Culture | Science Codex

Study finds race has an impact on both enrollment and disenrollment in hospice care

INDIANAPOLIS -- Although use of hospice services is increasing dramatically, a study led by Regenstrief Institute investigator Kathleen T. Unroe, M.D., MHA, an assistant research professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine, has found that nonwhite Medicare patients with heart failure are 20 percent less likely to enroll in hospice than their white counterparts.

The study also found that racial differences in hospice use persisted over time and that nonwhite patients who do enroll in hospice are more likely to disenroll than white patients.

The growth of immigration in Spain has not caused a rise in crime

There is a social perception that growth in the immigrant population tends to lead to a rise in the crime rate, but a study carried out by Universidad Carlos III of Madrid demonstrates that this cause and effect relationship cannot be inferred in the case of Spain, according to the Agency SINC.

Experimental insulin drug prevents low blood sugar

An experimental insulin drug prevented low blood sugar among diabetic patients more often than a popular drug on the market, a new study finds. The results will be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

Common diabetes drugs associated with increased risk of death

Compared to another popular drug, three widely used diabetes medications are associated with a greater risk of death, a large new analysis finds. The results will be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

Physical fitness may improve survival among diabetes patients with heart dysfunction

Being physically fit may improve survival rates among diabetes patients with a particular type of heart abnormality, a new study determines. The results will be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

In the United States, nearly 26 million people have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of diabetes, and more people are developing the disease as the obesity epidemic continues. Treatment includes making lifestyle changes and taking medication to control blood sugar.

Ratio of appetite-regulating hormones marker of successful dieters

A pre-diet measurement of two hormones related to weight regulation can help predict which dieters will be more likely to maintain their weight loss and who will not, according to a new study. The results will be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

With obesity rates in many countries steadily climbing, more people are turning to diets to lose weight. But, for many people, maintaining the weight loss can be extremely difficult, leading to a frustrating cycle of weight loss and gain.

Aspirin may not prevent blood clots that cause heart attacks and strokes among diabetics

Many patients with type 2 diabetes may be aspirin resistant. That means the standard aspirin dose may not protect them against blood clots that cause heart attacks and strokes among diabetics, a new clinical study finds. The results will be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

Immigration growth in Spain has not caused more crime

Society tends to perceive an increase in the immigrant population with an increase in crime. But, according to a new study, it is not possible to infer this cause-effect relationship in the case of Spain.

"Crime in Spain is low compared to the rest of Europe. Crime rates have increased slightly in recent years, unlike the immigrant population which has grown at a much greater pace. This suggests a positive yet low correlation between immigration and crime," as explained to SINC by César Alonso-Borrego, lecturer in economics at the Carlos III University in Madrid, Spain.

Remapping gang turf: Math model shows crimes cluster on borders between rivals

A mathematical model that has been used for more than 80 years to determine the hunting range of animals in the wild holds promise for mapping the territories of street gangs, a UCLA-led team of social scientists reports in a new study.

"The way gangs break up their neighborhoods into unique territories is a lot like the way lions or honey bees break up space," said lead author P. Jeffrey Brantingham, a professor of anthropology at UCLA.

The price tag on a patient-centered medical home

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is a concept at the heart of many health care reform models that aim to both improve the quality of care and reduce wasteful spending. But a new analysis of federally qualified health centers finds that clinics with higher scores as medical homes also had higher per-patient operating costs.

The research, published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association and presented today at the AcademyHealth conference in Orlando, Fla., is the first national study to put a price on these additional costs.

Higher medical home performance rating of community health centers linked with higher operating cost

CHICAGO – Federally funded community health centers with higher patient-centered medical home ratings on measures such as quality improvement had higher operating costs, according to a study appearing in JAMA. This study is being published early online to coincide with its presentation at the Annual Research Meeting of AcademyHealth.

Long-term testosterone treatment for men results in reduced weight and waist size

In testosterone-deficient men, major weight loss was an added benefit of testosterone replacement therapy for most of the patients who participated in a new study. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

"The substantial weight loss found in our study—an average of 36 pounds—was a surprise," said the study's lead author, Farid Saad, PhD, of Berlin-headquartered Bayer Pharma.

Is arm length the reason women need reading glasses sooner than men?

Rockville, Md. – Studies have consistently reported that women require reading glasses or bifocal lenses earlier than men. According to a recent Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science paper, the gender difference is caused by factors other than focusing ability, such as arm length or preferred reading distance, which should be considered when prescribing readers or bifocals.

Parents' work-life stress hinders healthy eating

In a tight economy, with fewer jobs, many people end up working harder and sacrificing more to stay employed. A new study finds that one of those sacrifices is sometimes their own and their family's nutrition.

Research: Many programs to help diabetics manage their health do work

TORONTO, June 22, 2012 –A new study has found that programs aimed at helping people prevent or manage diabetes are most successful if they are directed at the patient or the health care system. Programs aimed at physicians were only successful for patients with poorer diabetes control.

Such interventions also work best for diabetics in poorer health than those who are managing their illness well, the study found.