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Falls in the elderly
As our population ages, so too do conditions that can contribute to falls. What are the consequences of falls and what measures can you incorporate into your life or the lives of others that can reduce their risk of serious injury and disability? Dr. Anne Monahan, Medical Director of the Geriatric Days Hospital, Falls Clinic…
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Insights into nicotine addiction
During this past National Non-Smoking Week many people have called up radio talk shows to talk about their successes and failures when they tried to quit. It seems that in the United States at least, making the effort to quit has been made just a bit more difficult. The Harvard School of Public Health’s report…
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Mindless Eating
Why do we choose certain foods over others? Why do we overeat when most of the time it is not due to hunger? How does food advertising influence us and does it shape our lifestyle? How many decisions do we make each day with respect to food selection? The actual number may be much greater…
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New understanding behind the mechanism of diabetes
Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), the University of Calgary and The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine have found a new mechanism that is directly involved in the pathophysiology of diabetes. This new insight into the mechanism of diabetes has advanced possible new treatment strategies, with the potential as seen in animal trials…
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The social cost of addiction
Many of us have our own interpretation of addiction. We use the word to describe cravings or desires for many things other than drugs. Food, shopping, gambling, video games and sex are a few examples. Nevertheless, addictions destroy relationships, marriages and families. They can result in financial ruin and destroy one’s sense of self. Friends…
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Reversing vasectomy
Many men, after having a family decide on vasectomy as a means of contraception. The technique has changed over the years and has become less painful and traumatic with fewer post-operative complications. However men have been advised to consider vasectomy as an irreversible procedure and despite surgical reversal the success rates are poor. A new…
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PSA Screening Among Elderly Men With Limited Life Expectancies
More men are asking for PSA screening as a means of detecting prostate cancer. What are the prostate cancer screening guidelines? Is there a point in a man’s life when screening should stop and where the detection of prostate cancer does not benefit the patient? A study published in the Nov. 15 issue of the…
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Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships
The news hasn’t been good recently for people planning a cruise ship vacation. Although the majority of travelers experience a trip that is relatively problem-free, we do come across reports of Norovirus outbreaks on some cruise ships. Recently the world’s largest cruise ship was held in port for intensive cleaning after a second outbreak of…
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How Good is Canadian Health Care? An International Comparison of Health Care Systems
Do Canadians get value for the money they spend on their health care system? How do we compare to other countries that have universal-access health care systems with respect to provision and availability of services? According to a study published this week How Good is Canadian Health Care? An International Comparison of Health Care Systems…
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