Radio Health Journal
The latest in health, science, technology, and the intersection of medicine and public policy.
Some of the studies and surveys covered this week include an alarming study showing an increase in suicide rates. Two surveys, one that polled parents and one that polled pediatricians, revealing very different ideas about spanking. And on a lighter note, tricks your favorite restaurant might be using to get you to order more.
The authoritative DSM-5 manual used by psychiatrists does not accept sex addiction as a real addiction, yet many doctors insist it’s as real as any other compulsion. Experts and an admitted former sex addict discuss the disorder, its treatment, and the wreckage it leaves behind.
Premature births are increasing in the US, but a new study shows they could be cut drastically if pregnant women increased blood levels of vitamin D. An expert discusses misconceptions about the vitamin, how it works and how it could be used to reduce infant mortality.
Teenagers used to experience rites of passage including getting a driver’s license, going out on dates, drinking, having sex, & getting a job. They’re engaging in these activities much less often today. It means less risk, but may leave adolescents less ready for adulthood and independence. Experts discuss.
Children have up to five times as much asthma and allergies as their grandparents, and a new study shows that an imbalance of gut bacteria in the first year of life may be why. An expert pediatrician discusses why this occurs and ways to address the problem.
Researchers may have found the cause of polycystic ovary syndrome, another study showing the impact on brain health from tackle football, and researchers at UCLA may have found an antidote to hangovers.
A new link between specific genes and depression, the potential to use a certain protein to treat sundown syndrome in Alzheimer's patients, and new research on an increased risk of death after the death of a spouse.
Seven hundred children under age 15 drown in the US each year, most within sight of a parent or other adult. Experts discuss one major reason: drowning doesn't look like most people picture it, and so are unaware the child is in trouble.
Parents who have spent 18 years or more raising children often feel lost when the last child leaves home for college or their own place. A psychotherapist discusses common reactions and strategies for renewing purpose living in the empty nest.
Behavioral similarities between prodigies and some people with autism have long been noted. Now some researchers are beginning to find genetic links between the two phenomena. Experts discuss findings and their implications for autism treatment.
Experts discuss the balancing act that arises when healthcare providers are cautious when protecting a mother with perinatal depression (previously known as postpartum depression) and her child.
Dr. Meredith Wadman discusses the controversial history of vaccines, and the balance of need and ethics in science and medicine.
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