Only a quarter of women between ages 40 and 60 meet the U.S. federal government’s recommended guidelines for physical activity, according to a new study of 69,000 women. Women who live in neighborhoods with sidewalks, low crime, and resources like shops and recreation centers are more likely to meet weekly guidelines for physical activity by walking, running or bicycling.
Implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are a fairly common treatment for patients with life-threatening heart arrhythmias, with over 140,000 implanted in 2009 alone. Most patients who have implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), which regulate heart rhythm, don’t realize that the devices can cause repeated painful shocks of limited therapeutic value as the patient nears death, according to a new review. Clinicians tend to avoid talking with ICD patients about disabling the devices at the end of life, either due to discomfort or lack of knowledge about deactivation.
Mammography performed yearly or in alternate years can benefit breast cancer survivors, according to a new review. In breast cancer, second tumors are equally likely to occur years later as they are to occur in the immediate years after initial tumor removal. When breast cancer recurs, the smaller the tumor when discovered, the better the outcome.
Whether caused by injury, surgery or a toothache so bad it slams you awake in the middle of the night, acute pain is difficult. Receiving prompt and helpful treatment can make all the difference in the world. But lack of care or inadequate care means that the acute pain may develop into chronic agony.
Safety net hospitals provide wide-ranging care to poor populations, including primary care, specialized services and referrals for social services. When safety net hospitals close or switch to for-profit status, some demographic groups are more affected than others. Uninsured pregnant women and uninsured Hispanic people experienced increased difficulty accessing health care after the loss of a local safety net hospital. African-American people without insurance or with Medicaid had to travel significantly farther to access mental health services after the loss of a local safety net hospital.
A handful of apps available from the iTunes store aim to help users reduce their alcohol intake. Most iTunes apps geared toward curbing alcohol intake use proven principles of alcoholism treatment, like social support, but none have been tested for effectiveness. Mobile health outreach through media like iTunes apps appeals to public health researchers because it is more efficient than traditional education methods.
Probiotics found in foods like yogurt and kefir can help to reduce the number of colds children and adults experience in a year. People taking probiotics experience fewer upper respiratory tract infections than those who don’t take them. A new evidence review provides support for probiotics’ popularity.
Prefilled pill boxes, foil-backed blister packaging and other reminder packaging can increase medication adherence, according to an updated Cochrane review. Giving medications in reminder packaging can increase the number of pills patients take by 11 percent to 13 percent and has been shown to improve blood pressure in people taking medication for high blood pressure.
Ridding homes and office buildings of mold can reduce the incidence of respiratory illness and decrease asthma-related symptoms, a new Cochrane review finds. While removing mold from offices and homes can reduce coughing and wheezing, the best method for mold removal remains to be determined. Mold can be costly to remove from buildings, which can be re-infected even after cleaning and fungicide treatments.
Racial differences in death rate from stroke do exist outside of the 11 states in the southeast U.S.A. known as the “stroke belt.” African-Americans are more likely to die of stroke inside or outside the so-called stroke belt. Stroke mortality is 12 percent higher in rural areas than urban areas, and this is not simply due to higher proportions of elderly people living in rural areas.
