emory university
Childhood adversity may lead to unhealthy stress response in adult life
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Seemingly healthy adults, if they were abused or neglected during childhood, may suffer physiological consequences decades later. In research published online last week by the journal Neuropsychopharmacolog…
Uninsured cancer patients pay more, get less
Uninsured cancer patients pay more than twice as much out of pocket for their medical care than insured patients, but end up receiving half as much care, according to a new report. Hispanic cancer patients may be especially vulnerable within this trend: 20 percent of Hispanic cancer patients under age 65 lack insurance, compared with 11 percent of all uninsured cancer patients under age 65.
Black Americans especially mistrustful of medical research
If medical scientists sometimes find it hard to recruit enough volunteers — especially blacks — to participate in research studies, there may be a good reason, a new University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study shows. A surprisingly high percentage of Americans asked — almost 80 percent of blacks and 52 percent of whites — were suspicious that they might be used as “guinea pigs” without their consent
Study: Two-thirds of Americans have some physical or mental illness
The total package of good physical and mental health is elusive for most American adults, according to new research. Two-thirds of U.S. adults participating in a 1995 survey reported some degree of physical or mental infirmity that kept them from being completely healthy. The remaining third of the survey group was split into nearly equal percentages of completely healthy and completely unhealthy individuals, say the study’s authors.
Study shows weight loss decreases ACE enzyme that controls blood pressure
People who find it hard to lose all the weight they want or that their doctors recommend should take heart, a North Carolina scientist says. New research suggests that losing even modest amounts of weight can pay off in better health. The study showed for the first time that shedding excess pounds decreases activity of a key enzyme known to play a central role in high blood pressure. Less body weight translates into lower blood pressure, the study found, and hence lower risks for cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney disease and other health problems.