Tag: health site

The mental health app data privacy problem is getting worse

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Health Info

Mental health apps have become increasingly common over the past few years, particularly due to the rise in telehealth during the coronavirus pandemic.

However, there’s a problem: Data privacy is being compromised in the process.

“Data is incredibly profitable in the digital space,” Darrell West, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told Yahoo Finance. “That’s how companies are making their money. Many large companies derive a substantial part of their revenue from advertising. People want to target their ads on particular people and particular problems. So there’s the risk that if you have a mental health condition linked to depression,

Biomarkers at midlife may predict cognitive decline

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Health Info
Two older men play a game of cardsShare on Pinterest
Experts say cognitive abilities in older age may be influenced by brain health in midlife. Nata Segueza/Stocksy
  • Researchers report that cognitive functioning in midlife might provide insights to brain health later in life.
  • They say that staying physically healthy by adopting lifestyle habits such as not smoking, exercising regularly, eating properly, and participating in social activities can improve brain health.
  • They note that keeping the cardiorespiratory system healthy is essential to brain health.

Cognitive function and health in midlife – ages 40 to 65 – might provide clues to brain health later in life, according to a

HHS Office for Civil Rights Delivers Annual Reports to Congress on HIPAA Compliance and Breaches of Unsecured Protected Health Information

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Health Info

Reports highlight for regulated entities where to focus HIPAA compliance efforts

On February 14, 2024, the US Department of Health & Human Services Office for Civil Rights issued two Reports to Congress on Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) compliance and enforcement, specifically, on HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rule Compliance and Breach of Unsecured Protected Health Information. These reports are required to be submitted to Congress annually by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009. The HIPAA Rules provide the minimum required privacy and security safeguards for protected

Our government is failing to communicate important health information

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Health Info

This fiscal year, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has a discretionary spending budget of $144.3 billion. That money will generate important scientific knowledge; track the spread of infectious diseases; advance the approval of new drugs and medical devices, identify defective health products and tainted food and cosmetics, and encourage us to avoid tobacco, watch our blood pressure, control our weight, and respond to public health and medical crises.

All these things must be communicated effectively to empower Americans to make appropriate health decisions for themselves, their families and communities.

Previous HHS health communications efforts — the