Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Common Superbugs' Little-Known Type Of Resistance To 'Last Resort' Antibiotic Part Of Concerning Trend
The Wall Street Journal: Common ‘Superbug’ Found To Disguise Resistance To Potent Antibiotic
Some common “superbugs” appear to harbor a little-known type of resistance to a last-resort antibiotic, a new study shows, suggesting a worrying new way in which dangerous bacteria can evade one of the few remaining treatment options. Bacterial populations are normally viewed as either totally impervious to an antibiotic, or totally treatable. But researchers from Emory University identified a different pattern in a certain type of drug-resistant bacteria, in which some cells in a bacterial colony are resistant to a last-resort antibiotic called colistin. This “heteroresistance” isn’t easily detectable in standard lab tests because most of the cells are susceptible to the drug. (McKay, 3/6)
The New York Times: Americans Might No Longer Prefer Sons Over Daughters
Around the world, parents have typically preferred to have sons more than daughters, and American parents have been no different. But there are signs that’s changing. It may be because there’s less bias against girls, and possibly more bias against boys. Gallup surveyed Americans 10 times from 1941 to 2011, and their answers remained virtually unchanged: If they could have one child, 40 percent would prefer a boy and 28 percent a girl (the rest showed no preference). (Miller, 3/5)
The Wall Street Journal: How To Spot Teenage Depression
Is your child’s moodiness a sign of typical teenage angst—or the beginning of a depression that needs professional attention? Statistics show that teen depression is on the rise. In 2016, around 13% of U.S. teenagers ages 12-17 had at least one major depressive episode in the past year, compared to almost 8% in 2006, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which collects this information. Rates for teenagers ages 18 and 19, which are tracked separately, grew as well: More than 11% had a major depressive episode in 2016, compared with 9-10% in 2006. (Bernstein, 3/5)
The New York Times: For Heart Disease Patients, Think Exercise, Not Weight Loss
For people with coronary heart disease, losing weight will not prolong life, a new study reports, but increasing physical activity will. To their surprise, Norwegian researchers found that in some coronary heart disease patients — those of normal weight — weight loss actually increased the risk for death. (Bakalar, 3/5)
The New York Times: Football’s Brain Injury Crisis Lands In Family Court
In this city with a deep and proud relationship with football, a custody dispute has pushed the debate about the sport’s safety into a new arena: family court. A father, John Orsini, has gone to court to prevent the youngest of his three sons from playing high school football because, he said, scientific studies have revealed the perils of repeated blows to the head — especially for an athlete, like his son, who has a history of concussions. The boy’s mother, Mr. Orsini’s ex-wife, believes he should be allowed to continue playing because he understands the risks. (Belson, 3/5)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Clinical Trial Offers Hope To Adults With Sickle Cell Disease
Forty sites are participating in the first of its kind National Institutes of Health-funded trial, including the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University, the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, and the Medical College of Georgia and Augusta University Health. (Vejnoska, 3/5)
Kaiser Health News: From The ER To Inpatient Care — At Home
Phyllis Petruzzelli spent the week before Christmas struggling to breathe. When she went to the emergency department on Dec. 26, the doctor at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital near her home in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood said she had pneumonia and needed hospitalization. Then the doctor proposed something that made Petruzzelli nervous. Instead of being admitted to the hospital, she could go back home and let the hospital come to her. As a “hospital-at-home” patient, Petruzzelli, 71 this week, learned doctors and nurses would come to her home twice a day and perform any needed tests or bloodwork. (Andrews, 3/6)
