01/14/16

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Update 2016

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtHOl3LZ8iw

Utility understated levels of cancer-causing chemical leaking in California

Southern California Gas Co. admits higher-than-normal benzene readings in leak that has driven thousands from their homes in LA suburb

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/utility-understated-levels-of-cancer-causing-chemical-from-gas-leak/

For Seniors, Poor Sleep May Mean Higher Stroke Risk

Researchers found those who woke up the most were more likely to have hardening of brain arteries

From: http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/news/20160114/for-seniors-poor-sleep-may-mean-higher-stroke-risk-study-suggests?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Celebrity health trends worth trying in 2016

Here's some celeb health advice that experts say can make a difference in your life

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/celebrity-health-trends-worth-trying-in-2016/

Age of new moms in the U.S. hits all-time high

New report finds a few significant reasons behind the trend

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/age-of-new-moms-in-the-u-s-hits-all-time-high/

Dr. Kenneth DeVault on Proton Pump Inhibitor Study

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIl3eQmE7cE

Eating This Daily May Decrease Glaucoma Risk

Risk of the eye disease dropped by 20 percent or more for those who consumed the most, study found

From: http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/news/20160114/green-leafy-vegetables-each-day-may-help-keep-glaucoma-at-bay?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Catholic hospital allowed to deny sterilization procedure, judge says

Hospital in California argued that the procedure known as tubal ligation would violate its religious freedom

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/catholic-hospital-allowed-to-deny-sterilization-procedure-judge-says-california/

Study: E-cigarettes don't help smokers quit

Though marketed to help people wean themselves off traditional cigarettes, the devices can have the opposite effect, a large study finds

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/e-cigarettes-dont-help-smokers-quit-study/

Should sugary sodas come with warning labels?

Parents were asked to shop for sodas for their kids, and their reactions to warning labels were eye-opening

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/could-sugar-warning-labels-on-soda-help-kids-avoid-obesity-diabetes/

West Africa Ebola Outbreak Is Over: WHO

From: http://www.webmd.com/news/20160114/ebola-outbreak-over-who?src=RSS_PUBLIC

E-cigarettes Don't Help Smokers Quit Tobacco

Devices actually lower chances of quitting by 28 percent, researchers say

From: http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20160114/e-cigarettes-dont-help-smokers-quit-tobacco-study?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Age of First-Time Moms in U.S. Still Rising

Delaying pregnancy means smaller families and implications for overall population, expert says

From: http://www.webmd.com/women/news/20160114/average-age-of-first-time-moms-in-us-still-rising-cdc?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Ebola: End of an Epidemic

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osFXVYRQ_GE

Speeches on Ebola

From: http://www.who.int/entity/mediacentre/news/ebola/speeches/en/index.html

USDA Announces $8.8 Million Available to Support Food and Agricultural Sciences Education at Hispanic-Serving Institutions

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the availability of more than $8.8 million in competitive funding to support Hispanic-Serving Institutions’ (HSIs) agricultural science education programs. These grants will enhance the ability of these colleges and universities to support underserved students and develop a skilled American workforce.

From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/01/0011.xml&contentidonly=true

WHO news on Ebola

From: http://www.who.int/entity/mediacentre/news/ebola/archive/en/index.html

WHO declares official end to Ebola outbreak

But health officials warn it will take several months before the world is considered free of the disease that claimed more than 11,300 lives

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-declares-official-end-to-ebola-outbreak-in-west-africa/

"Superbug" infections from dirty hospital scopes climb

New report cites outbreaks in 10 states, and says the FDA was slow to respond

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/superbug-infections-from-dirty-hospital-scopes-climb/

Mayo Clinic Minute: Zika Virus

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAOiNgExtxM

HPV Vaccine Rates Highest in These Communities

Researchers say teen girls in mostly black and mostly white neighborhoods have lowest rates

From: http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/hpv-genital-warts/news/20160114/hpv-vaccine-rates-highest-in-poor-and-hispanic-communities-study?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Stressed Teens May Face Higher Diabetes Risk Later

They might be more likely to eat unhealthy foods, smoke, not exercise, researchers say

From: http://teens.webmd.com/news/20160114/stressed-teens-may-face-higher-diabetes-risk-as-adults-study?src=RSS_PUBLIC

‘Concierge Medicine’ Reaches New Markets

Doctors, insurers and others are kick-starting experiments to broaden access to direct primary care, a service long associated with only wealthy Americans.

From: http://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/20160114/fueled-by-health-law-concierge-medicine-reaches-new-markets?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Warning Labels Hay Help Parents Skip the Soda

Survey suggests warnings of tooth decay, obesity, diabetes could reduce sugary drink sales

From: http://www.webmd.com/children/news/20160114/health-warning-labels-might-help-parents-skip-the-soda-aisle?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Dog “nose” to use touch-screen

Scientists at Georgia Tech are teaching dogs to use touch-screen computers and activate sensors that send text messages

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/dog-nose-to-use-touch-screen/

Dangerous strain of dog flu spreads concern across U.S.

Around 2,000 dogs in 24 states have been infected with the highly contagious virus

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dog-flu-spread-concern-in-west-washington-state-seattle/

Where is best for birth: Hospital or home?

By the second half of the 20th century, hospital birth had become the norm in most Western countries. Hospital birth offers monitoring and interventions, many of which saved the lives of mothers and babies. At the same time, births became increasingly — and some would say unnecessarily — medicalized.

Many would also argue that the pendulum of intervention has swung too far. For example, from 1970 to 2010, the rate of U.S. cesarean delivery doubled — but (although both are low) the risk of a baby dying during the course of delivery remained unchanged, and the risk of a mother’s dying slightly rose. In an effort to avoid seemingly unnecessary intervention, and seeking an alternative to the environment of the hospital ward, it is not surprising that some women have turned again to home birth.

Is home birth safe?

We don’t have the best data to answer this question. The ideal way to answer would be a randomized controlled trial. But the randomized part (the place for delivery would essentially have to be decided by the flip of a coin) would be unacceptable to most women. So instead, women and their doctors have had to rely on after-the-fact analyses of large administrative data sets (e.g., information recorded on birth certificates).

There are a few problems with this type of analysis.

There may be differences between the women who give birth at home and those who deliver in the hospital that are not accounted for when drawing conclusions. For example, a woman might decide to give birth at home because she doesn’t have access to care, and so might be more likely to experience complications. On the flip side, perhaps the woman who chooses home birth emphasizes a lifestyle intended to avoid health problems and interventions in general (healthy diet, not smoking, etc.). So when evaluating the outcomes of home birth, it is possible that the results are due to factors about the woman herself as much as the place she has her baby. One of the things that make teasing out the data so difficult is that until recently, there was no way to distinguish between planned home births and unplanned home births. Unplanned home births may include factors that make home birth look riskier than it may actually be (for example, birth due to unexpected emergencies or among women who have not had access to regular prenatal care). On the other hand, counting complicated deliveries that start at home but can’t be completed there as “hospital births” might hide home birth risk.

Women, and those who care for and about their health, have been in desperate need of better data and analysis.

A unique data set offers some insight

A recent article in The New England Journal of Medicine describes a study in which researchers in Oregon were able to overcome some of these data problems. Oregon birth certificates now record whether a mother planned to give birth at home or in the hospital. The researchers also had access to information about a mother’s health conditions (e.g., diabetes or high blood pressure) that put her at higher risk for problems during labor and birth. For the study, the researchers excluded unplanned home births and included only what seemed to be healthy singleton deliveries (not twins or more).

In their analysis, the risk of a baby’s dying was low in each setting, but higher among the group that intended home delivery: 1.8 per 1,000 for planned in-hospital births as compared with 3.9 per 1,000 for planned out-of-hospital births. Planned out-of-hospital birth was also associated with lower Apgar scores as well as a greater likelihood of a baby having a seizure or needing a ventilator, and of a mother needing a blood transfusion. Yet, planning delivery at home was also associated with lower rates of a baby’s needing admission to an intensive care unit and a lower rate of obstetrical interventions, including the use of medicines or other means to start (induce) or strengthen (augment) labor, forceps or vacuum vaginal delivery, or cesarean delivery, and severe tears of the vagina.

What does this mean for women and their doctors?

These results are consistent with those from other studies and make sense to me, as they will to many obstetricians. Sometimes emergencies happen, and having the tools, medicines, and facilities to respond quickly can make a difference. But having all those things at hand means they will also be used in cases in which doing nothing would have been just fine.

It is important to recognize that while the risk for problems for babies was “higher” in the home birth group, it’s not “high” in either group. The difference judged in absolute terms was on the order of 0.5 to 2 newborn deaths per 1,000 births. This risk is similar to other accepted options in obstetrical care, such as a trial of labor after past cesarean delivery. The home birth group had lower rates of cesarean delivery and other complications that can affect a mother’s health.

The risks to consider for each option are very different, but this data can help women make choices based on what they value most.

Finally, roughly 15% of women planning home birth will require transfer to the hospital. Keep in mind that right now, there are no U.S. national standards for integrating home birth into a continuum of care. There are no agreed-upon criteria to help identify good candidates for home birth, nor are there standards to ensure adequate training of those attending home births. We need those systems and criteria before the U.S. should consider matching the recent call in Britain to encourage and support home birth.

The post Where is best for birth: Hospital or home? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Jeffrey Ecker, MD http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/where-is-best-for-birth-hospital-or-home-201601149001

Living with Diabetes in College: Arianna

For young adults living with diabetes, preparing for college can be a difficult time. Managing diabetes while trying to make sense of a new world, social network and expectations can be especially challenging. You’re not alone! There are many resources in place to help support this transition.

The following are stories shared by College Diabetes Network (CDN) Students, involved in CDN’s Student Advisory Committee (SAC), about their experiences heading off to college, and navigating life on campus, with diabetes.

The College Diabetes Network provides programs for young adults with diabetes to help make their college experience safer and more successful. The American Diabetes Association is working with CDN to help further this goal.

Name and Age: Arianna, 19

School: University of California – San Diego (UCSD), Class of 2017

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the middle of finals week during my sophomore year of college, about a year ago. It was a scary experience. I was mainly preoccupied with what needed to be done to end the quarter with good grades and I started panicking a bit. However, my parents had driven up from Arizona to help me sort everything all out.

I told my roommates about my diagnosis as soon as it happened. They were wondering why I had to stay away in the hospital for four days and were very supportive. And when it came to my professors and others knowing, the Student Disabilities Office handled a lot of the class and exam accommodations. My parents took me to visit the office and I made an appointment with one of the counselors. She gave me paperwork that allowed me to leave during the exams to self-manage my diabetes and then return to the testing room. This took some of the pressure off. I was very happy this service was offered at UCSD in addition to the support from my peers.

It’s been challenging to face new situations while still living the college life. Checking my continuous glucose monitor during exams, giving insulin shots in the middle of class, rummaging around in my backpack for foods to help treat lows (and then proceeding to eat them all within five minutes)—it has been overwhelming.

Although I was diagnosed in college, one thing I wish I knew about diabetes management was learning how to eat on a schedule and not skip meals (especially before exams). I’m extremely busy with classes and exams, but meal planning is just as important and makes a difference in my blood glucose levels.

Our CDN chapter was just founded in September 2015. I loved meeting other students living with type 1 diabetes and working together to make this chapter thrive. As the founder of the chapter, I am looking forward to also serving as chapter leader in the future and hosting and participating in events in and out of college, including diabetes walks.

My advice to incoming students living with diabetes is to not be scared! There are other people on campus working with the same challenges as you. If you can’t find them, look for a CDN chapter at your school. And if there isn’t a chapter yet, start one! It’s important to have a positive relationship with everyone you surround yourself with; a support group also helps! Thanks to the help and support of my family, friends and medical team, I was able to finish that year of college and continue working on my education.

The College Diabetes Network (CDN) is a 501c3 non-profit organization, whose mission is to use the power of peers, access to resources, and grassroots leadership to fill the gaps experienced by young adults with diabetes and make their college experience safer and more successful. CDN’s vision is to empower young adults with diabetes to thrive in all of their personal, healthcare, and scholastic endeavors. CDN has over 80 campuses with 60+ affiliated chapters. Sign-up for more information here.

Diabetes Forecast magazine and the College Diabetes Network recently published a “Thrive Guide for Young Adults” with tips for doing college with diabetes. Visit diabetesforecast.org and diabetes.org for more information.

From: American Diabetes Association http://diabetesstopshere.org/2016/01/14/diabetes-in-college-arianna/

Latest Ebola outbreak over in Liberia; West Africa is at zero, but new flare-ups are likely to occur

Today, WHO declares the end of the most recent outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Liberia and says all known chains of transmission have been stopped in West Africa. But the Organization says the job is not over, more flare-ups are expected and that strong surveillance and response systems will be critical in the months to come.

Liberia was first declared free of Ebola transmission in May 2015, but the virus was re-introduced twice since then, with the latest flare-up in November. Today’s announcement comes 42 days (two 21-day incubation cycles of the virus) after the last confirmed patient in Liberia tested negative for the disease 2 times.

From: http://www.who.int/entity/mediacentre/news/releases/2016/ebola-zero-liberia/en/index.html

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