Smoking cessation initiatives notwithstanding, along with provocative public health campaigns and clinical guidance, quitting tobacco has remained elusive for many smokers. The American Thoracic Society’s new clinical practice guideline on treatment for tobacco dependence in adults addresses how clinicians may deal with patients’ reluctance to quit, one of a number of issues not previously assessed in the older guidelines.
Author: bkellaway
Alcoholics Anonymous vs. Other Approaches: The Evidence Is Now In
An updated review shows it performs better than some other common treatments and is less expensive.
By Austin Frakt and Aaron E. Carroll
Published on March 11, 2020 in The New York Times
For a long time, medical researchers were unsure whether Alcoholics Anonymous worked better than other approaches to treating people with alcohol use disorder. In 2006, a review of the evidence concluded we didn’t have enough evidence to judge.
That has changed.
An updated systematic review published by the Cochrane Collaboration found that AA leads to increased rates and lengths of abstinence compared with other common treatments. On other measures, like drinks per day, it performs as well as approaches provided by individual therapists or doctors who don’t rely on AA’s peer connections.
What changed? In short, the latest review incorporates more and better evidence. The research is based on an analysis of 27 studies involving 10,565 participants.
The 2006 Cochrane Collaboration review was based on just eight studies, and ended with a call for more research to assess the program’s efficacy. In the intervening years, researchers answered the call. The newer review also applied standards that weeded out some weaker studies that drove earlier findings.
In the last decade or so, researchers have published a number of very high-quality randomized trials and quasi-experiments. Of the 27 studies in the new review, 21 have randomized designs. Together, these flip the conclusion.
“These results demonstrate AA’s effectiveness in helping people not only initiate but sustain abstinence and remission over the long term,” said the review’s lead author, John F. Kelly, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and director of the Recovery Research Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital. “The fact that AA is free and so widely available is also good news.”
“It’s the closest thing in public health we have to a free lunch.”
Studies generally show that other treatments might result in about 15 percent to 25 percent of people who remain abstinent. With AA, it’s somewhere between 22 percent and 37 percent (specific findings vary by study). Although AA may be better for many people, other approaches can work, too. And, as with any treatment, it doesn’t work perfectly all the time.
Rigorous study of programs like Alcoholics Anonymous is challenging because people self-select into them. Those who do so may be more motivated to abstain from drinking than those who don’t.
Unless a study is carefully designed, its results can be driven by who participates, not by what the program does. Even randomized trials can succumb to bias from self-selection if people assigned to AA don’t attend, and if people assigned to the control group do. (It may go without saying, but we’ll say it: It would be unethical to prevent people in a control group from attending Alcoholics Anonymous if they wanted to.)
Despite these challenges, some high-quality randomized trials of Alcoholics Anonymous have been conducted in recent years. One, published in the journal Addiction, found that those who were randomly assigned to a 12-step-based directive AA approach, and were supported in their participation, attended more meetings and exhibited a greater degree of abstinence, compared with those in the other treatment groups. Likewise, other randomized studies found that greater Alcoholics Anonymous participation is associated with greater alcohol abstinence.
Alcoholics Anonymous is often paired with other kinds of treatment that encourage engagement with it. “For people already in treatment, if they add AA to it, their outcomes are superior than those who just get treatment without AA,” said Keith Humphreys, a Stanford University professor and co-author of the new Cochrane review.
Alcoholics Anonymous not only produced higher rates of abstinence and remission, but it also did so at a lower cost, the Cochrane review found. AA meetings are free to attend. Other treatments, especially those that use the health care system, are more expensive.
One study found that compared with Alcoholics Anonymous participants, those who received cognitive behavioral treatments had about twice as many outpatient visits — as well as more inpatient care — that cost just over $7,000 per year more in 2018 dollars. (Cognitive behavioral treatments help people analyze, understand and modify their drinking behavior and its context.)
Another study found that for each additional AA meeting attended, health care costs fell by almost 5 percent, mostly a result of fewer days spent in the hospital and fewer psychiatric visits.
AA meetings are ubiquitous and frequent, with no appointment needed – you just show up. The bonds formed from the shared challenge of addiction – building trust and confidence in a group setting – may be a key ingredient to help people stay on the road to recovery.
Worldwide, alcohol misuse and dependence are responsible for 3.3 million deaths per year, 10 times the number of fatalities from all illicit drugs combined.
In the United States, alcohol is a larger killer than other drugs; accounts for the majority of all addiction treatment cases; and is responsible for at least $250 billion per year in lost productivity and costs related to crime, incarceration and health care. Moreover, American deaths related to alcohol more than doubled between 1999 and 2017.
Reducing the human and financial burdens of alcohol is an often overlooked public health priority, and the new evidence suggests that on balance one of the oldest solutions — Alcoholics Anonymous has been around almost 85 years — is still the better one.
Austin Frakt is director of the Partnered Evidence-Based Policy Resource Center at the V.A. Boston Healthcare System; associate professor with Boston University’s School of Public Health; and a senior research scientist with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Aaron E. Carroll is a professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute who blogs on health research and policy at The Incidental Economist and makes videos at Healthcare Triage. He is the author of “The Bad Food Bible: How and Why to Eat Sinfully.”
The post Alcoholics Anonymous vs. Other Approaches: The Evidence Is Now In first appeared on AA Agnostica.
Agnostics and the AA Program
By Witek D.
We agnostics and atheistic members of AA are sometimes criticized for changing the content of the 12 Steps. It’s partly true, but we MUST do it! We have to do this in order to stay in AA and to implement its program honestly.
We modify the content of only those Steps that are “impassable to us”. Let’s take, for example, Step 7: “Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.” “Him,” written with a capital letter, means an extraterrestrial being, a God, who intervenes in people’s lives, removes defects, heals alcoholism and other diseases, according to his unfathomable will.
Well, agnostics, atheists, freethinkers, skeptics, liberal humanists, however we may call ourselves, do not believe in such a God.
This step, in its original form, is impossible for us to make. We can pretend that we practice it as written, cheat ourselves and others, or omit it. Both ways are incompatible with honesty, which we clearly should regard as an essential element of a sober life. What is wrong with the content of Step 7 in this secular version: “With humility and openness of mind we are looking for a way to eliminate our shortcomings”? Doesn’t it sound sensible? It contains the humanistic belief that we people are personally responsible for our lives, and we can and must face our flaws.
We take personal responsibility but that has nothing to do with isolation. We want to benefit from the help and support of other people, AA groups and the entire fellowship. We don’t believe that SOMEONE will do it for us, but someone, in the sense of other people, can help us. We avoid magical thinking that “God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves” if only we pray long enough. We know that all AA is saturated with such theistic thinking, but we accept the right of all people to believe – or not believe – as they wish. At the same time, we are asking the traditional majority in AA to accept our disbelief in such solutions.
An acceptance that will allow us to feel fully like members of AA.
We want to be part of AA as its secular, liberal, minority stream. We think that together we could help more still suffering alcoholics. Acceptance, however, means more than just saying “you have the right to exist.” It is also an opportunity to organize secular AA meetings, to publish literature written by agnostics, and to make the necessary modifications to the 12 Steps enabling us to implement this program realistically.
So far, we agnostics in Poland have only one online meeting and no official literature, but we want to believe that alterations are possible. When? Time will show.
Recently I heard from one of the members: perhaps, instead of changing Steps, you could change your views? It would be safer. Really? This is my answer: It is probably easier to die when you believe that something will be there later, so that many of us, confronted with the end of our existence, would choose to convert to a religion. It’s very human and understandable.
On the other hand, it seems more honest and brave to be able to say: I am responsible for my life, for my good and bad deeds. I don’t blame anyone for anything. I don’t believe that “someone” will heal me from alcoholism, but also don’t accuse that “someone” of all the terrible evil that has happened in the world and still happens.
But what about life after death? I think that very few reasonable people believe in a heaven in which we will meet our loved ones and live forever. In happiness and joy, singing songs praising the Creator. Maybe I’m wrong? I don’t believe in it anyway.
Stephen Hawking
The two greatest scientists of the last 100 years, Albert Einstein and Steven Hawking, wrote that from the first nanosecond of the Big Bang almost all further history of the universe is known and follows precisely the rules of physics. There is no sign of any interference from God. The question is, who caused this first explosion and who planned it all? Here is a place for a higher power incomprehensible to our human mind which provided an impulse to start, but that’s it: no subsequent interference in the fate of the world and people’s lives. No particular intervention in our deeds and no requirement for prayers or specific behaviors. Agnostics, like Einstein, Hawking or me, can believe in such kind of power.
Summarizing, I consider myself an agnostic, and I think I would like to stay in this position. Another bonus of being an unbeliever is the real pleasure that comes from reading articles shared by other unbelievers and posted by AA Agnostica.
Witek D., 61 years old, has been sober since December 27, 1994. He has been living in a small town in the middle of Poland, where he attends his home group, “Compass”. For several months he also has had another home group: ”AA in AA”, “Agnostics and Atheists in AA” (an online meeting).
Active in AA service at all levels, in the years 2009-2013 he was a member of the Polish Board of Trustees. Witek openly talks about his agnostic views and just like Albert Einstein, he considers “The idea of a personal God is a childlike one… which I cannot take seriously”. He is concerned with the fate of agnostics and atheists in AA, tries to translate into Polish some articles from AA Agnostica and sends them to fellows potentially working on their recovery and includes them on the Polish website: AAwAA (In English: Agnostics and Atheists in AA). He attended the International Conference of Secular AA in Toronto in 2018.
The post Agnostics and the AA Program first appeared on AA Agnostica.
New Study Explains What Causes Infertility in Women
Infertility in women affects a large number of relationships around the world and one of the primary factors that influence the ability of a person to procreate is age. Infertility is the inability to get pregnant and instead of a deficiency, it is considered as a disease all over the world. Approximately, one of every eight U.S couples is attempting to get pregnant or keep up a pregnancy.
In the course of the most recent six years, a group of Estonian geneticists drove by Associate Professor Agne Velthut-Meikas and Ph.D. student Ilmatar Rooda from the TalTech Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology have analyzed genes previously related basically with female hormone synthesis and ovarian follicle improvement. The findings propose that these genes may play a more complex role in oocyte development than previously accepted
Bidirectional communication i.e. signaling must happen between the cells in the ovary for the generation of a new life and oocyte maturation. A small filled sac called follicle where an oocyte resides ruptures at ovulation and release the oocyte into the oviduct.
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For oocyte maturation and its release from the follicle, the follicle, and the oocyte cells i.e. granulosa cells encompassing it must exchange signals with one another over a specific timeframe. Some hormones are also produced by these granulosa cells that are important for effective adherence of the embryo to the uterus wall and the survival of early pregnancy.
Some common causes of infertility in women are endometriosis, implantation failure, problems with the menstrual cycle, structural problems of the reproductive system, failure of an egg to mature properly, infections, and failure to ovulate.
Velthut-Meikas, an associate Professor says that in addition to other things, the production and working of two proteins in ovarian granulosa cells are required. These significant proteins are aromatase and the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR). FSHR gets the signal of a follicle-stimulation hormone from the pituitary organ, prompting the growth of ovarian follicle and proliferation of granulosa cells.
The present study demonstrates that these genes are produced besides the small RNA molecules (microRNAs) and the hitherto known proteins which after binding to their target genes, determine if these genes assume their expected role in a cell. The microRNA targets are responsible for crucial infertility in women.
In this way, the previously mentioned proteins, already undescribed short microRNA atoms are from aromatase and FSHR genes. The microRNA targets got from the FSHR gene assume basic roles in activating the oocyte maturation and ovarian follicle development. The microRNA targets derived from the aromatase gene are associated with initiating changes in the ovarian tissue required for the process of ovulation.
Both microRNAs probably regulate the functioning of different tissues including mammary glands, the endometrium, adipose tissue, etc and the synthesis of steroid hormones in the ovary.
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Agne Velthut-Meikas says that these study findings are helpful because they provide completely new information on how ovaries function. This information is extremely valuable for diagnosing the reasons for infertility in women and finding new treatment options for them.
Another highly topical issue is the fertility of cancer patients and everyone around the globe is trying to preserve its ripeness. This includes a process where some portion of the patient’s gonad tissue is frozen before chemotherapy that demolishes the follicles. So, women can conceive their biological children after treatment. The way toward continuing oocyte development from frozen tissue should be studied more.
The post New Study Explains What Causes Infertility in Women appeared first on Spark Health MD.
Applying Buddhism in Addiction Recovery
The Buddhist philosophy, as exemplified by (its) eight points, could be literally adopted by AA as a substitute for or in addition to the Twelve Steps. Generosity, universal love and welfare of others rather than considerations of self are basic to Buddhism.
Akron Pamphlet, “Spiritual Milestones in Alcoholics Anonymous”, edited by Dr. Bob, 1940
By Dale Vernor
Originally posted on I Am Sober
Craving. It’s the one word that can sum up the debilitating condition known as addiction. Regardless of the myriad of reasons people may put up to explain their unhealthy obsession, the root cause always lies in an inordinate need – an excessive desire for something they think can make them happy or fill up an empty void in their lives.
In the case of substance abuse, the focal point of a person’s addiction is usually drugs, alcohol, and the like.
Addiction is destructive. It does not fulfill lives, it ruins them instead.
Buddhism in Addiction Recovery
While typical treatment of drug and alcohol addiction is often largely secular in nature, there are also those which are largely anchored on faith. These faith-based drug rehabilitation programs can either cater to a specific religious group, or they can be non-denominational in nature (a good example would be 12-Step Programs). Notwithstanding slight variations, these programs all espouse a similar concept: that people can cure their addiction with the assistance of a higher power.
This brings us now to Buddhism. Call it a religion, a philosophy, a way of life, or whatever, but it cannot be denied that its teachings translate very well insofar as knowing the origin of, and treating addiction.
Also known as the Middle Way, Buddhism teaches the virtue of moderation – that a truly happy life is one that is lived midway between excessive indulgence and extreme asceticism.
For people who want to curb their addiction for good, you’re not required to be a Buddhist to practice and benefit from its teachings. Just knowing and following the main principles – especially the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path – can definitely help you in your road towards an addiction-free life.
The Four Noble Truths of Suffering (and its Cure)
The central tenet of Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths, can be basically summed up thus:
- Suffering exists;
- The cause of suffering is selfish and ignorant desire;
- There is a way to end that suffering; and
- Following the Noble Eightfold Path can bring an end to the suffering.
According to the Buddha, a person who does not overcome his worldly desires is doomed to repeat his unhappy existence through an endless cycle of death and rebirth – a condition known as samsara.
However, once that person reaches enlightenment – that is, he truly knows the cause of his suffering and sweeps away all material attachments – he ends his cycle and attains nirvana, which is the state of enlightenment and true happiness.
For people suffering from an addiction, the simple truth that can be gleaned from the Buddha’s teaching is this: Unless they put an end to their desire for alcohol or drugs, they will continue their own cycle of suffering towards destruction.
The Noble Eightfold Path: A Cure to Suffering
Sharing his secret to enlightenment with his followers, the Buddha emphasized eight steps a person should follow and practice if he wishes to attain nirvana. Known as the Noble Eightfold Path, this collective set of teachings can help those who want to free themselves from the endless cycle of suffering, death, and rebirth.
The 8 steps can be basically summarized as:
- Right understanding
- Right thought
- Right speech
- Right conduct or
- Right livelihood
- Right effort
- Right mindfulness
- Right focus
Steps One and Two build up wisdom.
Steps Three, Four, and Five improve mental conduct, virtue, and morality.
Steps Six, Seven, and Eight help develop mental discipline.
Put together, these steps help create a mentally strong, upright, and disciplined individual.
Relevance of the Eight Steps to Addiction Treatment
For a person suffering from an addiction, the steps can serve as helpful tools in his treatment and rehabilitation.
Through Steps 1 and 2, the person can begin to fully understand the cause of his addiction and commit to healing himself.
Through Steps 3, 4, and 5, the person can make the needed adjustments to his lifestyle and activities.
Through Steps 6, 7, and 8, person is able to know the dangers of relapsing and conscientiously chooses not to stray from the right path anymore.
Takeaway
Again, you are not required to be a Buddhist to apply the Eightfold Path to your treatment. So long as it (and the other teachings of Buddhism) can help you, then by all means practice them constantly.
According to Buddhist lore, the Buddha often emphasized that the end of suffering begins when one admits his imperfections and takes the necessary steps to rectify them.
Hence, admitting you have a problem is a bold first step towards recovery. While the journey may be long and harsh, so long as you keep going and never give up, then you’re already halfway towards your goal. Once you totally free your body and mind from addiction forever, then you will definitely have attained your nirvana.
Dale Vernor is a writer and researcher in the fields of mental health and substance abuse. After a battle with addiction Dale was able to find sobriety and become the first in his family to earn a Bachelor’s degree. Dale enjoys writing about mental health and addiction so that more people can understand these highly stigmatized issues. When not working you can find Dale at your local basketball court.
We have posted a number of articles about Buddhism and recovery on AA Agnostica. Here are previous ones:
Buddhist Precept: Intoxicants Cloud the Mind (April 7, 2019)
Recovery – What’s Buddhism Got to Do With it? (March 27, 2019)
Buddhist Recovery Summit (August 6, 2017)
A Buddhist Path to Recovery (March 24, 2016)
The Buddha and Bill W. (March 11, 2015)
AA as “stealth Buddhism” (December 14, 2014)
Buddhism and the 12 Steps (July 16, 2014)
A Buddhist’s Views on AA (August 4, 2013)
The post Applying Buddhism in Addiction Recovery first appeared on AA Agnostica.
President Putin hosted a Mask free Victory Parade to Boost Approval Ratings
Forgetting about Russia’s ongoing battle against covid19 President Putin celebrated the country’s victory against Nazi 75 years ago. He presided over a huge mask free victory parade that included thousands of soldiers without facemasks ignoring coronavirus pandemic.
Thousands of Russian people turned out to celebrate the annual celebration of the Russian army defeating the Nazis but only a few of them remembered that Russia is the third most affected country by the coronavirus pandemic with more than 600,000 cases as they ignored social distancing and wearing masks.
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The parade was initially scheduled on 9TH of May, a festive annual holiday which they call as Victory day. The outbreak of the virus delayed it for 6 weeks. The virus is still growing in Russia with nearly 614000 cases and 8600 deaths, though its spread is slowed.
Veterans aged between the 80s and 90s attended the celebration at which 14000 soldiers marched to martial music in tight formations. Nearly all of these veterans forgot about masks and ongoing pandemic.
So how did the veterans defy the virus? Well according to Mr. Putin 28 of those veterans spent more than 14 days in quarantine at a place outside Moscow.
Mr. Putin was hoping that this celebration will lift the mood of his country. The coronavirus pandemic has reduced his approval rating to an all-time low. By celebrating victory day Mr. Putin was surely looking to undo some of the damage the pandemic has done to his rating.
Some of the world leaders were planning to attend the celebration in May before it was moved. Among those were President of France Emmanuel Macron, President of Serbia, Alexander Vucic, and the leaders of Moldova and Belarus.
India and China, looking for Russia’s support due to their recent clashes in the border region of Ladakh, sent some of their leaders and soldiers. China sent the biggest foreign contingent.
Some critics were wary that Mr. President is gambling with the health of the public to gather more votes for his future. The voting will begin on Thursday that could give Putin the presidency of Russia till 2036 if he wins of course.
Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, requested the public to watch the parade on their TV screens instead of coming out as they usually do. But tens of thousands ignored his request and went out anyway. The gathering was still smaller than the usual.
One of the residents who ignored the request of the mayor said she went out to watch the parade as it was much more interesting to see it live.
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Russia reported around 7500 cases on Thursday which is still less than a daily count of 10000 in May, but the public officials are concerned as the battle with coronavirus pandemic is still not over.
The risks of the spread of coronavirus can be estimated by the fact that two of the official delegates traveling from Kyrgyzstan were tested positive for the virus. The Kyrgyz President who was with them stayed away from the parade.
Whether this mask free victory parade was a wise move or not. The outcomes of Mr. president’s celebration in times of coronavirus pandemic will be here in a few weeks.
The post President Putin hosted a Mask free Victory Parade to Boost Approval Ratings appeared first on Spark Health MD.
Trump Says that Americans Hate Wearing a Mask to Prevent Coronavirus
The U.S President Trump is again in news for claiming that Americans hate face masks. For them, wearing a mask to prevent coronavirus infection is not the reason for wearing it. They wear it to tell that they disapprove of wearing it in public and they hate it.
This new statement by the American President is quite contrary to the recommendations shared by the Centres for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC). As to CDC, wearing a mask is one of the biggest tools to prevent catching the deadly virus which has infected millions of people worldwide.
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Trump says that it is observant from their gestures that they disapprove of wearing it. They take it off from their faces and touch their nose, mouth, and eyes after it. And still, when they end up at a hospital, they ask, how did they get coronavirus?
Trump shared this during his recent interview with The Wall Street Journal.
CDC has warned all public to wear any type of face mask even the cloth mask to prevent catching the infection. In addition to this, it has recommended the following social distancing by avoiding large gatherings and standing close to the people in public.
Medical experts warn that coronavirus has a high community-based transmission rate. Still, people are not using a face mask to prevent coronavirus.
President Trump who is often in public without a face mask finds these public opinions disturbing. Him condemning this face mask issue while he didn’t wear it during his visit to Ford’s plant in Michigan are quite opposite to each other.
Upon asking him this same question, he said that he was wearing a face mask to prevent coronavirus. It’s just that he didn’t want media to see it so he removed it. before this visit, two weeks ago Trump was also spotted not wearing a mask during a tour of Arizona Honeywell plant.
Despite the public anger and opposition, the CDC still recommends using a face mask to prevent coronavirus. It is not just for individual safety but also saves other people from catching the virus.
Trump, on the other side, says that the US is doing good in managing coronavirus cases. However, there are numerous new cases reported in multiple US states. Coronavirus is a relatively new virus that has no previous information, medicine, or vaccine available.
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The only way to prevent catching the disease is by following the general recommendations. People who are old, feeble, or have an underlying medical condition are at a higher risk. CDC shares that coronavirus is deadly for people 65 years of age or over it.
As to medical conditions; those who have lungs, heart, genetic diseases, obesity, or diabetes are at a significantly higher risk. The coronavirus cases in the US have crossed 2 million, out of which, more than one million have lost their lives.
Social distancing and wearing a mask to prevent coronavirus are things that could help in viral transmission. People have to make sure of following these recommendations for their own safety. Whether or not how wearing a mask feels like, it is still necessary to wear one.
The post Trump Says that Americans Hate Wearing a Mask to Prevent Coronavirus appeared first on Spark Health MD.
British Women delivers a baby in the Toilet, Completely Unaware of her Pregnancy
A 32 years old woman, Grace Meachim from Sussex gave birth to a baby in the toilet completely clueless of her pregnancy. This shocking case came into local news telling an unknown pregnancy while the couple was on contraceptives and all set to get vasectomy later this year.
Grace reports her unbelievable experience when she woke up early morning to use the toilet. She suddenly felt water breaking and contractions and her partner, James called an ambulance. However, before the ambulance arrived, Grace delivered a baby girl at home. The little one named Sienna weights 7lb 5.5oz. Both mother and the baby are doing well.
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Grace is a sales advisor who finds this unbelievable. When she went to use the loo, it was something that she was definitely not expecting. She reports no pain, no cramps nothing throughout this time period.
It is not the first pregnancy of grace. She has three previous pregnancies and knows how it feels. This was so sudden that she was in a deep shock to see what’s coming next ending at giving birth to a baby in the toilet. James is equally surprised on this; sharing his experience that he called for help and told that maybe it is a baby. But Grace was not pregnant so it is uncertain.
All that he can remember is that within seconds he was handing down to get the baby. It was all very fast and it is just like a movie scene, he says. Although it is not something that this couple was expecting they are sure that it would never happen again.
The couple shares that they were on contraception and planning to go for a vasectomy as they don’t want any more kids. Grace shares that she was all set to work extra so that they can file for a home mortgage.
This whole time, Grace felt no pain because she was on strong medicines for her shoulder. There was absolutely no change in her body size and it is still unbelievable how was she pregnant all this time.
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Instead of calling it a problem, the couple says baby Sienna is a “nice surprise”. She would always be a special baby and nothing would change their love for her. The couple is informing their families about the new family member.
Who thought that waking up at 4 am would eventually bring a baby into this world, says Grace. She also tells that even the families are surprised to know it and still processing this new information. The couple has now made this announcement on Facebook for friends and extended family members.
Many people are finding it hard to believe that Grace was pregnant in the first place. May be because she didn’t look pregnant throughout this time. The couple was considering two names Sienna and Alexandra for their newborn daughter. However, the final decision is made by baby’s siblings, Tyler, Jessica, and Blake who chose “Sienna” for their baby sister
The post British Women delivers a baby in the Toilet, Completely Unaware of her Pregnancy appeared first on Spark Health MD.
Trumps Suggests to Stop Coronavirus Testing in America for Reducing Cases
The coronavirus cases in the US are increasing every day and the situation is worse with the ease of shutdown across the country. The economy shattered under the pandemic and many people lost their jobs. But ever since the government announced to reopen the states, coronavirus cases are also increasing.
Recently, President Donald Trump attended a roundtable event in which he addressed the coronavirus situation. He said that the coronavirus cases in the US will reduce if they stopped testing for the virus. Trump also suggested stopping contact tracing of coronavirus patients.
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Previously Trump gave the same remark on coronavirus testing at an occasion. He said the media is maligning their image by reporting the highest coronavirus cases. They have the highest cases of coronavirus in the country because they are doing the highest number of tests. He said that we should reduce our testing during a conversation with Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa.
Trump also said that the media is reporting there are more COVID cases in America than any other country. Also, the cases exceeded coronavirus cases in China. He said that these statements are not true since America is doing more tests than any other country.
Trump commented on the spike in coronavirus cases in many states of the US. The cases surged after the government announced ease in the lockdown. Many states relaxed the preventive guidelines and social distancing in public places.
Johns Hopkins University provided the data for coronavirus cases in the US. Currently, there are 2.1 million cases of coronavirus in the country. Also, the number of fatalities due to this infection reached 116,000.
Initially, the prominent states including New York, California, and Washington were leading in the number of cases. Later, the state governments implemented a strict lockdown policy and shut down most of the businesses. Also, the government ordered the non-essential workers to work from home.
This led to a significant reduction in the number of coronavirus cases in these states. Also, there were fewer fatalities and hospitalization after the lockdown. This shows that the shutdown helped reduce the impact of the coronavirus on these states.
Since these states eased the shutdown and the businesses are reopening gradually, the cases will surge again. The experts predicted that the number of cases will increase as the people will come out of their homes again.
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The cases of coronavirus will also surge due to the Black Lives Matter protests all over the country. The countrywide protests are going on against the killing of George Floyd. People are protesting against the brutality of the police and systemic racism in the country.
An increase in coronavirus infections is seen within the past 15 days. The deputy director of the Rural Health Research Center at the University of Minnesota, Carrie Henning-Smith said that the rural communities will be more affected due to coronavirus. If the coronavirus cases surge again, the rural areas will hit hardest.
These communities usually have more older people with less economic growth. These people also have more underlying health conditions with less health care facilities. Hence, these people will suffer more due to spike in coronavirus cases in the US.
The post Trumps Suggests to Stop Coronavirus Testing in America for Reducing Cases appeared first on Spark Health MD.
Overcoming the Opioid Crisis in the Primary Care Setting
Original post: Newswise - Substance Abuse Overcoming the Opioid Crisis in the Primary Care Setting
Through monitoring and dosing guidelines, provider education and training and better alternatives for patient pain management, medical group reduces monthly average of written pain medicine prescriptions by 20 percent, while the number of providers within the medical group grew by 22 percent and the number of patients grew by 12 percent.