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Many pregnant women do not feel well informed by their gynaecologist

A survey carried out among 250 pregnant women showed that 24% of them do not feel adequately informed by their gynaecologist, and almost half do not take part in any prenatal course. The study, prepared by the Head of the Obstetrics Department at the Hospital Clinico San Carlos in Madrid, Miguel Angel Herraiz, also showed that 80% of those surveyed prefer a "medicalised" birth, with epidural anaesthesia, to a natural birth.

17 Jul 2008

Awareness of the role of physical activity in colon cancer prevention

Many experts now consider colon cancer a largely preventable disease, but a new study finds that primary care doctors might not always inform patients about one important step they can take to reduce their risk: becoming more physically active.

17 Jul 2008

Hormesis deserves the respect and attention of toxicologists

A comprehensive review published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry argues that toxicologists can positively affect public health and reduce the economic costs of drug treatment by increasing their knowledge of hormesis and applying its principles to their discipline.

17 Jul 2008

Tobacco industry manipulates menthol levels to attract young people

Research released today in the American Journal of Public Health found evidence that the tobacco industry has manipulated menthol levels and created new cigarette brands with the intention of gaining market share among young adults and adolescents.

17 Jul 2008

Culturally tailored education can improve blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes

Using community-based health advocates, delivering information within same-gender groups or adapting dietary and lifestyle advice to fit a particular community's likely diet can help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels, certainly for up to six months, following health education.

16 Jul 2008

Possible link found between X-rays and prostate cancer

Researchers at The University of Nottingham have shown an association between certain past diagnostic radiation procedures and an increased risk of young-onset prostate cancer - a rare form of prostate cancer which affects about 10 per cent of all men diagnosed with the disease.

15 Jul 2008

Possible link found between diagnostic radiation and prostate cancer

15 Jul 2008

New technology revolutionizing drug discovery

The National Science Foundation has awarded Weill Cornell Medical College researcher Dr. Scott Blanchard its prestigious Career Award, recognizing his groundbreaking work in cell biology -- work that is poised to revolutionize research for the next generation of young scientists.

15 Jul 2008

Children's physical activity drops from age 9 to 15

The activity level of a large group of American children dropped sharply between age 9 and age 15, when most failed to reach the daily recommended activity level, according to the latest findings from a long-term study by the National Institutes of Health.

15 Jul 2008

Closing coal-fired power plants directly improves cognitive development in children

Closing coal-fired power plants can have a direct, positive impact on children's cognitive development and health according to a study released by the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

14 Jul 2008

Older patients more satisfied with care when accompanied to medical visits

A study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that 38 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are accompanied to routine medical visits.

14 Jul 2008

FA imaging, invented at U-M, measures metabolic stress in retina - serves as early warning of diabetes

A new vision screening device, already shown to give an early warning of eye disease, could give doctors and patients a head start on treating diabetes and its vision complications, a new study shows.

14 Jul 2008

BMA response to the Chief Medical Officer's annual report

The BMA is supporting many of the recommendations in the annual report of the Chief Medical Officer for England (CMO).

14 Jul 2008

Obesity ranks as top health concern for kids, poll finds

As children's waistlines continue to grow, so have concerns about childhood obesity. According to a report released today by the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health, childhood obesity is now the No. 1 health concern for kids in 2008, topping smoking and drug abuse. In 2007, childhood obesity ranked third among parents' top 10 overall health concerns for kids.

14 Jul 2008

Heavy alcohol use tied to conditions in the college environment

That is one of the key findings from research conducted by researchers with the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study (CAS), a landmark study that surveyed more than 50,000 students at 120 colleges from 1993 to 2001.

13 Jul 2008

Common genetic variations increase risk of life-long nicotine addiction for young smokers

Common genetic variations affecting nicotine receptors in the nervous system can significantly increase the chance that European Americans who begin smoking by age 17 will struggle with life-long nicotine addiction. Published July 11 in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics, this research - led by scientists at the University of Utah together with colleagues from the University of Wisconsin - highlights the importance of preventing early exposure to tobacco through public health policies.

13 Jul 2008

Scientists mimic molecules to protect against plague

Bacteria that cause pneumonic plague can evade our first-line defences, making it difficult for the body to fight infection. In fact, a signature of the plague is the lack of an inflammatory response. Now, scientists have discovered a way to protect against death following infection with plague bacteria, by using molecules that can mimic the pathogens. According to research published in the July issue of Microbiology, these molecules make antibiotics more effective and can even be used to protect against other diseases.

13 Jul 2008

URMC, FDA to collaborate on national data repository for heart research

The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) will collaborate with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop a national repository of data that will aid academic and industry researchers studying the electrical activity of the heart. In addition to helping researchers understand many cardiac problems, the data may aid the development of new tools to detect drugs that can have dangerous effects on the heart.

13 Jul 2008

How alcohol impacts heart and stroke risk may differ for men and women

The volume of alcohol consumption may have a significantly different effect on heart and stroke risk in men and women, according to a study of Japanese people published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

10 Jul 2008

More research needed into effects of flavonoids and flavonoid-rich food sources on heart disease

More research is needed into food compounds which could reduce the risk of heart disease, according to a systematic review of trials carried out so far.

10 Jul 2008