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Baby boomers not as healthy as previously believed

Despite having a reputation of being the healthiest and most active generation, baby boomers are actually in worse overall health than their parents, according to a new study by researchers at the West Virginia University School of Medicine.

6 Feb 2013

State roundup: Calif. 'Healthy Families' deficit at $100M

The Healthy Families program has run out of money, according to state health officials. The deficit currently stands at almost $100 million and will keep rising every month, according to Janette Casillas, executive director of the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, which oversees Healthy Families. Gov. Jerry Brown's administration is pursuing two ideas for refilling the coffers: reinstitution of a recently expired tax on managed care organizations and an appropriation bill if the MCO tax isn't revived.

6 Feb 2013

Researchers examine Kaiser Permanente's obesity prevention interventions in adults and children

Community-based efforts to change the environment are proving to be an effective way of encouraging more physical activity and nutrition among school-age children, according to findings announced today from Kaiser Permanente.

6 Feb 2013

Hospital house calls: A way to cut costs and improve quality?

Meanwhile, a group of experts convened by the National Quality Forum has released its second annual round of recommendations on quality measures to be used in federal health programs.

6 Feb 2013

Study: 10 to 15% of people with TIAs will experience strokes within three months

Each year, as many as 500,000 Americans experience mini strokes called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Symptoms quickly go away, usually within an hour, and many people don't seek treatment. But 10 to 15 percent of people who experience TIAs will experience full-blown strokes within three months, and 40 percent of these strokes will occur in the first 24 hours, according to an article by three Loyola University Medical Center neurologists in the journal Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics.

6 Feb 2013

UCLA study to help reduce high medical costs for children with complex chronic diseases

The number of children with medically complex illness, such as cancer, congenital heart disease or cerebral palsy, is increasing due to advances in pediatric care that have led to increased survival in previously high-mortality conditions. This population, despite representing only 10 percent of children, accounts for a substantial proportion of overall pediatric hospital costs.

6 Feb 2013

NSU-COM to host 6th Annual Interprofessional Geriatrics Training Institute on Feb. 15 and 16

Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine's (NSU-COM) Florida Coastal Geriatric Resources, Education, and Training Center (GREAT GEC) will host the 6th Annual Interprofessional Geriatrics Training Institute on Feb. 15 and 16.

6 Feb 2013

Army Secretary urges soldier mental health resilience training

The step is part of an effort to improve the Army's coordination of mental health programs and to address increasing military suicide rates.

6 Feb 2013

CWRU researcher to create new materials, techniques to test knee and hip implants

A Case Western Reserve University chemistry professor has begun imbedding magnetic nanoparticles in the toughest of plastics to understand why more than 40,000 Americans must replace their knee and hip replacements annually.

6 Feb 2013

Surgery could boost chemotherapy outcomes in canine TCC

Dogs that undergo curative surgery for transitional cell carcinoma before initiating a combination of doxorubicin and piroxicam therapy have significantly longer median overall survival than their counterparts not pretreated surgically, report researchers.

6 Feb 2013

Steroid injections not advisable for tennis elbow

Results from a placebo-controlled trial show that patients given corticosteroid injections for treatment of unilateral lateral epicondylalgia, or tennis elbow, have a worse outcome after 1 year than those treated with placebo.

6 Feb 2013

Sympathetic nervous system implicated in acupuncture analgesia

Acupuncture appears to activate the sympathetic nervous system in people experiencing pain, a randomized study indicates.

6 Feb 2013

Selective laser trabeculoplasty promising for glaucoma

Selective laser trabeculoplasty leads to significant reductions in intraocular pressure in people with primary open-angle glaucoma, a study has found.

6 Feb 2013

Fish-related ciguatoxin danger highlighted

Researchers report that 28 cases of ciguatera fish poisoning occurred in New York City during 2010–2011, a greater number than were reported during the preceding 10-year period.

6 Feb 2013

Start palliative care early for optimum results

Palliative care provided early in the ambulatory care setting varies with the trajectory of patients’ disease and is complementary to medical management, show study results.

6 Feb 2013

Tumor suppressor mutant may predict poor outcome in breast cancer

An oncogenic variant of the Krüppel-like family 6 tumor suppressor gene appears to play a role in driving breast cancer metastasis and may be a prognostic marker for poor patient outcome, report researchers.

6 Feb 2013

Emotion regulation therapy benefits bipolar patients

Dialectical behavior therapy shows promise for the treatment of bipolar disorder, findings from a pilot study show.

6 Feb 2013

Ethnicity strongly linked to treatment resistance in schizophrenia

Patients with schizophrenia are at heightened risk for being resistant to treatment if they are White European, study findings reveal.

6 Feb 2013

Ramipril puts spring in step of patients with intermittent claudication

Six months of treatment with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor ramipril produces notable improvements in the walking ability of patients with peripheral artery disease and intermittent claudication, shows a large randomized trial.

6 Feb 2013

Empowered patients cost health systems less

Patients who feel confident and engaged in decisions about their health and taking care of themselves incur lower healthcare costs as a result of their improved outcomes, suggests a study in Health Affairs.

6 Feb 2013