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Medication error rates to be reduced by technology

The use of new information technology could significantly reduce the number of drug-related injuries in Australian hospitals, according to Professor Johanna Westbrook.

16 Oct 2008

Citywide electronic health information exchange

Across the nation concerns about health-care quality and costs are growing. For the first time, both candidates aspiring to the nation's highest office are looking to greater reliance on electronic medical records as critical to any remedy.

15 Oct 2008

Prolonging the withdrawal of life support in the ICU affects family satisfaction with care

Clinicians in the intensive care unit (ICU) often care for patients who are on several life support measures at once. When such a patient is dying and the decision is reached to withdraw life support, these clinicians may make an imperfect compromise in seeking to balance the complex needs of the patient and the patient's family - they may remove the life support measures one at a time over a period of days, rather than withdrawing all at once.

15 Oct 2008

Free treatment program against Buruli ulcer in Cameroon not working

Researchers have found that the fight against Buruli ulcer, a tropical skin disease, has hit a bump in Central Cameroon. Even as organizations provide free-of charge hospitalization care, patients' economic and social costs are preventing and delaying the treatment. Their study results are published October 15 in the open-access journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

14 Oct 2008

Why men and boys behave badly

On almost a weekly basis the media reveals, often in excruciating detail, that some male sport star, politician or personality, somewhere, has abused, sexually or in another way, a girlfriend or a woman they have come into contact with.

14 Oct 2008

Just how common is skin cancer in Australia?

A joint report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and Cancer Australia has revealed that though non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is by far the most common cancer diagnosed in Australia, just how common it is remains unclear.

14 Oct 2008

Altruistic behaviour can be sexually attractive to others

Displays of altruism or selflessness towards others can be sexually attractive in a mate. This is one of the findings of a study carried out by biologists and a psychologist at The University of Nottingham.

14 Oct 2008

Discovery of two novel gene locations that raise risk of type 1 diabetes

Genetics researchers have identified two novel gene locations that raise the risk of type 1 diabetes. As they continue to reveal pieces of the complicated genetic puzzle for this disease, the researchers expect to improve predictive tests and devise preventive strategies.

14 Oct 2008

HealthGrades buys Australian health portal WrongDiagnosis.com

Health Grades, Inc. has announced the acquisition of WrongDiagnosis.com, a highly trafficked health information and community web site based in Cairns, Australia.

14 Oct 2008

St. Jude Medical gets U.S. and European approval of Angio-Seal Evolution Vascular Closure Device

St. Jude Medical, Inc. has announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European CE Mark approval of the Angio-Seal Evolution Vascular Closure Device. The approval and global launch was announced at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics conference in Washington, D.C.

14 Oct 2008

Men who never smoke live longer, better lives than heavy smokers

Health-related quality of life appears to deteriorate as the number of cigarettes smoked per day increases, even in individuals who subsequently quit smoking, according to a report in the October 13 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

14 Oct 2008

Caffeine not associated with overall breast cancer risk

Caffeine consumption does not appear to be associated with overall breast cancer risk, according to a report in the October 13 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. However, there is a possibility of increased risk for women with benign breast disease or for tumors that are hormone-receptor negative or larger than 2 centimeters.

14 Oct 2008

Easier to quit smoking after a heart attack if there is a hospital-based stop smoking program

Researchers in the U.S. say they have found that hospital-based stop smoking programs initiated after a heart attack have more chance of success.

14 Oct 2008

Probiotics unlikely to relieve eczema symptoms

Australian scientists say they have found no evidence that probiotics can relieve the irritating symptoms of eczema and what is more they suggest they may sometimes cause infections and gut problems.

13 Oct 2008

Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in patients with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease

A majority of Parkinson's disease patients had insufficient levels of vitamin D in a new study from Emory University School of Medicine.

13 Oct 2008

Program in India aims to implement HIV/AIDS services in private maternity hospitals

India's Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society is launching a campaign that will focus on providing a comprehensive package of HIV/AIDS services to private maternity hospitals in the state in an effort to match services provided at government-run maternity hospitals, The Hindu reports.

13 Oct 2008

North Carolina County officials face lawsuit after denying permit to build health clinic expected to serve low-income residents

The North Carolina Tri-County Community Health Council has filed a lawsuit against Johnston County, N.C., alleging discrimination by county commissioners who denied a zoning permit to build a health clinic in a rural community that would serve low-income residents, the Raleigh News & Observer reports.

13 Oct 2008