Research Roundup: Breast Cancer Risks; Morality Rates And Mental Disorders; Antibiotic Descriptions
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
The New York Times:
High-Fiber Foods Linked To Lower Breast Cancer Risk
A diet high in fiber may help reduce the risk for breast cancer, researchers report. The analysis, in the journal Cancer, pooled data from 20 prospective studies of fiber consumption and breast cancer incidence. Some examined total fiber intake; others looked at the varying types of fiber from cereal, fruit, vegetables and legumes; none involved fiber supplements. (Bakalar, 4/6)
JAMA Psychiatry:
Changes Over Time In The Differential Mortality Gap In Individuals With Mental Disorders
People with mental disorders have increased mortality rates and reduced life expectancies.1,2 The life-years lost (LYLs), which estimates life expectancy for people with a disorder compared with the general population,1,3,4 have been estimated to be 10 and 7 years, respectively, for men and women with any mental disorder.1,2 For schizophrenia, LYLs related to suicide and unintentional deaths (ie, external causes) had fallen over a 20-year period, but these gains were offset by worsening LYLs related to deaths from general medical conditions (ie, natural causes).5 The aim of this Research Letter is to examine changes in mortality rate ratios (MRRs) and LYLs for both external and natural causes over 20 years for specific mental disorders. (Plana-Ripoll et al, 4/8)
CIDRAP:
Hospital Prescribing Algorithm Shows Promise, UK Study Finds
An algorithm designed to augment antibiotic prescribing in secondary care provided appropriate recommendations that were narrower in spectrum than current clinical practice, UK researchers reported in Clinical Infectious Diseases. The Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) algorithm was developed using locally sourced data and designed for use in general medical and surgical settings at three London hospitals, with implementation and integration into the hospitals' clinical decision support systems starting in July 2017. (4/6)
Urban Institute:
COVID-19: Policies To Protect People And Communities
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread and people are forced to stay home, workers are losing their jobs, health care systems are being stressed, local businesses are at risk of closing permanently, and the country is bracing for recession. The crisis has laid bare the inequities and injustices that threaten people’s well-being, safety, and lives. Amid these uncertain and challenging times, we are asking and answering: How can the nation respond in the short term to keep all people safe and the economy afloat? What policies could help all of us recover in a way that is inclusive and equitable? And how can families and communities become more resilient to global health, economic, climate, and other shocks, even as we seek to prevent them from happening again? (3/31)
