Social Sciences

In results from the largest health policy study of its kind, a Mexican health care program created in 2003 has been found effective in reducing crippling health care costs among poorer households. The results reflect the success of the Seguro Popular program, and arise from an evaluation conducted by researchers, including a Princeton University faculty member, in collaboration with researchers in Mexico. "We were able to scientifically establish that the program achieved its main goal to reduce health care costs," said Kosuke Imai, an assistant professor of politics at Princeton who…

Scientists at Schepens Eye Research Institute have found that the growth factor known as TGF-β is essential to the health of blood vessels in the retina and that blocking it can cause retinal dysfunction. These findings, published in the April 2 issue of PLoS ONE, may have an important impact on the prevention and treatment of diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration. "These results are significant because they add to our understanding of the molecules that help to maintain blood vessels in a healthy state," says Patricia D'Amore, PhD, senior scientist at Schepens and…

DURHAM, N.C. – Working out on a stationary bicycle or walking on a treadmill just 25 to 30 minutes most days of the week is enough to modestly lower risk of hospitalization or death for patients with heart failure, say researchers from Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI). The findings stem from the HF-ACTION trial (A Controlled Trial Investigating Outcomes Exercise Training), the most comprehensive study to date examining the effects of exercise upon patients with heart failure. The study, led by Christopher O'Connor M.D., director of the Duke Heart Center and principal investigator of…

Patients with early bladder cancer who receive more intensive treatment within the first two years of diagnosis do not appear to have better survival than patients who receive less intensive treatment, according to a retrospective analysis published in the April 7 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Although bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the United States, optimal treatment strategies for the disease remain unclear and there are relatively few data available from randomized controlled clinical trials. Current treatment guidelines favor more…

Multiple, anatomically distinct lung cancer tumors may frequently arise from a single cancer cell, according to a retrospective analysis of patient tumor samples published in the April 7 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Some lung cancer patients have multiple anatomically distinct tumors at the time of diagnosis. Although such multiple tumors usually share a common appearance, it has been unclear whether they arise from a single tumor or are independent primary cancers. In the current study, Liang Cheng, M.D., of the Indiana University School of Medicine in…

Subsequent Malignancy a Major Cause of Death in Long-Term Survivors of Hereditary Retinoblastoma Long-term survivors of hereditary retinoblastoma are at an increased risk of death due to a second cancer, according to a large cohort study. Retinoblastoma is a very rare cancer of the eye that affects approximately 300 children in the U.S. each year. Survivors of retinoblastoma are at risk of subsequent malignancies but information on the risk of death due to these subsequent cancers is limited among long-term survivors. In the current study, Chu-Ling Yu, Sc.D., of the National Cancer Institute…

DURHAM, N.C. – Heart failure patients who regularly exercise fare better and feel better about their lives than do similar patients who do not work out on a regular basis, say researchers at Duke University Medical Center. The findings, reported in the April 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, go a long way toward addressing concerns about the value of exercise for the nation's five million patients with heart failure. They also raise important policy questions for the country's Medicare program and other insurers. "Past studies have sent mixed signals about the merit…

Aerobic exercise training appears safe for patients with heart failure and was associated with a modest reduction in the risk of death and hospitalization, with some improvement in quality of life, according to two articles in the April 8 issue of JAMA. Heart failure is a major and increasingly common cardiovascular syndrome, and is the end result of many cardiovascular disorders. In the United States, an estimated 5 million patients have heart failure and an additional 500,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. Many patients treated with drug and device therapies often still have breathing…

Older adults with generalized anxiety disorder who received cognitive behavior therapy had greater improvement on measures of worry, depression and mental health than patients who received usual care, according to a study in the April 8 issue of JAMA. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is common in late life, with prevalence up to 7.3 percent in the community and 11.2 percent in primary care. Late-life anxiety predicts increased physical disability, memory difficulties and decreased quality of life, according to background information in the article. Late-life anxiety is usually treated with…

BOSTON – Adding to the growing evidence that a person's waist size is an important indicator of heart health, a study led by investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has found that larger waist circumference is associated with increased risk of heart failure in middle-aged and older populations of men and women. The findings, published online in the April 7 Rapid Access Report of the journal Circulation: Heart Failure, showed that increased waist size was a predictor of heart failure even when measurements of body mass index (BMI) fell within the normal range. "Currently…