Andrew Griffith's Blog, page 21

Christina Patterson: Cancer Is a War the West Probably Can’t Win

A somewhat depressing review of the war on cancer. Not sure where this lies on the border between realistic and pessimistic, but an awareness of limits, and a reminder of the importance of prevention, is always salutary. Quote: …. An awful lot of rogue cells are being spotted by X-rays, and blasted with other X-rays, [...]

Barack Obama’s ‘secret society’ of researchers may give him the edge | World | News | National Post

For those interested in the psychology of voting, a popularized version of some of the research and micro-targeting that gave Obama’s campaign the edge in GOTV efforts. Incredible sophistication in polling, data, and understanding behaviour. And as the election results showed, it worked, and likely more cost-effective than some of the mass media advertising. Another [...]

After the Election, Fear Is Our Only Chance at Unity – NYTimes.com

Good post-election piece by Jonathan Haidt, author of  The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion, on how our world views, religion and political ideologies both bind us together with those whose views we share, and blind us to opposing viewpoints. This tendency is amplified by the multi-channel universe in which [...]

How cancer awareness efforts can backfire

Good piece on the side and distorting effects of some cancer awareness campaigns. Worth reflecting upon, but some of this reflects our desire to help others, our sometimes shallow culture, and our belief that we can control things. Quote: Yet I wonder if breast cancer really needs any extra attention when a few years ago [...]

Minutes of exercise a day may add years to your life – The Globe and Mail

I have posted earlier (here) on the health benefits of walking and the dangers of being sedentary. This study, with a large sample size of more than 650,000 people over 40, is pretty convincing of the health benefits of brisk walking: 75 minutes a week gets one almost 2 years more, 150 minutes gets about [...]

Cancer trials can lack clear information on biopsies | Reuters

Another in a series of articles on unnecessary tests, poor communications on the nature of risks and benefits, and the optimism bias, this time on biopsies. Just another reminder of the need for patients to be ‘armed’ with questions to ensure a fullsome discussion. Quote: The new findings show more than five percent of biopsies [...]

How the Stress of Disaster Brings People Together: Scientific American

Good discussion of the distinction between acute and chronic stress, and how acute stress, in contrast to chronic stress (common in our day-to-day life), has positive effects: Acute stress may help remind us of a fundamental truth: our common humanity. Understanding our shared vulnerability — life makes no promises — may be frightening, but it [...]

When Hospital Patients Continue to Smoke – NYTimes.com

Although I find it hard to believe, even if I see patients outside my hospital puffing away, it signals just how much an addition smoking is for some. Usually a health crisis (e.g., heart attack, lung cancer) will induce a change, but not always. Quote: Dr. Regan conceded that there are limits to eliminating smoking [...]

Pros and cons of letting patients record doctor visits – amednews.com

As one of my hematologists suggested recording key patient-doctor discussions given his sense that note taking, either by the patient or caregiver, was less accurate, I was interested in this piece of the pros and cons of recording. While much of the article is about situations when a family member wants a recording, not the [...]

The Big Shrug: Both Democrats and Republicans Accept Tech Stagnation in Medicine – Forbes

An opinion piece on the declining rate of return on investments in medicine, and how healthcare is unique in that costs continue to increase unlike other sectors or industries. Quote: But compared to the first half of the twentieth century we are spending staggering sums to eke out smaller and smaller gains. From 1900 to [...]