Evidence-based sports: Are winning streaks real?

Over the years, EBL readers have appreciated our occasional reports on scientific evidence on popular sports. Indeed, during Cornell’s epic run for the NCAA tournament, we reviewed very interesting research on the “hot hand” in basketball, one of our most viewed posts.  We’ve also written about other factors that determine a team’s success and the science of the Olympics. [Read more…]

The link between depression and dementia

A disproportionate number of older adults suffer from depression, according to data collected by the National Institute of Mental Health. It is estimated that millions of senior citizens suffer from dementia. And older adults commit suicide at higher rates compared to other age groups. [Read more…]

New evidence about medical malpractice

More than 15,000 lawsuits are filed against doctors in the United States each year for medical malpractice, a claim that medical treatment caused injury or death to the patient, typically involving a medical error. [Read more…]

Youth smoking prevention works

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, causing about 500,000 deaths per year and driving up costs in the U.S. health care system. [Read more…]

Treating breast cancer before you get it?

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the U.S. In any given year, more than 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer, and more than 40,000 die from it. [Read more…]

Pregnancy and alcohol consumption: What we know

We have some exciting news in my family: We are expecting our third child in mid-October. The upcoming addition to our family has me reviewing the evidence on how to have a healthy pregnancy. So I was intrigued when I saw an article in the New York Times this week about alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
[Read more…]

Evidence on child well-being across the globe

Ensuring children grow up to be healthy, productive and fulfilled adults are major goals of every society. Children across the world today face complex risks and challenges including the wide availability of unhealthy foods, the prevalence of bullying and increases in drug and alcohol abuse. [Read more…]

Reduce your salt intake, help your heart

Salt makes our food taste, well, delicious. It’s found in nearly everything we eat – from soups, to baked goods to meats and cheeses. Most adults consume between 6 and 12 grams of salt per day, even though health organizations recommend intake less than 5 grams per day. [Read more…]

Dementia and antipsychotic medicine: A new review

One in three senior citizens suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia when they die, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Often patients with dementia have behavioral problems such as agitation, aggression, anxiety and depression. [Read more…]

What we know about custodial grandparents

About 2 percent of children in the U.S. are being raised by their grandparents with no parent living in the home, according to the U.S. Census bureau. But what do we know about these families? And do grandparents face any particular parenting challenges that differ from more traditional households? [Read more…]

In the media: Evidence-based mental health therapy?

The New York Times’ Well Blog has a fascinating post this week on why mental health therapists do not consistently use evidence-based techniques in treating their patients. [Read more…]

How gay marriage impacts the well-being of children

As the U.S. Supreme Court is set to consider a historic case on gay marriage, new evidence is available on how same-sex unions impact children. [Read more…]

Skip to toolbar