Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Hospitals Along Eclipse Path Prepare For Traffic Accidents, Eye Damage
Axios: Eclipse 2024: Why Hospitals Are On High Alert
The public's massive enthusiasm for the upcoming total solar eclipse may only be matched by the anxiety felt by hundreds of hospitals in the path of totality. Why it matters: With millions of people flocking to big cities and small towns to witness Monday's eclipse, hospitals are on high alert for increased traffic accidents, the potential for mass casualty events and, of course, eye damage. (Goldman, 4/5)
CNN: CPAP Replacement Works Well For The Overweight, Not Obese, Study Finds
An implant for obstructive sleep apnea — a serious sleep malady in which breathing stops for 10 seconds to two minutes many times an hour each night — works best in people who are overweight but not severely obese, a new study found. To qualify for the device, called a hypoglossal nerve stimulator, a person over 18 diagnosed with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea must be unable to adapt or refuse to wear a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine, the gold standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. (LaMotte, 4/4)
Newsweek: Junk Food Warning Issued To Lonely People
A new study has found that women who feel lonely are more likely to have food cravings.The study from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Health studied 93 women and asked them questions about their support system and feelings of loneliness. They were then shown a variety of pictures, some with food that varied between sweet and savory. MRI scans recorded during the study found that regions of the brain linked to food cravings were activated when shown these pictures. (White, 4/4)
The Washington Post: How Flotation Therapy May Help Anxiety And Eating Disorder
Flotation therapy — which involves floating in a tank of warm, salt-saturated water — is a popular and often expensive form of relaxation. Now, a small but growing body of research suggests it may also reduce symptoms of a variety of mental health conditions. ... “It calms the mind, sharpens our sense of the body and helps us live in the moment — all of which can break the cycle of negative thoughts,” said Sahib Khalsa, principal investigator and clinical director at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research in Tulsa, a hub of float therapy research. (Zimmerman, 4/4)
Stat: Dogs On Prozac: What Pet Anti-Anxiety Meds Reveal About Owners
Dogs, our sunny, selfless shadows, crave little more than a daily walk, a treat or two, and their human’s happiness. But increasingly, their own happiness is the topic of concern in veterinarian offices, dog parks, and internet forums. Prozac prescriptions for dogs are on the rise, veterinarians across the country acknowledge, along with a myriad of cheaper generic mood stabilizers sold for humans but applied to pets’ separation anxiety, socialization fears, biting habits, or other problematic behavior. (Owermohle, 4/5)
