Health Newstrack

Cancer patients vulnerable to financial stress and bankruptcy

Cancer diagnosis puts people at greater risk for bankruptcy — Study also shows younger cancer patients are most vulnerable to financial stress – People diagnosed with cancer are more than two-and-a-half times more likely to declare bankruptcy than those without cancer. Younger cancer patients had two- to five-fold higher bankruptcy rates compared to older patients, and that overall bankruptcy filings increased as time passed following diagnosis.

Early baby formula use helps mothers breastfeed longer

Early formula use helps some mothers breastfeed longer – Giving small amounts of formula in the first few days of life to infants experiencing high levels of early weight loss actually can increase the length of time their mothers end up breastfeeding, revealed by researchers at UC San Francisco, US.

Sunlight helps to reduce blood pressure and prolong life

Sunshine could benefit health and prolong life, study suggests – Exposing skin to sunlight may help to reduce blood pressure, cut the risk of heart attack and stroke – and even prolong life. Researchers have shown that when our skin is exposed to the sun’s rays, a compound is released in our blood vessels that helps lower blood pressure.

New genomic prostate cancer test improves risk assessment and surveillance

New prostate cancer test improves risk assessment — Tool tested by UC San Francisco helps identify those best suited for active surveillance – A new genomic test for prostate cancer can help predict whether men are more likely to harbor an aggressive form of the disease, according to a new UC San Francisco study. The test, which improves risk assessment when patients are first diagnosed, can also aid in determining which men are suitable for active surveillance – a way of managing the disease without direct treatment.

Fun friends social relationships influence quality of life in breast cancer patients

Fun and friends help ease the pain of breast cancer — Kaiser Permanente study among the first to examine how social relationships influence quality of life in breast cancer patients – Breast cancer patients who say they have people with whom they have a good time, or have “positive social interactions” with, are better able to deal with pain and other physical symptoms. This study provides research-based evidence that social support helps with physical symptoms.

Americans could save $770 billion due to slowdown in health care spending

Saving money on medical costs — Slowdown in health care spending growth could save Americans $770 billion, study finds – A slowdown in the growth of U.S. health care costs could mean that Americans could save as much as $770 billion on Medicare spending over the next decade, Harvard economists say.

Many high school athletes do not report concussion symptoms to a coach

High school athletes say concussions won’t sideline them — Survey of football players shows many would not report symptoms to a coach – Many high school football players say it’s OK to play with a concussion even though they know they are at risk of serious injury. The study of 120 high school football players in the Cincinnati area also found that one-quarter had suffered a concussion, and more than half acknowledged they would continue to play with symptoms of a concussion.

HIV screening for all adults, adolescents, and pregnant aged 15-65

US Task Force Says Screen All Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women for HIV – New recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) urge physicians to screen all adults and adolescents aged 15 – 65 for HIV. In addition, all pregnant women should receive screening, even those who are in labor but have not yet been screened.

Early pregnancy reduces breast cancer risk

How does pregnancy reduce breast cancer risk? – Being pregnant while young is known to protect a women against breast cancer. But why? Research in BioMed Central’s open access journal Breast Cancer Research finds that Wnt/Notch signalling ratio is decreased in the breast tissue of mice which have given birth, compared to virgin mice of the same age.

Medical interns spend little time at patient bedside

Doctors-in-training spend very little time at patient bedside, study finds — Time with patients seems ‘squeezed out’ of training, investigator says – Medical interns spend just 12 percent of their time examining and talking with patients, and more than 40 percent of their time behind a computer, according to a new Johns Hopkins study that closely followed first-year residents at Baltimore’s two large academic medical centers.

Tetris a promising new therapeutic approach for lazy eye disorder

‘Lazy eye disorder — A promising new therapeutic approach – Popular puzzle video game Tetris is used in an innovative approach to treat adult amblyopia, commonly known as “lazy eye”. By distributing information between the two eyes in a complementary fashion, the video game trains both eyes to work together, which is counter to previous treatments for the disorder (e.g. patching).

Air pollution linked to heart attacks and strokes due to hardening of arteries

Air pollution and hardening of arteries — Long term exposure to air pollution may be linked to heart attacks and strokes by speeding up atherosclerosis – Long term exposure to air pollution may be linked to heart attacks and strokes by speeding up atherosclerosis, or “hardening of the arteries”. The researchers found that higher concentrations of fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) were linked to a faster thickening of the inner two layers of the common carotid artery, an important blood vessel that provides blood to the head, neck, and brain.