Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
U.S. Diplomats Pulled Out Of China Had Different Injuries Than Ones From Cuba
The Washington Post: Injuries Of US Diplomats In China Differ From Those In Cuba
Fourteen of 15 U.S. diplomats pulled from China for medical testing this year have been found not to have the same set of injuries as personnel evacuated earlier from Cuba, the State Department said Wednesday. The department said 14 of the 15 brought to the U.S. for medical testing earlier this year did not present the “constellation” of symptoms suffered by more than two dozen diplomats in Cuba that it blames on mysterious health attacks. Results for the 15th were inconclusive, it said. (Lee, 10/24)
PBS NewsHour: How Should Doctors And Nurses Screen Patients For Intimate Partner Violence In The #MeToo Era?
How doctors and nurses should screen patients for such intimate partner violence is the subject of updated recommendations issued Tuesday by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The best estimates likely under-represent the true scope and scale of intimate partner violence because victims often are afraid to disclose what has happened to them. (Santhanam, 10/24)
The New York Times: She Helped Save Her Husband’s Life With CPR, Then Gave Birth To Their Son
Ashley Goette of West St. Paul, Minn., is being compared to a superhero these days, and not just because she’s a new mother. (Though her 22 hours of labor alone would qualify.) It’s because in the span of four days, she not only gave birth to her first child, but also saved her husband’s life. It all began last Tuesday, around 5 a.m., when Ms. Goette was awakened by her husband, Andrew. He seemed to be snoring. She nudged him and asked him to roll over. He didn’t respond. (Caron, 10/24)
The New York Times: Cold, Windy, Gray Day? Heart Attack Risk Is High
When the weather is bad, more people have heart attacks, Swedish researchers have found. In a study published in JAMA Cardiology, scientists report that lower temperature, higher wind speeds and less sunshine are all associated with a greater incidence of heart attack. (Bakalar, 10/24)
The New York Times: Here’s Why A 50-Degree Day Feels Colder In Fall Than In Spring
That first cold spell of the season always feels especially harsh. If you’ve ever wondered, from beneath several layers of clothing, whether you were overreacting to those frigid early fall days, take solace. It may not just be in your head: The human body takes time to acclimate to the cold. (Chokshi, 10/24)
The New York Times: Doctors In U.K. Repair Spinal Cords In The Womb
A team of surgeons has repaired the spinal cords of two babies while they were still in their mothers’ wombs, the first surgery of its kind in Britain. The operations were carried out over the summer at University College Hospital in London by 30 surgeons to treat spina bifida, a condition in which the spinal column and spinal cord do not develop properly in the womb, causing a gap in the spine. (Yeginsu, 10/24)
The New York Times: A Mother’s Voice Is The Most Effective Smoke Alarm
A mother’s recorded voice will wake a child and get him out the room much faster than a standard smoke alarm, a randomized trial has found. Researchers recruited 176 5- to 12-year-olds old to test alarms. They taught the children a simulated escape procedure: Get out of bed at the alarm, walk to the door and leave the room. (Bakalar, 10/25)
WBUR: Pregnancy Discrimination Can Lead To Miscarriages And More, New York Times Reports
Harrowing stories of discrimination against pregnant women in the workplace. It’s rampant and in some cases, can lead to miscarriage. We’ll take a deep dive into The New York Times investigation. (Chakrabarti, 10/24)
