Watch: The Impact of Psychological Abuse on Children

NYPD Officer Talks Man Out of Bridge...More Popular Video'About Face' Explores Beauty Over TimeJames Holmes Sent Notebook to PsychiatristWas Robert Pattinson About to Propose to...HBO Examines Modeling In 'About Face'James Holmes' Notebook Reveals Shooting...In The NewsU.S.PoliticsEntertainmentWeird and WackyBreaking NewsColo. Suspect Charged With 24 Counts of MurderThe Impact of Psychological Abuse on Children Dr. Kate Eshleman says psychological abuse can have a physical and mental impact on children. 00:44

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Watch: Ebola Outbreak: Deadly Virus Spreads in Uganda

NYPD Officer Talks Man Out of Bridge...More Popular Video'About Face' Explores Beauty Over TimeJames Holmes Sent Notebook to PsychiatristWas Robert Pattinson About to Propose to...HBO Examines Modeling In 'About Face'James Holmes' Notebook Reveals Shooting...In The NewsU.S.PoliticsEntertainmentWeird and WackyBreaking NewsColo. Suspect Charged With 24 Counts of MurderEbola Outbreak: Deadly Virus Spreads in UgandaHealth officials confirmed that the virus has killed at least 14 people.00:20

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No evidence that sex spoils sport

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Booze, Energy Drinks, Casual Sex Combo Common in College: Study

HealthDay – 1 hr 7 mins ago MONDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. college students who drink caffeinated energy drinks mixed with alcohol are more likely to have casual sex, which is often risky sex, a new study finds.

Drinks such as Red Bull & vodka, and Jagerbombs (energy drinks combined with a shot of Jagermeister), rank among the best-selling mixed drinks in bars and clubs serving college-age adults, according to background information in the report.

The study, published online in the Journal of Caffeine Research, included about 650 students at a large public university. Their ages ranged from 18 to 40, but more than 60 percent of them were younger than 21.

The University at Buffalo researchers found that more than 29 percent of the sexually active participants said they had consumed alcohol mixed with energy drinks in the previous month.

During their most recent sexual encounter, about 45 percent of the participants had a casual partner, 25 percent were drunk, and 44 percent said they did not use a condom. Those who reported drinking alcohol mixed with energy drinks were more likely to have casual sex and/or to be drunk during their most recent sexual encounter.

However, students who drank alcohol mixed with energy drinks were no less likely than nondrinkers to have used a condom during their most recent sexual encounter.

The findings suggest that alcohol/energy drink mixes may play a role in the "hook-up culture" that exists on many college campuses, according to study author Kathleen E. Miller, a senior research scientist at the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions, in Buffalo, N.Y.

She noted that having casual sex or sex while intoxicated can lead to problems such as unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual assault and depression. Previous research has linked energy drinks with dangerous behaviors such as impaired driving, binge drinking and fighting.

"Mixing energy drinks with alcohol can lead to unintentional overdrinking, because the caffeine makes it harder to assess your own level of intoxication," Miller said in a university news release.

She noted that energy drinks mixed with alcohol "have stronger priming effects than alcohol alone. In other words, they increase the craving for another drink, so that you end up drinking more overall."

The research doesn't prove that drinking energy drinks with alcohol causes drunkenness and promiscuity, Miller said. But she hopes the findings lead to safety legislation or educational campaigns.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about caffeinated alcoholic beverages.

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Abandoning PSA Screening Could Cost Lives: Study

HealthDay – 1 hr 7 mins ago MONDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- In the wake of a widely publicized report advising against prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing for prostate cancer, a new study finds not screening would triple the number of U.S. men developing advanced cancer.

Testing, on the other hand, might keep some 17,000 men each year from receiving a diagnosis of late-stage prostate cancer -- cancer that has spread and is far less curable -- the study finds.

"PSA testing, for all its pluses and minuses and all that . . . permits you to catch the disease earlier," said lead researcher Dr. Edward Messing, chair of urology at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y.

"These people are all going to die, they are going to die incredibly expensively and die miserably," he said, referring to the many men whose diagnoses would be delayed by not testing. "I don't know that all these people could be saved with PSA testing," but many could, he added.

The report was published online July 30 in the journal Cancer.

Messing said the annual number of prostate cancer deaths dropped from about 42,000 in the 1990s to 28,000 now. "The only thing that can explain that is PSA early detection and treatment," he said.

Many cases of prostate cancer are not life-threatening, which is why testing is controversial. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) in May recommended against routine PSA screening, saying too many non-lethal cancers were being treated aggressively, exposing men who didn't need treatment to serious side effects such as impotence and urinary incontinence.

But Messing disagreed with that advice. Condemning PSA testing "wasn't a brilliant conclusion," he said.

For the new study, Messing's team compared information from the U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database for the years 1983 to 1985 -- immediately before widespread PSA testing started --- to data from 2006 through 2008.

In the 2008 data, 8,000 cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed after the malignancy had spread to other parts of the body.

Using these cases as a base, the researchers constructed a model that used data of advanced cancer diagnosed in the 1980s and predicted how many cases of advanced cancer would have been diagnosed in 2008 if PSA testing was not done.

Their model showed instead of 8,000 actual cases in 2008, about 25,000 cases would have been diagnosed.

But the USPSTF maintains the benefits of testing are overrated. "The task force recommends against prostate cancer screening using the PSA test, as the potential benefit does not outweigh the harms," said Dr. Michael LeFevre, co-vice chair of the task force and professor in the department of family and community medicine at the University of Missouri School of Medicine.

As a result of treatments for PSA-detected prostate cancer, one out of 1,000 men screened in the United States develops a blood clot in his legs or lungs, two will have a heart attack or stroke, and up to 40 are left impotent or with urinary incontinence, LeFevre said.

"At best, only one of these 1,000 men who were screened avoids dying from prostate cancer for at least 10 years," LeFevre said. "In addition, about one in every 3,000 men screened dies as a result of surgery to treat cancer detected by the PSA test."

Still, the task force recognizes that "some men may continue requesting the PSA test and some physicians may continue offering it," LeFevre said.

Before getting this blood test -- which measures a protein in cells of the prostate gland -- men should learn about the pros and cons, he said. "The decision to start or continue screening should reflect an understanding of the possible benefits and known harms, and should respect each individual's preferences."

Messing advises men with a family history of prostate cancer or urinary symptoms to have a PSA test. Men with no family history or symptoms should discuss PSA testing with their doctor, he added.

Messing pointed out that screening-detected cancer doesn't mean surgery, chemotherapy or radiation treatment must follow. Most cases can be watched for some time, he said.

Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society, said over the past few years a number of studies have been published on the benefits and harms of PSA testing.

"None of these studies can be considered decisive other than in proving that there are some harms associated with treatment," he said. The American Cancer Society still supports screening for certain men in consultation with a physician.

Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death among men in the United States. In 2012, more than 240,000 new cases are expected to be diagnosed, and 28,000 men will die from the disease, researchers say.

More information

For more information on prostate cancer, visit the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

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Health Highlights: July 30, 2012

HealthDay – 1 hr 7 mins ago Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Ugandans Urged to Avoid Physical Contact as Ebola Kills 14

As a lethal outbreak of Ebola spreads in Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni urged citizens to avoid physical contact to limit the spread of the disease.

According to BBC News, 14 people, including one in the capital city of Kampala, have died from Ebola since the outbreak began three weeks ago in the western part of the country. Ebola is one of the most virulent and lethal infectious diseases in the world and is spread person to person.

Museveni said health officials are trying to identify and quarantine those people who've had contact with victims. He said people should avoid everyday contacts such as shaking hands, kissing or having sex to avoid passing the disease on.

Burials of people known to have died from Ebola should also be handled by health workers, Museveni said.

According to the BBC, Uganda has faced three Ebola outbreaks over the past 12 years, with the deadliest occurring in 2000 when 425 people were infected and more than half died.

-----

Recall Issued for Kitty Treats

A voluntary recall has been issued for a brand of chicken treats for cats because of possible contamination with high levels of propylene glycol, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The recall was issued by Los Angeles-based treat maker Arthur Dogswell LLC late Friday, NBC News reported. It applies to the Catswell Brand VitaKitty Chicken Breast with Flaxseed and Vitamins treats, and comes on the heels of recent reports of more than 1,800 dogs getting sick after eating chicken jerky treats that were made in China.

Slightly more than 1,000 cartons of the treats will be pulled off the market, NBC News reported. The high levels of propylene glycol could cause anemia and oxidative damage in cats, although no illnesses have been reported, the company said.

Dogswell spokesman Brad Armistead told NBC News late Friday that the company hopes to return the products to the marketplace in the near future.

"We have voluntarily withdrawn a small number of chicken products for cats. This is an isolated situation and does not affect any other products for cats or dogs," Armistead said in a statement. "We are committed to providing safe and healthy products to our customers and their pet companions."

The FDA has repeatedly said it has tested pet treats in the United States for the presence of many toxins, including propylene glycol, but agency officials said they found no levels high enough to urge a product recall, NBC News reported.

Cat owners who bought the VitaKitty products should return them to the place of purchase for a full refund, the company said. If the product was purchased online, consumers should contact the Internet retailer to pursue a specific return and refund.

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Scientists ID New Gene Linked to Vision Loss in Infants

HealthDay – 1 hr 7 mins ago MONDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- A new gene associated with a rare form of blindness from birth has been identified by researchers.

According to the report published online July 29 in the journal Nature Genetics, mutations in the NMNAT1 gene are linked to Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), an inherited retinal degenerative disease that causes reduced vision in infants. Signs of vision loss are apparent in the first few months of life.

LCA is a common reason for enrolling children in schools for the blind.

This finding is a step forward in developing sight-saving gene therapy for patients with LCA, according to the researchers at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Loyola University Chicago Health Sciences Division, and their colleagues.

"The immediate benefit of this discovery is that affected patients with mutations in this new LCA gene now know the cause of their condition," study co-senior author Dr. Eric Pierce, director of the Ocular Genomics Institute at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, said in an infirmary news release.

"Scientists now have another piece to the puzzle as to why some children are born with LCA and decreased vision. The long-term goal of our research is to develop therapies to limit or prevent vision loss from these disorders," Pierce said.

NMNAT1 is the 18th identified LCA gene and is located in a region known to harbor another LCA gene.

Leber congenital amaurosis occurs in about three of 100,000 newborns, and is one of the most common causes of blindness in children, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

More information

The U.S. National Institutes of Health has more about Leber congenital amaurosis.

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Health Tip: Help Baby Develop Healthy Sleep Habits

HealthDay – 1 hr 4 mins ago (HealthDay News) -- It's never too early to teach infants sleep habits that will help prepare them for a lifetime of healthy sleep.

The National Sleep Foundation offers these guidelines:

Look for baby's natural sleep patterns and when he or she starts to get sleepy.Place baby in the crib sleepy, but not asleep.Create a consistent daytime and nighttime sleep schedule, and a soothing bedtime routine.Make sure the environment is dark, cool, and otherwise conducive to sleep.Teach baby to fall asleep on his or her own and to self-soothe to sleep.

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Scientists Uncover Gene Variation Linked to Melanoma

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Mental Abuse of Kids Leaves Lifelong Scars

HealthDay – 1 hr 4 mins ago MONDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Constantly belittling, threatening or ignoring children can be as damaging to their mental health as physical or sexual abuse, according to a new report from a pediatricians' group.

But, with no bruises to spot, pediatricians, teachers and family members may have trouble recognizing these and other forms of psychological abuse. Not only are there no obvious physical scars, there is no universally agreed-upon definition of what constitutes psychological maltreatment of children, and a fine line can exist between not-so-great parenting and outright abuse, experts say.

"The main message for child health clinicians and people working with children is that psychological maltreatment is just as harmful as other types of maltreatment," said report co-author Dr. Harriet MacMillan, a professor in the departments of psychiatry, behavioral neurosciences and pediatrics at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.

"We know that exposure to other types of maltreatment like physical and sexual abuse can be associated with a broad range of types of impairment in physical and mental health, and cognitive and social development," she said. "Similarly, we see these types of impairments associated with psychological maltreatment."

The American Academy of Pediatrics' report is published online July 30 and in the August print issue of Pediatrics.

Estimating the prevalence of the problem is difficult, in part because of the lack of a universally accepted definition of psychological abuse, MacMillan said. Studies in Britain and the United States estimate that 8 percent to 9 percent of women and 4 percent of men report severe psychological abuse during childhood.

Psychological maltreatment of children can take many forms. It can include chronically belittling, humiliating or ridiculing a child for showing normal emotions. There is also neglect, such as leaving an infant alone in a crib all day, except for feeding or changing.

Other forms of psychological maltreatment can include withholding love and warmth from a child, putting children in dangerous or chaotic situations, having rigid or unrealistic expectations accompanied by threats if not met, or confining a child and restricting social interactions. Limiting a child's access to necessary health care for reasons other than affordability is another example, according to the report.

Sometimes, but not always, psychological abuse goes hand in hand with physical abuse.

"I once had a child who talked about being hit by his dad," MacMillan said. "The child said that the dad says things about me that make me feel badly, worse than the hitting."

One of the keys to spotting abuse is the pervasiveness of it, experts say.A single bad parenting day probably isn't abuse. But near-constant ridicule, telling a child he or she is unloved and unwanted, is abuse, MacMillan said.

Similarly, there is "suboptimal" parenting -- in other words, no one is going to nominate these moms or dads for parent of the year vs. parenting that is so damaging it rises to the level of abuse.

Telling the two apart can be difficult, experts say.

"Psychological abuse is so insidious, and is not as easily recognized by the victim or other family members," said Alec Miller, chief of child and adolescent psychology at Montefiore Medical Center, in New York City.

"If you see someone getting beaten, we all know it's against the law," Miller said. "It's demarcated as illegal and very unhealthy. Some of these other things are a little more slippery. If there is no bruising physically, it's harder to be convinced there is abuse."

Research shows the effects of psychological abuse and neglect can be profound and long-lasting, ranging from problems with brain development and a failure to grow properly, to problems with behavior and relating to others.

Some parents who are psychologically abusive aren't even aware that their words and actions are harming their child, experts said.

For example, consider parents going through a very difficult divorce. "The child is subjected to major conflict between the parents and told all sorts of things about the other parent and made to choose an allegiance," MacMillan said. "These sorts of things can be psychologically abusive to a child."

Suspected cases of psychological should be reported to child protective services, the authors say. They also urge pediatricians to look for signs of emotional maltreatment in their patients.

More information

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has information on recognizing the signs of child abuse.

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Health Tip: Help Prevent Malnutrition in Seniors

HealthDay – 1 hr 4 mins ago (HealthDay News) -- Seniors are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition, so caretakers must ensure that the elderly get enough carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers this advice:

Provide plenty of healthy foods and snacks.Flavor foods with fresh herbs and spices, avoiding salt.Offer prepackaged supplements, such as nutrition shakes.Promote daily exercise, even a little bit, to help stimulate appetite and promote strong bones and muscles.Plan social activities centering around meals and exercise.

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Uganda says avoid handshakes as Ebola returns

Reuters – 1 hr 3 mins ago  Article: Factbox: Ebola strikes in Uganda

58 mins ago

KAMPALA (Reuters) - Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Monday advised people to avoid shaking hands, casual sex and do-it-yourself burials to reduce the chance of contracting the deadly Ebola virus after an outbreak killed 14 people and put many more at risk.

Museveni's advice came as scared patients and health workers fled a district hospital in rural western Uganda where several cases of Ebola were being treated and as the authorities tried to alter people's behavior to stop the virus spreading.

"We discourage the shaking of hands because that can cause contact through sweat which can cause problems ... and avoid promiscuity because these sicknesses can also be transmitted through sex," Museveni said in a public statement.

There is no treatment for Ebola, which is transmitted by close contact and body fluids such as saliva, vomit, faeces, sweat, semen and blood. The authorities fear a repeat of an outbreak in 2000, the most devastating to date, when 425 people were infected, more than half of whom died.

Health workers suspected that the latest outbreak - which was confirmed on Friday - had occurred about three weeks ago in Nyanswiga village, Museveni said, adding that doctors had initially thought the symptoms were atypical of Ebola.

Nyanswiga, in Kibaale district, is about 170 km (100 miles) west of the capital Kampala, near the Democratic Republic of Congo where the virus first emerged in 1976, taking its name from the Ebola River.

The World Health Organization has said the origin of the latest outbreak has not yet been confirmed, but that 18 of the 21 confirmed cases so far were understood to be linked to one family.

One of the 14 people reported to have died was a local health worker, Clare Muhumuza. She was transferred to Mulago hospital in Kampala where she died, stoking fears the disease could spread in the Ugandan capital.

"EVIL SPIRITS"

Museveni urged people to also be cautious when it came to burying people, saying that people had contracted the virus while burying Ebola victims because they remained contagious even when dead.

"In case somebody dies from what you suspect to be Ebola please do not take on the job of burying him or her, call the medical workers to be the ones to do it because they are the ones that can do it safely," he said.

Christine Ondoa, Uganda's minister for health, told a news conference in Kampala that people had initially put off seeking medical care because they believed the virus was the work of "evil spirits".

According to Tumusiime Jamilo, a reporter with Kagadi Kibaale Community Radio (KKCR), panic had gripped the Kagadi hospital in Kibaale, where suspected Ebola cases were being treated.

Some hospital staff had initially fled the establishment but were now returning as the authorities were providing protective gear for them, he told Reuters.

Kibaale local government authorities have ordered the closure of local primary and secondary schools and banned public gatherings as a precaution, he added.

Dan Kyamanywa, a health officer in Kibaale district, said up to 80,000 people in the district were at risk of infection.

Ebola symptoms include the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, a headache and a sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, impaired kidney and liver functioning and both internal and external bleeding.

Depending on the strain, the virus kills up to 90 percent of those who contract it.

(Additional reporting by Pascal Fletcher in Johannesburg and Humphrey Malalo in Nairobi; Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Andrew Osborn)

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