Quitting smoking may be hardest in low-income groups, study finds

Jan. 20, 2012 By Patricia Nicholson It’s tough for anybody to go smoke-free, but a new study found that it’s even tougher for people with low incomes and low education levels. Three months after finishing a quit-smoking program, the participants with low socioeconomic status were 55 per cent...

One in 10 Canadians may have trouble paying for medications, study finds

Jan. 16, 2012 By Patricia Nicholson Results of a new study suggest that about 10 per cent of Canadians may not be taking their prescribed medication as directed because of the cost of treatment. Although Canada has universal health coverage, many people are not covered by an insurance plan that...

Choice of birth control pill does not affect breastfeeding, study finds

Jan. 13, 2012 By Patricia Nicholson A new study comparing birth control pills in breastfeeding women found that the type of pill they took had no effect on whether they continued breastfeeding or whether they continued taking the pill, and also had no effect on the growth of their babies. The...

Study links grief to increased risk of heart attack

Jan. 9, 2012 By Patricia Nicholson Heart attack risk is 21 times higher than normal in the first 24 hours following the death of a loved one, according to results of a new study. Severe stress has been linked to a sudden rise in heart attack risk, but grieving had never been directly linked to...

Study links belly fat hormone to women’s risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s

Jan. 6, 2012 By Patricia Nicholson Researchers have discovered another reason why belly fat may be bad for women’s health: it may have a role in the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in women. A study from Tufts University in Boston links women’s dementia and Alzheimer’s...

Daily text messages may boost birth control pill continuation in young women

Jan. 3, 2012 By Patricia Nicholson Young women who receive daily educational text messages about birth control pills may be more likely to continue taking them, new research shows. According to background information in the study, medication errors are very common: only about half of people...

Study links osteoporosis drug to longer performance of artificial joints

Dec. 19, 2011 By Patricia Nicholson Joint replacement patients who take bisphosphonates – medications used to treat osteoporosis – may get longer use out of their hip or knee implants than other patients. A new study found that artificial hip and knee implants lasted almost twice as long in...

Study suggests former smokers not just healthier than those who keep smoking, but also happier

Dec. 13, 2011 By Patricia Nicholson Everyone – including smokers – knows that giving up cigarettes has health benefits. What hasn’t been clear is whether former smokers are happier or have a better quality of life after quitting. Findings of a new study show that there is, indeed, life...

Post-partum psychiatric episodes may be associated with risk of developing bipolar disorder

Dec. 9, 2011 By Maria Serraino Experiencing a psychiatric episode within 30 days after childbirth may be associated with an increased risk of developing bipolar disorder, according to a study in JAMA: Archives of General Psychiatry. According to background information in the study, childbirth...

Feeling fishy? Study finds omega-3 fatty acids may reduce young women’s risk of heart disease

Dec. 5, 2011 By Maria Serraino Cod, salmon, herring and mackerel are not only delicious, but according to researchers they can also reduce your risk of heart disease. The study in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association reports that eating fish only a few times a month can have...

Antioxidant-rich foods may help reduce risk of stroke in women, according to a new study

Dec. 1, 2011 By Maria Serraino
Consumption of antioxidant-rich foods may reduce the risk of stroke in women, according to a recent study in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. According to background research in the study, eating fruits and vegetables has been associated...

Patients surviving certain types of cancer may be at an increased risk of a second cancer of the same type

Nov. 28, 2011 By Maria Serraino Cancer survivors have more than double the risk of a second primary cancer of the same type as the first, but their risk of developing a different type of cancer is only slightly higher than the rest of the population, according to a study in the CMAJ. A second...

More than one-quarter of Canadian adults are projected to have high blood pressure by 2012/13

Nov. 24, 2011 By Maria Serraino
In Canada, death caused by cardiovascular disease has decreased, partly due to increased awareness, diagnosis and better control of blood pressure. However, high blood pressure rates still remain high. According to a recent study in CMAJ, researchers estimate...

New breast cancer screening guidelines for women at average risk

Nov. 21, 2011 By Maria Serraino New recommendations on screening for breast cancer in average-risk women aged 40 to 74 have been published in the CMAJ. The guidelines, updated by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care issues, recommend no routine mammography screening for women aged 40...

Maintaining normal weight as an adult may neutralize the health risks of childhood obesity

Nov. 18, 2011 By Patricia Nicholson Obese children who grow up to be normal-weight adults do not have higher cardiovascular risks than people who have always had a normal body mass index (BMI), new study results suggest.   Obesity in childhood has been linked to future cardiovascular risk...

Sleep problems may increase risk of fibromyalgia

Nov. 14, 2011 By Patricia Nicholson Women with sleep problems may have more than triple the risk of developing fibromyalgia compared to women who sleep well, results of a new study suggest. The association between sleep problems and fibromyalgia was especially strong among women ages 45 and...

Are you getting enough dairy? Maybe it’s time you did.

Nov. 11, 2011 By Maria Serraino Dairy foods may improve bone health during diet and exercise in overweight premenopausal women. A study in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM) found that bone loss that is often associated with calorie-restricted diets...

Stroke risk – even without a stroke – may indicate future cognitive decline

Nov. 7, 2011 By Patricia Nicholson Risk factors for stroke may also predict risk of future cognitive problems, even in people who never have a stroke. A new study involved 23,752 people with no history of stroke and no cognitive problems at the start of the study. The results showed...

Poor sleep quality in first and third trimesters may be linked to preterm birth

Nov. 3, 2011 By Maria Serraino Poor sleep quality in both early and late pregnancy has been linked to an increased risk of delivering preterm, according to a recent study.   Michele Okun and researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine evaluated whether sleep quality during...

Study finds low levels of alcohol may be associated with increased risk of breast cancer

Nov. 1, 2011 By Maria Serraino Consumption of three to six alcoholic drinks per week may be associated with a small increase in the risk of breast cancer, according to a recent study. Wendy Y. Chen of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School and her colleagues examined the...