Small Steps Credited For Major Gains In Cancer Survival Rates For Children
In the 15 year time span of the study, overall deaths from childhood cancer fell by 20 percent.
The New York Times:
Cancer In Retreat On One Front: Fewer Children Are Dying
Children are dying less often from cancer, with substantial declines in all races and age groups, according to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics. From 1999 to 2014, the overall deaths from childhood cancer fell by 20 percent. The rate among 1- to 19-year-olds went down to 2.28 per 100,000 population, from 2.85. Adolescents 15 to 19 were the most likely to die, but their rate fell by 22 percent. (Bakalar, 10/10)
In other public health news —
The Wall Street Journal:
Students Flood College Mental-Health Centers
The [Beating Anxiety] workshop advises students to tackle anxiety by exercising, getting enough sleep and reframing catastrophic thoughts (if my friend doesn’t text me back right away, she hates me) in more logical ways (maybe she’s studying) among other strategies. It is one part of Ohio State’s effort to cope with the dramatic increase in the number of its 59,000 students on the Columbus campus seeking help for mental-health issues. (Petersen, 10/10)
Sacramento Bee:
It’s Flu Shot Time, Especially For Seniors
Influenza data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week showed that during the 2015 to 2016 influenza season, vaccination rates dropped 1.5 percentage points among the general population, with 46 percent vaccinating against the flu. Rates dropped by 3 percentage points among adults over 50, and Hispanic and African American adults continued to experience lower vaccination rates than white adults. Older adults are more severely affected by the flu than younger people and are more likely to be hospitalized if they catch it, said Dr. William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, in a news release. (Caiola, 10/10)
WBUR:
'Rapunzel Syndrome,' Compulsion To Eat Hair, Is Rare But Similar Disorders Are Not
Trichophagia, the eating of hair, is a subset of trichotillomania, which is the compulsive pulling out of one’s own hair. And trichotillomania, in turn, belongs to a broader group of disorders, called body-focused repetitive behaviors, or BFRBs, that include skin-picking and are estimated to affect one to three percent of the population... Cognitive behavioral therapy is currently the gold-standard for treating disorders like mine, but near-term prospects for a cure are bleak: 80 to 90 percent of hair pullers never recover from their disorder. (Koppel, 10/10)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Change From Within: Hypnotherapists Draw Out Clients' Subconscious Minds To Guide Them Toward Self-Betterment
According to the American Association of Professional Hypnotherapists, hypnosis is “simply a state of relaxed focus” that is experienced in daily life. For example, it’s the dreamy phase people pass through when they fall asleep or awaken. It is also known as a trance. Using relaxation techniques, hypnotherapists induce clients into a trance to help them overcome problems or make desired changes in their personal lives. (Goldstein, 10/10)
Miami Herald:
Walmart Will Provide Health Screenings At All U.S. Stores On Oct. 15
Each of the nation’s 4,600-plus Walmart stores will provide free health check-ups and low-cost immunizations on Saturday, Oct. 15 as part of Walmart Wellness Day, believed to be the nation’s largest one-day health event. Dubbed “America’s Biggest Health Fair” last year, Walmart changed the name for this year’s event, but the services provided will remain the same. From noon to 4 pm, health professionals will provide free blood glucose screenings, blood pressure screenings and even vision screenings at some locations. More than 10,000 of the company’s licensed pharmacists will also provide low-cost immunizations during the event. (Pugh, 10/10)