Debunking American Nutrition Myths

Darya Pino of Summer Tomato (an amazing blog with lots of health and nutrition information) promoted this video. It's amazing -- Dr. Lustig of UC San Francisco debunks popular nutrition myths, particularly related to sugar consumption by tying together the science of public health, nutrition, and biochemistry.



Hope you enjoy!

Mammography Guidelines Revisited

Reaction to the updated mammography guidelines -- see previous posts on the topic -- from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a panel of experts charged with determining guidelines for cancer screening, has reached partisan proportions. Republicans are trending toward outrage and Democrats sympathy.

World Aids Day: Youth Finding a Voice

Today is World AIDS Day. I read an article in the Huffington Post written by a graduate of Harvard School of Public Health, Rena Greifinger, and some colleagues about the impact of HIV on youth. She discusses a global phenomenon that

"Young people 10 to 24 years old make up one of the most vulnerable, yet historically overlooked populations affected by the HIV pandemic."

But brings the issue close to home -- 330 young people currently living in Massachusetts were infected with HIV at birth.

While the numbers seem small, the stigma surrounding life with HIV/AIDS lends a heavy burden to those affected, their friends and family.

Read the article, it's short, it's personal, and it's inspiring.

House of Hope Holiday Cards For Sale!

This past summer I traveled to Nicaragua and Costa Rica to meet with organizations that were trying to help women leave prostitution and that were providing health, education, and other services to women and girls would had been exploited sexually. One of the organizations that I spent the most time at was House of Hope (see my first blog post on my experience).

One of the weekly House of Hope activities is a large group activity where women come from around the city to make greeting and holiday cards each Tuesday. I brought home a bag full of cards to sell here in the States and am hoping that some of you might be interested in buying a pack or two.

Sampling of Christmas/Holiday Cards

Each pack contains 10 cards and envelopes and has been handmade by women, young and old, who are seeking an alternative to prostitution and an opportunity to hear about God and Jesus. Some of the cards use recycled paper that is made right at House of Hope, as well. I'm selling each pack of cards for $6 or two packs for $12, all of the money will go directly to House of Hope.

You can let me know if you prefer to buy Christmas, holiday, or greeting (thank you, happy birthday, even wedding!) cards. House of Hope has pictures of all the Christmas cards and the messages inside or click here for pictures of other greeting cards. I will check my stock if you are interested in a particular design.

Sampling of Birthday/Wedding Cards

House of Hope relies on generous giving in order to provide shelter and free education and health services to the children and families that live at their residential site. When I was there most of the bodegas (homes) were full, but they were unable to expand because they need a committed sponsor before allowing another family to join them.

If you are in the Boston area and interested in buying cards, please comment to the post or send me an email. If you would like me to send you cards somewhere else in the US, contact me, and we can try to work something out!

Sampling of Thank You & Blank Cards

Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy this holiday season!

Making Mammography Screening Guidelines: Two approaches

So how did the "experts" at the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) come up with the "new" mammography guidelines, anyway?

As you read in yesterday's post, the decision was based primarily (or fully) on the findings from epidemiological data (i.e. population-level health research, rather than medical case studies, case histories).

While an epidemiologist (...a "social epidemiologist," really) at heart, I am taking a decision sciences class that is completely fascinating and speaks to the pitfall of relying on critical research reviews and other ways to "understand the evidence" in a traditional way. For example, rather having the USPSTF make recommendations based on their understanding of epidemiological literature alone, it could use that literature to inform a decision sciences or decision analysis approach, instead.

Here's what I'm thinking...

So without getting to far into it, here's the basic decision science methodology, as I (a newbie) understand it. You create a lot of "trees" that reflect the probability of a particular outcome for a decision that you may make. For example, you can model the survival (the outcome) of a woman with breast cancer that receives a mammogram every year (decision #1) versus a woman that receives a mammogram every two years (decision #2). You can determine how survival is difference given certain predisposing characteristics (or risk factors -- family history of breast cancer, for example) and also consider what her survival would be if she tests positive and truly has breast cancer, as well as if she tests positive and does not have breast cancer.

There are problems with this approach, of course -- for example, if you are basing your decisions off of faulty probabilities or inaccurate scientific data. Nonetheless, decision analysis is well poised to deal with issues related to testing (or screening, such as mammography) where receiving a false positive result (you are told you have the disease when you really don't) is common or when a false negative result (you are told you don't have the disease when you really have it) is common.

I doubt USPSTF used a decision analysis approach given what I've read on their website. What do you think about it? Should we move in a decision analysis direction or should the traditional epidemiological approach be sufficient to make these public health decisions?

Now I get to complete my decision sciences mid-term. Yippee!

Mammography Screening Myths Exposed

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released "new" mammogram guidelines this week. The guidelines have received major backlash from the American Cancer Society and many cancer survivors.

Below is are some of the mammography screening myths floating around:

It's Del-i-CIOUS!

If you haven't noticed my posts on Delicious.com (linked on the sidebar to the right) you should check it out. Many of the posts are discussed in the Veritas Health blog, but many more of the bookmarks reference websites and news articles that I have never gotten to writing about.

Are you on Delicious? If so, I'd love to join your network. Just let me know!