Topic: Healthcare
Love Your Kids, Not Your Guns
Love kids not guns It’s silly that I have to write an article about something so obvious: Love your kids, not your guns. I’ve wrongly stayed neutral about gun control because so many of my patients have and love guns. …
The health and social issues with tattoos
Almost half of people between 18 and 35 have tattoos, and almost one in four regrets it, according to a 2016 Harris Poll. Based on an estimate of about 60 million people in that age group, that would mean that…
Do Great Music Artists Die Young?
With the startling death of Prince at the age of 57, many began to reflect on the seemingly 'premature' death of ground-breaking artists like Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, or Hank Williams. Even as a physician, I began to wonder a…
Genetic Clues Are Ignored By Too Many Doctors
With the availability of home genetic testing kits from companies such as “23andMe” and “Ancestry DNA,” more people will be getting information about their genetic lineage and what races and ethnicities of the world are included in their DNA.Geneticists, meanwhile,…
Sleep Differences in African Americans
There are racial disparities in sleep with African Americans having a shorter sleep duration, a harder time falling asleep, and a tendency to wake up more easily after falling asleep. There is also a decreased ability to phase shift African Americans…
Smoking is an Addiction
Smoking isn't a habit, Smoking is an addiction. As I encounter tobacco smokers in my practice, my family, and in the community, one supreme issue comes through: smoking for these "hold-outs" despite smoke-free practices, taxes, and in-your-face campaigns is smoking is an…
DNR Code Status Explained
One of the more difficult tasks in your life is deciding a "DNR code status" for yourself or, worse yet, a loved one. DNR is short for Do Not Resuscitate which basically means 'do not attempt to bring me back to…
Historical Reasons for African American Distrust of Doctors
Stephen Kenny, University of Liverpool The history of human experimentation is as old as the practice of medicine and in the modern era has always targeted disadvantaged, marginalized, institutionalized, stigmatized and vulnerable populations: prisoners, the condemned, orphans, the mentally ill,…
Flu Shot
Why it's your job to get a flu shot – and call in sick if you do get the flu Patricia Schnabel Ruppert, Columbia University Medical Center Seasonal influenza is a major global health concern. Worldwide, annual influenza epidemics result…
Medicare Annual Preventive Health Exam
If you are 65 years or older, you are entitled to a Medicare annual preventive health exam that is covered at no additional cost. During this visit, we will review your social and medical history including family risks, tobacco and…
