Jan Dyer

Young women may not want to hear it, but fat could be their friend. Researchers from the Premenopausal Breast Cancer Collaborative Group have found that women aged 18 – 24 years with high body fat have a lower risk of developing breast cancer before menopause.

The researchers pooled data from 19 different studies, involving about 800,000 women from around the world. Overall, 1.7% of the women developed breast cancer. The researchers found that the relative risk of premenopausal breast cancer dropped 12% to 23% for each 5-unit increase in body mass index, depending on age. They saw the strongest effect at ages 18 – 24 years: Very obese women in this age group were 4.2 times less likely to develop premenopausal breast cancer than women with low body mass index (BMI) at the same age.

The researchers do not know why high BMI might protect against breast cancer in some women. Breast cancer is relatively rare before menopause, although previous studies have suggested that the risk factors might be different for younger vs older women, says Dale Sandler, PhD, co-author of the group and head of the Epidemiology Branch at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. For instance, it is well known that women who gain weight, particularly after menopause, have a higher risk. The fact that this study found that the risk not only is not increased, but actually decreased, in younger women points to the possibility that different biologic mechanisms are at work, Sandler says.

Nonetheless, the researchers caution that young women should not intentionally gain weight to offset the risk.

Source:
National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-study-associates-obesity-lower-breast-cancer-risk-young-women. Published June 27, 2018. Accessed July 18, 2018.

Young women may not want to hear it, but fat could be their friend. Researchers from the Premenopausal Breast Cancer Collaborative Group have found that women aged 18 – 24 years with high body fat have a lower risk of developing breast cancer before menopause.

The researchers pooled data from 19 different studies, involving about 800,000 women from around the world. Overall, 1.7% of the women developed breast cancer. The researchers found that the relative risk of premenopausal breast cancer dropped 12% to 23% for each 5-unit increase in body mass index, depending on age. They saw the strongest effect at ages 18 – 24 years: Very obese women in this age group were 4.2 times less likely to develop premenopausal breast cancer than women with low body mass index (BMI) at the same age.

The researchers do not know why high BMI might protect against breast cancer in some women. Breast cancer is relatively rare before menopause, although previous studies have suggested that the risk factors might be different for younger vs older women, says Dale Sandler, PhD, co-author of the group and head of the Epidemiology Branch at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. For instance, it is well known that women who gain weight, particularly after menopause, have a higher risk. The fact that this study found that the risk not only is not increased, but actually decreased, in younger women points to the possibility that different biologic mechanisms are at work, Sandler says.

Nonetheless, the researchers caution that young women should not intentionally gain weight to offset the risk.

Source:
National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-study-associates-obesity-lower-breast-cancer-risk-young-women. Published June 27, 2018. Accessed July 18, 2018.

Young women may not want to hear it, but fat could be their friend. Researchers from the Premenopausal Breast Cancer Collaborative Group have found that women aged 18 – 24 years with high body fat have a lower risk of developing breast cancer before menopause.

The researchers pooled data from 19 different studies, involving about 800,000 women from around the world. Overall, 1.7% of the women developed breast cancer. The researchers found that the relative risk of premenopausal breast cancer dropped 12% to 23% for each 5-unit increase in body mass index, depending on age. They saw the strongest effect at ages 18 – 24 years: Very obese women in this age group were 4.2 times less likely to develop premenopausal breast cancer than women with low body mass index (BMI) at the same age.

The researchers do not know why high BMI might protect against breast cancer in some women. Breast cancer is relatively rare before menopause, although previous studies have suggested that the risk factors might be different for younger vs older women, says Dale Sandler, PhD, co-author of the group and head of the Epidemiology Branch at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. For instance, it is well known that women who gain weight, particularly after menopause, have a higher risk. The fact that this study found that the risk not only is not increased, but actually decreased, in younger women points to the possibility that different biologic mechanisms are at work, Sandler says.

Nonetheless, the researchers caution that young women should not intentionally gain weight to offset the risk.

Source:
National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-study-associates-obesity-lower-breast-cancer-risk-young-women. Published June 27, 2018. Accessed July 18, 2018.

As if it were not bad enough that illnesses from mosquito, tick, and flea bites tripled between 2004 and 2016, 9 new germs spread by mosquitoes and ticks were discovered or introduced into the US in the same 13 years.

According to the CDC’s first summary collectively examining data trends for all nationally notifiable diseases caused by the bite of an infected mosquito, tick, or flea, the most common tickborne diseases in 2016 were Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis/anaplasmosis. The most common mosquito-borne viruses were West Nile, dengue, and Zika.

The increase is due to many factors, the CDC says, but 1 issue is that mosquitoes and ticks are moving into new areas, putting more people at risk. The US is “not fully prepared” to meet the public health threat, the CDC warns: About 80% of vector control organizations lack critical prevention and control capacities. Reducing the spread of the diseases and responding effectively to outbreaks will require additional capacity at the state and local levels for tracking, diagnosing, and reporting cases.

As if it were not bad enough that illnesses from mosquito, tick, and flea bites tripled between 2004 and 2016, 9 new germs spread by mosquitoes and ticks were discovered or introduced into the US in the same 13 years.

According to the CDC’s first summary collectively examining data trends for all nationally notifiable diseases caused by the bite of an infected mosquito, tick, or flea, the most common tickborne diseases in 2016 were Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis/anaplasmosis. The most common mosquito-borne viruses were West Nile, dengue, and Zika.

The increase is due to many factors, the CDC says, but 1 issue is that mosquitoes and ticks are moving into new areas, putting more people at risk. The US is “not fully prepared” to meet the public health threat, the CDC warns: About 80% of vector control organizations lack critical prevention and control capacities. Reducing the spread of the diseases and responding effectively to outbreaks will require additional capacity at the state and local levels for tracking, diagnosing, and reporting cases.

As if it were not bad enough that illnesses from mosquito, tick, and flea bites tripled between 2004 and 2016, 9 new germs spread by mosquitoes and ticks were discovered or introduced into the US in the same 13 years.

According to the CDC’s first summary collectively examining data trends for all nationally notifiable diseases caused by the bite of an infected mosquito, tick, or flea, the most common tickborne diseases in 2016 were Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis/anaplasmosis. The most common mosquito-borne viruses were West Nile, dengue, and Zika.

The increase is due to many factors, the CDC says, but 1 issue is that mosquitoes and ticks are moving into new areas, putting more people at risk. The US is “not fully prepared” to meet the public health threat, the CDC warns: About 80% of vector control organizations lack critical prevention and control capacities. Reducing the spread of the diseases and responding effectively to outbreaks will require additional capacity at the state and local levels for tracking, diagnosing, and reporting cases.

Cancer death rates continue to decline in the US in all major racial and ethnic groups, according to the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer. The data are an “encouraging indicator of progress” in cancer research, says NCI Director Ned Sharpless, MD. “It’s clear that interventions are having an impact.”

Overall incidence, or rates of new cancers, dropped by 1.8% in men and 1.4% in women from 1999 to 2015. Between 2011 and 2015, death rates dropped for 11 of the 18 most common cancer types in men and 14 of the 20 most common types in women. The researchers say the “significant declines” also hold “significant differences” in rate by sex, race, and ethnicity. For example, black men and white women had the highest incidence rates, and black men and black women had the highest death rates.

However, over the same period, death rates for cancers of the liver, pancreas, and brain and nervous system rose in both men and women. Death rates for cancer of the uterus rose (the researchers say obesity is thought to be a contributing factor) and death rates for cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx and soft tissue increased in men, perhaps associated with human papillomavirus infection.

In a companion study, when researchers explored prostate cancer trends in more detail they found overall prostate cancer incidence rates declined an average of 6.5% each year between 2007 and 2014, from 163 new cases per 100,000 men to 104 new cases. Still, after a 2-decade steady decline, rates leveled off. Incidence of distant disease rose from 7.8 new cases per 100,000 to 9.2, but there was no increase in the rates of cases with aggressive histologic grade.

Interestingly, the researchers also report a decline in recent prostate-specific antigen screening between 2010 and 2013 national surveys. “The increase in late-stage disease and the flattening of the mortality trended occurred contemporaneously with the observed decrease in PSA screening,” said Serban Negoita, MD, DrPH, of NCI’s Surveillance Research Program. However, while “suggestive,” Negoita adds, their observation does not demonstrate causality: many factors contribute to incidence and mortality, such as improvements in staging and treating cancer.

Cancer death rates continue to decline in the US in all major racial and ethnic groups, according to the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer. The data are an “encouraging indicator of progress” in cancer research, says NCI Director Ned Sharpless, MD. “It’s clear that interventions are having an impact.”

Overall incidence, or rates of new cancers, dropped by 1.8% in men and 1.4% in women from 1999 to 2015. Between 2011 and 2015, death rates dropped for 11 of the 18 most common cancer types in men and 14 of the 20 most common types in women. The researchers say the “significant declines” also hold “significant differences” in rate by sex, race, and ethnicity. For example, black men and white women had the highest incidence rates, and black men and black women had the highest death rates.

However, over the same period, death rates for cancers of the liver, pancreas, and brain and nervous system rose in both men and women. Death rates for cancer of the uterus rose (the researchers say obesity is thought to be a contributing factor) and death rates for cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx and soft tissue increased in men, perhaps associated with human papillomavirus infection.

In a companion study, when researchers explored prostate cancer trends in more detail they found overall prostate cancer incidence rates declined an average of 6.5% each year between 2007 and 2014, from 163 new cases per 100,000 men to 104 new cases. Still, after a 2-decade steady decline, rates leveled off. Incidence of distant disease rose from 7.8 new cases per 100,000 to 9.2, but there was no increase in the rates of cases with aggressive histologic grade.

Interestingly, the researchers also report a decline in recent prostate-specific antigen screening between 2010 and 2013 national surveys. “The increase in late-stage disease and the flattening of the mortality trended occurred contemporaneously with the observed decrease in PSA screening,” said Serban Negoita, MD, DrPH, of NCI’s Surveillance Research Program. However, while “suggestive,” Negoita adds, their observation does not demonstrate causality: many factors contribute to incidence and mortality, such as improvements in staging and treating cancer.

Cancer death rates continue to decline in the US in all major racial and ethnic groups, according to the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer. The data are an “encouraging indicator of progress” in cancer research, says NCI Director Ned Sharpless, MD. “It’s clear that interventions are having an impact.”

Overall incidence, or rates of new cancers, dropped by 1.8% in men and 1.4% in women from 1999 to 2015. Between 2011 and 2015, death rates dropped for 11 of the 18 most common cancer types in men and 14 of the 20 most common types in women. The researchers say the “significant declines” also hold “significant differences” in rate by sex, race, and ethnicity. For example, black men and white women had the highest incidence rates, and black men and black women had the highest death rates.

However, over the same period, death rates for cancers of the liver, pancreas, and brain and nervous system rose in both men and women. Death rates for cancer of the uterus rose (the researchers say obesity is thought to be a contributing factor) and death rates for cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx and soft tissue increased in men, perhaps associated with human papillomavirus infection.

In a companion study, when researchers explored prostate cancer trends in more detail they found overall prostate cancer incidence rates declined an average of 6.5% each year between 2007 and 2014, from 163 new cases per 100,000 men to 104 new cases. Still, after a 2-decade steady decline, rates leveled off. Incidence of distant disease rose from 7.8 new cases per 100,000 to 9.2, but there was no increase in the rates of cases with aggressive histologic grade.

Interestingly, the researchers also report a decline in recent prostate-specific antigen screening between 2010 and 2013 national surveys. “The increase in late-stage disease and the flattening of the mortality trended occurred contemporaneously with the observed decrease in PSA screening,” said Serban Negoita, MD, DrPH, of NCI’s Surveillance Research Program. However, while “suggestive,” Negoita adds, their observation does not demonstrate causality: many factors contribute to incidence and mortality, such as improvements in staging and treating cancer.

The Targeted Capacity Expansion: Medication Assisted Treatment-Prescription Drug Opioid Addiction grant program will expand access to treatment and recovery support services in states, tribes, and tribal organizations with the highest per-capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin and prescription opioids. The funding includes the areas with the “most dramatic increases” for heroin and prescription opioids, as identified by SAMHSA’s 2015 Treatment Episode Data Set.

“We know medication-assisted treatment is an effective, essential tool in fighting the opioid crisis,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar, “and HHS will continue working to expand access to it.” 

The Targeted Capacity Expansion: Medication Assisted Treatment-Prescription Drug Opioid Addiction grant program will expand access to treatment and recovery support services in states, tribes, and tribal organizations with the highest per-capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin and prescription opioids. The funding includes the areas with the “most dramatic increases” for heroin and prescription opioids, as identified by SAMHSA’s 2015 Treatment Episode Data Set.

“We know medication-assisted treatment is an effective, essential tool in fighting the opioid crisis,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar, “and HHS will continue working to expand access to it.” 

The Targeted Capacity Expansion: Medication Assisted Treatment-Prescription Drug Opioid Addiction grant program will expand access to treatment and recovery support services in states, tribes, and tribal organizations with the highest per-capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin and prescription opioids. The funding includes the areas with the “most dramatic increases” for heroin and prescription opioids, as identified by SAMHSA’s 2015 Treatment Episode Data Set.

“We know medication-assisted treatment is an effective, essential tool in fighting the opioid crisis,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar, “and HHS will continue working to expand access to it.” 

Combining clopidogrel and aspirin following a small stroke or minor stroke symptoms reduces the risk of a new stroke, heart attack, or other ischemic event within 90 days, say researchers from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

In POINT (Platelet-Oriented Inhibition in New TIA and minor ischemic stroke), an international clinical trial, 5% of the combination therapy group and 6.5% of the aspirin-only group had an ischemic event within 90 days. The benefit of the combination was concentrated in the first 2 weeks, while the risk of bleeding was constant over 90 days, says Walter Koroshetz, MD, director of NINDS, thus the treatment may be most valuable in acute management of a minor ischemic stroke or TIA.

The study was stopped early not only because the combination therapy was more effective than aspirin alone in preventing severe strokes, but also due to the risk of severe hemorrhage. The combination therapy was associated with an increase in major bleeding, although many of the episodes were not fatal and occurred outside the brain: 0.9% of the combination group had a major hemorrhage, compared with 0.4% of the aspirin-only group.

 “Overall, the risk of severe bleeding was very small,” says lead investigator S. Claiborne Johnston, MD, PhD, “but it was not zero.”

Combining clopidogrel and aspirin following a small stroke or minor stroke symptoms reduces the risk of a new stroke, heart attack, or other ischemic event within 90 days, say researchers from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

In POINT (Platelet-Oriented Inhibition in New TIA and minor ischemic stroke), an international clinical trial, 5% of the combination therapy group and 6.5% of the aspirin-only group had an ischemic event within 90 days. The benefit of the combination was concentrated in the first 2 weeks, while the risk of bleeding was constant over 90 days, says Walter Koroshetz, MD, director of NINDS, thus the treatment may be most valuable in acute management of a minor ischemic stroke or TIA.

The study was stopped early not only because the combination therapy was more effective than aspirin alone in preventing severe strokes, but also due to the risk of severe hemorrhage. The combination therapy was associated with an increase in major bleeding, although many of the episodes were not fatal and occurred outside the brain: 0.9% of the combination group had a major hemorrhage, compared with 0.4% of the aspirin-only group.

 “Overall, the risk of severe bleeding was very small,” says lead investigator S. Claiborne Johnston, MD, PhD, “but it was not zero.”

Combining clopidogrel and aspirin following a small stroke or minor stroke symptoms reduces the risk of a new stroke, heart attack, or other ischemic event within 90 days, say researchers from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

In POINT (Platelet-Oriented Inhibition in New TIA and minor ischemic stroke), an international clinical trial, 5% of the combination therapy group and 6.5% of the aspirin-only group had an ischemic event within 90 days. The benefit of the combination was concentrated in the first 2 weeks, while the risk of bleeding was constant over 90 days, says Walter Koroshetz, MD, director of NINDS, thus the treatment may be most valuable in acute management of a minor ischemic stroke or TIA.

The study was stopped early not only because the combination therapy was more effective than aspirin alone in preventing severe strokes, but also due to the risk of severe hemorrhage. The combination therapy was associated with an increase in major bleeding, although many of the episodes were not fatal and occurred outside the brain: 0.9% of the combination group had a major hemorrhage, compared with 0.4% of the aspirin-only group.

 “Overall, the risk of severe bleeding was very small,” says lead investigator S. Claiborne Johnston, MD, PhD, “but it was not zero.”

Neuroimaging studies have consistently reported reduced activation of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while they recall and imagine stressful personal events. During script-driven imagery (SDI) sessions, patients with PTSD exhibit increased psychophysiologic (eg, heart rate, skin conductance, and facial electromyographic) responses to trauma-related memories. However, the origin of the responses remained unclear. Are they familial, acquired, or resulting from trauma exposure?

Researchers from Harvard University, University of California Los Angeles, and University of New England conducted a study of 26 male identical twin pairs to help find the answer. The participants were divided into 4 groups: combat-exposed with PTSD (ExP+), their combat-unexposed twins without PTSD, combat-exposed participants without PTSD, and their combat-unexposed twins without PTSD. They engaged in SDI during functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) imaging and concurrent skin conductance measurement.

The results of the fMRI tests showed diminished activation in the medial prefrontal cortex of the patients with PTSD compared with the other groups. The SC response scores did not correlate significantly with PTSD symptom severity.

Contrary to the researchers’ predictions, mPFC activation was not inversely correlated with PTSD symptom severity. However, they say their finding of reduced mPFC activation in the ExP+ group provides evidence that the abnormality is an acquired characteristic. If those findings are replicated, such objectively measured biologic characteristics could potentially aid in diagnosing PTSD or assessing treatment response.

Source:
Dahlgren MK, Laifer LM, VanElzakker MB, et al. Psychol Med. 2018;48(7):1128-1138.
doi: 10.1017/S003329171700263X.

Neuroimaging studies have consistently reported reduced activation of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while they recall and imagine stressful personal events. During script-driven imagery (SDI) sessions, patients with PTSD exhibit increased psychophysiologic (eg, heart rate, skin conductance, and facial electromyographic) responses to trauma-related memories. However, the origin of the responses remained unclear. Are they familial, acquired, or resulting from trauma exposure?

Researchers from Harvard University, University of California Los Angeles, and University of New England conducted a study of 26 male identical twin pairs to help find the answer. The participants were divided into 4 groups: combat-exposed with PTSD (ExP+), their combat-unexposed twins without PTSD, combat-exposed participants without PTSD, and their combat-unexposed twins without PTSD. They engaged in SDI during functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) imaging and concurrent skin conductance measurement.

The results of the fMRI tests showed diminished activation in the medial prefrontal cortex of the patients with PTSD compared with the other groups. The SC response scores did not correlate significantly with PTSD symptom severity.

Contrary to the researchers’ predictions, mPFC activation was not inversely correlated with PTSD symptom severity. However, they say their finding of reduced mPFC activation in the ExP+ group provides evidence that the abnormality is an acquired characteristic. If those findings are replicated, such objectively measured biologic characteristics could potentially aid in diagnosing PTSD or assessing treatment response.

Source:
Dahlgren MK, Laifer LM, VanElzakker MB, et al. Psychol Med. 2018;48(7):1128-1138.
doi: 10.1017/S003329171700263X.

Neuroimaging studies have consistently reported reduced activation of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while they recall and imagine stressful personal events. During script-driven imagery (SDI) sessions, patients with PTSD exhibit increased psychophysiologic (eg, heart rate, skin conductance, and facial electromyographic) responses to trauma-related memories. However, the origin of the responses remained unclear. Are they familial, acquired, or resulting from trauma exposure?

Researchers from Harvard University, University of California Los Angeles, and University of New England conducted a study of 26 male identical twin pairs to help find the answer. The participants were divided into 4 groups: combat-exposed with PTSD (ExP+), their combat-unexposed twins without PTSD, combat-exposed participants without PTSD, and their combat-unexposed twins without PTSD. They engaged in SDI during functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) imaging and concurrent skin conductance measurement.

The results of the fMRI tests showed diminished activation in the medial prefrontal cortex of the patients with PTSD compared with the other groups. The SC response scores did not correlate significantly with PTSD symptom severity.

Contrary to the researchers’ predictions, mPFC activation was not inversely correlated with PTSD symptom severity. However, they say their finding of reduced mPFC activation in the ExP+ group provides evidence that the abnormality is an acquired characteristic. If those findings are replicated, such objectively measured biologic characteristics could potentially aid in diagnosing PTSD or assessing treatment response.

Source:
Dahlgren MK, Laifer LM, VanElzakker MB, et al. Psychol Med. 2018;48(7):1128-1138.
doi: 10.1017/S003329171700263X.

Many patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) may not be receiving follow-up care, according to findings from Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury (TRACK-TBI), a long-term NIH-funded study.

Of 831 patients who completed questionnaires 2 weeks and 3 months after sustaining TBI, 44% reported seeing a health care provider within 3 months. Of those, 15% visited a clinic that specialized in head injury. Approximately half saw a general practitioner; close to a third reported seeing ≥ 1 type of doctor.

Among the 279 patients with ≥ 3 symptoms of moderate to severe postconcussion, 41% had not had a follow-up visit at 3 months. Moreover, half of the patients were discharged without TBI educational materials. 

Rates and components of follow-up care varied widely from institution to institution even among patients with the same initial degree of injury.

Many patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) may not be receiving follow-up care, according to findings from Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury (TRACK-TBI), a long-term NIH-funded study.

Of 831 patients who completed questionnaires 2 weeks and 3 months after sustaining TBI, 44% reported seeing a health care provider within 3 months. Of those, 15% visited a clinic that specialized in head injury. Approximately half saw a general practitioner; close to a third reported seeing ≥ 1 type of doctor.

Among the 279 patients with ≥ 3 symptoms of moderate to severe postconcussion, 41% had not had a follow-up visit at 3 months. Moreover, half of the patients were discharged without TBI educational materials. 

Rates and components of follow-up care varied widely from institution to institution even among patients with the same initial degree of injury.

Many patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) may not be receiving follow-up care, according to findings from Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury (TRACK-TBI), a long-term NIH-funded study.

Of 831 patients who completed questionnaires 2 weeks and 3 months after sustaining TBI, 44% reported seeing a health care provider within 3 months. Of those, 15% visited a clinic that specialized in head injury. Approximately half saw a general practitioner; close to a third reported seeing ≥ 1 type of doctor.

Among the 279 patients with ≥ 3 symptoms of moderate to severe postconcussion, 41% had not had a follow-up visit at 3 months. Moreover, half of the patients were discharged without TBI educational materials. 

Rates and components of follow-up care varied widely from institution to institution even among patients with the same initial degree of injury.

Many forms of therapy rely on the patient being able to verbally communicate thoughts and feelings. Arts-based therapies, however, can help people explore sensitive and controversial topics that might be hard to talk about.

Body mapping, which has been in use for more than 30 years, is an interesting, revealing, and productive way of using art to help patients “talk” about their thoughts and feelings. Several studies have used body maps as therapy for patients with HIV/AIDS, but researchers from University of New South Wales, Sydney, theorized that it could be particularly helpful for patients with cognitive disability who have complex support needs as well as those who are socially marginalized.

In body-mapping sessions, participants trace outlines of their bodies and then “populate” the outlines with drawings, magazine photos, symbols, words, and other visual representations of the experience they are investigating. It is a form of storytelling that allows the participant to engage physically, visually, verbally, and relationally (through dialogue and interaction with the researcher).

The researchers used body mapping in 2 studies, first with 29 adults with cognitive disability and complex support needs, such as mental illness and sensory impairment, to explore experiences of support planning. In the second study, one of the researchers used body mapping with 13 teens and young adults with complex support needs (eg, drug and alcohol misuse) to explore support they received during a life transition.

The body-mapping technique, the researchers say, shifts the power balance between researcher and participant, because the patient is in control of the images used and where they are placed on the map. Patients could decide not only how they spoke about the topic, but also which topic they spoke about. The researchers say, “we were often taken to surprising places” that might not have come up in an interview, as when participants used images to reveal aspects of cultural heritage and sexual orientation that had not come up in conversation. For example, a transsexual woman in the second study was uncomfortable with the process until she covered her incorrectly gendered body with another piece of paper on which she could redraw her body as she wished.

Body mapping does not suit everyone, the researchers acknowledge. Participants need to be able to engage in a level of abstraction and reflection about personal experiences. It is important to have other methods available for those who do not want to take part. The researchers say one way they protected patients was by recruiting through service providers so support could be “embedded in existing relationships.” The potential vulnerabilities of the patients mean researchers need to be flexible, they add, and allow the method to evolve, much like the patients’ personal stories.

Source:
Dew A, Smith L, Collings S, Savage ID. FQS. 2018;19(2).
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.17169/fqs-19.2.2929.  

Many forms of therapy rely on the patient being able to verbally communicate thoughts and feelings. Arts-based therapies, however, can help people explore sensitive and controversial topics that might be hard to talk about.

Body mapping, which has been in use for more than 30 years, is an interesting, revealing, and productive way of using art to help patients “talk” about their thoughts and feelings. Several studies have used body maps as therapy for patients with HIV/AIDS, but researchers from University of New South Wales, Sydney, theorized that it could be particularly helpful for patients with cognitive disability who have complex support needs as well as those who are socially marginalized.

In body-mapping sessions, participants trace outlines of their bodies and then “populate” the outlines with drawings, magazine photos, symbols, words, and other visual representations of the experience they are investigating. It is a form of storytelling that allows the participant to engage physically, visually, verbally, and relationally (through dialogue and interaction with the researcher).

The researchers used body mapping in 2 studies, first with 29 adults with cognitive disability and complex support needs, such as mental illness and sensory impairment, to explore experiences of support planning. In the second study, one of the researchers used body mapping with 13 teens and young adults with complex support needs (eg, drug and alcohol misuse) to explore support they received during a life transition.

The body-mapping technique, the researchers say, shifts the power balance between researcher and participant, because the patient is in control of the images used and where they are placed on the map. Patients could decide not only how they spoke about the topic, but also which topic they spoke about. The researchers say, “we were often taken to surprising places” that might not have come up in an interview, as when participants used images to reveal aspects of cultural heritage and sexual orientation that had not come up in conversation. For example, a transsexual woman in the second study was uncomfortable with the process until she covered her incorrectly gendered body with another piece of paper on which she could redraw her body as she wished.

Body mapping does not suit everyone, the researchers acknowledge. Participants need to be able to engage in a level of abstraction and reflection about personal experiences. It is important to have other methods available for those who do not want to take part. The researchers say one way they protected patients was by recruiting through service providers so support could be “embedded in existing relationships.” The potential vulnerabilities of the patients mean researchers need to be flexible, they add, and allow the method to evolve, much like the patients’ personal stories.

Source:
Dew A, Smith L, Collings S, Savage ID. FQS. 2018;19(2).
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.17169/fqs-19.2.2929.  

Many forms of therapy rely on the patient being able to verbally communicate thoughts and feelings. Arts-based therapies, however, can help people explore sensitive and controversial topics that might be hard to talk about.

Body mapping, which has been in use for more than 30 years, is an interesting, revealing, and productive way of using art to help patients “talk” about their thoughts and feelings. Several studies have used body maps as therapy for patients with HIV/AIDS, but researchers from University of New South Wales, Sydney, theorized that it could be particularly helpful for patients with cognitive disability who have complex support needs as well as those who are socially marginalized.

In body-mapping sessions, participants trace outlines of their bodies and then “populate” the outlines with drawings, magazine photos, symbols, words, and other visual representations of the experience they are investigating. It is a form of storytelling that allows the participant to engage physically, visually, verbally, and relationally (through dialogue and interaction with the researcher).

The researchers used body mapping in 2 studies, first with 29 adults with cognitive disability and complex support needs, such as mental illness and sensory impairment, to explore experiences of support planning. In the second study, one of the researchers used body mapping with 13 teens and young adults with complex support needs (eg, drug and alcohol misuse) to explore support they received during a life transition.

The body-mapping technique, the researchers say, shifts the power balance between researcher and participant, because the patient is in control of the images used and where they are placed on the map. Patients could decide not only how they spoke about the topic, but also which topic they spoke about. The researchers say, “we were often taken to surprising places” that might not have come up in an interview, as when participants used images to reveal aspects of cultural heritage and sexual orientation that had not come up in conversation. For example, a transsexual woman in the second study was uncomfortable with the process until she covered her incorrectly gendered body with another piece of paper on which she could redraw her body as she wished.

Body mapping does not suit everyone, the researchers acknowledge. Participants need to be able to engage in a level of abstraction and reflection about personal experiences. It is important to have other methods available for those who do not want to take part. The researchers say one way they protected patients was by recruiting through service providers so support could be “embedded in existing relationships.” The potential vulnerabilities of the patients mean researchers need to be flexible, they add, and allow the method to evolve, much like the patients’ personal stories.

Source:
Dew A, Smith L, Collings S, Savage ID. FQS. 2018;19(2).
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.17169/fqs-19.2.2929.  

Black children aged 5 to 12 years are roughly twice as likely as white children to commit suicide, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. But that trend reverses in adolescence: From ages 13 to 17 years, the suicide rates for white children are double those of black children.

The researchers used the CDC’s web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System, analyzing data from 2001-2015 separately for each age group. The data were limited, the researchers say, and did not include information on contributing factors. They add that their findings highlight the need for a greater understanding of age-related racial disparities in youth suicide.

The disturbing findings are part of an overall rise in suicide nationwide. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the US, according to the latest figures from the CDC. In 2016, nearly 45,000 Americans aged ≥ 10 years died by suicide.

In 2017, the CDC released Preventing Suicide: A Technical Package of Policy, Programs, and Practices, with evidence-based strategies (https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0607-suicide-prevention.html). The strategies include creating protective environments by reducing access to lethal means among at-risk individuals and intervening at “suicide hotspots” by, for example, putting barriers on tall structures. “Like most public health problems,” the guide says, “suicide is preventable.”

Black children aged 5 to 12 years are roughly twice as likely as white children to commit suicide, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. But that trend reverses in adolescence: From ages 13 to 17 years, the suicide rates for white children are double those of black children.

The researchers used the CDC’s web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System, analyzing data from 2001-2015 separately for each age group. The data were limited, the researchers say, and did not include information on contributing factors. They add that their findings highlight the need for a greater understanding of age-related racial disparities in youth suicide.

The disturbing findings are part of an overall rise in suicide nationwide. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the US, according to the latest figures from the CDC. In 2016, nearly 45,000 Americans aged ≥ 10 years died by suicide.

In 2017, the CDC released Preventing Suicide: A Technical Package of Policy, Programs, and Practices, with evidence-based strategies (https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0607-suicide-prevention.html). The strategies include creating protective environments by reducing access to lethal means among at-risk individuals and intervening at “suicide hotspots” by, for example, putting barriers on tall structures. “Like most public health problems,” the guide says, “suicide is preventable.”

Black children aged 5 to 12 years are roughly twice as likely as white children to commit suicide, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. But that trend reverses in adolescence: From ages 13 to 17 years, the suicide rates for white children are double those of black children.

The researchers used the CDC’s web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System, analyzing data from 2001-2015 separately for each age group. The data were limited, the researchers say, and did not include information on contributing factors. They add that their findings highlight the need for a greater understanding of age-related racial disparities in youth suicide.

The disturbing findings are part of an overall rise in suicide nationwide. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the US, according to the latest figures from the CDC. In 2016, nearly 45,000 Americans aged ≥ 10 years died by suicide.

In 2017, the CDC released Preventing Suicide: A Technical Package of Policy, Programs, and Practices, with evidence-based strategies (https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0607-suicide-prevention.html). The strategies include creating protective environments by reducing access to lethal means among at-risk individuals and intervening at “suicide hotspots” by, for example, putting barriers on tall structures. “Like most public health problems,” the guide says, “suicide is preventable.”

As more hospitalized patients develop infections that are immune to antibiotics, researchers are looking into new preventive therapies. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious-supported researchers are studying monoclonal antibodies and their effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P aeruginosa) and Staphylococcus aureus (S aureus), which are among the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that the World Health Organization says pose the greatest risk to human health.

The monoclonal antibodies can be administered along with standard antibiotic therapy. Monoclonal antibodies have been used in cancer, Ebola, and respiratory syncytial virus but rarely have been used to target bacterial pathogens, National Institute of Health says.

One trial, EVADE, will evaluate the safety of the investigational medicine MEDI3902 and whether it can prevent pneumonia caused by P aeruginosa. The other study, SAATELLITE, will test the safety and efficacy of another investigational medicine, suvratoxumab, against S aureus. The researchers hope to enroll 30 patients from 15 intensive care units.

As more hospitalized patients develop infections that are immune to antibiotics, researchers are looking into new preventive therapies. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious-supported researchers are studying monoclonal antibodies and their effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P aeruginosa) and Staphylococcus aureus (S aureus), which are among the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that the World Health Organization says pose the greatest risk to human health.

The monoclonal antibodies can be administered along with standard antibiotic therapy. Monoclonal antibodies have been used in cancer, Ebola, and respiratory syncytial virus but rarely have been used to target bacterial pathogens, National Institute of Health says.

One trial, EVADE, will evaluate the safety of the investigational medicine MEDI3902 and whether it can prevent pneumonia caused by P aeruginosa. The other study, SAATELLITE, will test the safety and efficacy of another investigational medicine, suvratoxumab, against S aureus. The researchers hope to enroll 30 patients from 15 intensive care units.

As more hospitalized patients develop infections that are immune to antibiotics, researchers are looking into new preventive therapies. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious-supported researchers are studying monoclonal antibodies and their effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P aeruginosa) and Staphylococcus aureus (S aureus), which are among the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that the World Health Organization says pose the greatest risk to human health.

The monoclonal antibodies can be administered along with standard antibiotic therapy. Monoclonal antibodies have been used in cancer, Ebola, and respiratory syncytial virus but rarely have been used to target bacterial pathogens, National Institute of Health says.

One trial, EVADE, will evaluate the safety of the investigational medicine MEDI3902 and whether it can prevent pneumonia caused by P aeruginosa. The other study, SAATELLITE, will test the safety and efficacy of another investigational medicine, suvratoxumab, against S aureus. The researchers hope to enroll 30 patients from 15 intensive care units.