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August 2008 Edition
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Culturally Sensitive Health Education Improves Diabetes Outcomes, Study Suggests | A study published recently in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews suggests that culturally sensitive diabetes education can help to improve short-term clinical outcomes for minority patients with type 2 diabetes, Reuters reports. Led by a team of researchers from Cardiff University in Wales, the study is based on an analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials comparing the efficacy of culturally tailored diabetes education against standard diabetes care. The studies included 1,603 minority patients ages 16 and older from middle- or high-income nations. According to the analysis, patients receiving culturally sensitive diabetes education reported clinically significant improvements in glycemic control at three months and six months, while patients in the standard care group reported no change. In addition, participants in the culturally tailored intervention group displayed increased understanding of diabetes and healthy lifestyles for a full year following the intervention .....Full Story
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It is common knowledge that regular exercise supports physical and mental well-being. Despite this and recommendations from health care providers, the majority of patients with chronic illnesses remain inactive.
In a new study, University of Missouri researchers found that adults with chronic illness who received interventions focused on behavior-changing strategies significantly increased their physical activity levels. In contrast, interventions based on cognitive approaches, which attempt to change knowledge, beliefs and attitudes, and are most commonly used by health care providers, did not improve physical activity.
"The information that physicians are giving patients isn't working ..... Full Story
| Americans are urged to consume a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids because these fish-based polyunsaturated fats have been found to minimize inflammation and promote healing. Omega-3 supplements and foods fortified with omega-3s are widely available.
A new study, however, says that we may want to omit our omega-3 supplements a few days ahead of elective surgery in order to speed the healing process. This surprising conclusion comes from a study that was expected to document the healing powers of omega-3s during the healing of small, acute, blister wounds on the arms of study participants. Instead of speeding the healing process, the blisters on the study participants taking omega-3 fish oil supplements actually got off to a slower start than participants taking placebos.
Upon microscopic examination, the blister fluid in participants taking supplements was found to contain a greater number of proteins that actually promote and sustain inflammation ..... Full Story
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| As the shortage of nurses threatens to reach crisis proportions, more people are willing to enter the demanding but recession-proof career. So why are nursing schools turning away record numbers? "We don't have enough faculty, and we don't have enough physical space," says Kathleen Dirschel, dean of the Cochran School of Nursing, part of St. John's Riverside Hospital in Yonkers, N.Y.
Dirschel said that in the next five years, she might have to reduce her program to 220 from 350.
"There's a nursing shortage, yes; but worse, there's a terrible nursing teacher shortage," she said.
To Regina S. Cunningham, the chief nursing officer at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey in New Brunswick, that is simply unacceptable.
"The shortage of nursing poses a substantial threat to the health of the nation .....Full Story
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Debra Toney RN, PhD. On being named to the NIH Advisory Committee on Research on Women's Health. Way to go Debra!
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he purpose of this randomized field study was to determine the effects of telehomecare on hospitalization, emergency department (ED) use, mortality, and symptoms related to sodium and fluid intake, medication use, and physical activity. The sample consists of 284 patients with heart failure. The authors used logistic regression to study the effects of telehomecare on health services utilization and mortality and a general linear model to analyze changes in self-reported symptoms. On average, patients in the telehomecare groups had a lower probability of hospitalizations and ED visits than did patients in the control group. Differences were statistically significant at 60 days but not 120 days. Results show a greater reduction in symptoms for patients using telehomecare compared to control patients .....Full Story
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