Archive for the ‘Interesting Reads’ Category
WHAT WE’RE READING: Pessimists Outlive Optimists
- “Wipe That Smile Off Your Face, Optimists: Science Says You’ll Die Sooner,” Washington Post‘s “WonkBlog”: Pessimists live longer and healthier lives than those who overestimate future happiness, according to new research.
- “An Average ER Visit Costs More Than An Average Month’s Rent,” Washington Post‘s “WonkBlog”: An ER visit averages about $1,233, while average rent is only $871, according to a new NIH-funded study. Read the rest of this entry »
WHAT WE’RE READING: Calif. Health Exchange Goes Hollywood
- “Calif. Exchange Wants TV Shows To Help Tout Obama Healthcare Law,” The Hill‘s “Healthwatch”: California officials plan an Obamacare reality show.
- “Elena Kagan Sat Out Health Reform Strategy Talks, Toobin Book Says,” Politico: The Oath sheds new light on why Kagan did not recuse herself from the case.
WHAT WE’RE READING: ‘Mediscare’ Tactics Miss the Point
- “Ryan vs. Obama on Medicare: Why We Won’t Have an Actual Debate Over Where They Differ,” Time‘s “Swampland”: Paul Ryan’s and Obama’s approaches to Medicare reform share certain qualities, yet neither has been proven to lower costs, according to this opinion piece.
- “Baby Boomers Embrace Vegetarianism, but Such Diets Have Risks as Well as Benefits,” Washington Post: Leaf-eaters may fall short on key nutrients.
- “In Your Eyes: What They Reveal About Your Health,” Wall Street Journal: Changes in eyesight offer a glimpse into the body.
WHAT WE’RE READING: ACA Could Add 1% to Your Pizza Bill
- “Will Obamacare Raise the Price of Your Pizza?” CNN: “If the downside of [the Affordable Care Act] is that my pizza costs 20 cents more, that seems a pretty small price to pay,” this opinion piece argues.
- “La. School Stops Kicking Out Pregnant Students,” USA Today: Delhi Charter School will no longer require students suspected of being pregnant to leave the campus after the ACLU informed them that the practice was illegal.
- “Biometric Bracelet Could Send Remote-Monitoring Data to EHRs,” FierceHealthIT: The device uses bioimpedance to match data from medical devices, such as blood pressure cuffs and remote heart monitors, to the correct person’s electronic health record.
WHAT WE’RE READING: Cancer Patient Project is the Cat’s Meow — Literally
- “Internet’s Cat Obsession Justifies Itself in Cancer Ward,” NPR’s “Shots”: A project at Seattle Children’s Hospital projected thousands of cat images – complete with purring – onto bed sheets for a teen cancer patient who missed her kitty.
- “Long Wait at the Doctor’s Office? Blame the Patients,” CNN: Three primary reasons that physicians get behind schedule include late patients, emergencies and delaying lengthy medical questions until the end of an appointment.
- “A Link Between Mental Health and Mass Violence?” NPR: Not all who kill are mentally ill.
WHAT WE’RE READING: Office Workers Go Seatless
- “Companies Take a Stand Against Sitting,” San Francisco Chronicle: Workplaces across the country are encouraging employees to get on their feet.
- “CDC Says Graphic Anti-Smoking Ads Work, More on Way,” USA Today/Detroit Free Press: The federal government says its graphic ad campaign showing diseased smokers is gross, and effective.
WHAT WE’RE READING: A Diabetes Dilemma
- “Wrong Call: The Trouble Diagnosing Diabetes,” Wall Street Journal: Many patients are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes when they actually have Type 1, leading to inappropriate treatment plans.
- “The Soda-Tax Scam,” U-T San Diego: Proposed taxes on soda in California “are little more than a scam cooked up by cash-strapped cities to help them finance the fat in their budgets,” this editorial states.
- “Performance Enhancing Dope: Should Sport ban Cannabis?” Reuters: Few experts believe the drug can enhance the speed, strength, power or precision that Olympic athletes strive for.
- “Surveillance may Help Doctors Decide to Prescribe,” Reuters: Using electronic health records to track community trends could reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.
WHAT WE’RE READING: Good Karma, Good Health
- “Study Finds That Avoiding Lies can Improve Your Health,” USA Today: Participants who told three fewer white lies than usual experienced about four fewer mental health complaints and three fewer physical complaints.
- “Why Mustaches are Good for Your Health,” Washington Post‘s “Wonkblog”: Facial hair protects skin from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
- “Less Hospital Noise Improves Patient Care,” New York Times‘ “Bucks”: Alarms, whistles and buzzers — sometimes as loud as a chainsaw — can significantly disrupt patient’s sleep.
WHAT WE’RE READING: Instructions in Bedside Manner
- “When the Doctor’s Words Aren’t Soothing,” New York Times‘ “Well”: When delivering medical testing results, timing and delivery matter.
- “Who Made That Home Pregnancy Test?” New York Times: What to inspect when you’re expecting.
- “New at the Top: Defying the Naysayers To Pursue a Medical Career in a Field Dominated by Men,” Washington Post: Female doctors break through the glass ceiling.
GLOBAL VIEW: Canadian, German, British Views on U.S. Health Reform, Supreme Court Ruling
People in countries with universal health care systems — like Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany — have been puzzled by the sharp divide in the U.S. over the federal health reform law and the Supreme Court’s ruling on the law.
News coverage and editorials about the law and the court ruling generally were critical of the diverging attitudes, but some of them suggested that U.S. residents will grow to accept and appreciate the law.
