Women’s health issues are real, not just political Rita Watson This year we saw women’s health become a campaign issue. Women’s health regarding reproductive rights took center stage in many states. Despite the vital nature of reproductive health, today women are facing many of the same stress and health issues as men, because they are working…
Category: Providence Journal – Health
Projo – Heath
Football: Chilling medical news for pros and teens, Providence Journal
Newspaper link: Football: Chilling medical news for pros and teens on Page F7 of Sunday, October 07, 2012 issue of The Providence Journal Football: Chilling medical news for pros and teens RITA WATSON There was a shadow over this year’s National Football League (NFL) kickoff game on Sept. 5. A report by the American Academy of Neurology confirmed…
Concussions: Kids in the game after head injuries, Providence Journal
Kids still being put back in the game after head injuries RITA WATSON Just as students are returning and gearing up for high school sports, another alarming report surfaced in the journal Neurology, which underscored the relationship between head injuries in professional football players and dementia. While it may seem like a far stretch from…
ODD: Children's behavior crossing the line, Providence Journal
When child’s behavior crosses the line Rita Watson Many children go through stages of “No” or “I hate you” while parents shrug and hope they can get through those years between the terrible 2’s and the troublesome teens. Katherine Ellison, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author, became so exasperated by one of her sons that…
Choosing a nursing home requires vigilant research – Providence Journal
Choosing a nursing home requires vigilant research – published August 6, 2012 Rita Watson The decision to entrust a spouse or relative to nursing home care is fraught with anxiety. Referrals from friends and visits to facilities are helpful. Yet, gleaning facts from state websites or www.Medicare.gov can be difficult because of incomplete or misleading…
A few minutes of talk could cut alcohol-related dangers, Providence Journal
From Thrive, Monday Health Section /By Rita Watson Summertime is synonymous with backyard barbecues and ice cold beer parties at the beach. It is also a dangerous time for binge drinking, especially among students. However, a Yale study, recently published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, says that seven minutes of emergency room intervention might…
Sleeping pills and the nation of pill poppers, young and old (Providence Journal)
America a nation of pill poppers Providence Journal, Sunday RITA WATSON There is an advertising-fueled medicine myth in America that a little pill can cure you. In light of the lobbying efforts by Big Pharma, one must wonder just what medications are really necessary and why. Sleeping pills, used by some 55 million to 60…
Recognizing children’s potential mental health issues
Recognizing children’s potential mental health issues Rita Watson Mothers and fathers with challenging children are oftentimes exasperated saints. It can be difficult to determine if a child is “going through a phase” or is in need of help because of a psychiatric problem, such as depression or an anxiety disorder. As with adults, children can…
Sunbathers are left in the dark with labeling delay
Sunbathers are left in the dark with labeling delay By Rita Watson / Providence Journal, Thrive section, June4, 2012 The sunscreen news is sizzling hot. With the announcement from the Food and Drug Administration that the group is delaying label clarifications with regard to effectiveness, sunbathers are left with three options — looking warily at…
Physician's Tips for a Good Night's Sleep
From The Providence Journal / May 7, 2012 Rita Watson A controversial study about sleep in the British Medical Journal recently might be keeping some people awake during May’s Better Sleep Month. The report says that getting a prescription for sleeping pills appears to increase one’s risk for cancer and death. Carl W. Bazil, MD,…