1 April, 2015

In the future, A Simple Blood Test may Accurately Diagnose Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection, and traditionally the diagnosis is confirmed with the help of sputum analysis. Emory Health Sciences' researchers have identified blood-based bio-markers in patients with active tuberculosis that could lead to new blood-based diagnostics and tools for monitoring treatment response and cure.

The research team sought to identify blood-based bio-markers in patients with active tuberculosis (ATB). The scientists hypothesized that expression of immune activation markers on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)- specific T cells would be associated with the amount of bacteria present within an infected individual and could thus provide a gauge of Mtb, the bacterium that causes TB infection. The researchers reasoned that individuals with ATB disease would harbor higher frequencies of immune markers CD38+/HLA-DR+/Ki-67+ in their blood than those with latent Mtb infection (LTBI) or those who had cleared their infection after successful treatment. 

Jyothi Rengarajan, lead researcher of the study, said, "In order to reduce the burden of TB globally, identifying and treating all TB cases is a critical priority, but accurate diagnosis of active TB disease remains challenging and methods for monitoring how well a patient responds to the six-to nine-month long, four-drug regimen of anti-TB treatment, are highly inadequate. In this study, we have identified T cell bio-markers that accurately identify ATB patients. These bio-markers have the potential to lead to new blood-based diagnostics for TB as well as provide a set of tools for monitoring treatment response and cure. The findings show that blood-based bio-markers have the potential to accurately diagnose ATB and discriminate between ATB and LTBI. We are now interested in evaluating these bio-markers in larger studies in TB-endemic areas and across a roader spectrum of Mtb infection, including extra-pulmonary TB and in HIV-infected populations. Blood-based bio-markers will be particularly useful in situations where sputum-based diagnosis of TB is more difficult. Because these bio-markers provide a gauge of Mtb load within individuals, they could also have utility as surrogate markers of treatment response and as predictors of treatment efficacy, cure and relapse in patients undergoing treatment for drug-susceptible as well as drug-resistant TB." 

The study appears online in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Source: www.medindia.net

01.04.2015

Blood Sugar Test, a Must for Pregnant Women: Union Health Minister

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of Northeastern Region (DoNER), has said that it is mandatory for every pregnant woman to undergo a blood sugar test. He also suggested that women take this test as soon as pregnancy is confirmed and ideally, even while planning a baby.

Dr. Singh said if India is to get rid of the dubious distinction of a country with an epidemic of diabetes, it is crucial to prevent the occurrence of diabetes in pregnancy, particularly Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. This will not only result in better outcomes for both mother as well as her baby, but will also help in preventing the cycle of generation to generation transmission of diabetes through family preponderance. 

Children born to diabetic mother are not only prone to develop diabetes, but are also at the risk of diabetes at a much earlier age, he added. He advocated that any pregnant woman visiting any hospital or clinic at any period of her pregnancy, early or late, should be immediately subjected to a blood sugar test, irrespective of whether she is fasting or non-fasting to identify undetected diabetes.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, in a country like India, where there is already higher phenotype prevalence for diabetes, it is wise to devise easier screening methods of diabetes in pregnancy. Instead of going in for conventional Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, it is advisable to go for a single Glucose Challenge Test (GCT). A single GCT was 100% accurate and was comparatively economical.

Source: www.medindia.net

01.04.2015

Have faith in your skills, doubt kills more dreams than failure

Suzy Kassem

31 March, 2015

Beach swimmers at antibiotic-resistant bacteria risk

Using data gathered across England and Wales in 2012, scientists at the University of Exeter's medical school estimated that over 6.3 million water sport sessions resulted in one type of bacteria resistant to an important class of antibiotics known as third-generation cephalosporins (3GCs) being swallowed.

"Our research establishes recreational use of coastal waters as an additional route of exposure. With millions of people visiting beaches each year, there is a risk of people ingesting E. coli and it looks like water-users' exposure to all resistant bacteria could be even higher," explained lead researcher and microbiologist Dr William Gaze.

The team considered surfers, sea swimmers, divers and kayakers and found that while only 0.12 percent of E. coli found in coastal waters and rivers running into beaches were resistant to 3GCs, this number was enough to present a potential risk of exposure to water users.

Surfers and sea swimmers were among those at highest risk of exposure, due to their tendency to swallow more water.

The study also showed that people's risk of exposure to resistant bacteria is closely related to water quality at a given beach.

"Although this research has established that coastal waters are a potential source of exposure to antibiotic resistant bacteria, we are not recommending that people stop visiting the beach," Gaze noted.

Natural environment has many established benefits for health and wellbeing and this kind of research will help us ensure people can still make the most our coastal resources in safe environment, the authors concluded.

The research was presented at the Society for General Microbiology's annual conference at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham recently.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

31.03.2015

Why comfort foods are attractive when we feel sad!

A new study has demonstrated that people's attraction to comfort foods was based on the relationship they had with the one who had first prepared the dish for them and would eat it when they felt low or sad.

The research conducted by University at Buffalo found that social factors influenced a person's choices and eating behavior and some of the participants defined comfort food as a healthy food choice, whereas for the others it was starchy and fatty.

Shira Gabriel, a UB psychologist, asserted that as long as children had positive associations with the person who cooked the comfort food, they would be drawn to the food in times of isolation.

The research gave an insight to a unique method through which people could feel socially connected by eating comfort foods. She also said that as a threatened sense of belonging was related to mental and physical health risks it was important to learn how that vulnerability could be managed.

Gabriel added that although comfort food would never break ones heart but might destroy a person's diet.

The study has been published in the journal Appetite.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

31.03.2015

To be one, to be united is a great thing, but to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater

Bono

30 March, 2015

How diabetes drugs may increase risk of heart failure

If you are on drugs for diabetes, you are at a greater risk of suffering from heart failure says a new study.

The study conducted at American College of Cardiology examined clinical trials of more than 95,000 patients and found that for every one kilogram of weight gain attributed to a sugar-lowering diabetes medication or strategy, there was an associated seven per cent increased risk of heart failure directly linked to that medication or strategy.

Dr. Jacob Udell, the study’s principal investigator, and cardiologist at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network (UHN) and Women’s College Hospital (WCH), said that patients randomized to new or more intensive blood sugar-lowering drugs or strategies to manage diabetes showed an overall 14 per cent increased risk for heart failure and this increased risk was directly associated with the type of diabetes therapy that was chosen, with some drugs more likely to cause heart failure than others, compared with placebo or standard care. 

Dr. Barry Rubin, Medical Director, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network (UHN), asserted that the results of this study could prove to be the catalyst for how diabetes patients at risk for heart disease were managed moving forward and as the number one global killer, and the second leading cause of death in Canada, the growing burden of heart disease was in many respects impacting patients, families and the health-care system in ways that were unsustainable. 

Heart failure is a common occurrence for patients with type 2 diabetes and has a major impact on one’s life expectancy and quality of life as well as representing a major driver of healthcare costs.

The study is published in the current issue of The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

30.03.2015

Now, get a reminder on your phone to have your TB medication

TB or tuberculosis is an infectious disease which can easily spread from one person to the other. India had the highest number of TB cases in 2010 which makes it important that the treatment process be as stringent as possible. In order to make this possible, Apollo Hospitals and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease have come together to bring about a few changes in the process. 

They have started a TB intervention programme that will help patients and the authority as well. TB patients often stop taking drugs once they start feeling better but this is one of the worst mistakes as this can lead to complex drug resistant  TB.  Therefore it is vital that they continue the full course of medicine. The software they have introduced will send reminders in the form of SMS, voice calls to remind them about taking their medicine. It will even provide counselling to such patients.

The software will also help upload the patient’s case information to the Central Govt’s website ‘Nikshay’ which will keep track of their progress and how well they are following the treatment process.

Sarabjit Chadha, the Project Director of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease told the media that as of now there isn’t any automatic mechanism that can notify TB cases to government authorities or any system that can follow up cases. But this software will address both these issues. 

After a trial run at Apollo Hospitals, they want to see the response and later spread it to all private healthcare providers so that better and more effective TB treatment can be delivered across the country.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

30.03.2015

Worry is a misuse of the imagination

 Dan Zadra

28 March, 2015

Antibiotics may soon lose its effectiveness

Antibiotic consumption in livestock worldwide could rise by 67 percent between 2010 and 2030, and possibly endanger their effectiveness in humans, say Princeton University researchers, including one who is of Indian-origin.

India, along with its four other BRICS partners -- Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa -- will experience a growth of 99 percent in antibiotic consumption in livestock over the same period, the researchers noted in the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"The discovery and development of antibiotics was a major public health revolution of the 20th century," said author Ramanan Laxminarayan, senior research scholar in the Princeton Environmental Institute.

"Their effectiveness -- and the lives of millions of people around the world -- are now in danger due to the increasing global problem of antibiotic resistance, which is being driven by antibiotic consumption," Laxminarayan, an alumnus of the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, pointed out.

Numerous studies have suggested links between the use of antimicrobials and antibiotic-resistant bacteria originating from livestock as well as their potential consequences for human health.

In the study, the researchers noted that two thirds, or 66 percent, of the projected global increase in antimicrobial consumption is due to the growing number of animals raised for food production. The remaining third is attributable to a shift in farming practices, with a larger proportion of animals projected to be raised in "intensive farming systems", or factory farms.

Global demand for animal protein is rising dramatically, and antimicrobials are used routinely in modern animal production for disease prevention and as growth promoters.

The study focused on cattle, chickens and pigs, and identified the latter two as the main contributors to antibiotic consumption.

The study is based on a limited data set of veterinary-antimicrobials sales from 32 countries.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

28.03.2015

Chikungunya virus may soon spread to US

The mosquito-borne chikungunya virus may soon spread to the US, predicts a new study. 

The study published in the New England Journal of Medicine emphasised on stepping up efforts to reduce mosquito population. 

"Chikungunya continues to be a major threat to public health around the world," said researcher Scott Weaver from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. 

Other than anti-inflammatory drugs to control symptoms and joint swelling, there are no specific therapies to treat infected persons and no licensed vaccines to prevent chikungunya fever, the researchers pointed out. 

"Until there is a treatment or vaccine, the control of chikungunya fever will rely on mosquito reduction and limiting the contact between humans and the two virus-carrying mosquitoes -- Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus," Weaver added. 

These efforts generally focus on reducing or treating standing water and water storage containers where eggs are laid and larvae develop as well as wearing protective clothing and/or insect repellent. 

Since chikungunya was first identified in 1952 in present-day Tanzania, the virus has been confirmed in other countries in Africa, Asia, The South Pacific and Europe. In December 2013, the first locally acquired case of chikungunya in the Americas was reported in the Caribbean. 

Since then, chikungunya has been identified in 44 countries or territories throughout the Americas, the study said. 

Symptoms appear about three days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. The most common symptoms and signs are fever and severe joint pain and may include headache, arthritis, muscle pain, weakness and rash. 

People at increased risk for severe disease include young children, older adults and people with medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, the researchers pointed out.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

28.03.2015

When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion

Abraham Lincoln

27 March, 2015

Beware! Air pollution can increase risk of stroke, anxiety

Here is another reason why you should not use your car too often and consider buying a cycle instead. According to a new research, air pollution can increase your risk of stroke and anxiety.

In a systematic review and meta-analysis, a team of researchers from Edinburgh University looked at the association between short-term air pollution exposure and stroke-related hospital admissions and deaths.

In total, they analysed 103 observational studies that covered 28 countries across the world. The results, published in The BMJ, showed an association between carbon monoxide (1.5 percent increased risk per 1 ppm), sulphur dioxide (1.9 percent per 10 ppb) and nitrogen dioxide (1.4 percent per 10 ppb) and stroke-related hospital admissions or death.

Both PM 2.5 and PM 10 were associated with hospital admissions or deaths due to stroke, by 1.1 percent and 0.3 percent per 10 Aug/m3 increment, respectively.

The first day of air pollution exposure was found to have the strongest association. Low to middle-income countries experienced the strongest associations compared to high-income countries.

Only 20 percent of analysed studies were from low- to middle-income countries — mostly mainland China — despite these countries having the highest burden of stroke.

‘These results suggest a need for policy changes to reduce exposure in such highly polluted regions,’ concluded the authors.

A second study from researchers at The Johns Hopkins and Harvard Universities examined the association between particulate air pollution and anxiety.

Exposure to particulate matter was linked to a higher risk of anxiety. PM2.5 was found to have a significant association with anxiety.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

27.03.2015

Are red blood cell traits responsible for your child’s risk of malaria?

According to the scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the risk of your child to suffer from malaria is linked to red blood cell traits. These findings can act as a major breakthrough in the field of medicine as they might help in achieving future targets for new malaria drugs and vaccines.

What were the study results?

Researchers found that a genetic condition known as homozygous X-linked G6PD deficiency correlated with a reduced risk of malaria in girls only. Meanwhile, HbC-trait, in which the body makes an abnormal hemoglobin called hemoglobin C, appeared to increase malaria risk in children. Scientists hope this study will lead to further research into the molecular mechanisms of the malaria-protective effects of red blood cell variants.

Does sickle cell anemia protect against malaria?

Specifically, the sickle-cell trait HbAS, which means an individual carries only one defective gene that causes the production of abnormal hemoglobin, appeared to correlate with protection from malaria in early childhood and reduced the density of malaria parasites in children who did become ill.

How was the study carried out?

From 2008 to 2011, NIAID scientists and their collaborators followed 1,543 children ranging from 6 months to 17 years old in Mali, a West African country with a high incidence of childhood malaria. Throughout the study period, the children experienced a total of 4,091 episodes of malaria. Investigators observed that several red blood cell variants–inherited disorders associated with abnormal forms or decreased production of the oxygen-carrying blood protein haemoglobin — were associated with malaria risk.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

27.03.2015

All change is not growth as all movement is not forward

Ellen Glasgow

26 March, 2015

Soon We Will be Able to Eat Healthier and Tastier Chocolates

Cocoa solids are one of the richest sources of polyphenol antioxidants. Cocoa undergoes several steps before it takes shape as a chocolate bar. The process involves roasting, which brings out the flavor. But some of the healthful polyphenols are lost during the roasting process. With an aim to retain as much of the polyphenols and good flavors as possible, scientists are now working on making chocolate treats more nutritious.

Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, Ph.D., at the University of Ghana said, "We decided to add a pod-storage step before the beans were even fermented to see whether that would have an effect on the polyphenol content." 

The research team divided 300 pods into four groups that were either not stored at all or stored for three, seven or 10 days before processing. This technique is called 'pulp preconditioning'. After the storage period passed, fermentation and drying were done as usual. Researchers found that the seven-day storage resulted in the highest antioxidant activity after roasting.

The researchers also studied the effects of roasting at the same temperature for different times. The current process involves roasting the beans for 10-20 minutes at 248-266 degrees Fahrenheit. The research team adjusted this to 45 minutes at 242 degrees Fahrenheit and discovered that this slower roasting at a lower temperature increased the antioxidant activity compared to beans roasted with the conventional method. 

"In addition, the beans that were stored and then roasted for 45 minutes had more polyphenols and higher antioxidant activity than beans whose pods were not stored prior to fermentation. The pulp preconditioning likely allowed the sweet pulp surrounding the beans inside the pod to alter the biochemical and physical constituents of the beans before the fermentation, which aided the fermentation processes and enhanced antioxidant capacity of the beans, as well as the flavor," said Afoakwa. 

The research will be presented at the 249th National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Source: www.medindia.net

26.03.2015

'Fats' may be Used in the War Against Type 2 Diabetes

Dr. Alan Saghatelian, at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies with Barbara Kahn, conducted the research and found a new class of potentially therapeutic lipids, called fatty-acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids (FAHFAs), found in people with insulin resistance. The FAHFAs when administered to diabetic mice improved their glucose metabolism and insulin secretion, and opened an avenue for the development of novel medications for the disease. 

Kahn's team at Beth Israel Medical Deaconess Center found that they could create obese mice that were unusually sensitive to insulin and suspected that the lipids found in them were behind it. The research on these newly discovered fats could lead to a diabetes therapy. 

Using the mass spectrometry technique, researchers identified a total of 16 different types of FAHFAs in the mice. 

The lipids were fed to insulin- resistant mice and it was observed that there had been an improvement in inflammation, insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake. 

The researchers also measured FAHFA levels in the blood samples from human subjects, and found lower levels of these compounds in those with insulin resistance. 

Saghatelian said that they would be able to come up with better therapies to treat the disease with fewer side effects and that would be effective to a large number of people. 

The research would be described recently at the 249th National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Source: www.medindia.net

26.03.2015

Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do

Oprah Winfrey

25 March, 2015

India needs political will to eradicate TB: Study

Mumbai: Only with political will and commitment, backed by sufficient resources, can India effectively control tuberculosis (TB) that kills over three lakh people every year, says a Mumbai-based senior doctor.

Unless this happens, TB will continue to be India's silent epidemic and a death sentence for poor people, Zarir Udwadia, consultant physician at P.D. Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mumbai, warned. Twenty years ago, it was widely believed that India was successfully on its way to controlling its alarming TB epidemic.

Yet, each year, India has 22 lakh new cases, more than three lakh deaths, and economic losses of $23 billion (Rs. 143,123 crore) from TB, making it India's biggest health crisis, Udwadia wrote in the article published in the journal The BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal).

At the heart of this crisis is the failure of India's Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) to engage and monitor the country's large and unregulated private sector, he pointed out. According to him, considering India's massive TB crisis, the RNTCP's annual budget of Rs.500 crore remains derisory. The RNTCP spends the least on each TB patient among the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) - $28 (Rs.1,741.32), compared with $107 (Rs.6,654.32) in China and $264 (Rs.16,418) in Brazil.

"India needs to do much more if it seriously wants to control its TB epidemic," he said.

Patients with TB in India "typically flit between an unsympathetic public sector and an exploitative private sector until they are too sick or impoverished to do so, all the while continuing to transmit and spread tuberculosis in crowded home and work environments," Udwadia said. India must work at providing every TB patient with free and accurate diagnosis and the right treatment, whether in the public or the private sector. When TB is diagnosed, patients and their families must receive counselling, nutrition, and economic support, Udwadia said.

He also added that India desperately needs new drugs for the growing population of patients with more extreme forms of drug resistant TB, who have nearly exhausted the available first and second line drugs.

Source: www.zeenewsindia.com

25.03.2015

Emotions can dictate how you eat

London: A new book has observed that emotions can dictate how you eat and also demonstrates what kind of eater one is.

Hypnotherapist Marisa Peer in her new book suggests that there are different kinds of eaters like one can be an emotional eater or a habitual eater or a destructive eater or an angry eater, the Daily Express reported.

Emotional eaters find temporary relief from loneliness, boredom and sadness when they fill their stomachs with refined carbohydrates. The feeling of fullness from eating soft, sweet foods such as cake and ice cream leads to a temporary feeling of satisfaction and calmness.

Habitual eaters will eat whenever they are given the opportunity, without being aware of whether they are actually hungry.

Destructive eaters often feel uncomfortable if they are not in control of their own eating, whereas, angry eaters like crunchy or chewy foods because they find chewing hard helpful when they are feeling tense or wound up.

Source: www.zeenewsindia.com

25.03.2015

Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly

 John F. Kennedy

24 March, 2015

World Tuberculosis Day: 2.2 million TB cases occur in India every year

Around 25% of the Indian population is infected with TB bacteria, the vast majority of whom have latent rather than active TB. 9 million new cases of tuberculosis (TB) are added every year world-wide, 2.2  million cases occurs in India making the world’s highest Tuberculosis burden country.

Tuberculosis is a disease with devastating social and economic costs, the enormous burden of the disease in India can be seen by the fact that more and more adults die from TB than any other infectious disease and most of these are avoidable deaths. Hence TB control contributes substantially to the social and economic development of the country by reducing the suffering from TB and preventing untimely deaths of lakhs of Indians in their prime years of life.

The world-wide scenario prompted WHO to observe this year’s World TB Prevention Day on March 24 with the slogan — ‘Reach, treat, cure every one’.

Dr. Sameer Garde, Pulmonologist, Global Hospitals, Mumbai, says ‘India is fighting a TB epidemic. Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death and can be spread through a simple cough or sneeze. Anyone who comes into contact with an individual infected with tuberculosis bacteria is at risk of developing the disease, so one obvious solution is to steer clear of people who are sick, sneezing, and coughing.’

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

24.03.2015

World TB Day: President urges Indians to work unitedly to end scourge of TB

On the occasion of World TB day, President Pranab Mukherjee has urged Indians to fight the battle against tuberculosis unitedly. Addressing the nation, he said that TB, which claims one life every two minutes needs to be tackled together by everyone. He supported the need to create awareness about prevention and treatment of the disease. He also expressed the need to scale -up research to develop new treatments and preventive measures.
 

India has long fought its battle with tuberculosis with various campaigns urging masses to get regular check-ups and not neglect symptoms of the disease. He expressed his satisfaction over the revised national tuberculosis control programme which has been able to test 86 million people, treat 19 million patients and save 3.4 million lives since its inception in 1993. HE urged all stakeholders to pledge their support in achieving the goal of zero TB deaths in our country in the shortest possible time.  

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

24.03.2015

As we grow as unique persons, we learn to respect the uniqueness of others

Robert Schuller

23 March, 2015

Get healthy in 60 seconds

If you eat these things, you will be healthier and happier in just a minute...

CHOCOLATE: And drop the guilt because chocolate in good for you. But you'll have to limit your intake to just four squares a day. Researchers found that four squares a day boosts memory.

GO GREEN: Place potted plants at a spot where they catch your eye. Looking at greenery lifts the mood and also helps recover from aches and pains. Researchers found in their study that patients who had just undergone an abdominal study and had plants in their rooms required fewer pain killers.

CHAMOMILE TEA: Suffer from PMS and absolutely dread that time of the month? Make yourself a cup of chamomile tea. Research has shown that chamomile relieves muscle spasms, thereby reducing the severity of cramps... and makes you less crabby!

Go NUTS: To be precise fill up on three walnuts, seven hazelnuts and seven whole almonds, everyday. Researchers have found that eating this combination for a year helps reduce risks of heart disease. The study also found that by incorporating nuts in their diet, participants lost belly weight.

A TURKEY SUB: Turkey is a excellent source of tryptophan, an amino acid that aids in the production of serotonin - the hormone that keeps you calm. The next time you're stressed at work and really need to keep your cool, order a turkey sub.

SWITCH YOUR CEREAL: Just because you begin your day with cereal, doesn't mean you get a healthy start. Your cornflakes could be high on sugar and low on nutritional value warns a recent study. Read the label and choose cereals that are high in fibre, and low in sugar and sodium.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

23.03.2015

Has medical expansion made us feel less healthy?

In spite of continued medical expansion and increased access to health care facilities, people today feel less healthy than they did 25 years ago, a research has found. 

"It seems counter-intuitive, but that is what the evidence shows. More medicine does not lead to citizens feeling better about their health - it actually hurts," said study author Hui Zheng, assistant professor of sociology at the Ohio State University. 

The study published in the journal Social Science Research found that three dimensions of medical expansion - medical investment, medical professionalisation/specialisation, and an expanded pharmaceutical industry - negatively affect individual subjective health. 

"Access to more medicine and medical care does not really improve our subjective health. For example, in the United States, the percentage of Americans reporting very good health decreased from 39 percent to 28 percent from 1982 to 2006," Zheng added. 

Zheng conducted what is called a "counter-factual analysis" using the data to see what would have happened if the medical industry had not expanded at all in 28 countries since 1982. 

In this analysis, other factors that are generally linked to improved health, such as economic development, were left unchanged. 

The study included information from OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) health data, world development indicators, the World Values Survey and the European Values Study. 

There are several reasons why medical expansion may actually lead people to feel less healthy, Zheng said. 

For one, more diseases are discovered or "created", which increases the risk of being diagnosed with "new" diseases. Three examples, he said, include the rise in diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression and autism. 

In addition, there is more aggressive screening, which turns up more diseases in people. Over diagnosis can potentially cause harm to perfectly healthy people, he said.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

23.03.2015

Creativity comes from a conflict of ideas

Donatella Versace