Heart disease and cancer are the top two causes of death in the United States. Are preventable medical errors the third? According to one estimate, as many as 440,000 patients who are hospitalized each year suffer some type of preventable harm that contributes to their death. Bedside shift report (BSR) […]
Ann Purchase
40 posts
American girls are reaching puberty at significantly younger ages than their mothers and grandmothers. For Caucasian girls in the United States, the average age at which puberty begins has been declining steadily for decades. Notably, however, the most dramatic decrease occurred between 1997 and 2011 and consisted of girls entering […]
Did you know that there are almost 100,000 health apps for smartphones? By 2017, they’ll be a $26 billion industry. When coupled with sensors, there are apps that track your eating habits, apps that remind you to sit up straight, and apps that (supposedly) make you smarter. Brain games are […]
Hearing loss is the most common sensory disability. It affects people of all ages, but often remains undiagnosed or improperly managed. For both children and adults, this fact can have serious consequences. For health care providers, recognizing hearing loss in patients is an important first step. Communicating with hearing impaired […]
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – and also the most stressful. The holiday season is upon us, and so are activities like shopping for gifts and baking desserts. Finding the time to exercise can be challenging, and the choices we make about eating and drinking can leave […]
Mass shootings happen far too often, but have there been too few to allow for statistical modeling and predictability? Whenever such a tragedy occurs, politicians and the media reinforce popular perceptions about the causes of gun-related violence. Yet statements that are accurate in particular instances aren’t universal truths. The relationship […]