Anita Bennett MD

Last week, we talked about pneumococcal disease, which causes more than a million hospitalizations and more than 50,000 deaths each year, according to the American Lung Association. Today, we’ll pick up where we left off and talk about who is at higher risk for pneumococcal disease, how it spreads, and…

In October 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended lowering the age for the pneumonia vaccine from 65 to 50 years old. This is a big change and could protect many more adults from serious illnesses caused by pneumococcal bacteria. Pneumococcal disease can affect people of all…

Last week, we talked about some risk factors for breast cancer, including both modifiable and non-modifiable factors. This week, we will start by talking about a couple of risk factors that may or may not be considered as modifiable. Then we will talk about the ways in which you can…

In this Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about some ways that you (or your loved ones) might decrease your risk of breast cancer. Breast cancer has many risk factors and some of those are within our control. Today we will talk…

Every October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is a good time to think about breast cancer prevention. I know many women who schedule their mammogram in October every year for this reason. I thought we could talk about some of the common questions I hear about mammograms. What is…

Last week, we started our conversation about suicide, including sharing some basic facts and discussing the warning signs. Today, we will talk more about the risk factors for suicide and how you can help prevent it. I found some more recent statistics since our conversation last week. In 2022, suicide…

September is Suicide Prevention Month. Although suicide prevention is an important issue all year round, September is a dedicated time to raise awareness and focus on addressing this difficult topic. Mental health conditions and suicide are more common than you might think. According to the Centers for Disease Control and…

Last week, we started our discussion of kidney stones. This week, we will wrap up the discussion by talking about how kidney stones are diagnosed and treated along with how you might prevent kidney stones from happening to you. How is a kidney stone diagnosed? If you have symptoms that…

You have probably either had a kidney stone or know someone who has had one. About 1 in 10 people will get a kidney stone during their lifetime. They can be very painful. Although most kidney stones pass out of the body on their own in the urine, sometimes they…

Mosquito-borne diseases are becoming more common in the US. Warmer temperatures and increased rainfall create ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes. These diseases occur in the summer through fall, with the highest number of cases being reported in August and September. They can occur across the US, so we should all…