Is There a Cancer Risk When Going to the Nail Salon?
Is There a Cancer Risk When Going to the Nail Salon? A JAMA Research Letter shows that using higher-wattage ultra violet (UV) lamps at nail salons to dry and cure polish was associated with more UV-A radiation being emitted, but the brief exposure after a manicure would require multiple visits for potential DNA damage and the risk for cancer remains small. The use of lamps that emit UV radiation in nail salons has raised some concern about the risk of cancer, but previous studies have lacked a sampling of lights from salons. Lyndsay R. Shipp, M.D., of Georgia Regents University, Augusta, and colleagues tested 17 light units from 16 salons with a wide range of bulbs, wattage and irradiance emitted by each device for their research letter. Higher-wattage light sources were correlated with higher UV-A irradiance emitted. ÛÏOur data suggest that, even with numerous exposures, the risk for carcinogensis, remains small. That said, we concur with previous authors in recommending use of physical blocking sunscreens or UV-A protective gloves to limit the risk of carcinogenesis and photoaging.Û (JAMA Dermatology. Published online April 30, 2014.)
Americans Pay Far More for Medications Than Anywhere in the World
Americans Pay Far More for Medications Than Anywhere in the World – The International Federation of Health Plans (IFHP) released its 2013 Comparative Price Report, detailing its annual survey of medical prices. The report examines the price of medical procedures, tests, scans and treatments in nine countries. This year the survey also shows pricing for five specialty prescription drugs. åÊAs in prior years, the survey data shows that the United States continues to have the highest fees of those countries surveyed for drugs and various medical procedures.
Some of the larger disparities were in prescription and specialty drugs prices. åÊFor example, the price for the cancer drug Gleevec ranged from $989 in New Zealand to $6,214, the average price paid in the United States. The price paid for the drug Copaxone ranged from $862 in England to $3,903 in the United States. Other more common drugs such as Cymbalta, commonly prescribed for depression, cost less than $100 in Switzerland, Spain, the Netherlands and England. åÊCymbalta cost an average of $110 in Canada and $194 in the United States. Similarly, a drug prescribed for acid reflux averages from $33 in the Netherlands to $215 in the United States. IFHPÛªs Chief Executive Tom Sackville explained why he believed to the data to be important. ÛÏWe have looked here at a number of procedures and products which are identical across the markets surveyed. The price variations bear no relation to health outcomes: they merely demonstrate the relative ability of providers to profiteer at the expense of patients, and in some cases reflect a damaging degree of market failure.Û Prices examined in the study included those from Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland and the United States. The data for the report was gathered from participating IFHP member organizations in each country. åÊ Prices in the U.S. were based on prices negotiated between private health plans and health care providers. The IFHP was founded in 1968 by a group of health fund industry leaders, and is now the leading global network of the industry, with more than 80 member companies across 25 countries. IFHP aims to assist in the maintenance of high ethical and professional standards throughout the industry. See this VOX post for more perspective.
Internet Use May Cut RetireesÛª Depression
Internet Use May Cut RetireesÛª Depression say the authors of the article ÛÏInternet Use and Depression Among Retired Older Adults in the United States: A Longitudinal Analysis.” Spending time online has the potential to ward off depression among retirees, particularly among those who live alone, according to research published online in The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. The authors report that Internet use reduced the probability of a depressed state by 33 percent among their study sample. Late-life depression affects between 5 and 10 million Americans age 50 and older. This new study shows that the Internet offers older Americans a chance to overcome the social and spatial boundaries that are believed to fuel depression. The research was conducted by Shelia R. Cotten, PhD, of Michigan State University; George Ford, PhD, of the Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal & Economic Public Policy Studies; Sherry Ford, PhD, of the University of Montevallo; and Timothy M. Hale, PhD, of the Center for Connected Health and Harvard Medical School. ÛÏRetired persons are a population of interest, particularly because one mechanism by which Internet use may affect depression is to counter the effects of isolation and loneliness, which are more common among older adults,Û the authors stated. ÛÏAlso, working individuals may be required to use the Internet rather than choosing to, and may use the technology for different reasons than those not working.Û The data were obtained from four waves of the Health and Retirement Study, a longitudinal survey collecting information from more than 22,000 older Americans every two years. The current study sample included 3,075 community-dwelling respondents observed over 4 waves of data, from 2002 to 2008, yielding a total of 12,300 observations. The measurement of Internet use was based on a question asking participants, ÛÏDo you regularly use the World Wide Web, or the Internet, for sending and receiving e-mail or for any other purpose?Û Depression was measured using an eight-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. With other factors constant, the authors found that Internet users had an average predicted probability of depression of .07, whereas that probability for nonusers was .105. Based on the difference, Internet use led to a 33 percent reduction in the probability of depression. ÛÏNumber of people in the household partially mediates this relationship, with the reduction in depression largest for people living alone,Û the authors wrote. ÛÏThis provides some evidence that the mechanism linking Internet use to depression is the remediation of social isolation and loneliness. Encouraging older adults to use the Internet may help decrease isolation, loneliness, and depression.Û We are in the process of trying to alleviate that loneliness by bring live streaming concerts to elders in their home through Stage It. To do it effectively, we need student volunteers and corporate sponsors. Contact me to find out more.
Nursing Home Complaint Centers Fields Your Calls for Deaths Around Sepsis or Septic Shock
The Nursing Home Complaint Centers Fields Your Calls for Deaths Around Sepsis or Septic Shock The Nursing Home Complaint Center believes that, based on the calls they receive from family members, needless deaths caused by sepsis, or septic shock, is a much bigger problem than anyone knows. 
If your family is mourning the loss of a loved one who died from sepsis, or septic shock, after a stay in a nursing home, a rehab center, or a skilled nursing facility, family members you may want to contact the Nursing Home Complaint Center anytime at 866-714-6466. http://NursingHomeComplaintCenter.Com The Nursing Home Complaint Center says, “Based on the calls we get about deaths from sepsis, or septic shock, from family members whose loved one was being treated at a nursing home, a rehab center, or a skilled nursing facility, we are convinced this is a huge national problem, and we intend to do something about it. “Typically a conversation with a family member that calls us starts with an enragedåÊemergency roomåÊdoctor has just told usåÊtheir mom, or dad has sepsis, and it was never treated at a nursing home, or a rehab center, and now the person is in the ICU of a hospital, or they are now being given the last rights. To us at the Nursing Home Complaint Center theseåÊindividuals with sepsis, or septic shock, areåÊmost often victims of extreme negligence, and they want to hear from families this has happened to.” For more information please call the Nursing Home Complaint Center at 866-714-6466. http://NursingHomeComplaintCenter.Com So what is sepsis? According to the Mayo Clinic, “Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection. Sepsis occurs when chemicals released into the bloodstream to fight the infection trigger inflammation throughout the body. This inflammation can trigger a cascade of changes that can damage multiple organ systems, causing them to fail. If sepsis progresses to septic shock, blood pressure drops dramatically, which may lead to death.” According to the Nursing Home Complaint Center, “Based on years of experience the typical victim we hear about was never properly cleaned, or maintained at a nursing home, or a rehab center, the patient developed bed sores that were never treated, and the patient ultimately developed an infection called sepsis, it was not treated, and the patient died. In most cases we hear about, the victim was sent to a hospital ER after it was too late to do much for the patient.
Women Who Drink Milk Do May Delay Knee Osteoarthritis
Women Who Drink Milk Do May Delay Knee Osteoarthritis – that according to new research that reports that women who frequently consume fat-free or low-fat milk may delay the progression of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Results published in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) journal, Arthritis Care & Research, show that women who ate cheese saw an increase in knee OA progression. Yogurt did not impact OA progression in men or women. OA is a common, degenerative joint disease that causes pain and swelling of joints in the hand, hips, or knee. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), OA affects nearly 27 million Americans age 25 and older, with knee OA being more prevalent and severe in women. While medical evidence points to obesity, joint injury, and repetitive use from some sports as risk factors for incident knee OA, risks associated with OA progression remain unclear. ÛÏMilk consumption plays an important role in bone health,Û explains lead author Bing Lu, M.D., Dr.P.H., from Brigham & WomenÛªs Hospital in Boston, Mass. ÛÏOur study is the largest study to investigate the impact of dairy intake in the progression of knee OA.Û For the present study 2,148 participants (3,064 knees) with knee OA were recruited for the Osteoarthritis Initiative. At the start of the study dietary data was collected and joint space width was measured by x-ray to evaluate OA progression. Subjects included 888 men and 1,260 women who had follow-up at 12, 24, 36, and 48 months. As the intake of milk increased from none to less than 3 , 4-6, and more than 7 (8 oz) glasses per week, the joint space width in women also decreased by 0.38mm, 0.29mm,0.29mm and 0.26mm, respectively. Results persisted even after adjusting for disease severity, body mass index (BMI) and dietary factors. ÛÏOur findings indicate that women who frequently drink milk may reduce the progression of OA,Û concludes Dr. Lu.
