Health care reform
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I saw an article last week from Reuters (unfortunately I lost the link) about reforming health care in the U. S.. A couple of points stood out to me:
1) Dr. Julie Gerberding – the director of the CDC was quoted as saying “If we are seriously thinking about building a health system, then we need to be training professionals in a collegial and collaborative manner.”. It was explained that she thinks that the way doctors, nurses, veterinarians, pharmacists and dentists are educated needs to be changed – that they need to start their educations all together to “to foster cooperation and a sense of common mission”. I agree but think they should add eye doctors to that list too. Vision is a vital part of a healthy person as any other function or part of the body. I never understood why teeth and eyes were somehow separated from the rest of our bodies when getting health care or insurance.
2) She also said that the “system is focused on treating disease and on end-of-life care, with little attention paid to preventing disease and helping people lead healthier lives.”. That’s bothered me for a long time too. How frequently have you had a doctor talk to you about what you can do to be as healthy as possible? I’ve never had a doctor initiate a discussion like that. And have you ever tried asking a doctor questions about nutrition or fitness? They don’t seem to know a lot about it. Maybe that’s not what they are trained for and can’t be expected to know everything – but then our health insurance needs to include visits to professionals who can help us with nutrition and fitness. Diet and exercise are the two most important things a person can control to stay healthy and yet our doctors don’t know enough about them to help people do the right thing. We’re left on our own and most people don’t know enough themselves or can’t afford to pay a nutritionist or personal trainer to help them.
What do you think?
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August 3, 2007
This week in health and science – 8/3/07
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It’s World Breastfeeding Week – from August 1st to the 7th! Read more at Health Observances.
Cancer
ramunas lists some very nice characteristics of hereditary, familial and sporadic cancers.
Gloria at Cancer Commentary wrote about the new technique that is being developed for detecting pancreatic cancerusing light. Pretty cool stuff, and one that is close to my heart as my dad had pancreatic cancer.
Allergies
I wish I could afford a hypoallergenic cat! Still way too expensive for me! Maybe in a few years – read more: Hypoallergenic Cat, Anyone?
Healthy Choices
Kristen at Lively Women has a great list of 5 things young people should do to stay healthy – do you have anything to add?
Other
Earlier this week I wrote about the problem of hospital cleanliness including problems with MRSA. This week Penny at Genetics and Health wrote about how the bacteria mutated and evolved in one dying man.
I hope I never need one, but if I do, I’m glad to hear they are making big improvements in artificial hips.
MyDocHub Blog has a great list of the Early Symptoms of Pregnancy – I didn’t know pregnancy could cause all of these. Of course they could be symptoms of something else too.
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Related Posts:
- What not to do – if you want a long, healthy life
- Help! Our hospitals are filthy!
- This week in health and science – 9/14/07
August 2, 2007
Smoking Part 1: Pregnancy and young children
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A number of studies have been reported lately that link various health problems in babies and children to pre-natal or 2nd hand cigarette smoke. It is well established that women who smoke or are exposed to smoke while pregnant have a greater chance of having babies with low birth weight, pre-mature birth, SIDS and lung problems, etc. Some recent studies present additional evidence of cardiovascular and pulmonary problems due to smoking.
In Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association a study of 456 babies show that mothers who either smoked or were exposed to smoke while pregnant had babies with significantly higher systolic blood pressures than babies born to women who did not smoke or were not exposed to 2nd hand smoke.
In another study of 244 kids 4-12 years old it was found that kids whose parents smoked had reduced lung function similar to that of people who smoke themselves. Children whose parents smoke also have lowered endothial function in their arteries – a sign of damage (Circulation).
A nicotine byproduct called cotinine can be found in the urine of babies who have even one parent who smokes. Compared to babies without parents who smoke, babies with a smoking parent have 5.58 times as much cotinine (Archives of Disease in Childhood: Fetal and Neonatal Edition).
Additional recent research tying health problems to women smoking include women having a 59% greater chance of begining menopause before age 45 (BMC Public Health). Other research shows a connection between smoking and stillbirths – women who smoked during their 1st and 2nd pregnancy had a 35% greater chance of still birth (BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology).
Considering all the evidence indicating how damaging cigarette smoke is to babies and young children it surprises me that there are still women with children who smoke. Of course it can be difficult to avoid 2nd hand smoke sometimes – especially if family members smoke or if someone works in a place that allows smoking.
Even if someone doesn’t care about the health of people around them – I would have thought the threat to one’s own health would be enough to convince more people to stop.
— More on that thought in Smoking Part 2 (coming soon).
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Related Posts:
- Don’t forget your baby’s health if you smoke!
- Smoking and other pregnancy perils
- Smoking Part 2: What should be done?
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