Quantum Sufficit
Just Enough
More and more high school students are finding it harder
to breathe. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), one in six high school students claims to have asthma. In
2003, researchers surveyed approximately 13,000 high school students about the
disease. Sixteen percent of the students reported having asthma, and more than
one third claimed to have had an attack in the past year. However, the extent
of under- or overreporting could not be determined and is one limitation of the
study. (MMWR Weekly, August 12, 2005)
Are people who have heart attacks during the day better
off? According to a study of 68,000 patients published in the
Journal of the American Medical
Association, patients with heart attacks who go to the hospital on
nights or weekends wait approximately 21 minutes longer for angioplasty than
those who go during regular business hours (i.e., weekdays, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Patients arriving at the hospital during regular business hours wait only 95
minutes, whereas patients who arrive later wait an average of one hour and 56
minutes. Authors of the study say this wait increases the risk of death by 7
percent. (JAMA, August 17, 2005)
Flying planes isn't easy on the eyes. According to
findings published in the Archives of
Ophthalmology, commercial airline pilots are at increased risk of
developing cataracts because of exposure to cosmic radiation. In a study of
nearly 450 men 50 years and older, researchers compared the men's occupation
with the prevalence of nuclear cataracts. Pilots were more likely than men in
any other profession to have eye problems. Cosmic rays, which come from the sun
and outer space, have already been determined to cause problems in the eyes of
astronauts. (Arch Ophthalmol, August
2005)
According to a study of 54 couples in
Proceedings: Biological Sciences, ovulating
women may be more attracted to men with symmetrical bodies. The women in the
study were 18 to 44 years of age, were ovulating normally, and were not taking
oral contraceptives. They were surveyed about their physical attraction to
their own partners and to other men at various times of the month. The authors
found that during ovulation, women whose partners had asymmetrical bodies
showed a greater desire for other men who had a more symmetrical appearance.
The study authors conclude that this may be because of the women's desire to
pass on stronger genes to their offspring, an idea similar to survival of the
fittest. (Proc Biol Sci, August 17,
2005)
Finally-an excuse to get out of work.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine
reports that workers who spend long hours on the job may be at increased risk
for sickness or injury. The 13-year study evaluated the schedules, job
histories, and incidence of work-related injuries and ailments in almost 11,000
workers. Researchers discovered that at least one half of more than 5,000 job
injuries reported occurred during extended work hours. They also found that
people who worked overtime were 61 percent more likely to become ill or injure
themselves than people who worked a normal schedule. (Occup Environ Med, August 2005)
When Americans say, "I'm allergic," they aren't lying. A
nationwide survey published in the Journal of
Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that 54 percent of people in the
United States are allergic to at least one of 10 common allergens. Researchers
studied the results of skin allergy tests from more than 30,000 participants
six to 59 years of age. They found the most common allergic reactions were to
dust mites, rye grass, ragweed, and cockroaches. Researchers also determined
that men were more likely than women to have allergies. (J Allergy Clin Immunol, August 2005)
| Copyright © 2005 by the American
Academy of Family Physicians. |
