NIH Radio Archive
August 2009 Audio Reports
A nurse-led behavioral intervention can reduce the incidence of depression in stroke survivors, according to the results of a study published in the recent issue of the journal Stroke. The intervention, called Living Well with Stroke (LWWS), provided individualized counseling sessions aimed at increasing pleasant social interactions and physical activity as a way to elevate mood, and was designed to be used alone or in conjunction with antidepressant medications. This study was funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research.
Healthcare in Africa has focused on fighting infectious disease, but more attention is being given to the continent's increasing problem with cancer. The continent lags behind in information, infrastructure and resources to deal with the magnitude of the disease.
The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial was a landmark clinical study in people with type 1 diabetes, formerly called juvenile-onset diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, it compared the effects of standard control of blood glucose with intensive control on the development of common diabetes complications. The study found that keeping blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible slows the onset and progression of the eye, nerve, and kidney damage of diabetes. Updated information shows improved long-term outlook.
A recent study has found that a delay in diagnosing a menopause-like condition in women and young girls is linked to low bone density which may increase risk for osteoporosis and fractures later in life. The African-American and Asian patients in the study were more likely to have low bone density than were their white counterparts.
A range of factors led to the wide acclaim of a 2003 study suggesting a possible gene-environment interaction contributing to depression risk. This study had far-reaching influence on the field, including proposals by some researchers to market a gene test to the public, claiming to be able to predict a person's risk for depression. However, despite considerable resources being invested in research building upon the 2003 study, attempts to replicate its findings—a key step in the scientific process—had inconsistent results.
Private well water needs to be tested yearly, and in some cases more often, according to new guidance offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), took a lead role in working with the AAP to develop these recommendations and draft a new AAP policy statement about the things parents should do if their children drink well water.
As scientists learn more about the genetic mutations that can lead to cancer, they are able to tailor patient therapy. They can also target people who are at high risk for cancer, so they can benefit from preventative treatments and lifestyles. Breast cancer has been a major focus of cancer genetics and prevention efforts.  FREE MP3 audio reports from the National Institutes of Health, your reliable health information source. Questions? Contact: This page was last reviewed on
August 27, 2009
.
|
