Behavioral Medicine News and Research

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Behavioral medicine (BM) is a newly developing field of study which integrates behavioral, psychosocial, and biomedical concepts and practices to prevent, diagnose, and treat patients with psychosomatic disorders. The practice of BM targets the relation between how both thought and behavior can affect mental and physical health.

Depression associated with molecular-level disturbance in body's 24-hour clock

Depression appears to be associated with a molecular-level disturbance in the body's 24-hour clock, new research suggests.

11 Nov 2010

Home smoking restrictions needed to reduce tobacco-related carcinogens in children's urine

Ninety percent of children who lived in a house where an adult smoked had evidence of tobacco-related carcinogens in their urine, according to research presented at the Ninth AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here from Nov 7-10, 2010.

10 Nov 2010

Low household income associated with chronic migraine

New data presented today at The 2010 European Headache and Migraine Trust International Congress (EHMTIC) shows that persons with chronic migraine (headache on greater than or equal to 15 days per month) are much more likely to have annual household incomes below $30,000 than those with episodic migraine (headache on < 15 days per month).

29 Oct 2010

Fatalism may prevent Latinas from using cancer screening services

Fatalism may prevent women from Latin American descent Latinas from using cancer screening services, according to Karla Espinosa de los Monteros and Dr. Linda Gallo from San Diego State University in the US. Their review shows that women who are pessimistic about preventive health practices and disease outcomes are less likely to have been screened for cervical, breast and colorectal cancer. The research is published online in Springer's International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

19 Oct 2010

Cincinnati Children's, Nationwide Children's Hospital collaborate to improve ADHD care

Doctors at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital are collaborating to help pediatricians deliver better care to children with ADHD.

12 Oct 2010

Overprotection during childhood leads to heart-focused anxiety in adults with congenital heart disease: Study

Adults with congenital heart disease are more likely to suffer heart-focused anxiety - a fear of heart-related symptoms and sensations - if their parents were overprotective during their childhood and adolescence. Dr. Lephuong Ong from Orion Health Services in Vancouver, and colleagues from University Health Network and York University in Toronto, Canada, suggest that health care professionals could encourage greater independence for adolescents and adults with congenital heart disease to improve their psychosocial adjustment. Dr. Ong's work1 is published online in Springer's International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

16 Sep 2010

Behavioral management program for migraine sufferers boosts confidence to self-manage symptoms: Study

For severe migraine sufferers, psychological treatments build on the benefits of drug therapy, according to a new study by Elizabeth Seng and Dr. Kenneth Holroyd from Ohio University in the US.

3 Sep 2010

Social interaction reduces physical damage to brain by heart attack: Research

A new study in mice shows how social support can help minimize some of the worst physical damages to the brain caused by a heart attack.

31 Aug 2010

Adverse effects in childhood lead to immune impairment later in life

The emotional pains we suffer in childhood can lead to weakened immune systems later in life, according to a new study.Based on this new research, the amount of this immune impairment even enhances that caused by the stress of caregiving later in life."What happens in childhood really matters when it comes to your immune response in the latter part of your life," explained Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Ohio State University. She explained her work at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in San Diego.

16 Aug 2010

Chronic pain affects higher proportion of women than men: Research

Women experience chronic pain longer, more intensely and more often than men, according to a psychologist who works with both men and women dealing with diseases and conditions that leave them suffering.

13 Aug 2010

Simple morning walk to school could reduce stress reactivity in children: Study

A simple morning walk to school could reduce stress reactivity in children during the school day, curbing increases in heart rate and blood pressure that can lead to cardiovascular disease later in life, according to a new University at Buffalo study.

11 Aug 2010

Chronic migraine sufferers experience greater LPT in workplace

A new analysis from the American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention Study, one of the largest longitudinal studies of headache, indicates that employees suffering from Chronic Migraine (CM) experience increased lost productive time (LPT) in the workplace.

29 Jun 2010

Misinterpretation of genetic information may undermine efforts to promote behavioral changes for disease prevention

Does knowing that genes are partly responsible for your health condition mean you are less likely to be motivated to find out about the benefits of behavioral changes? According to Dr. Suzanne O'Neill from the National Human Genome Research Institute/National Institutes of Health, and her colleagues, people on the whole are still interested in how health habits affect disease risk.

10 Jun 2010

Children and teens with moderate to severe OSA have lower academic grades: Research

The average academic grades of children and teens with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea are worse than the grades of students who have no sleep-disordered breathing, according to a research abstract that will be presented Tuesday, June 8, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.

8 Jun 2010

Shire announces study results of Vyvanse Capsules CII for treatment of ADHD in adolescents

Shire plc, the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced the results of a study evaluating the safety and efficacy of Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) Capsules CII for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in adolescents aged 13 to 17 years.

26 May 2010

Rapid responders in novel behavior treatment for IBS maintain improvement at 3-month follow-up

Nearly one-third of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who underwent a novel behavior treatment developed by a University at Buffalo behavioral scientist achieved significant relief within four weeks of beginning treatment.

13 May 2010

Majority of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans experience multi-symptom pain disorders

Dr. Gallagher further noted the VA's pain care challenge is magnified by a 90 percent injury survivor rate from these conflicts compared with only 40 percent in the Vietnam War. VA clinicians are now challenged to manage pain in blast survivors with one or several other consequences of blast, such as head injuries causing mild to severe TBI, physical disfigurement and social stigma, emotional trauma, and often post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

10 May 2010

Researchers study link between cognitive impairment and adherence problems among HF patients

Surviving heart failure calls for lifestyle changes, taking medications and following doctor's orders. Some of the 5 million heart failure patients have trouble adhering to these changes and end up returning to the hospital.

10 May 2010

Study reveals long-term advantages of fast initial weight loss

If you thought the best way to lose and maintain weight was the slow and steady approach, think again. A new study by Lisa Nackers and colleagues, from the University of Florida in the US, suggests that the key to long-term weight loss and maintenance is to lose weight quickly, not gradually, in the initial stages of obesity treatment. Their findings1 are published online in Springer's International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

6 May 2010

Obese children have stiffer arteries than leaner counterparts

Children with more body fat and less endurance than their fitter, leaner counterparts have stiffer arteries at a young age, Medical College of Georgia researchers said.

12 Apr 2010