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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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What makes a particular strain of the flu more aggressive than others?
What makes a particular strain of the flu more aggressive than others? Is there a disease model that can explain why the severity of flu seasons can vary? A study published in October 2006 in the online journal Biology Direct, researchers suggest that one possible avenue to explain these variations is an ongoing competition between…
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Five key wait-time initiative areas too restrictive: Poll
The College of Family Physicians has released its discussion paper on wait times in primary care. Of note, approximately five million Canadians (17%) report they do not have a family doctor as their first point of contact when they need to access medical care. Of these, approximately two million (38%) have tried to find a…
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Holiday health and eating habits
Although we look forward to Christmas time and the holidays, it seems our attention to our health wanders just a bit at that time. Does that two to four week indulgence have an impact on our health? Does it have a cumulative effect? Or are people responding by saying “just give me a break and…
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Tropical disease prevention prior to travel
A majority of Canadian boomers are expecting to travel in the coming years, and they are not traveling to just spend time on the beach. Choosing more exotic locales and travel experiences means that more preparation is needed to prevent illnesses caused by tropical diseases. What are the diseases that are tracked and for which…