Sugary Drink Sales Fizzled After Soda Tax: After Berkeley tax, less soda sold while water, milk sales rose 4/18/2017 http://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/dietnutrition/64624
Sales of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) fell by an estimated 9.6% one year after the city of Berkeley, Calif., imposed a penny-per-ounce tax on them. However, sales of SSBs increased by 6.9% in surrounding areas, suggesting that some people may have gone elsewhere for their sugar fix
Different Risks for Amyloid, Neurodegeneration: In Alzheimer's, risk factors for two disease hallmarks are distinct 4/17/2017 http://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/alzheimersdisease/64601
Different factors appear to protect against amyloid deposition and neurodegeneration, the two hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, according to an analysis from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging.
Doctors still divided on when women should start mammograms http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/10/health/breast-cancer-mammogram-recommendations-study/index.html
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends annual mammograms starting at 40 for all women, whereas the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends biennial mammograms starting at 50 for all women. In the new paper, many of the primary care physicians and gynecologists surveyed said they still recommended screening for women ages 40 to 44 last year.
1. Cancer Diagnosis Tied to Suicide Risk: High rates seen in period right after diagnosis
https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/additionalmeetings/64344
Patients with a cancer diagnosis had a significantly greater risk of fatal suicide attempts compared with individuals who did not have diagnosed cancer, according to a study presented at the European Congress of Psychiatry in Florence, Italy.
2. Diabetes Ups Cancer Death Risk in Asians: Association particularly strong for kidney, thyroid, and prostate cancers
https://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/diabetes/63675
Type 2 diabetes was tied to a 26% increased risk of death from any cancer in Asians, according to a cohort-based study. At a mean follow-up of more than a dozen years, there were 2,694 cancer deaths among participants in the Asia Cohort Consortium who did not have diabetes, and that number rose to 34,649 among those with diabetes.
3. Nearly a Dozen Cancers Tied to Obesity: Strongest links in cancers of the digestive organs, breast
https://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/obesity/63478
In this study, the strongest evidence was seen for cancers of the gastric cardia, colon, rectum, biliary tract system, pancreas, breast, endometrium, ovary, kidney, esophageal adenocarcinoma, and multiple myeloma, reported Maria Kyrgiou, PhD, of Imperial College London, and colleagues.
G.O.P. Bill Would Make Medical Malpractice Suits Harder to Win
New bill would cap non-economic restitution for medical malpractice and defective drugs/devices. The bill is aimed at cutting 'defensive medicine' where physicians seek to protect themselves from lawsuit, even if a test isn't needed. It may have the side effect of making it harder for the poor and elderly to seek justice.
GOP Senator In Vulnerable Seat Vows: ‘I Will Defend Planned Parenthood’
GOP support for federal funding at Planned Parenthood is relatively rare. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) has voiced his support of the funding, which helps low-income, disadvantaged women, particularly in rural areas who don't have easy access to family planning resources.
City In Minnesota May Become First In State To Raise Tobacco Age To 21
In order to curb teen tobacco use, Edina, Minnesota may raise the legal smoking age to 21. Since most smokers started in their teens, this may help drastically cut down the prevalence of smoking.
The Surprising Link Between Air Pollution and Alzheimer's Disease
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-air-pollution-alzheimers-20170131-story.html
Minority colorectal cancer patients report higher burden of poor quality-of-life than whites
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170327143651.htm
A study of racial disparities in health-related quality of life of colorectal cancer patients revealed among several findings, that Hispanics and blacks had a higher burden of poor health-related quality-of-life (HR-QoL) than white patients and that poor HR-QoL resulted in shorter median survival. Yet Hispanics had an average survival time of 85.4 months as compared to blacks at 47.8 months and whites at 43.2 months.
A Qualitative Study Examining Health Literacy and Chronic Illness Self-Management in Hispanic and non-Hispanic Older Adults
https://www.dovepress.com/a-qualitative-study-examining-health-literacy-and-chronic-illness-self-peer-reviewed-article-JMDH
Chronic illness self-management is a complex and dynamic behavior process. This study identified themes that leverage patient motivation to engage in self-care in a personalized manner. This information will guide the development of an intervention to promote health literacy and optimal disease management.
1) New drug could fight symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis - including joint pain and swelling
http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/785834/rheumatoid-arthritis-new-drug-painful-symptoms
"Rheumatoid arthritis could be treated with a new oral medicine for patients with moderate to severe cases of the condition.
Pharmaceutical company Pfizer has announced that Xeljanz, also called tofacitinib citrate - a new twice daily oral tablet to reduce inflammation in adults with rheumatoid arthritis, has been granted a license for UK use."
2) Rheumatoid arthritis: New treatment option for difficult-to-treat patients
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170302091047.htm
"Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the commonest and also the most dangerous forms of this inflammatory rheumatic disease. Around 30% of patients achieve remission, that is to say successful control of symptoms, after just one or two years. However, despite frequent changes in treatment, many other patients have to endure the active form of the disease on an ongoing basis. A multicentre, multinational study has now shown that a new drug (sirukumab) is a very promising treatment option for these "refractory" patients."
3) Knee Surgery Does Not Improve Life Quality for Many Patients
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/877877
"Total knee replacement provides minimal quality-of-life benefit for patients with less severe disability at baseline, according to new research. Thus, the treatment, as currently practiced in the United States, is not cost-effective."
1. Study points to health disparities in physical fitness
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110604181909.htm
Study that wanted to test the physical fitness of people in a community health center ( of low income) and those of a medically affiliated fitness center. Found that there was a disparity in the fitness level of these two groups with the those not in the CHC had poorer fitness. People in the CHC generally have a job that requires a lot of walking or moving whereas those not in the CHC normally have a sedentary desk job. This differing level of fitness creates a health disparity because those who are more fit generally have lower mortality or morbidity.
2. People with disabilities experience unrecognized health disparities, new research show
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150226144928.htm
Study makes the observation that there are higher rates of disease among the disabled leading to the conclusion that there are health disparities among those that have disabilities. People with disabilities make up 12% of the population and caring for these people can help improve the average US health and reduce the amount spent on health care for these people. This focus on the health disparities could lead to some health promotion materials that are accessible to people with disabilities, development of weight-loss or smoking cessation programs to serve the disabled and emergency evacuation and shelter training.
3. New clues about source of racial health disparities
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140721132016.htm
While many studies contribute social and economic disparities to nature, nurture, or the interaction of the two, this study observed that perhaps the anxiety of being confronted by negative racial stereotypes. This anxiety may reduce academic and other performance and expand social disparity among racial groups.
1. Are diet sodas linked to brain disorders?
https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_164762.html
People who drank more diet sodas were at an increased risk for dementia, but some important confounding factors were not controlled for.
2. Adolescent health has good return on investment.
https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_164774.html
Investing in education, health, and infrastructure often generates 10x the cost down the road in terms of reduced morbidity and mortality as well as increased job prospects.
3. Risk factors for suicide in young people.
https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_164773.html
Adverse child experiences are associated with double the risk of suicide. As risk factors increase, the relationship grows.
1. Hospital Admissions for Myocardial Infarction and Stroke Lower After Laws Restricitng Trans-Fatty Acids
http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2618359?&utm_source=BHClistID&utm_medium=BulletinHealthCare&utm_term=041317&utm_content=MorningRounds&utm_campaign=BHCMessageID
2. Youth diabetes diagnoses have surged since 2002, study indicates
http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-essential-education-updates-southern-type-2-diabetes-once-considered-a-1492180282-htmlstory.html
3. Obesity May Have Greater Impact On Blood Pressure Of Hispanic And White Teens Than Other Adolescents
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2017/04/06/peds.2016-1433