Category: Resources

Doing Publicly Disseminated Health-Related Research Properly

Sometimes, the results of health-related research are kept private. In many other instances, the results are made public. Today’s post looks at doing publicly disseminated health-related research properly.

Rebecca Hahn, writing for Quirk’s Media, offers this advice:  “Six questions to ask when you’re considering conducting a health care marketing research study for public release.”

1. “What are the key strategies to help make your project a success? Your study should be newsworthy and the topic should be fresh. It doesn’t need to be a new idea but could be a new way of looking at an issue, such as identifying gaps in perceptions about living with a condition among patients and health care providers not previously explored. Do your homework to avoid redundancy and identify information not addressed in currently available research.”

2. “Who should I involve from my organization?  When research is done for public release it needs to be carefully designed and aligned with your key business objectives. Thus, it is essential you give all relevant stakeholders a seat at the table.”

3. “Who are you trying to influence with your research to make your product launch successful?  Are these consumers or patients? Or are you trying to reach health care professionals (HCPs)or payers? This information can help guide the content of the survey and the choice of channel for distributing the information.”

4. “Who is your survey audience? Determine the best source of this information – patients, family members/caregivers, HCPs, payers, hospital administrators, policy makers, employers, etc.”

5. “How do I develop a study that yields robust results? Bigger samples are generally better for general population consumer research. Larger, stratified sample sizes help ensure generalizability and allow for subgroup analysis. Keep in mind three key areas when designing your survey: Awareness can test knowledge and bust long-standing myths. Attitudes include feelings, emotions, and opinions. Actions are behaviors, experiences and intentions. Ask the survey questions in an unbiased and straight-forward manner.”

6. What is the best way to disseminate this information?  Your choice  is typically driven by the audience you are trying to influence. Press releases can be very effective for consumers as they are intended to generate media attention and be distributed to a general audience.”

Click the image to read more.

Doing Publicly Disseminated Health-Related Research Properly
 

Where Cancer Rates Are Highest

Today, we look at cancer rates by country.

Yesterday, we cited some interesting cancer facts. Now, let’s look at cancer rates by country. And there are some surprises!

As reported by Evan Comen for 24/7 Wall Street:

“About 1 in every 6 deaths on the planet is due to cancer, the second leading cause of death worldwide. In the United States alone, the cost of cancer care amounts to approximately $157 billion in medical expenditures per year. As the global population ages, the prevalence of cancer is likely to increase. So will the costs of care as more advanced, expensive treatments become the medical standard.”

“Correlated with factors like age, income, and health behaviors, the incidence of cancer varies heavily around the world. The quality of medical treatment and access to health care is worse in poorer, developing nations. Yet, age is the main risk factor for cancer. And many countries with high incidence of cancer are wealthy, developed nations with high life expectancy.”

“To determine the countries with the highest incidence of new cancer cases, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the estimated age-adjusted new cancer diagnosis rates for 185 countries in 2018 with data from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.”

Here are the ten countries with the highest cancer rates in this analysis [Note: These countries have high life expectancies, and thus, many older residents.]:

  1. Australia — cancer diagnosis rate = 468.0 new cases per 100,000 people; life expectancy at birth = 82.5 years.
  2. New Zealand— cancer diagnosis rate = 438.1 new cases per 100,000 people; life expectancy at birth = 81.6 years.
  3. Ireland— cancer diagnosis rate = 373.7 new cases per 100,000 people;
    life expectancy at birth = 81.6 years.
  4. Hungary — cancer diagnosis rate = 368.1 new cases per 100,000 people; life expectancy at birth = 75.6 years.
  5. United States — cancer diagnosis rate = 352.2 new cases per 100,000 people; life expectancy at birth = 78.7 years.
  6.  Belgium — cancer diagnosis rate = 345.8 new cases per 100,000 people; life expectancy at birth = 81.0 years.
  7. France— cancer diagnosis rate = 344.1 new cases per 100,000 people; life expectancy at birth = 82.3 years.
  8. Denmark — cancer diagnosis rate = 340.4 new cases per 100,000 people; life expectancy at birth = 80.7 years.
  9. Norway — cancer diagnosis rate = 337.8 new cases per 100,000 people; life expectancy at birth = 82.5 years.
  10. Netherlands — cancer diagnosis rate = 334.1 new cases per 100,000 people; life expectancy at birth = 81.5 years.

Click the image of Croatia to see the other 15 countries on 24/7 Wall St.’s list.

Where Cancer Rates Are Highest

 

In Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Learn more about breast cancer!!

As we know, October is a very important time for for spreading breast cancer awareness. Thus, this post is in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Let us start with one important resource, the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Click the image to access the site.

In Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

 

Now, we turn to the breast cancer section of the American Cancer Society:

“Whether you or a loved one are worried about developing breast cancer, have just been diagnosed, are going through breast cancer treatment, or are trying to stay well after treatment, this detailed information can help you find the answers you need.”

Click on the image below to learn more about the actual facts of breast cancer, instead of the

“Disproven or Controversial Breast Cancer Risk Factors. There are many factors that research has shown are not linked to breast cancer. You may see information online or hear about these disproven or controversial risk factors, but it’s important to learn the facts.”

In Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Good News Network

The Good News Network runs a nonprofit Web site dedicated to GOOD News.

The Good News Network runs a nonprofit Web site dedicated to GOOD News. As it notes: “From its beginnings, the Web site [in 1997] has been a clearinghouse for the gathering and dissemination of positive news stories from around the globe, confirming what people already know — that good news itself is not in short supply; the broadcasting of it is.”

 

Among Good News Network’s sub-sites are these:

 

Regularly Have Health Exams

What exactly should we be be tested for? To answer that question, we again turn to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Many of know that we should have regular health exams. But what exactly should we be be tested for? To answer that question, we again turn to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to the CDC: “It’s time to take charge of your health! Schedule an appointment with your health care provider to discuss what screenings and exams you need and when you need them.”

What Health Services are Recommended?

These links provide information about key exams, screenings, and vaccinations:

 

And these links provide tools to help prepare for your next appointment.

 

Clinical Cancer Advances 2018

Each year, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) publishes a report on cancer research advances. The FREE 2018 edition of the report is now available. See below.

Each year, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) publishes a report on cancer research advances. The FREE 2018 edition of the report is now available. See below.

As ASCO notes:

“Cancer is one of the world’s most pressing health care challenges, with more than 14 million people receiving a cancer diagnosis each year. Thanks to investment and progress in cancer research, people today are living longer with this disease than ever before. Clinical Cancer Advances 2018 highlights the most impactful research advances and policy developments of the past year and previews where cancer science is headed. The report was developed under the direction a 20-person editorial board of experts in different oncology sub-specialties, as well as cancer prevention, quality of care, health disparities, and tumor biology.”

“Clinical Cancer Advances 2018 was supported, in part, by funds from Conquer Cancer’s Mission Endowment. This report is also published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.”

Click the image to access the full 60-page report.

Clinical Cancer Advances 2018

Are YOU Sleeping Well Enough

It’s been drilled into most of us from an early age. “Be sure to get enough sleep.” But do we get adequate sleep? Today, we look at the effects of sleep on our bodies and tips about sleeping.

It’s been drilled into most of us from an early age. “Be sure to get enough sleep.” But do we get adequate sleep? Today, we look at the effects of sleep on our bodies and tips about sleeping.

As Olivia DeLong writes for Sharecare:

“It’s a fact: Americans have trouble with sleep.  According to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2018 Sleep Health Index, which is done quarterly, 41 percent of Americans said that poor or insufficient sleep had affected their daily activities at least once in the preceding seven days.”

“And when it comes to the type of trouble many of us are experiencing, sleep expert and clinical psychologist Michael Breus, PhD, thinks that most people deal with either acute or long-term sleep deprivation as opposed to complete sleep deprivation. In other words, most people are getting less than the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night over the course of one or more days rather than not getting any sleep at all.”

“The lack of sleep affects everyone differently.  And researchers don’t fully understand the short- and long-term effects of too little sleep. But the benefits of regular sleep are very much understood. Dr. Breus says there are three different areas of concern when we talk about sleep deprivation after acute or long-term sleep deprivation: emotional, physical, and cognitive. Here’s what you can expect after one or more nights of poor sleep—plus what you can do to improve your sleep.”

Click the image to view a slide show.

Are YOU Sleeping Well Enough