You’re More Likely To Die In The Hospital Over The Weekend, And Doctors Don’t Really Know Why
There is speculation, though, that people who come in during off-hours are inherently sicker than those who come in during business hours. In other public health news: the psychological damage from sexual harassment, trees and depression, the Tide Pod challenge, screen time, asthma and more.
CNN:
More People Still Die In Hospitals On Weekends
Doctors call it the "weekend effect." Patients in the hospital are more likely to die off-hours -- whether it's due to a brain bleed, a heart attack or a clot in the lungs. New research on cardiac arrest in the hospital now asks: Has the "weekend effect" changed in recent years, as treatment has gotten better? "We know that survival trends have improved in past decade or so," said Dr. Uchenna Ofoma, assistant professor of medicine at Temple University and a critical care physician at Geisinger Health System in Danville, Pennsylvania. "The question now becomes ... what happens to the disparities? Has it remained the same? Is it narrowing?" (Nedelman, 1/22)
KQED:
Why Sexual Harassment Victims Often Can’t Just ‘Get Over It’
A growing body of research links workplace sexual harassment to negative psychological and physical effects, and these can have consequences years after the events occurred. For Cindy Patterson, workplace sexual harassment isn’t just something that happened to her 25 years ago; she says it’s something that still has an impact on her life today. (McClurg, 1/22)
Reuters:
Study: Being Around Trees And Other Greenery May Help Teens Stave Off Depression
Exposure to trees and other greenery has been shown to stave off depression in adults, and a new study finds the same may be true for teenagers. Researchers looked at more than 9,000 children 12 to 18 and found those who lived in areas with a lot of natural vegetation were less likely to display high levels of depression symptoms. The effect was strongest among middle schoolers, the study team reports in the Journal of Adolescent Health. (Gillis, 1/22)
The Wall Street Journal:
P&G Trying To Stop ‘Dangerous’ Tide Pods Challenge, CEO Says
Procter & Gamble Co. Chief Executive David Taylor on Monday outlined steps the company is taking to keep teens from eating Tide laundry pods for sport, a behavior he called a “dangerous trend” fueled by social media. In a blog published by the company, Mr. Taylor said the company has put out public-service announcements and is asking industry and advocacy groups to discourage the game while working with social media companies to stop the spread of videos of the so-called Tide Pod challenge. (Terlep, 1/22)
Iowa Public Radio:
What Do Asthma, Heart Disease And Cancer Have In Common? Maybe Childhood Trauma
Burke Harris is the founder and CEO of the Center for Youth Wellness in San Francisco. She's spent much of her career trying to spread awareness about the dangers of childhood toxic stress. (Turner, 1/23)
CNN:
Screen Time: Mental Health Menace Or Scapegoat?
"Have smartphones destroyed a generation?" Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University, asked in an adapted excerpt of her controversial book, "iGen." In the book, she argues that those born after 1995 are on the "brink of a mental-health crisis" -- and she believes it can be linked to growing up with their noses pressed against a screen. (Nedelman, 1/22)
Stat:
'Shark Tank'-Funded Food Sensitivity Test Is Medically Dubious, Experts Say
But what EverlyWell describes as one of its best-sellers — a test for food sensitivity — is of dubious medical value, according to experts interviewed by STAT. The $199 test promises to use a fingerprick’s worth of blood to gauge whether a person’s immune system is active against 96 common foods, including asparagus, garlic, and eggs. An immune protein called immunoglobulin G, the company’s website says, could be to blame for symptoms such headaches, stomach pain, diarrhea, and fatigue. (Bond, 1/23)
New Orleans Times-Picayune:
Why Your Dentist's Office Should Have A Defibrillator On Site
Cardiac arrests don't often happen in dental offices, according to Iggy Rosales, a first aid instructor through the American Heart Association as well as a fireman, paramedic and emergency room nurse. Rosales trains Dr. Camenzuli's staff yearly in first aid. All medical providers are required to be certified every two years in first aid. ... Rosales trains medical professionals for certifications in first aid, from basic to advanced cardiac life support. He's begun to see more dentist offices equipped with defibrillators. (Clark, 1/22)
