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Even with insurance, many female consumers shocked by the costs of their…
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareWomen are feeling significantly worse than men about several key healthcare issues, according to a new Bankrate.com report. For example, in a new study issued by the website, 25 percent of women said they or a family member living in their household avoided going to the doctor over the past year — even though they needed medical attention — because they thought it would be too expensive. Only 18 percent of men said the same. Additionally, between the two sexes, 47 percent of women who paid a medical bill in the past year said "it was more expensive than they expected." Thirty-five percent of men echoed that sentiment.
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Nebraska conducts first execution in the US to use fentanyl
Michelle R. Matisons PharmaceuticalThe death penalty is a very divisive political issue. Recently, even Pope Francis condemned the practice as "inadmissable." Acquiring the drugs used for lethal injection is a huge problem, and some suggest this is leading to some very problematic developments — like the use of the popular opioid fentanyl in executions. Nebraska recently used fentanyl to execute Carey Dean Moore. This is the first time ever in the U.S. that fentanyl has been used in an inmate’s execution, and the move has caused much controversy.
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Trace pharmaceuticals seen in water, food supply across the country
Dr. Denise A. Valenti PharmaceuticalDrugs of all kinds are in the foods you might eat and the water you drink. Most recently, even private well systems were found to have traces of pharmaceutical products in the water. A 2015 study that assessed rivers near urban areas in the United States for the presence of active pharmaceutical ingredients found 20 percent of the 182 sites sampled had at least 10 of the 46 compounds sampled. The widespread use of opioids has also impacted the water supply, and this has impacted the food we consume. Mussels harvested from the Puget Sound in Washington state have tested positive for trace amounts of oxycodone.
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The benefits, risks of new blood pressure guidelines
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareSince 1999, more people with high blood pressure — especially those 60 years of age or older — have visited their healthcare professionals for treatment. Because of its high prevalence, hypertension remains an important public health concern and a risk factor for adverse health outcomes, including coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and decline in cognitive function. According to the landmark Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), intensive blood pressure management may save lives.
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Dying man awarded $289 million as Monsanto faces more lawsuits
Michelle R. Matisons Science & TechnologyOver the years, more and more people have come to know the name "Monsanto" as synonymous with new industrial agriculture and genetically modified food. As a company, it is responsible for many products perceived as dangerous, including Roundup, the notorious weedkiller. Lawsuits have always grown around Monsanto like untreated weeds, but the courtroom tide is turning in favor of the public. Recently, a 46-year-old California school pest control manager with non-Hodgkin lymphoma won a $289 million settlement against the company.
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The top new technologies in sports medicine
Heidi Dawson Sports & FitnessOrthopedics This Week, the most widely read publication in the orthopedics industry, recently announced its list of best sports medicine technologies for 2018. This is a fascinating and exciting list of new and upcoming technologies that will be sure to assist sports medicine and orthopedic doctors around the world. Highlights include 3-D imaging, new cold therapy technology and a system to monitor brain health after a concussion. Here’s our summary.
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Americans aren’t worried about health data security, despite breaches
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationAmericans are far less concerned about the security of their health data than breaches of financial information, a recent SCOUT Rare Insights survey shows. Accordingly, only about half (49 percent) of adults said they are "extremely" or "very concerned" about security of lab results, diagnoses and other health information, compared with 69 percent who had that level of concern about the safety of their financial data. All of these precious jewels come to light as hackers and cyber thieves continue to make a push for health data and push upon organizations' data security concerns.
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Recent study uncovers gene responsible for addictive behavior
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareCocaine is one of the oldest and most widely abused stimulants in the United States, and addiction affects all income groups, ages, and ethnicities. There is no single cause of addiction. In some cases, addiction is related to the ingredients in the addictive substance causing chemical reactions in the body. In other cases, addiction is partly genetic. Scientists have long known that cocaine directly stimulates the brain’s reward center and induces long-term changes to the reward circuitry that are responsible for addictive behavior.
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Research shows regular marijuana use could hinder lung functions
Dr. Denise A. Valenti PharmaceuticalTwo different groups recently published findings related to pulmonary functions and the use of marijuana used either medicinally or recreationally. The conclusions between the two were that use of marijuana to treat breathing abnormalities such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) was ineffective and that even with casual, once-a-week use, the consequences of cannabis may include cough and excess phlegm.
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My child doesn’t get enough sleep: Dangers and remedies
Howard Margolis EducationMany special and general education students of all ages and achievement levels don’t get enough sleep. They suffer from sleep deprivation. They routinely get far less than the roughly eight to 10 hours of sleep they need. The long-term consequences of sleep deprivation put them at serious risk for obesity, diabetes, accidents, heart disease, and premature death. In school, at home, and with friends, the consequences are immediate.
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