Each year, more than half a million children in the United States undergo tonsillectomies – surgery to remove tonsils from the throat. Typically, doctors decide to remove a child’s tonsils to treat reoccurring throat infections. [Read more…]
Having your tonsils out? The evidence in unclear
December 4, 2014 By Leave a Comment
New evidence on volunteering later in life
December 2, 2014 By Leave a Comment
The U.S. population is aging as the baby boomers begin reaching their golden years. This means our nation is facing more people with the declining function, memory and cognition associated with aging. [Read more…]
An evidence-based education resource
November 20, 2014 By Leave a Comment
This year, I have a child in first grade and another in preschool. As I become more entrenched in school life every year, I have more and more questions about whether our schools are using evidence in making decisions and developing policies. [Read more…]
How to prevent antibiotic overuse
November 19, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Cold and flu season is fast approaching as most of the United States heads into the winter season. At my house, we’ve already had a round of respiratory viruses this week. This is also the time of year that antibiotics are most commonly prescribed. [Read more…]
Exploring the link between diet and mental health in kids
November 13, 2014 By 1 Comment
Over the past 30 years, the rate of childhood obesity has more than doubled in the United States, increasing the risks for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and joint problems. Last month, a new systematic review found obesity among kids is associated with yet another health problem. [Read more…]
The evidence on video games and brain function
October 28, 2014 By Leave a Comment
As the U.S. population continues to age, researchers warn us more people than ever before will grapple with neurological disease like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, as many as 16 million Americans could be suffering from some form of dementia by the year 2050, up from 5 million today. [Read more…]
What we know about pain relief during child birth
October 23, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Although epidural anesthesia was first used in the early 1940s, this form of pain relief was popularly used for laboring women until the 1970s. Since then, both health care providers and women have asked all sorts of questions about whether epidurals are safe and effective for women and babies. [Read more…]
Should we teach doctors good “bed-side manner”?
October 21, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Having participated in health care visits for myself, my three children and my mother, I’ve interacted with doctors who have all sorts of personalities: caring and compassionate, business-like, and downright rude. Despite these experiences, I’ve never given much thought to the idea that a physician’s bedside manner can influence patient-care. [Read more…]
A new metric for health care decisions
October 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Do you remember the last time a doctor gave you a prescription? You most likely assumed the medicine would work effectively. It turns out, that’s not always the case. [Read more…]
Does video surveillance deter crime?
October 3, 2014 By 10 Comments
Park your car. Walk into a store. Ride the subway. During all of these activities, it’s very likely that you are being recorded on video. In the western world, closed-circuit television or CCTV is used in the vast majority of public places to help prevent crime. [Read more…]
Updated evidence: Workplace smoking interventions
September 30, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Smoking is one of the biggest public health threats across the globe, according to the World Health Organization. It accounts for one in ten deaths among adults worldwide. The vast majority of these deaths are preventable. [Read more…]
Reforms needed in end-of-life care
September 25, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Over the next 15 years, the number of people in the U.S. aged 65 and older will nearly double to more than 72 million. As the baby boomer generation continues to age, our society and our health care system will need to address the increasing number of people requiring health care services and end-of-life care. [Read more…]
