Fund Cannabis Research For Pain Relief
The NFL says it plans to fund research into alternative pain medications to opioids, including potential studies on whether cannabis can effectively treat pain without having a negative effect on elite athletes. The league is offering $1 million in grants for as many as five research proposals, Jeff Miller, executive vice president overseeing player health and safety, said on a media call Tuesday. (Kary, 6/8)

GenomeWeb: Genomic Differences In Prostate Cancer Found Among African-Americans, European-Americans
Prostate cancer is common among men, with nearly 175,000 new cases each year in the U.S. But African-American men are more likely than European-American men to develop prostate cancer, and when they do, they have a higher mortality rate. Previous studies have suggested there might be genomic differences in the tumors found among African-American and European-American men, so an Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai-led team conducted a retrospective analysis of tumors from more than a thousand men to examine differences in gene expression or affected biological pathways between the groups. As they reported in the journal Communications Biology this week, the researchers uncovered distinct genomic differences that could influence how prostate cancer should be managed clinically and that could, in part, explain disease disparities. (6/8)

In other public health news —

CNN: The Coming Flu Season May Be A Doozy. Here's Why 
The coming flu season may be a doozy. Even as coronavirus was devastating populations around the world, killing 3.7 million people globally, doctors and public health officials noticed something else was missing: There was almost no flu. One child died from flu this year in the US. In 2019-2020, there were 199 flu-related deaths in children and 144 the season before that. Flu cases, usually counted in the tens of millions, only accounted for a few thousand this year in the US. "Flu hasn't been anywhere, with the exception of some reasonable activity in western Africa," said Richard Webby, an influenza specialist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. (Fox, 6/8)

CNN: These Innovative Designs Are Tackling Taboo Health Issues For Women 
A non-hormonal birth control capsule that women can insert just before sex. A rape kit that gives victims more agency and streamlines the evidence collection process. An overhauled design for a 150-year-old tool used in postpartum vaginal tearing. These designs are just some of the finalists announced this week in the 2021 Index Award, and their creators hope to make the future of medicine and sexual health more equitable for all genders. (Palumbo, 6/8)

CNN: Dr. Gupta: How To Assess Risk When Going Mask-Free 
For more than a year now, many of us have followed the standard drill: wash our hands, stay 6 feet apart, choose outdoor activities over indoors, and -- most of all -- wear a mask. Once vaccines were authorized for emergency use, the rules -- as laid out in guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- slowly started to change as more people got their shots. (Gupta, 6/8)

KHN: Women Now Drink As Much As Men — And Are Prone To Sickness Sooner
Victoria Cooper thought her drinking habits in college were just like everyone else's. Shots at parties. Beers while bowling. Sure, she got more refills than some and missed classes while nursing hangovers, but she couldn't have a problem, she thought. "Because of what my picture of alcoholism was — old men who brown-bagged it in a parking lot — I thought I was fine," said Cooper, now sober and living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Pattani, 6/9)

This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.