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Advice to stay active promotes recovery in patients with low back pain

For workers on medical leave because of low back pain, giving advice to stay active increases the chances of returning to work, reports a study in the August 1 issue of Spine.

3 Aug 2012

Access to dental care alone is not sufficient to meet oral health needs of adults with I/DD

A comprehensive study using electronic dental records to profile the oral health status of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) has concluded that access to specialized dental care alone is not sufficient to meet the community's substantial oral health needs.

2 Aug 2012

3D scanner can identify early foot deformity in RA patients

Researchers report that a digital 3D foot scanner can detect foot deformities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, even before clinical signs are present.

2 Aug 2012

Teamwork at the front line can reduce SSI rate

Rates of surgical site infection can be markedly reduced by the implementation of a front-line provider group that uses local wisdom and existing evidence on patient safety, report US researchers.

2 Aug 2012

Researchers report one-third cut in the rate of lethal SSIs after colorectal operations

A patient safety team including researchers in the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality reported a one-third cut in the rate of costly and potentially lethal surgical site infections (SSIs) following colorectal operations after requiring use of a simple safety checklist and urging caregivers to speak up if they see potentially unsafe practices.

2 Aug 2012

Financial viability of Social Security is in jeopardy because of outdated forecasting methods

The Social Security Trust Fund is off on its prediction by $730 billion for needed benefits in 2030. That is because its forecasting methods have hardly been updated since 1935 when the program first started, according to a study in the August issue of Demography.

2 Aug 2012

Viewpoints: States may not be up to the challenge of setting up exchanges; Post office's 'default day'

On the ever-lengthening fiasco list, the "exchange" problem is one of the worst. Congress told states to build these bureaucracies that will dispense health insurance subsidies and regulate coverage, but by and large the states aren't doing so. ... The exchanges do not merely subsidize but must verify who is eligible by income and residency, police compliance with the individual mandate and report scofflaws to the Internal Revenue Service; regulate insurers and enforce price controls; and penalize businesses that don't insure their employees.

1 Aug 2012

Study examines link between early-onset mental disorders and adult household income

Mental disorders that emerge in childhood and adolescence, including attention-deficit disorder, depression, anxiety and substance abuse, constitute significant challenges to cognitive, emotional, and social development.

31 Jul 2012

Fifth link to complete chain for cardiac arrest care?

Adding a fifth link to the “Chain of Survival” concept for management of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest significantly improves their survival and positive neurologic outcome chances, a study suggests.

31 Jul 2012

Smoking poses less risk for dyslipidemia in very elderly

Smoking does not have a detrimental effect on lipid profiles in individuals aged 90 years or more, report Chinese researchers.

31 Jul 2012

Brain injury patterns predict outcomes in oxygen-starved infants

Patterns of brain injury in babies with neonatal hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy predict survival and disability in late infancy, show study findings.

31 Jul 2012

Intensive multidisciplinary approach effective for chronic back pain

An intensive interdisciplinary outpatient program for managing chronic back pain has shown clinically significant results in a pilot study.

31 Jul 2012

Aetna reports net income of $457.6 million for second-quarter 2012

Aetna today announced second-quarter 2012 operating earnings of $452.0 million, or $1.31 per share, compared to the $1.35 per share reported in the second quarter of 2011.

31 Jul 2012

'Fifth link' associated with increase in survival rate among survivors of sudden cardiac arrest

Fewer sudden cardiac arrest survivors had neurologic impairment after a novel regional system of care was implemented, according to research published in Circulation, an American Heart Association journal.

31 Jul 2012

Ephrin-A5 blocks formation of new connections between neurons after stroke

Researchers at UCLA have identified a novel molecule in the brain that, after stroke, blocks the formation of new connections between neurons. As a result, it limits the brain's recovery. In a mouse model, the researchers showed that blocking this molecule-called ephrin-A5--induces axonal sprouting, that is, the growth of new connections between the brain's neurons, or cells, and as a result promotes functional recovery.

29 Jul 2012

New study sheds light on exactly how cigarette smoke causes osteoporosis

Almost 20 years after scientists first identified cigarette smoking as a risk factor for osteoporosis and bone fractures, a new study is shedding light on exactly how cigarette smoke weakens bones. The report, in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research, concludes that cigarette smoke makes people produce excessive amounts of two proteins that trigger a natural body process that breaks down bone.

28 Jul 2012

Roundup: Mass. lawmakers struggle to reach agreement on cost controls; $100M grant for Calif. stem cell research; N.C. to move mentally ill from elderly homes

The House and Senate are under the gun to reach an agreement on how to lower health care costs while improving care. A conference committee aims to have a bill out on Sunday. Their deadline is Monday evening. In the meantime, several major issues are still unresolved, including what to do about hospitals that use their market clout to demand high prices that are not based on higher quality. Attorney General Martha Coakley, the state's top insurers and several consumer groups argue that price is a critical issue.

28 Jul 2012

Long-term interferon beta benefits unclear in MS

A large “real-world” study fails to show reduced disability progression in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis given interferon beta.

26 Jul 2012

Illiteracy linked to schizophrenia risk

The risk for schizophrenia is significantly higher among illiterate than literate individuals in China, particularly among younger age groups, results from a population-based study show.

26 Jul 2012

Census Bureau releases report on disability status in the U.S.

About 56.7 million people ─ 19 percent of the population ─ had a disability in 2010, according to a broad definition of disability, with more than half of them reporting the disability was severe, according to a comprehensive report on this population released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

26 Jul 2012

Disability News and Research

Advice to stay active promotes recovery in patients with low back pain

Access to dental care alone is not sufficient to meet oral health needs of adults with I/DD

3D scanner can identify early foot deformity in RA patients

Teamwork at the front line can reduce SSI rate

Researchers report one-third cut in the rate of lethal SSIs after colorectal operations

Financial viability of Social Security is in jeopardy because of outdated forecasting methods

Viewpoints: States may not be up to the challenge of setting up exchanges; Post office's 'default day'

Study examines link between early-onset mental disorders and adult household income

Fifth link to complete chain for cardiac arrest care?

Smoking poses less risk for dyslipidemia in very elderly

Brain injury patterns predict outcomes in oxygen-starved infants

Intensive multidisciplinary approach effective for chronic back pain

Aetna reports net income of $457.6 million for second-quarter 2012

'Fifth link' associated with increase in survival rate among survivors of sudden cardiac arrest

Ephrin-A5 blocks formation of new connections between neurons after stroke

New study sheds light on exactly how cigarette smoke causes osteoporosis

Roundup: Mass. lawmakers struggle to reach agreement on cost controls; $100M grant for Calif. stem cell research; N.C. to move mentally ill from elderly homes

Long-term interferon beta benefits unclear in MS

Illiteracy linked to schizophrenia risk

Census Bureau releases report on disability status in the U.S.

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