Living Well

10 Million Women Who Lack Cervix Get Pap Tests

Women who have had hysterectomies in which the cervix is removed are still getting Pap tests which look for cancer of the cervix. This can lead to false positives.

The New York Times > Health > 10 Million Women Who Lack Cervix Get Pap Tests

Liposuction Doesn't Help Health, Study Finds

Getting rid of fat through Liposuction does not improve your health like losing fat though exercise and dieting does.

The New York Times > Health > Liposuction Doesn't Help Health, Study Finds

Routine Episiotomies Not so Routine Any More

The advantages and disadvantage of episiotomies have been greatly debated, however current thinking is that they have been often administered unnecessarily. The good news is that they are being administred less often now. According to this article,
"during the years 1983 to 2000, the overall episiotomy rate fell from 69.6 percent of all vaginal births in 1983 to 19.4 percent in 2000" at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.

Routine Episiotomies Not so Routine Any More

Kids' Obesity May Be Worse Than Thought

According to this article, Kids' Obesity May Be Worse Than Thought , 40% of Arkansas' children are overweight. If that trend holds across the US, then the situation is much worse than previously thought. Researchers thought 30% of American children were overweight.

Tell the Doctor All Your Problems, but Keep It to Less Than a Minute

This New York Times article, Tell the Doctor All Your Problems, but Keep It to Less Than a Minute, sites patient/doctor communication as one of the main causes for poor health care. While it doesn't give you, the patient, a handy "how-to communicate" list, it does emphasize asking lots of questions and making sure you understand everything, even if the doctor cuts you off after 18 seconds. (That's the average time doctors listen before interrupting their patients!)