Advocates call for an end to higher premiums for women
New York Times Oct 30, 08 3:04 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Health advocates and some politicians are crying foul over the huge price difference between men's and women's health insurance, the New York Times reports. Healthy young women are regularly charged up to 50% more than their male counterparts, even when maternity care is excluded. The practice is prohibited under job-based insurance plans, but is standard in the individual insurance market.
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Young, female heart patients at highest risk, study discovers
San Francisco Chronicle Sep 30, 08 2:08 AM CDT
(Newser)
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People suffering from heart disease are three times more likely to be depressed, according to a study that found young women particularly at risk. Researchers urged doctors to monitor heart patients for depression, reports the San Francisco Chronicle , noting that it not only affects quality of life but can adversely a patient's prognosis. Some 80 million Americans suffer from heart disease.
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Men, women respond differently to drugs
Newsweek Sep 9, 08 7:34 PM CDT
(Newser)
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The results of the largest-ever federal study of depression are in, and the link between gender and treatment is clearer than ever before, Newsweek reports. Men and premenopausal women respond differently to different formulations of drugs, suggesting the strong influence of estrogen and reinforcing the gap between two commonly prescribed classes of drugs: tricyclics, which are more effective in men, and SSRIs, to which women respond more readily.
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Early screening's false positives may cause unneeded surgeries
New York Times Aug 26, 08 10:32 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Though a new ovarian cancer test gives hope that the 21,000 new cancer cases expected this year may be detected at a treatable stage, the FDA is worried OvaSure may do more harm than good, the New York Times reports. If the unregulated test detects cancer where there isn't any—as expected in 0.6% of cases—some women may have unnecessary surgeries.
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Mouth swab will offer more precise measure
Guardian (UK) Jun 25, 08 7:57 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Scientists say they will soon be able to take a simple mouth swab from women to better determine their risk of breast cancer, the Guardian reports. Researchers at Cambridge University have zeroed in on several genetic variants—with more to come—that offer a far more precise measure of a woman's risk than current tests. The development could have a profound impact on current screening procedures and the timeline for mammographies.
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Study of 14K children reports modest gains
in intelligence
WebMD May 6, 08 2:03 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Kids who are breastfed tend to be smarter than their formula-fed peers, a major new study says. At age 6, children who were breastfed longer scored higher on IQ tests, though researchers couldn't say whether it was the breast milk itself or stronger interaction with mothers that caused the modest gains. The study in Belarus followed 14,000 children, WebMD reports.
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Voices found
to be most alluring
during ovulation
BBC May 2, 08 1:37 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Barflies take note: A woman's voice is sexiest when she's most fertile, a new study says. Scientists recorded women counting from 1 to 10 and found that their voices were rated most attractive when they were closest to ovulation, the BBC reports. What gives? Researchers aren't sure, but they speculate that hormones may affect the voice box.
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Even active overweight people face increased risk of heart disease, study contends
Associated Press Apr 29, 08 12:04 PM CDT
(Newser)
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If you’re overweight or obese, exercise alone doesn't appear to reduce risk of heart disease, according to a study that pokes a hole in the “fit but fat” theory. The study followed nearly 39,000 women over 11 years, and found even active overweight women were 54% more likely to develop heart disease. For the obese, that figure ballooned to 87%, the AP reports.
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Offers $350 check-up
of biological clock; some docs skeptical
Chicago Tribune Apr 24, 08 12:33 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Women wondering how much time is left on their biological clocks have a new option, the Chicago Tribune reports. A new test called Plan Ahead, on the market for $350, claims to measure how many high-quality eggs a woman has remaining and thus some indication of childbearing potential. But some doctors are leery of offering it, saying the test could be unreliable, and doesn’t predict actual fertility.
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Wider waists may increase risk of early death, study finds
Los Angeles Times Apr 8, 08 10:20 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Wider-waisted women may have an increased risk of premature death—even if they’re not obese. In a 16-year-long study of 44,636 women, those with waists at least 35 inches wide had a 79% higher chance of premature death, compared with those with waists of 28 inches or less. That held true even for women who weren’t overweight, the Los Angeles Times reports.
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Breast cancer risk continues, but other health threats diminish
Reuters Mar 5, 08 11:14 AM CST
(Newser)
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Breast cancer remains a risk for women even after they stop taking hormone therapy, researchers said yesterday. A follow-up to a 2002 study showed that women who dropped estrogen and progestin still had a 24% greater breast cancer risk. But their chance of a stroke, heart attack, or blood clot fell to normal levels after halting the therapy, Reuters reports.
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Women going to unhealthy extremes in bid to look perfect
Newsweek Mar 1, 08 8:11 PM CST
(Newser)
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Wedding dress? $1,500. Ceremony? $30,000. Rapid weight loss, whitened teeth, artificial tan, laser surgery and a shot of Botox? Apparently, priceless—but they may come at a health cost as brides-to-be try to look picture-perfect with "red carpet-worthy good looks" on their wedding day. Such extremes can launch a life-time of unhealthy habits, writes Sarah Elkins in Newsweek.
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Drugs increase false mammogram results, unnecessary biopsies
Reuters Feb 26, 08 11:55 AM CST
(Newser)
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Women who use hormone replacement therapy to combat menopause symptoms are more likely to get false mammogram results and have unneeded biopsies, new research shows. The UCLA analysis of an earlier study of more than 16,000 women found that 35% of those on hormones received skewed test results, as opposed to 23% of women on a placebo, Reuters reports.
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Alarming rise linked to wider waistlines
Associated Press Feb 21, 08 7:41 AM CST
(Newser)
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Strokes have tripled among middle-aged American women in an alarming development experts attribute to obesity. Despite the increased use of blood pressure and cholesterol medication, 2% of women aged 35 to 54 suffered a stroke between 1999 and 2004. That's a three-fold increase over earlier studies.
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