Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Before They Were Perpetrators They Were Victims: Why More Experts Are Looking At Criminals' Histories
The New York Times: A Gun To His Head As A Child. In Prison As An Adult.
Rob Sullivan still remembers the gun and the sound of his mother’s high-pitched pleas. Two thieves had burst into his parents’ Hartford home. Demanding his father’s dope stash, one of the men placed a gun to Rob’s right temple. “Just give it to them,” his mother begged his father. He was 6 years old. (Burch, 10/15)
The New York Times: In Early Results, Shorter Treatment For Tuberculosis Proves Effective
Taking the right antibiotics for just nine months may be as effective against drug-resistant tuberculosis as taking them for two years, as is currently recommended, according to preliminary findings from an international study. Results from the trial, which is overseen by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease and UCL (formerly the University College London), were released at a conference in Mexico. (McNeil, 10/13)
The Washington Post: Is Egg Freezing Safe For Me And My Future Baby?
If you work at such places as Google, Facebook and Apple, your health insurance includes an unusual feature: coverage for egg freezing. Oocyte preservation, touted as a form of fertility insurance for women who want to delay childbearing, has grown in popularity since its “experimental” label was removed in 2012. But as it moves into the mainstream, is it really producing healthy kids? (Blakemore, 10/15)
The New York Times: How Do People Die From Diabetes?
People who have diabetes cannot regulate their blood sugar levels and if the disease isn’t tightly controlled, blood sugar can spike to abnormally high levels, a condition called hyperglycemia, or dip below normal, a condition called hypoglycemia. Both conditions are potentially life-threatening and can lead to coma and death if not promptly treated. But complications resulting from the disease are a more common cause of death. (Rabin, 10/13)
Los Angeles Times: How Guilt, Anxiety And Distress May Help Fight Cancer
Having cancer would make anyone scared, stressed and angry. In some cases, that might be a good thing. Recent research suggests that negative emotions may improve the health of cancer survivors by motivating them to behave in healthier ways. "Negative emotions get a bad rap," says Andree Castonguay, who studies the psychological factors that influence health and make people want to be physically active. "If they're used in the right way, by helping someone set a new goal, they can act as a driving force." (Brown, 10/13)
The Washington Post: Breastfeeding Your Child May Reduce Your Risk Of Breast Cancer
For babies, the benefits of breast-feeding are clear: a stronger immune system, reduced risk for some chronic health conditions and a closer bond with mom. But does breast-feeding also protect women against breast cancer? Nursing has been linked to a reduced risk of breast cancer risk in both pre- and post-menopausal women. But, says Virginia Borges, director of the University of Colorado Cancer Center’s young women’s breast cancer program, “it gets complicated from here.” (Blakemore, 10/15)
NPR: Floating Away Your Anxiety And Stress
When I mentioned to a friend that my baseline neurosis has evolved from daily stress into anxiety, her response was – "Go for a float!" A float? Yes — spend an hour in a dark, soundproof room floating in a body-temperature warm pool. "The heavy salt concentration does the work for you," my friend told me. "You just lie there and meditate." (Schumann, 10/16)
Stat: Doctors Fear Mental Health Disclosure Could Jeopardize Their Licenses
Medicine is grappling with rising levels of physician burnout, one of the factors driving high rates of depression and suicide in the profession. But physicians who suffer from mood disorders are often reluctant to seek treatment — in part because it might jeopardize their license to practice. For instance, in one survey, around 1 in 15 surgeons said they’d recently had suicidal thoughts, but more than 60 percent were reluctant to seek help because of concerns that it might affect their license. Now, a new study shows, those concerns break down along geographic lines — and in those states whose licensure applications ask the most sweeping questions about mental illness, physicians are most likely to be reluctant to seek treatment. (Samuel, 10/16)
NPR: Mindfulness Apps Turn Device Obsession Inside Out
From fires and hurricanes, to confrontational politics — with all that's been going on, it's no wonder the American Psychological Association found an increase in Americans' stress levels over the last year. Our constant checking of smartphones — with the bombardment of news and social media — can amp up our anxiety. So, why not use your device to help you disconnect? (Aubrey, 10/16)
The Philadelphia Inquirer/Philly.com: Stem Cells To Fix Aching Knees, Backs: Promising, But No Panacea
A vast stem-cell industry has exploded in the United States in recent years, promising to fix everything from autism to blindness. Orthopedic applications are the fastest-growing segment, according to a study published last year. None of these treatments has been proven safe or effective by rigorous studies, and none has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is facing increasing pressure to crack down. (McCullough, 10/13)
