Medical societies recommend screening for cervical cancer and human papillomavirus, which causes cervical cancer, every three to five years. Many women, though, appear to be screening far more often, which comes with the consequence of increased psychological distress and increased health care costs.

A study of nearly 2.3 million women ages 30 to 65 screened in 2013 and 2014 found that after the initial screening, nearly 18% had another screening by the end of one year, with 50% screened again by year two and 65% screened again by year three.

Younger women were more likely to be screened repeatedly.

Burning Curiosity

New research finds that curiosity and marketing are the two primary reasons why young people take up smoking. A survey of 9,000 adolescents ages 12-17 who didn't smoke but expressed curiosity said they would try a cigarette if their best friend offered one or would try one soon. Surveyed again five years later, these adolescents were more likely to have taken up the smoking habit.

Similarly, future smokers said they were drawn to tobacco-related content on social media, had a coupon or discount from a tobacco company or got a free sample.

Get Me That, Stat!

Pharmacy deserts — neighborhoods or communities lacking a sufficient number of pharmacies to meet local needs — are more common in Black and Hispanic areas, according to a new analysis of the 30 most populous U.S. cities.

In White-majority neighborhoods, there were 1.15 pharmacies per census area compared to 0.85 pharmacies in majority-Black and 0.97 pharmacies in majority-Hispanic neighborhoods. Mixed-race neighborhoods fared best with an average of 1.23 pharmacies per census area.

The cities with the most pharmacy disparities among neighborhoods included Chicago, Boston, Dallas and Albuquerque.

Counts

3.6 million: Approximate number of births in the United States in 2020.

4: Percentage decline from 2019.

6: Consecutive years U.S. birth rate has declined.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Stories For the Waiting Room

The pandemic dramatically reduced patient visits to their doctors in 2020, but the latter still did OK financially. A survey by Medscape of 18,000 physicians found that their salaries remained essentially unchanged at an average of $242,000.

The stability was subsidized by pandemic relief funding, staff cuts and increased billing in areas like telehealth. Some specialties saw measurable rises. Plastic surgeons, who are already at the top of salary scales, saw their income increase 10% to $526,000 per year on average. Conversely, doctors who specialize in public health, preventive medicine and pediatrics continue to draw some of the lowest medical salaries.

Doc Talk

Exostosis: abnormal bony growths in the ear caused by swimming regularly in cold water; sometimes called "surfer's ear."

Mania of the Week

Leukomania: an uncontrollable obsession with the color white.

Best Medicine

I always feel better when my doctor says something is normal for my age, but then I realize dying will also be normal for my age at some point.

Observation

"Each patient carries his own doctor inside him." — American author Norman Cousins (1912-1990) in "Anatomy of an Illness"

Medical History

This week in 2004, a 50-year study published in the British Medical Journal quantified lifetime health damage caused by smoking for the first time. Researchers followed 35,000 British doctors who smoked. They found that almost half of persistent cigarette smokers were killed by their habit, and a quarter died before age 70. Those who quit by age 30 had the same life expectancy as a non-smoker. Even quitting at age 50 saved six more years of life over those who continued smoking. At age 80, 65% of non-smokers were still alive, but only 32% of smokers.

Perishable Publications

Many, if not most, published research papers have titles that defy comprehension. They use specialized jargon, complex words and opaque phrases like "nonlinear dynamics." Sometimes they don't, and yet they're still hard to figure out. Here's an actual title of a published research study: "Parachute use to prevent death and major trauma when jumping from aircraft: randomized controlled trial," published in 2018 in the British Medical Journal.

The researchers couldn't actually find anyone willing to jump out of flying plane without a parachute, so they conducted their trial with participants leaping from small, stationary planes roughly three feet above the ground. From this, they concluded that parachutes were no more effective than empty backpacks at preventing injury and death.

Self-exam

Q: What is the maximum capacity of the average human stomach?

A: An empty stomach is approximately 12 inches long and 6 inches across at its widest point. Relaxed and empty, it holds about 2.5 ounces, but it can expand to contain roughly a quart of food and liquid. It typically returns to its regular size after processing contents but expands more easily if you overeat on a regular basis.

Epitaphs

"Death is but the key." — Tombstone of horror writer James Herbert (1943-2013), author of such novels at "The Rats," "The Fog" and "The Survivor"

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: geralt at Pixabay