Health and Science: More

Twenty-six Lies About H.R. 3200

Let’s Talk Facts Fact Sheets
Depression
Anxiety Disorders
Eating Disorders

Not to make light of these concerns, you could resort to these therapy flashcards available at the New York Public Library Shop

Another Google Tool

Flu Trends from Google finds that " certain search terms are good indicators of flu activity. Google Flu Trends uses aggregated Google search data to estimate flu activity in your state up to two weeks faster than traditional flu surveillance systems."

Each week, millions of users around the world search for online health information. As you might expect, there are more flu-related searches during flu season, more allergy-related searches during allergy season, and more sunburn-related searches during the summer. You can explore all of these phenomena using Google Trends. But can search query trends provide an accurate, reliable model of real-world phenomena?

"We have found a close relationship between how many people search for flu-related topics and how many people actually have flu symptoms. Of course, not every person who searches for "flu" is actually sick, but a pattern emerges when all the flu-related search queries from each state and region are added together. We compared our query counts with data from a surveillance system managed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and found that some search queries tend to be popular exactly when flu season is happening. By counting how often we see these search queries, we can estimate how much flu is circulating in various regions of the United States. Our results have been published in Nature."

"During the 2007-2008 flu season, an early version of Google Flu Trends was used to share results each week with the Epidemiology and Prevention Branch of the Influenza Division at CDC. Across each of the nine surveillance regions of the United States, we were able to accurately estimate current flu levels one to two weeks faster than published CDC reports."

Article

Julia Sneden, No Sweat: the next time you throw yourself down in front of a fan and feel the evaporative glory of sweat in a breeze, stop for a moment to appreciate the body’s marvelous systems.

BBC's Health Over 50

The well known British media source has dedicated part of their website dealing with concerns of those over 50:

What makes us age?
Unravelling the mysteries behind what makes us age

Coping with retirement
Plan ahead to make the most of your work-free years

Being a carer
How to cope when looking after a partner or near relative

A side issue is: Coping with grief. And other sections on the BBC deal with: Arthritis guide, Cancer guide,Breast awareness and Prostate cancer.

If all of that isn't helpful enough, Make My Body Younger might just do the trick.

Cancer Treatment Measures

The American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network developed measures to assess if hospitals are meeting standards.

"All measures are designed to assess performance at the hospital or systems-level, and are not intended for application to individual physician performance.

Four measures were endorsed by the NQF as accountability measures, meaning that these measures can be used for such purposes as public reporting, payment incentive programs, and the selection of providers by consumers, health plans, or purchasers.  Quality improvement measures are intended to be used for internal monitoring of performance within an organization or group so that analyses and subsequent remedial actions can be taken, as appropriate. 

Through a parallel process the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) developed a similar set of measures for breast and colorectal cancer.  Facilitated by the NQF, the CoC, ASCO, and NCCN agreed to synchronize their developed measures to ensure that a unified set were put forth to the public." 

Article

Ferida Wolff, Supermarket to the Rescue: Nowhere else are there so many options for cooling an overheated body. I discovered this over the course of many meltdowns while shopping. I’ll let you in on some survival tricks I have learned that can help you get through a supermarket flash

Interactive Research at Children's Hospital, Boston

The Research department at Children's Hospital Boston has developed a series of Web-based Flash interactives to present complex ideas in an interactive, user-friendly format.

How Cancer Grows and Spreads
This animated Flash feature illustrates the growth, progression and metastasis of carcinomas. In this presentation, cancer researchers Bruce Zetter, PhD, and Marsha Moses, PhD, identify fourteen possible stages of a carcinoma and show the possible paths the disease can take as it moves from one stage to another. Using the presentation's "roadmap," users are able to choose their own routes as they travel from one possible cancer stage to the next. At each stop along the way, they learn details about that stage through descriptions and animated illustrations, and they can learn about current treatments and the latest research advances.

The Neuron
The Neuron gives users the opportunity to experiment with a virtual neuron to see what conditions are needed to make it fire and also with a circuit of interconnected neurons to see how neurons work together to process information. In addition, the feature provides step-through animations that illustrate how electrical currents move down the neuron along the axon (action potential) and how neurons pass their signals along (synaptic transmission).

Virtual Stem Cell Laboratory
The Virtual Stem Cell Laboratory is home to a computer-generated “living” culture of embryonic stem cells. When the Flash-based feature is launched, the cells quickly begin to reproduce through the process of mitosis (cell division). Users can then add different "coaxing" factors — proteins, for example —- to differentiate the cells into increasingly specialized cell types. From the initial colony of embryonic stem cells, virtual scientists can create 16 cell types ranging from red blood cells to motor neurons. The cells are even programmed to behave like their real counterparts. As the lab produces new cell types, the user learns what scientists know about the cells, including any known or potential therapeutic applications.

Other interactives are at Children's Hospital site.

Physicians, Patients and Consulting

Biomet is a manufacturer and designer products for hip replacement, knee replacement, shoulder replacement, elbow replacement, and other small joint replacement. The company is one of five that also includes DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company; Smith & Nephew plc; Stryker Corp; and Z immer, Inc all of whom have posted payments to medical consultants, part of a deferred prosecution agreement that each of the companies involved made with the US Attorney in New Jersey.

It pays, so to speak, to ask your physician if he or she has a financial connection to the company that makes the orthopedic device you're considering.

HEALTHmap

Global disease alert map

Created by the Children's Hospital Informatics Program and the Harvard-MIT Division of Health

HEALTHmap "brings together disparate data sources to achieve a unified and comprehensive view of the current global state of infectious diseases and their effect on human and animal health."

This site integrates outbreak data of varying reliability, ranging from news sources to curated personal accounts (such as ProMED)to validated official alerts (such as World Health Organization).

"Through an automated text processing system, the data is aggregated by disease and displayed by location for user-friendly access to the original alert. HEALTHmap provides a jumping-off point for real-time information on emerging infectious diseases and has particular interest for public health officials and international travelers."

There are tips to navigate and use the HEALTHmap visualization system on the About page.

 

Twenty Steps ... To Better Health

Although you may consider yourself well-versed in heart-healthy facts, some of these from the PBS Health Campaign, Take One Step, may not be universally known:

Did you know there may be a real "love connection" between kindness and heart health?

Maybe your heart really can be filled with (or at least fueled by)love. Researchers at Case Western Reserve University found that married men with known or suspected coronary artery disease who answered "yes" to the question, "Does your wife show you her love?" had significantly less chest pain than men who answered "no." Although further study linking loving support with heart health will reveal the complete story, everybody wins when you take small steps today. So hug your hubby, smooch your sweetie, cuddle your kids. Tuck "you're special" notes in pockets or lunchboxes. At the very least, say I love you.

What's up with today's enormous entrees?

According to the American Heart Association, 20 years ago the average pasta serving was two cups. Today your plate packs four cups! So take one step forward to improve your health: order an appetizer as your main course or "doggie-bag" half of your entree before digging in. But don't skip meals; your growling stomach will drown out your good judgment!

Did you know that your neighborhood can contribute to overweight?

Is your local market stocked with reasonably priced nutritious food, or is your closest option a convenience store filled with processed snacks? According to Latino Health Access, affordable, fresh whole foods are scarce in many American communities, particularly in inner city and rural locations. Banding together with family or neighbors experiencing the same "grocery challenge" is a positive first step. Swap childcare or carpooling duties for distant shopping trips. If you're taking public transportation, go with a friend and help carry each other's purchases. Start a family or community garden to get nature's freshest offerings. Explore advocacy resources like the Latino Health Access and The United Way for other helpful ideas.

What's the most common cancer in America?

Skin cancer grabs this ignoble title, with more than 1.3 million cases diagnosed in the United States each year. The good news is that researchers are constantly exploring new prevention and treatment strategies. For example, a recent University of Arizona study points to the possibility of fruit extracts serving as potentially powerful sunscreens in the future. But while scientists dig deeper into this and other cancer-fighting options, perform the lifesaving basics: apply sunscreen above SPF 15, don a hat, and become a shade worshipper. Take one step. It's never too late.

What symptoms signal a heart attack?

We often think of heart attacks as sudden and intense pain. However, most start with mild chest pain, some shoulder discomfort, or even shortness of breath. Other signs include nausea, extreme fatigue, lightheadedness, indigestion. or a cold sweat. If you experience these symptoms, take them seriously, and call 911. Remember that the symptoms may manifest differently in men and women. Other important steps for heart health include knowing your family medical history, monitoring your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and eating a diet low in fat and rich in fruits, vegetables and fiber.

Did you know that laughter may be heart-healthy?

Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that watching a humorous movie for even 15 minutes can help increase your blood flow. So take small steps toward chuckling. Rent that funny film, fool around with friends, switch on a sitcom. Listen to comedian on your music player while taking a walk. Take your health more seriously than you take yourself. Take one step. It's never too late.

Holiday Season

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association online site presents some resources and links for the holiday season on their site, HealthyMinds.org:

However, for some people, the holidays can bring a lot of stress, anxiety and feelings of depression. The extra demands of holiday shopping, expenses and travel can be overwhelming. Strained relationship between family members and other loved ones can also play a part in holiday burnout. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) would like to offer some tip sheets and other resources to help families and individuals cope and make the most of this festive season.

APA Offers Tips for Appropriate Holiday Alcohol Consumption

APA Offers Tips for Managing Seasonal Affective Disorder

Helping Children Cope with Holiday Stress -Tips for Parents and Families

APA Expert Opinion: Dealing with the Winter Blues with Dr. Douglas Jacobs

Take one step: Especially for Women

You're a woman. Translation: you're a multi-tasking manager, logistics specialist, cheerleader, communication expert, chauffeur, and event planner. So while you're caring for everyone and everything around you, make time to care for yourself, starting with these small steps.

Did you know that heart disease doesn't discriminate?

This is one case where we wish women weren't equally represented. Contrary to popular belief, heart disease is not just a male disease. In fact, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, heart disease annually claims the lives of more women than men. So take small steps toward better heart health. Have your blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels checked regularly. Engage in physical activity like walking. "Color" your diet (think an orange for breakfast, red apples for lunch, and some vivid greens for dinner). Take one step. It's never too late.

Did you know that walking can improve your heart health?

Walk! Walk for your life! A report in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that a sedentary 40-year-old woman who begins walking briskly half an hour a day, four days a week, can enjoy almost the same reduced heart attack risk as a woman who has exercised regularly her entire life. So take small steps to increase, well, your steps. If you're in generally good health, the old standbys still work: take the stairs, park in a distant spot, and get off the bus a stop or two early. Whatever your strategy, take one step. It's never too late

New Link

The Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention has created a website for checking your risk for developing a variety of diseases: YourDiseaseRisk. There are tables listing the prevalence and relative risk estimates used in the Your Disease Risk calculations.

"The Your Disease Risk site began as the Harvard Cancer Risk Index, a pen and paper cancer risk assessment tool first put together in the mid 1990’s by the Risk Index Working Group at Harvard University. In 1999, the Risk Index was adapted to the Web as Your Cancer Risk. Then, to give even greater emphasis to the importance of healthy behaviors, Your Cancer Risk was expanded to include assessments for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and osteoporosis. The expanded site was renamed Your Disease Risk."

We took a couple of the tests (for ovarian cancer and osteoporosis) and was quite frankly reassured that my risks were lower than we had supposed, at least statistically. The site also informed me what medical procedure had lowered a particular risk.

Free Brochures

The National Diabetes Education Program, a joint Federal program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), wants to remind older adults with type 2 diabetes of its free information on how to manage their disease.

The Power to Control Diabetes is in Your Hands campaign emphasizes the importance of checking blood glucose levels and managing the ABCs of diabetes, and includes information on how to access Medicare benefits. To receive a free brochure visit the NDEP Web site at www.ndep.nih.gov or call 1-800-438-5383.

New Link

Our Bodies, Ourselves - The companion site to the well known (and updated) book. The goals and premise of the Boston Women's Health Book Collective are:

OBOS introduced these key ideas into the public discourse on women’s health:

• That women, as informed health consumers, are catalysts for social change;

• That women can become their own health experts, particularly through discussing issues of health and sexuality with each other;

• That health consumers have a right to know about controversies surrounding medical practices and about where consensus among medical experts may be forming;

• That women comprise the largest segment of health workers, health consumers, and health decision-makers for their families and communities, but are underrepresented in positions of influence and policy making;

• That a pathology/disease approach to normal life events (birthing, menopause, aging, death) is not an effective way in which to consider health or structure a health system.

Some of the topics covered for in Chapter 26, Midlife and Menopause include:

I am my Mother’s Keeper

• Menopause and Hormone Therapy
• Sexual Issues in Menopause
• The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act
• The Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis in Women
• Women’s Work: Pay, Pensions and Poverty

 

Clinical Trials Link

Access to clinical trials has been a feature of health links for quite a while but rarely has a drug company provided post-clinical trial results. Eli Lilly is doing so, responding to a demand for more information regarding this field.

The site, lillytrials.com provides the following:

Select any of the following links to get information related to clinical trials sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company:

Trial Results by Therapeutic Area: Provides summaries of completed clinical studies and/or references to publications or scientific presentations for marketed products by therapeutic area.

Trial Results by Product: Provides summaries of completed clinical studies and/or references to publications or scientific presentations for marketed products by product.

Initiated Trials: Provides a list of on-going clinical studies identified by their unique numerical code.

Recruiting Trials: Provides recruiting information for ongoing clinical studies for serious and life-threatening conditions.

Terminology: Provides definitions and explanations of terms commonly used in drug discovery and development.

Education: Provides information describing the processes involved in the discovery and development of new medicines.

New Links

1) Your Disease Risk is a site that devised by the Center for Cancer Prevention based at the Harvard School of Public Health. The information in Your Disease Risk is based on established science and proven risk factors. A risk factor is proven if the evidence is strong enough to show a link to the disease. The information applies to populations in the US and other western countries. Each question is related to a number that represents the strength of the association between the risk factor and the disease. As you answer the questions, the numbers are multiplied to equal your personal risk based on the risk factors that apply to you. Your risk is then compared to the average risk for a person your age and sex.

Your Disease Risk may not include information on some things you think affect your risk of cancer. That's because scientific studies don't show a consistent link to the disease. If it's not included in the web site, the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention doesn't regard it as a proven risk factor.

2) Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network -"The OPTN's secure transplant information database contains all national data on the candidate waiting list, organ donation and matching, and transplantation." On the front page is a statistical chart showing how many people are on waiting lists for various types of organ transplants as of the current date and time. Also available here:
National Data "includes the latest data about the status of U.S. organ donation and transplantation on a national level." Regional Data "Allows you to view the latest data about the status of U.S. organ donation and transplantation by UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) region of center."
State Data "Allows you to view the latest data about the status of U.S. organ donation and transplantation by state of center."
Center Data "Includes current and historical information accumulated about individual transplant centers."
Organ Datasource: "Select an organ (kidney, pancreas, kidney/pancreas, liver, heart, lung, heart/lung, intestine) to view an informational profile, organ and center data profiles, policies relating to that organ, and to locate a transplant center."

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