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Large-scale study shows link between allergies and depression
Dorothy L. Tengler Mental HealthcareAllergies are a major health issue, the sixth-leading cause of chronic illness in the United States, with an annual cost more than $18 billion. More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year. Historically, there is not a direct link between the mechanism of allergic disorders and depression or anxiety. However, a new, large-scale study surprisingly links eczema, hay fever and asthma to an increased risk of developing mental illnesses.
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Physicians want integrated EHR data for better patient care
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationThe seemingly never-ending debate about the benefits of electronic health records and their use in practice is heating up again after a new report suggested that more than half of 300 recently interviewed U.S. physicians are "very or extremely satisfied" with their access to patient information. Per the Surescripts’ Physician Perspectives on Access to Patient Data report, physicians said they feel the best part of EHR use is accessibility.
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How to cut the stress from frequent business travel
Lisa Mulcahy Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementAre you on the road two weeks or more out of the month? If so, there's a pretty good chance you feel more than a little burned out. A Columbia University study found that professionals who travel for business at this rate suffer more anxiety and depression than their non-traveling colleagues, are more likely to be smokers, tend to lead a sedentary lifestyle, drink too much alcohol and have trouble sleeping. All of these factors will not only make you miserable now, but can lead to a range of long-term health issues. So how can you regain your equilibrium and sense of well-being?
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Ketamine could unlock a new frontier for depression treatment
Dr. Abimbola Farinde PharmaceuticalDepression is one of the most commonly encountered psychiatric disorders and one of the leading causes of illness in the world. Globally, depression affects more than 350 million people for all ages, which is a reason the announcement of the use of ketamine as potential treatment is providing some promise for individuals who suffer from chronic depression. Ketamine is typically recognized as a surgical anesthetic or party drug.
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Counselors’ role likely to evolve to help stop further violence on…
Bill Becken Mental HealthcareEarlier this year, a disaffected former high school student returned to his alma mater in Parkland, Florida, and randomly massacred 17 students and teachers with gunfire, injuring 17 others. In subsequent weeks, protesters filled the streets in cities and towns nationally, pressing for legislative change. Their demands at first did not exactly gain traction in the U.S. Congress. Instead, there were multiple reform-minded responses from other government, public and nonprofit quarters — including one from the American Counseling Association.
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2 tips for staying professional through a personal crisis
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWe all go through dynamic personal events, and they often seem to happen at the least opportune times. Whether it is divorce, death or a family crisis, two tips for staying professional through a personal crisis are to assess the situation and to plan, inside and out.
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Solving the opioid crisis by empowering students
Brian Stack EducationIn 2016, New Hampshire had one of the highest national opioid death due to overdose rates, a whopping 39 per 100,000 people. For a state with roughly 1.3 million residents and fewer than 100 high schools, this means that virtually every school community has, in some way, been impacted by this epidemic. As a principal in a small suburban New Hampshire community, I am starting to lose count of the number of funeral services that I have attended for students and former students from my high school community.
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In an FDA first, cannabinoid drug wins preliminary approval
Dr. Denise A. Valenti PharmaceuticalA medication containing cannabidiol, which is derived from marijuana plants, recently received preliminary approval from the Federal Drug Administration. The approval for the product, Epidiolex, was given for the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome in patients 2 years of age and older. This is the first drug that is derived from the cannabis plant to have received preliminary approval by the FDA. Cannabidiol is not psychoactive and does not induce the high that those consuming plant marijuana products strive for.
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New ways to make great business decisions
Lisa Mulcahy Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementTrying to settle on an important work choice? We all know about the value of researching your options, making a pros and cons list, and talking over the details with objective and informed colleagues. However, employing an out-of-the-box and effective science-based trick might just be the ticket when it comes to clarifying your thoughts and options. Use one or more of these strategies to help yourself come to the correct conclusion.
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Are opioids more effective for chronic musculoskeletal pain?
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareIn the last 20 years, physicians have been prescribing opioids for chronic pain with the rationale that chronic pain patients legitimately need some relief. Physicians felt the side effects of these opioids were not too severe and that when opioids were used as prescribed, there was little chance for addiction.
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