A new study published online earlier this week by the British medical journal The Lancet suggests that the number of women dying during pregnancy or childbirth has dropped by more than one third in the past three decades, from half a million annual deaths in 1980 to 343,000 as of 2008. The study, sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates
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In spite of physical, sexual or psychological abuse, many women in abusive relationships with men continue to view their partners as dependable, and some describe them as having positive traits such as being affectionate, according to a new study conducted by researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and Adelphi University in
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The majority of patients diagnosed with eating disorders do not have bulimia or anorexia, according to criteria from the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), but instead suffer from what are known as “eating disorders not otherwise specified” (EDNOS)—illnesses effectively defined by what they aren’t.
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The uninsured and those whose primary health insurance is through Medicaid are far more likely to receive poor migraine treatment, compared with people who have private health insurance, according to a study published in the journal Neurology. Analyzing data from two large national surveys of patient visits to hospitals and doctor’s
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New research suggesting that triclosan, an antibacterial chemical found in common household soaps and detergents, may cause adverse health effects has prompted the Food and Drug Administration to take a closer look at the chemical, the Washington Post reports. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, triclosan is so common
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National Public Radio reported this morning on a growing trend of injuries due to cell phone distraction: a young weight lifter texting while working out drops a weight on himself; a cyclist texting while riding falls and scrapes up his face. In January, the New York Times covered the same subject—highlighting data showing that the
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Despite the widely held belief—promoted by the World Health Organization and U.S. public health organizations for two decades—that eating more fruit and veggies can diminish cancer risk, a large scale study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds that getting a daily five servings of apples, tomatoes and leafy
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Adding to previous research suggesting that doctors who sit when consulting with patients tend to build a better rapport and build patient confidence, a new study from researchers at the University of Kansas suggests that, when doctors sit during consultations, patients perceive them as being present longer and also express greater
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After steadily growing from 2003 to 2006 and reaching an all-time high in 2007, the U.S. birth rate declined in 2008, coinciding with the economic downturn, according to a new analysis from the Pew Research Center. Utilizing 2008 birth and economic data available for 25 states, researchers noticed that in most states the birth rate
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Despite concerns about stigma faced by obese patients—and research suggesting an inverse relationship between physicians’ respect for patients and patients’ weight—a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that obese patients receive the same quality of care as their slimmer peers. A team of
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Antipsychotic drugs, which are often prescribed to treat aggression in patients with dementia, may significantly increase risk for potentially fatal pneumonia in the elderly, according to a new study highlighted by the BBC from researchers at Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands. The study, published in the Annals of
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Between 1999 and 2006 the number of people hospitalized for poisoning from prescription drugs including opioids (such as OxyContin and Vicodin) and tranquilizers and sedatives (depressants such as Valium, Xanax and Ambien) has increased by 65%—representing nearly twice the increase in hospitalizations due to overdose with other
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Adding to their previous research examining the impact of social contagion on everything from smoking to generosity, Harvard sociologist Dr. Nicholas A. Christakis and University of California, San Diego, political scientist …
