Archive for the ‘New topics’ Category

Healthcare and the effects of poverty

Saturday, April 11th, 2009

Poor more likely to die after heart surgery
 Narrowing health gap relies on ‘good start’ in life
 Smoking, obesity and diabetes not only factors
Sarah Boseley, Health Editor
Friday April 3 2009
Copyright The Guardian

People who live in deprived areas of the country are more likely to die after heart surgery than those from more affluent places, even after allowing for the effects of smoking, obesity and diabetes, a new study shows today.

The research suggests that health inequalities have deeper roots than lifestyle choices. An editorial that accompanies the study in the British Medical Journal says poverty needs to be tackled if the health of the entire nation is to improve.

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The mysteries of placebo

Friday, April 10th, 2009

This is a really important topic which I hardly dealt with in the book. It’s one that scientists don’t really like because in many respects it’s not measurable and it belongs more to the mysterious realms of psychology, mind/body studies and psychosomatics – all pretty scary for medics.

But it’s scientifically and therapeutically very important. In some respects, it really ought to be categorized under ‘treatment’, because any action, including what seems like no action or neutral action, always has some direct effect on health and welfare and is not, as commonly assumed, actually neutral or empty at all. The giving of a sugar-pill or even a diagnosis itself have no pharmaceutical or surgical components, but either may affect the physiology and/or the psychology of the recipient in important ways.

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