U.N. Secretary-General Visits Haiti To Monitor International Aid Response
During his second visit to Haiti since the January earthquake, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon "promised Haitians on Sunday that the world has not forgotten the quake-torn nation as it suffers from a shortage of shelter and growing violence in teeming camps for the homeless," the Associated Press reports (Katz, 3/14)...
http://mnt.to/f/3yXJ
GAVI Calls Meeting With Existing, Potential Donors
The GAVI Alliance has "asked existing and potential donors to a meeting in The Hague on March 25 and 26 to challenge them to 'make a strong impact' on childhood death rates," Reuters reports...
http://mnt.to/f/3yXK
Opinions: Discrimination Against Sexual Orientation; WFP In Somalia; Haiti's Recovery; WHO's Policy Role
Discrimination Against Sexual Orientation Are 'Backward Steps' For Human Rights In Africa In a Washington Post opinion piece, Desmond Tutu, archbishop emeritus of Cape Town, South Africa, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, speaks out against efforts to deny individuals "their fundamental rights and freedoms" based on their sexual orientation...
http://mnt.to/f/3yXL
Effects of Internet Use on Health and Depression: A Longitudinal Study
Background: The rapid expansion of the Internet has increased the ease with which the public can obtain medical information. Most research on the utility of the Internet for health purposes has evaluated the quality of the information itself or examined its impact on clinical populations. Little is known about the consequences of its use by the general population. Objective: Is use of the Internet by the general population for health purposes associated with a subsequent change in psychological well-being and health? Is the effect different for healthy versus ill individuals? Does the impact of using the Internet for health purposes differ from the impact of other types of Internet use? Methods: Data come from a national US panel survey of 740 individuals conducted from 2000 to 2002. Across three surveys, respondents described their use of the Internet for different purposes, indicated whether they had any of 13 serious illnesses (or were taking care of someone with a serious illness), and reported their depression. In the initial and final surveys they also reported on their physical health. Lagged dependent variable regression analysis was used to predict changes in depression and general health reported on a later survey from frequency of different types of Internet use at an earlier period, holding constant prior depression and general health, respectively. Statistical interactions tested whether uses of the Internet predicted depression and general health differently for people who initially differed on their general health, chronic illness, and caregiver status. Results: Health-related Internet use was associated with small but reliable increases in depression (ie, increasing use of the Internet for health purposes from 3 to 5 days per week to once a day was associated with .11 standard deviations more symptoms of depression, P = .002). In contrast, using the Internet for communication with friends and family was associated with small but reliable decreases in depression (ie, increasing use of the Internet for communication with friends and family purposes from 3 to 5 days per week to once a day was associated with .07 standard deviations fewer symptoms of depression, p = .007). There were no significant effects of respondents’ initial health status (P = .234) or role as a caregiver (P = .911) on the association between health-related Internet use and depression. Neither type of use was associated with changes in general health (P = .705 for social uses and P = .494 for health uses). Conclusions: Using the Internet for health purposes was associated with increased depression. The increase may be due to increased rumination, unnecessary alarm, or over-attention to health problems. Additionally, those with unmeasured problems or those more prone to health anxiety may self-select online health resources. In contrast, using the Internet to communicate with friends and family was associated with declines in depression. This finding is comparable to other studies showing that social support is beneficial for well-being and lends support to the idea that the Internet is a way to strengthen and maintain social ties.
http://www.jmir.org/2010/1/e6
How Breast Cancer Patients Want to Search for and Retrieve Information From Stories of Other Patients on the Internet: an Online Randomized Controlled Experiment
Background: Other patients’ stories on the Internet can give patients information, support, reassurance, and practical advice. Objective: We examined which search facility for online stories resulted in patients’ satisfaction and search success. Methods: This study was a randomized controlled experiment with a 2x2 factorial design conducted online. We facilitated access to 170 stories of breast cancer patients in four ways based on two factors: (1) no versus yes search by story topic, and (2) no versus yes search by writer profile. Dutch speaking women with breast cancer were recruited. Women who gave informed consent were randomly assigned to one of four groups. After searching for stories, women were offered a questionnaire relating to satisfaction with the search facility, the stories retrieved, and impact of the stories on coping with breast cancer. Of 353 enrolled women, 182 (51.6%) completed the questionnaire: control group (n = 37), story topics group (n = 49), writer profile group (n = 51), and combination group (n = 45). Results: Questionnaire completers were evenly distributed over the four groups (χ23 = 3.7, P = .30). Women who had access to the story topics search facility (yes vs no): were more positive about (mean scores 4.0 vs 3.6, P = .001) and more satisfied with the search facility (mean scores 7.3 vs 6.3, P < .001); were more positive about the number of search options (mean scores 2.3 vs 2.1,P = .04); were better enabled to find desired information (mean scores 3.3 vs 2.8, P = .001); were more likely to recommend the search facility to others or intend to use it themselves (mean scores 4.1 vs 3.5, P < .001); were more positive about how retrieved stories were displayed (mean scores 3.6 vs 3.2, P = .001); retrieve stories that better covered their information needs (mean scores 3.0 vs 2.6, P = .02); were more satisfied with the stories retrieved (mean scores 7.1 vs 6.4, P = .002); and were more likely to report an impact of the stories on coping with breast cancer (mean scores 3.2 vs 2.9, P =. 02). Three main effects were associated with use of the writer profile search (yes vs no): being more positive about (mean scores 3.9 vs 3.6, P = .005) and more satisfied with the search facility (mean scores 7.1 vs 6.5, P =. 01), and being more positive about how retrieved stories were displayed (mean scores 3.8 vs 2.9, P < .001). For satisfaction with the search facility, an interaction effect was found (P = .03): at least one of the two search facilities was needed for satisfaction. Conclusions: Having access to the story topics search facility clearly had the most positive effect on patient satisfaction and search success.
http://www.jmir.org/2010/1/e7
Physician Order Entry Or Nurse Order Entry? Comparison of Two Implementation Strategies for a Computerized Order Entry System Aimed at Reducing Dosing Medication Errors
Background: Despite the significant effect of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) in reducing nonintercepted medication errors among neonatal inpatients, only a minority of hospitals have successfully implemented such systems. Physicians' resistance and users' frustration seem to be two of the most important barriers. One solution might be to involve nurses in the order entry process to reduce physicians’ data entry workload and resistance. However, the effect of this collaborative order entry method in reducing medication errors should be compared with a strictly physician order entry method. Objective: To investigate whether a collaborative order entry method consisting of nurse order entry (NOE) followed by physician verification and countersignature is as effective as a strictly physician order entry (POE) method in reducing nonintercepted dose and frequency medication errors in the neonatal ward of an Iranian teaching hospital. Methods: A four-month prospective study was designed with two equal periods. During the first period POE was used and during the second period NOE was used. In both methods, a warning appeared when the dose or frequency of the prescribed medication was incorrect that suggested the appropriate dosage to the physicians. Physicians’ responses to the warnings were recorded in a database and subsequently analyzed. Relevant paper-based and electronic medical records were reviewed to increase credibility. Results: Medication prescribing for 158 neonates was studied. The rate of nonintercepted medication errors during the NOE period was 40% lower than during the POE period (rate ratio 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI] .50, .71;P < .001). During the POE period, 80% of nonintercepted errors occurred at the prescription stage, while during the NOE period, 60% of nonintercepted errors occurred in that stage. Prescription errors decreased from 10.3% during the POE period to 4.6% during the NOE period (P < .001), and the number of warnings with which physicians complied increased from 44% to 68% respectively (P < .001). Meanwhile, transcription errors showed a nonsignificant increase from the POE period to the NOE period. The median error per patient was reduced from 2 during the POE period to 0 during the NOE period (P = .005). Underdose and curtailed and prolonged interval errors were significantly reduced from the POE period to the NOE period. The rate of nonintercepted overdose errors remained constant between the two periods. However, the severity of overdose errors was lower in the NOE period (P = .02). Conclusions: NOE can increase physicians' compliance with warnings and recommended dose and frequency and reduce nonintercepted medication dosing errors in the neonatal ward as effectively as POE or even better. In settings where there is major physician resistance to implementation of CPOE, and nurses are willing to participate in the order entry and are capable of doing so, NOE may be considered a beneficial alternative order entry method.
http://www.jmir.org/2010/1/e5
GE Healthcare Spotlights Latest Innovations In Interventional Radiology At 2010 SIR
Building on innovative digital flat panel technology and one of the world's most installed family of all digital interventional X-ray imaging systems, GE Healthcare, a $17 billion unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), continues the innovation from excellent image quality and industry-leading dose efficiency to introduce new clinical visualization tools - includind Innova Vision and Innova TrackVision-. These tools will allow interventional radiologists to see more than ever before...
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/qyeXfs03INo/3yYM
GE Healthcare Introduces New Ultrasound Needle Tracking Capability
GE Healthcare (NYSE: GE) announced an important new onboard feature to its LOGIQ E9 platform - needle tracking powered by GE's innovative Volume Navigation capability. The enhanced device is on display at the Society for Interventional Radiology's 35th Annual Scientific Meeting (booth 620)...
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/LUj_qENj20U/3yYH
Extra Doctor Training Places "very Welcome" ... Now It's Time To Back Them Up With A Rural Rescue Package, Australia
The Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) has strongly welcomed today's announcement by the Federal Government that it will substantially increase GP training places, specialist training places and prevocational general practice placements for medical graduates. The Association has urged, however, that the Government must also introduce a much-needed Rural Rescue Package if there is to be any hope of enticing more young doctors to rural and remote practice...
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/loWAVmN-opk/3yYz
Advancing Interventional Radiology Treatment To Clear Blocked Carotid Arteries, Prevent Stroke
An important interventional radiology advancement - the use of a new cerebral protection device in combination with FDA-approved carotid stents in high-surgical-risk patients - provides a minimally invasive, safe and effective way to prevent stroke from occurring during treatment to clear blocked carotid arteries, according to research released at the Society of Interventional ...
http://mnt.to/f/3yZd
How To Minimize Radiation Risks Of Angioplasty Shows Highest Doses In Men, Large Body Mass, Complex Cases
Body size, gender and the complexity of heart disease significantly influence how much cumulative radiation skin dose that patients receive during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) therapy, also known as angioplasty, according to a new Mayo Clinic study...
http://mnt.to/f/3yZr
Abbott Announces Positive Data From ABSORB Trial On Its Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold Technology
Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced positive 30-day results from the first 101 patients enrolled in the second phase of the ABSORB trial...
http://mnt.to/f/3yYg
News From Annals Of Internal Medicine, March 16, 2010
1. Excess Risk for Death Following Hip Fracture Persists Over Time, Especially for Men While almost all studies report an increased risk for death in the first three to six months following hip fracture, it is unclear whether this risk continues over the longer-term...
http://mnt.to/f/3yZ6
New Research Reveals Potential New Drug For Type 2 Diabetes
An experimental oral drug has lowered blood sugar levels and inflammation in mice with Type 2 diabetes, suggesting that the medication could someday be added to the arsenal of drugs used by millions of Americans with this disease, according to new research...
http://mnt.to/f/3yYn
More Support For Health Benefits Of Coffee
Multitudes of people worldwide begin each day with a cup of steaming hot coffee. Although it is sometimes referred to as "the devil's brew," coffee contains several nutrients (eg, calcium) as well as hundreds of potentially biologically active compounds (eg, polyphenols) that may promote health...
http://mnt.to/f/3yYq
