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Ask Yourself: Have You Had Sex?

March 20th, 2010 by Nancy Brown, Ph.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips, Research

Tags: General Medicine, Intercourse, Kinsey Institute, sex, STDs

You wouldn’t think that was a tough question – most doctors and therapists assessing risk in teenagers ask this simple question every day – but an accurate answer seems hard to get. A new study from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University found no consensus among people 18- to 96 year-year-old when they were asked that question.

Thirty percent of the people did not consider oral sex, having sex. Twenty percent did not consider anal sex, having sex, and the winner – only 89% considered vaginal sex having sex if there was ejaculation. (Can I just say, hay carumba!)

This lack of consensus suggests that just asking the question “Have you had sex?” is pretty much a waste of time, unless you are very specific about the type of behavior you are asking about. In addition, if people do not consider these activities sexual, they are likely not worrying about the sexual risks associated with them. Be clear, be considered!

Photo credit: walknboston

This post, Ask Yourself: Have You Had Sex?, was originally published on Healthine.com by Nancy Brown, Ph.D..

Personalize Your Diabetes Management With Myabetic

March 20th, 2010 by KerriSparling in Better Health Network, Health Tips, Patient Interviews, True Stories

Tags: Diabetes, Diabetes Management, Endocrinology, Glucose Meter, Internal Medicine, Myabetic

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just before I started second grade, back in 1986.  I played with Barbie dolls, colored countless coloring books with my box of Crayola 96 (sharpener in the back), and sported a messy ponytail as often as my mom would allow.  

But my life also included dozens of plastic bags filled with orange-capped syringes.  And black meter cases that zipped up the side and held my glucose meter.  And small vials of bandaid-scented insulin.  My childhood was colorful and fun and just like every other kids’, but there were some dreary bits of diabetes management as a running thread.

I wish there had been things like this to hold my meter in when I was growing up with type 1 – because these meter cases are awesome:

This meter case was created by Kyrra Richards, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2007.  I think it is GORGEOUS.  After her diagnosis, Kyrra created Myabetic – a specialty store stocked with playful and cool glucose meter cases.  She sent me a few of her meter cases to review here on SUM, and she also offered to share a little bit of her story. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at Six Until Me.*

A Twitter Primer For Physicians

March 16th, 2010 by DrWes in Better Health Network, Health Tips

Tags: Cardiology, How To, Primer, Social Media, Tips, Twitter

With the explosion of social media, I am amazed at how many cardiologists I encounter who know little to nothing about blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Google Buzz and the like. “I’m too busy.” “Who has time for that stuff?” “I wouldn’t have time for anything else.” “How can I possibly keep up?”

And yet today, as more and more patients reach out to the web to find medical information or, more importantly, their doctor, physician specialists of all types should probably be asking, “Can I afford to not be connected with social media in one way or another?”

Google yourself. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes*

Overachievers May Turn To Prescription Drugs To Gain A Competitive Advantage

March 16th, 2010 by BarbaraFicarraRN in Better Health Network, Health Tips

Tags: Illicit Drugs, Narcotics, Nursing, Overachievers, Pain Killers, Pharmaceuticals, Prescription Drug Abuse, Superwoman, Women

There’s no doubt that prescription drug abuse is a major problem in America, and it’s escalating in epic proportions.  Prescription drug abuse affects men, women and teens.  Concerning trends include older adults, adolescents and women.

On MSNBC’s website, Karen Asp writes, Superwoman syndrome fuels pill-pop culture, and it’s about how “Overwhelmed overachievers turn to prescription drugs for an edge.”

This article is a little misleading since there are many women who are hardworking “superwomen” who do not indulge in illicit drug use. Read more »

*This blog post was originally published at Health in 30*

How To Tell If A Child’s Ankle Is Broken

March 15th, 2010 by Paul Auerbach, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips

Tags: Ankle, Ankle rules, Broken Ankle, Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics, wilderness medicine

There are rules that have been advocated for doctors to use to determine the need for x-rays (radiographs) in the setting of a possible ankle fracture (broken ankle). The purpose for using rules is to avoid unnecessary exposure to radiation. In the wilderness, there is not likely to be an x-ray machine available. Therefore, the rules might be useful to give the rescuer (or a parent) more confidence about what clinical presentation is likely to be or not be a broken bone. This would be important in terms of deciding whether or not to allow weight-bearing, such as would occur if a victim needed to walk out under his or her own power. Read more »

This post, How To Tell If A Child’s Ankle Is Broken, was originally published on Healthine.com by Paul Auerbach, M.D..