Using sleep or napping to cope with chronic pain caused by tension-type headaches could lead to chronic insomnia according to a new study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center. The study, published in the February 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, found that napping to relieve headache pain could serve as a behavioral link between headache and sleep disturbance.
The study compared a group of 32 women who were confirmed to have tension-type headaches, as classified by the International Headache Society System, to a control group of 33 women who experience minimal pain.
Eighty-one percent of the women in the headache group reported going to sleep as a way of managing their headaches; this method was also rated as the most effective self-management strategy for pain.
Principal investigator and lead author, Jason C. Ong, PhD, assistant professor of behavioral sciences at Rush University Medical Center, said the extent to which the headache sufferers rated sleep as being an effective method for coping with pain was somewhat surprising.
"Insomnia is a common complaint among headache sufferers. While napping may relieve pain, it may also decrease the brain's need for sleep at night, leading to reduced ability to initiate and maintain sleep at night," said Ong.
The study found 58 percent of those with tension-type headaches reported sleep problems as a trigger of headaches compared to 18 percent of those who only suffer minimal headache pain. Similar studies have found that sleep disturbances, which include difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, have been identified as a risk factor for developing chronic headaches.
Women in the headache group also reported a significantly higher rating of pain interfering with sleep compared to the control group. No significant differences were found between the groups on use of medication to relieve headaches.
Ong encourages further behavioral treatment studies to examine alternative coping strategies for pain that do not involve sleep. He notes that clinicians should be sensitive to the dilemma of managing pain and sleep disturbances.
In addition, the study concludes that medical experts should assess daytime napping behaviors among individuals who report insomnia and headaches. Such an assessment may be important for developing behavioral sleep interventions.
The study involved 65 women recruited from undergraduate psychology courses at a university located in the southeastern U.S. The average age of members of the headache group was 21.9 years, while the average age of the control group was 18.9 years.
The average time since the first headache of any type was 9.4 years for participants in the headache group, with an average of 8.11 headache days per month. Participants reported an average of 12.2 tension-type headaches over the past year, and 2.1 tension-type headaches in the past month, with a median duration of 2.0 hours. The average tension-type headache intensity rating using a 0-to-10 scale was 5.6. Six participants in the headache group also met criteria for migraine disorder.
Founded in 1978, the Sleep Disorders Center at Rush was the first such center in Illinois and the first in the region to receive accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (then the American Sleep Disorders Association). The staff of the Sleep Disorders Service and Research Center has established a national reputation for clinical excellence, for innovation in sleep medicine research and for providing superior training to the next generation of sleep professionals.
RushUniversity Medical Center is an academic medical center that encompasses the more than 600 staffed-bed hospital (including Rush Children's Hospital), the Johnston R. Bowman Health Center and Rush University. Rush University, with more than 1,730 students, is home to one of the first medical schools in the Midwest, and one of the nation's top-ranked nursing colleges. Rush University also offers graduate programs in allied health and the basic sciences. Rush is noted for bringing together clinical care and research to address major health problems, including arthritis and orthopedic disorders, cancer, heart disease, mental illness, neurological disorders and diseases associated with aging.
The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (JCSM), is the official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). AASM is a professional membership organization dedicated to the advancement of sleep medicine and sleep-related research. As the national accrediting body for sleep disorders centers and laboratories for sleep related breathing disorders, the AASM promotes the highest standards of patient care. The organization serves its members and advances the field of sleep health care by setting the clinical standards for the field of sleep medicine, advocating for recognition, diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, educating professionals dedicated to providing optimal sleep health care and fostering the development and application of scientific knowledge.
Source: Kim Waterman
Rush University Medical Center
вторник, 17 января 2012 г.
вторник, 10 января 2012 г.
Women's Health Initiative Investigators' Letter To Editor Responds To Wall Street Journal Article On WHI Findings
A recent Wall Street Journal article about the findings of the five-year, $725 million NIH-sponsored Women's Health Initiative on the effects of hormone replacement therapy included some "misperceptions," Jacques Rossouw -- chief of the WHI branch at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute -- and Marcia Stefanick -- chair of the WHI executive committee and a professor at Stanford University -- write in a Journal letter to the editor (Rossouw/Stefanick, Wall Street Journal, 7/21).
WHI researchers in July 2002 ended the study on combination HRT three years early because they determined that the treatment might increase the risk for heart disease, invasive breast cancer and other health problems. According to the Journal article, in the five years since the study was released, many in the medical community have said "some aspects" of the initial findings "were either misleading" or "overgeneralized in large part because they excluded many of the study's own investigators and physicians from the first review" (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 7/9).
According to Rossouw and Stefanick, NIH and WHI researchers "are jointly responsible for all scientific articles arising from the study," and both "parties stand by the original findings and conclusions." The most recent analysis of data from the study, conducted earlier this year, "included some data not available" to researchers in 2002, Rossouw and Stefanick write. "The latest analyses add some further reassurance to women wishing to take hormone therapy in the short term for the relief of hot flashes and night sweats," Rossouw and Stefanick write, adding, "They don't provide evidence that even estrogen alone can help prevent heart attacks in the long term." Rossouw and Stefanick conclude that "more effective options" than HRT use are recommended to lower heart disease risk, "including adopting healthy lifestyles and identifying and treating risk factors, such as high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure" (Wall Street Journal, 7/21).
WHI researchers in July 2002 ended the study on combination HRT three years early because they determined that the treatment might increase the risk for heart disease, invasive breast cancer and other health problems. According to the Journal article, in the five years since the study was released, many in the medical community have said "some aspects" of the initial findings "were either misleading" or "overgeneralized in large part because they excluded many of the study's own investigators and physicians from the first review" (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 7/9).
According to Rossouw and Stefanick, NIH and WHI researchers "are jointly responsible for all scientific articles arising from the study," and both "parties stand by the original findings and conclusions." The most recent analysis of data from the study, conducted earlier this year, "included some data not available" to researchers in 2002, Rossouw and Stefanick write. "The latest analyses add some further reassurance to women wishing to take hormone therapy in the short term for the relief of hot flashes and night sweats," Rossouw and Stefanick write, adding, "They don't provide evidence that even estrogen alone can help prevent heart attacks in the long term." Rossouw and Stefanick conclude that "more effective options" than HRT use are recommended to lower heart disease risk, "including adopting healthy lifestyles and identifying and treating risk factors, such as high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure" (Wall Street Journal, 7/21).
Correction
The Journal on Saturday printed a correction that says the article on WHI "incorrectly sa[id] the WHI intended to address only whether the heart protection women get from taking hormones at a younger age continues with long-term use." According to the correction, WHI clinical trials were "designed to answer many questions" (Wall Street Journal, 7/21).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
вторник, 3 января 2012 г.
World First Early Stage Diagnostic Test For Ovarian Cancer
There is new hope for women around the world, with the launch of an early detection test for ovarian cancer. The test, developed in Melbourne by HealthLinx scientists in collaboration with ARL Pathology, is called the OvPlex™ Panel and works by identifying whether five biomarkers (proteins) are present in a blood sample.
Two Victorian women have become the first test recipients.
Chairman of HealthLinx Limited (ASX-HTX), Professor Greg Rice, who helped develop the technology, said: "OvPlex™ is a new type of blood test. The difference between current blood tests and OvPlex™ is that OvPlex™ measures five different substances in blood that are associated with ovarian cancer and builds a diagnostic based on that information rather than relying on a single marker for the disease. This is really what I see as a new generation of diagnostics."
CEO of ARL Pathology, Pam Davey, said: "Women all around the world will benefit from this. This test has not been available. By putting the five biomarkers together, we really increase the chances of detecting ovarian cancer early."
1500 Australian women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year; 800 of those women will die.
Around the world, 230,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, with more than 142,000 women dying.
Professor Rice said: "The reason why it is the most lethal of the reproductive tract cancers is that 75 per cent of women with ovarian cancer are not diagnosed until late stage disease. Their chances of surviving five years are probably only 20 per cent. But if the disease is diagnosed at early stage, where it is contained within the ovary, the chance of surviving five years rises to eighty per cent.
"That is why it is so important to try and develop better tests for diagnosing ovarian cancer, particularly early stage disease. That is where we can really make a difference."
HealthLinx scientists stress this is not a general community screening test, rather a diagnostic test.
The test will be available through general practitioners in Melbourne from 29th October, before being rolled out to other states across Australia. It will cost around $200. Results are available within a fortnight.
About HealthLinx Limited (ASX:HTX)
HealthLinx uses biomarkers to develop best practice diagnostics that detect and monitor diseases. First commercial targets are:
- Ovarian cancer diagnostic (OvPlex) targeting US$270m pa market
- Prostate Cancer targeting US$350m pa market
A biomarker is a specific biochemical in the body that measures disease or the effects of treatment. HealthLinx targets important markets with unmet needs and is developing next generation high accuracy diagnostics and will seek to out-license to global partners for worldwide sales.
HealthLinx Limited
Source
Davinia Khong
Monsoon Communications
Level 1 350 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
monsoon.au
Two Victorian women have become the first test recipients.
Chairman of HealthLinx Limited (ASX-HTX), Professor Greg Rice, who helped develop the technology, said: "OvPlex™ is a new type of blood test. The difference between current blood tests and OvPlex™ is that OvPlex™ measures five different substances in blood that are associated with ovarian cancer and builds a diagnostic based on that information rather than relying on a single marker for the disease. This is really what I see as a new generation of diagnostics."
CEO of ARL Pathology, Pam Davey, said: "Women all around the world will benefit from this. This test has not been available. By putting the five biomarkers together, we really increase the chances of detecting ovarian cancer early."
1500 Australian women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year; 800 of those women will die.
Around the world, 230,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, with more than 142,000 women dying.
Professor Rice said: "The reason why it is the most lethal of the reproductive tract cancers is that 75 per cent of women with ovarian cancer are not diagnosed until late stage disease. Their chances of surviving five years are probably only 20 per cent. But if the disease is diagnosed at early stage, where it is contained within the ovary, the chance of surviving five years rises to eighty per cent.
"That is why it is so important to try and develop better tests for diagnosing ovarian cancer, particularly early stage disease. That is where we can really make a difference."
HealthLinx scientists stress this is not a general community screening test, rather a diagnostic test.
The test will be available through general practitioners in Melbourne from 29th October, before being rolled out to other states across Australia. It will cost around $200. Results are available within a fortnight.
About HealthLinx Limited (ASX:HTX)
HealthLinx uses biomarkers to develop best practice diagnostics that detect and monitor diseases. First commercial targets are:
- Ovarian cancer diagnostic (OvPlex) targeting US$270m pa market
- Prostate Cancer targeting US$350m pa market
A biomarker is a specific biochemical in the body that measures disease or the effects of treatment. HealthLinx targets important markets with unmet needs and is developing next generation high accuracy diagnostics and will seek to out-license to global partners for worldwide sales.
HealthLinx Limited
Source
Davinia Khong
Monsoon Communications
Level 1 350 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
monsoon.au
вторник, 27 декабря 2011 г.
AP/Louisville Courier-Journal Examines Abortion-Rights Views Of Kentucky Gubernatorial Candidates
The AP/Louisville Courier-Journal on Monday examined the abortion views of Kentucky gubernatorial candidates Steve Beshear (D) and Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R). Fletcher, who opposes abortion rights, has said that abortions should be illegal except in cases of rape, incest or when the pregnancy endangers the life of the pregnant woman. "I caution everyone to think about the innocent life involved regardless of the situation," Fletcher said, adding, "The real premise is I believe in the sanctity of life."
Beshear, who supports abortion rights, opposes the procedure after the first trimester but has said decisions about abortions should be left to families, not the government, the AP/Courier-Journal reports. "As governor, I'm going to do everything I can to limit and reduce the number of abortions while respecting the law of the land," he said, adding, "What I want to do as governor is to take steps that will reduce and limit the number of abortions by addressing the main causes that women get abortions," he said.
Beshear said many women who undergo abortions are those without good jobs, who feel like they would not be able to support children or even pay the medical costs of delivering infants. He said the solution is to provide more job security and better health care for women. "That in and of itself will do more to reduce the number of abortions in this state," he said, adding, "That will help make abortion a last choice for somebody instead of a first choice."
Fletcher has said that Beshear is attempting to conceal his abortion-rights position. According to the AP/Courier-Journal, two polls released over the past week show Beshear leading Fletcher by double digits (Alford, AP/Louisville Courier-Journal, 9/24).
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Beshear, who supports abortion rights, opposes the procedure after the first trimester but has said decisions about abortions should be left to families, not the government, the AP/Courier-Journal reports. "As governor, I'm going to do everything I can to limit and reduce the number of abortions while respecting the law of the land," he said, adding, "What I want to do as governor is to take steps that will reduce and limit the number of abortions by addressing the main causes that women get abortions," he said.
Beshear said many women who undergo abortions are those without good jobs, who feel like they would not be able to support children or even pay the medical costs of delivering infants. He said the solution is to provide more job security and better health care for women. "That in and of itself will do more to reduce the number of abortions in this state," he said, adding, "That will help make abortion a last choice for somebody instead of a first choice."
Fletcher has said that Beshear is attempting to conceal his abortion-rights position. According to the AP/Courier-Journal, two polls released over the past week show Beshear leading Fletcher by double digits (Alford, AP/Louisville Courier-Journal, 9/24).
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
вторник, 20 декабря 2011 г.
Abortion-Rights, Women's Groups Endorse Massachusetts Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Patrick
NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts and other abortion-rights and women's groups on Thursday announced that they will support Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick (D), the AP/Boston Globe reports. Patrick has said he supports abortion rights, stem cell research and "other issues important to women," the AP/Globe reports (LeBlanc, AP/Boston Globe, 10/12). The Republican candidate, Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, supports abortion rights and has said she backs a state law that requires minors under age 18 seeking abortions to obtain permission from a parent or guardian before undergoing the procedure. In addition, Healey has said she supports legislation vetoed by Gov. Mitt Romney (R) in May 2005 that allows human cloning for research purposes but bans human cloning for the purpose of reproduction. The state legislature overrode Romney's veto. Independent Christy Mihos and Grace Ross of the Green-Rainbow Party also are running for governor (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 9/20). NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts Executive Director Melissa Kogut said that Healey had a chance to affirm her stance in favor of abortion rights during Romney's tenure but did not. "Reproductive rights have never been more at stake than they are right now," Kogut said, adding, "We need a governor we can count on to be a leader to protect women's health, privacy and reproductive freedom." According to a WHDH-TV/Suffolk University survey released on Tuesday, Patrick is favored by 46% of voters overall, compared with 33% for Healey, 7% for Mihos and 1% for Ross. Twelve percent of voters are undecided. The survey polled 400 state residents from Oct. 10 through Oct. 11 and has a margin of error of plus or minus five percentage points, the AP/Globe reports (AP/Boston Globe, 10/12).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
вторник, 13 декабря 2011 г.
Society Reacts To Ministerial Announcement On Contraceptives
Following the ministerial announcement encouraging women to consider the use of
contraceptive injections and implants to avoid unwanted pregnancies, David Pruce, Director of
Practice & Quality Improvement, said:
"The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain is keen to support government initiatives
which widen access to a range of effective methods of contraception.
"Pharmacists are experts in medicines and other healthcare products and are very
experienced in supplying a range of methods of contraception to the public. They use their
expertise daily in providing information and advice to women on the effective use of
contraception.
"We welcome greater access to a wider range of methods of contraception and hope that
increased choice for the public will result in more women being able to use the most
appropriate method for their lifestyle."
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
contraceptive injections and implants to avoid unwanted pregnancies, David Pruce, Director of
Practice & Quality Improvement, said:
"The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain is keen to support government initiatives
which widen access to a range of effective methods of contraception.
"Pharmacists are experts in medicines and other healthcare products and are very
experienced in supplying a range of methods of contraception to the public. They use their
expertise daily in providing information and advice to women on the effective use of
contraception.
"We welcome greater access to a wider range of methods of contraception and hope that
increased choice for the public will result in more women being able to use the most
appropriate method for their lifestyle."
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
вторник, 6 декабря 2011 г.
Child Mortality Closely Linked To Women's Education Levels
Over half of the reduction in the global mortality of children under 5 years of age is linked to increased education among females of reproductive age, says a reports from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, published in the medical journal The Lancet. Sixteen million children under the age of five died in 1970, compared to 7.8 million in 2009, the report informs - 4.2 million fewer children died in 2009 thanks in large part to better and more widely accessible schooling for women.
The authors write that education is growing in every part of the world. The report states that:
Average years of schooling for women of reproductive age (ages 15 to 44) in developing countries have grown from 2.2 years to 7.2 years.
In some countries, however, women still receive no more than one year of schooling. Those countries include, Burkina Faso, Yemen, Niger, Chad, Mali and Afghanistan.
Dr. Emmanuela Gakidou, lead author, Associate Professor of Global Health at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), said:
We know that direct health interventions, such as immunizations, preventive care, and hygiene classes, are crucial to improving health worldwide. What this study shows is that by focusing on education as well, we can increase the impact that we are having on health.
In 87 countries in 2009, women had greater levels of education than men. In 40 nations, however, the gender gap grew during the period 1970 to 2009.
Dr. Emmanuela Gakidou and team collected data from 915 censuses and national surveys globally to create a time series of education levels for 175 nations.
They found that:
31 nations had improved average years of schooling of women of reproductive age by over three years between 1990 and 2009. Saudi Arabia, the Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates were among these countries.
Out of the ten countries with the highest populations in the world, women of reproductive age had complete at least primary school in seven of them.
Most of the countries that are on track to achieving the Millennium Development Goal 4 - reducing the child mortality rate by 66% between 1990 and 2015 - have achieved a faster improvement for average rate of schooling for women of reproductive age than the global 1.9 years over the last two decades.
According to their findings, economic growth accounted for just 7.2% of the reduction in child mortality during the 1970-2009 period.
Dr. Christopher Murray, IHME Director and one of the paper's co-authors, said:
More education helps mothers make better choices in a range of areas - personal hygiene, nutrition, parenting approaches. It also helps them take better care of their own health when pregnant, and, after the child is born, they are able to navigate the expanding array of health services being offered to their families.
The authors believe that mothers with more education will drive advances in global health, embracing immunization programs, for example.
Dr. Rafael Lozano, Professor of Global Health at IHME:
The next phase could include building new secondary schools and hiring teachers. But before that work begins, it would be wise to weigh the potential benefits and costs of this approach against building clinics and hiring health workers.
Source: The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation
Increased educational attainment and its effect on child mortality in 175 countries between 1970 and 2009: a systematic analysis
Dr Emmanuela Gakidou PhD, Krycia Cowling BS, Prof Rafael Lozano MD, Prof Christopher JL Murray MD
The Lancet, Volume 376, Issue 9745, Pages 959 - 974, 18 September 2010
doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61257-3
The authors write that education is growing in every part of the world. The report states that:
Average years of schooling for women of reproductive age (ages 15 to 44) in developing countries have grown from 2.2 years to 7.2 years.
In some countries, however, women still receive no more than one year of schooling. Those countries include, Burkina Faso, Yemen, Niger, Chad, Mali and Afghanistan.
Dr. Emmanuela Gakidou, lead author, Associate Professor of Global Health at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), said:
We know that direct health interventions, such as immunizations, preventive care, and hygiene classes, are crucial to improving health worldwide. What this study shows is that by focusing on education as well, we can increase the impact that we are having on health.
In 87 countries in 2009, women had greater levels of education than men. In 40 nations, however, the gender gap grew during the period 1970 to 2009.
Dr. Emmanuela Gakidou and team collected data from 915 censuses and national surveys globally to create a time series of education levels for 175 nations.
They found that:
31 nations had improved average years of schooling of women of reproductive age by over three years between 1990 and 2009. Saudi Arabia, the Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates were among these countries.
Out of the ten countries with the highest populations in the world, women of reproductive age had complete at least primary school in seven of them.
Most of the countries that are on track to achieving the Millennium Development Goal 4 - reducing the child mortality rate by 66% between 1990 and 2015 - have achieved a faster improvement for average rate of schooling for women of reproductive age than the global 1.9 years over the last two decades.
According to their findings, economic growth accounted for just 7.2% of the reduction in child mortality during the 1970-2009 period.
Dr. Christopher Murray, IHME Director and one of the paper's co-authors, said:
More education helps mothers make better choices in a range of areas - personal hygiene, nutrition, parenting approaches. It also helps them take better care of their own health when pregnant, and, after the child is born, they are able to navigate the expanding array of health services being offered to their families.
The authors believe that mothers with more education will drive advances in global health, embracing immunization programs, for example.
Dr. Rafael Lozano, Professor of Global Health at IHME:
The next phase could include building new secondary schools and hiring teachers. But before that work begins, it would be wise to weigh the potential benefits and costs of this approach against building clinics and hiring health workers.
Source: The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation
Increased educational attainment and its effect on child mortality in 175 countries between 1970 and 2009: a systematic analysis
Dr Emmanuela Gakidou PhD, Krycia Cowling BS, Prof Rafael Lozano MD, Prof Christopher JL Murray MD
The Lancet, Volume 376, Issue 9745, Pages 959 - 974, 18 September 2010
doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61257-3
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