July 31st, 2010 by JenniferKearneyStrouse in Better Health Network, Health Tips, News, Research
Tags: Facebook, Friendship, General Medicine, In-Person Friendships, Interpersonal, Lifespan, Live Longer, Longevity, Mental Health, Online Friendships, Personal Relationships, PLoS Medicine, Psychology, Social Health, Social Networks, Strong Social Ties
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A study published in the July PLoS Medicine is getting a lot of press for its conclusion that strong social networks are related to increased lifespan.
The meta-analysis of 148 studies involving 308,849 people found that those with stronger relationships were 50 percent more likely to survive over 7.5 years of follow-up. What’s more, the researchers reported that a lack of strong social ties is as bad healthwise as drinking or smoking, and worse than not exercising or being obese.
But although the association between strong social ties and improved longevity seems robust, other factors could be at play, and applying the findings in clinical practice could be difficult. And sorry, Facebook fanatics: Online “friendships” aren’t thought to count as much as in-person ones do. (PLoS Medicine, New York Times, TIME, The Atlantic)
*This blog post was originally published at ACP Internist*
July 31st, 2010 by GarySchwitzer in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Research
Tags: and Risk Factors Study 2010, Bill Heisel, Gary Schwitzer, Global Burden of Diseases, Global Health Measurement Project, Global Health Survey, Harvard University, Health Policymakers, Healthcare reform, HealthNewsReview.org, IHME, Injuries, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Johns Hopkins University, University of Washinton, Unversity of Queensland, WHO, World Health Organization
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My friend and colleague Bill Heisel, one of our news reviewers, also works at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington. He wrote to me that this group:
“… has launched a major global health survey to measure the impact of more than 300 diseases or injuries and more than 40 risk factors. This is the most ambitious global health measurement project in two decades. And when people answer the survey, they will be providing information that will directly shape the final outcome of the research because ‘disease burden’ is partly objective but partly subjective.”
And his pitch to anyone to take the 15-minute, anonymous, online survey is this:
“With unprecedented money and attention pouring into global health efforts, the need for accurate data is urgent. By taking part in the survey, you will contribute to the scientific understanding of global health problems and ultimately enable policymakers to make better decisions.”
Click HERE to begin the survey. Thanks for the news, Bill. And thanks to anyone who takes the time to complete the survey. You may help this team reach its goal of 50,000 people around the globe filling out the survey.
The research is part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2010 led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, in collaboration with Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Queensland, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
And you can follow the project on Twitter.
*This blog post was originally published at Gary Schwitzer's HealthNewsReview Blog*
July 30th, 2010 by DrWes in Better Health Network, Humor, News, True Stories
Tags: Cardiac Arrest, Cardiology, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Cardiovascular Health, Chris Wuebben, CPR, George Linn, Heart Attack, Heart Patients, History of Heart Problems, Medical Humor, Order Pizza Delivered, Paramedic, Pizza Deliveryman, Returned From Iraq, The Associated Press
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… because the pizza deliveryman might just save your life. From The Associated Press:
LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Ordering a pizza may have saved George Linn’s life.
Linn’s wife says he had just gone into cardiac arrest Friday when the pizza deliveryman knocked on the door of their Colorado home to bring their order. Kami Linn says she opened the door to “some burly-looking dude” and immediately asked for help.
The deliveryman, Chris Wuebben, happened to be a paramedic recently returned from Iraq.
Kami Linn says Wuebben performed CPR on her husband and revived him. Other paramedics who later arrived then took over. George Linn remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit.
Kami Linn says her husband has a history of heart problems.
-WesMusings of a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist.
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes*
July 30th, 2010 by RyanDuBosar in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Research
Tags: Academic Difficulties, Academic Medicine, Clinical-Community Setting, General Medicine, Gross Anatomy, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts Student, Medical School Environment, Medical School Students, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, No MCAT Required, Pediatrics, Pre-Med Students, Pre-Med Subjects, Preclinical Years, Psychiatry, Sam Cooke, Step 1 Exam, Traditional Premed Science Curriculum, Training New Doctors, University Hospitals
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Study painting, drama or the “soft” social sciences and you’ll probably be a pretty good doctor anyway. Mt. Sinai School of Medicine has been doing it for years and compared students in a special liberal arts admissions program to its traditional pre-med students.
For years, Mt. Sinai has admitted students from Amherst, Brandeis, Princeton, Wesleyan, and Williams colleges based on a written application with personal essays, verbal and math SAT scores, high school and college transcripts, letters of recommendation, and personal interviews. No MCAT is required.
Students need to take one year of biology and one year of chemistry and maintain (swallow hard) a “B” average. They later get an abbreviated course in organic chemistry and medical physics. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at ACP Internist*
July 29th, 2010 by Medgadget in Better Health Network, News, Research
Tags: Acoustic Parameters, Autism, Children's Health, Developmental Pediatrician, Early Detection, Early Diagnosis, Language Delays in Children, LENA, Neurology, Pediatrics, Pre-Speech Vocalizations, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Speech-Language Clinician, Syllabification, Vocal Analysis, Voice Recorder, Well-Formed Syllables
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Identifying autistic kids as early as possible is very important so that appropriate clinical interventions and upbringing can have the most beneficial effect.
Now a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has shown that analyzing the unique signature of children’s pre-speech vocalizations can be a pretty good way to identify potential cases of autism. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Medgadget*
