_ "Reading" Others' Emotions Is Often Inaccurate By Jane Farrell article If you think you’re good at reading peoples’ faces, you might want to think again. Lisa Feldman Barrett, Northeastern University Distinguished Professor Psychology, has concluded that the widespread belief in universal emotions – i.e. you can read someone from a Third World country just the same as you would someone from the is simply wrong. “Emotions are not universally perceived, “ Barrett says. Everything that’s predicated on that is a mistake.”
_ Experts Have Overlooked Binge-Drinking Patterns By Jane Farrell article Studies linking moderate drinking to potential health benefits may have failed to take into account the issue of binge drinking among older “moderate” drinkers, a new study shows. Previous research, the investigators say, has focused on average drinking levels rather than drinking patterns. And that, the investigators say, hides underlying factors such as heavy episodic or weekend binge drinking.
_ Diabetes: ΓÇ£Lend a HandΓÇ¥ Prioritizes Goals By Sondra Forsyth article The "lend a hand " illustration that accompanies this article shows an open palm with the five major forms of diabetes interventions are arranged in descending order of importance from thumb to little finger as follows: smoking cessation, blood pressure control, metformin therapy, lipid reduction, and glucose control.
Men's Health Declining Happiness for Men 70+ By article Research done at Oregon State University and Boston University found that perceptions of unhappiness – or dealing with “hassles” – tends to get worse for men once they are over 70. The study was published in the journal Psychology and Aging. Reasons vary, the investigators say, but may be because of health issues, cognitive decline, or the loss of a spouse or friends.
_ Hip-Fracture Patients May Be Helped With In-Home Exercise By Jane Farrell article Patients who suffered a hip fracture showed improved physical function with a post-surgery home-based exercise program, according to a study published in JAMA. The program included exercises such as climbing a stair or standing up from a chair. Researchers from Boston University looked at 232 adults who had completed traditional rehabilitation after a hip fracture. One group was given the additional home exercise program, while the other wasn’t.
_ The Benefits of ΓÇ£TelehealthΓÇ¥ By Sondra Forsyth article “Telehealth”, an approach to saving costs and improving patient care in hospitals, goes far beyond videoconferenced doctor visits, according to researchers at the University of Michigan who conducted the first survery of how broadly web-based technologies are being used nationwide. The team found that 42 percent of U.S. hospitals use some type of "telehealth" approach. The study, published in the February 2014 issue of the journal Health Affairs, breaks down adoption rates by state.
_ Caregiving is Tough Even for Geriatrics Professionals By Jane Farrell article The difficulties of caregiving seem to be universal: even specialists in geriatrics can find it hard to deal with in their own lives. That discovery, by researchers from Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), appears in the journal Gerontologist.
_ Flu Forecasting Website Posts Predictions By article Infectious disease experts at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City have launched a website that reports weekly predictions for rates of seasonal influenza in 94 cities in the United States based on a scientifically validated system. The URL is cpid.iri.columbia.edu. New predictions are posted every Friday afternoon during the flu season.
_ Mental Exercises Have Long-Term Effect By Jane Farrell article The benefits of mental-sharpness exercises for older adults can last for as long as ten years, according to new research. The research, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found that even after a decade, participants who underwent cognitive training had less difficulty in performing everyday tasks. Known as Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly, or ACTIVE, the study is the first to establish that link, according to Frederick W. Unverzagt, Ph.D., professor at Indiana University School of Medicine.