Health News Review

is a website that rates the completeness, accuracy, and balance of U.S. news stories about. It builds on other similar initiatives, such as the Media Doctor website in Australia and the Behind the Headlines project in the UK. Its 10-point grading scale includes whether a story gives information about its sources and their competing interests, quantifies the benefits of a treatment, and appraises the evidence supporting the story's claims The website monitors the the three leading U.S. newsweekly magazines, and the top 50 U.S. newspapers, measured by circulation. In its first 22 months, the website reviewed 500 news stories, and found that they usually failed to discuss evidence quality, alternative options, costs, and absolute sizes of benefits and harms; 41 (8%) of the stories got the highest...

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Hearings

The Tribunal conducts hearings in hospitals and community health centres throughout the Sydney, Wollongong, and Newcastle metropolitan regions, and also in Goulburn and Orange. The Tribunal conducts hearings for people living outside these areas either by videoconference or by telephone. A person may have a lawyer to represent him or her at a hearing. In some cases, non-lawyers can represent a person with the permission of the tribun...

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Jurisdiction

The tribunal determines cases under the It may also have jurisdiction to deal with cases under other laws. The tribunal has jurisdiction in respect of: the release or disposition of persons acquitted of crimes by reason of mental illness;whether a person is fit for further trial after a jury has found the person unfit for trial;reviewing the cases of detained patients (both civil and forensic) to determine whether they should continue to be detained;hearing appeals against a medical superintendent’s refusal to discharge a patient;making, varying and revoking community treatment and community counselling orders;determining applications for treatments and surgery on detained patients; andmaking orders for financial management where people are unable to make competent decisions for themselves...

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Possible Abolition

The New South Wales Government enacted the Mental Health Act 2007 on 15 June 2007. When this law commences, the present tribunal constituted under the Mental Health Act 1990 will cease to exist, and a new tribunal under section 140 of the Mental Health Act 2007 will be created in its place. There is no indication at present when this new law will commen...

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Course of the tribunal

Tribunals normally sit in private and take place in the hospital or community unit where the patient is detained. Physical location aside, the tribunals resemble court hearings, during which appropriate witnesses are invited to speak in turn. These include the detained person, his or her solicitor, the member of the multi-disciplinary team responsible for the detained person's care in hospital, known as the Responsible Clinician or RC (usually a consultant psychiatrist), a representative of the nursing staff at the hospital and the Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP). Additionally, the RC and AMHP (or more frequently the patient's care coordinator) are required to submit written reports on the person's state of health to the Tribunal in advance of the hearing. Sometimes the primary...

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How the decision is made

Each member of the Tribunal is entitled to an equal voice on questions of law, procedure and substance. All the members participate in the making of decisions and, although the legal member is expected to draft and sign the written record, this is done only after taking into account the contributions of the other members. If the members do not all agree then a decision of the majority of members of the Tribunal is taken as the decision of the Tribunal. The Tribunal will consider the case and the patient as presented on the day. The Tribunal cannot question the circumstances that gave rise to the detention. The Tribunal decides whether or not to end the patient's detention in hospital. The Tribunal has the power to order a deferred discharge which may be conditional (for example that an aftercare...

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Role of the medical member

The medical member has a dual role to perform. They are required by the Tribunal Rules to carry out an examination of the patient before the hearing and to take any steps that they consider necessary to form an opinion of the patient's mental condition. At the hearing they, together with the other members, have the judicial responsibility of deciding whether or not the patient should continue to be detained. If the medical member's opinion of the patient differs significantly from other medical witnesses then this should be made known at the beginning of the hearing. This is because it would be unfair and contrary to a basic principle of natural justice if the Tribunal members were to take notice of information that had not been shared with all the other parties at the hearing. The medical...

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The bodies

The first body is a Judicial Tribunal with the responsibility for hearing applications or references concerning people detained under thev The Tribunal members are appointed by the . There is a Liaison Judge appointed to the Tribunal to lead its development. The second body is the Mental Health Review Tribunal Secretariat. This is staffed by members of t deapartment of healths and has responsibility for the administration of the Tribun...

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Vibrant Health, Gigartina, Red Marine Algae, 250 mg, 90 Veggie Caps Vibrant Health, Gigartina, Red Marine Algae, 250 mg, 90 Veggie Ca...

Our special blend of 3 wild species of Gigartine ( skottsbergii, tenella & stellata ) provides abundant sulfated polysaccharides known to be na...

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Education

TREAT Asia’s clinical sites provide a critical foundation for expanding HIV/AIDS education and training activities among healthcare professionals and community members throughout Asia and the Pacific. TREAT Asia sponsors and conducts workshops and training sessions, and has helped improve treatment literacy through specially tailored programs in several countries in the regi...

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Do you know the difference between HIV and AIDS?

HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). When HIV infects someone, the virus enters the body and begins to multiply and attack immune cells that normally protect us from disease. Eventually the body's immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off so-called "opportunistic infections" and other illnesses, ranging from pneumonia and cancer to blindness and dementia. It's only when someone with HIV begins to experience these specific infections and illnesses that they're diagnosed with AI...

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Women and HIV

In the United States• Women account for more than one in four new HIV/AIDS diagnoses and deaths caused by AIDS.• The proportion of AIDS diagnoses reported among women has more than tripled since 1985.• 71% of women diagnosed with AIDS in 2005 contracted the disease through heterosexual sex.• African Americans constituted 66% of women diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 2005.• In 2005, teen girls represented 43% of AIDS cases reported among people aged 13 to 19.• African Americans and Hispanics represent 24% of all women in the U.S. but they account for 82% of AIDS cases among women.• African-American women are 23 times more likely to have AIDS than white women.• AIDS is the leading cause of death for African-American women aged 25 to ...

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When and how can I get tested?

Most people develop detectable HIV antibodies within three months of infection, the average being 20 days. In rare cases, it can take 6-12 months. For this reason, the CDC recommends testing six months after the last possible exposure, i.e, unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex, or sharing needles. You can be tested at your doctor’s office, local health department, hospital, and sites specifically set up to provide HIV testing. All HIV test results are confidential and can only be shared with people authorized to see your medical records. Anonymous testing sites allow you to get tested without giving your name.It is important to seek testing at a place that also provides counseling about HIV and AIDS. Counselors can answer questions about behavior that may put you at risk of contracting or...

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What types of HIV tests are available?

Several HIV antibody tests are used today. The most common are blood and oral fluid tests. Unlike most testing methods, which can take anywhere from three days to several weeks, rapid HIV testing offers results in 20 minutes to an hour. Although these tests are very accurate, all positive HIV results must be confirmed with a follow-up test before a final diagnosis of infection can be ma...

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Am I at risk?

Anyone can become infected with HIV, but you are at greater risk if you:• Have ever shared injection drug needles and syringes or “works.”• Have ever had unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with multiple sex partners, anonymous partners, or men who have sex with men.• Have ever been diagnosed with or treated for hepatitis, tuberculosis (TB) or a sexually transmitted disease such as syphilis.• Exchanged sex for drugs or money.• Received a blood transfusion or clotting factor between 1978 and 1985.• Have had unprotected sex with someone who would answer yes to any of the above questions.If you are unsure of a sexual partner’s risk-taking behavior or if you or they have had many sex partners, you are at greater risk of infection.The CDC recommends that all pregnant women be screened for HIV....

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All sexually active people, particularly those who have had multiple sex partners — gay or straight— should get tested.

Even people in monogamous relationships should be tested and should know their partner’s status.What is an HIV test?When HIV enters the bloodstream, it begins to attack certain white blood cells known as CD4 cells. The immune system then produces antibodies to fight off infection. When you take an HIV test, doctors are actually looking for the presence of these antibodies, which confirm that HIV infection has occur...

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Why should I get tested?

Early diagnosis is crucial in preventing life-threatening health conditions and combating the spread of HIV. Knowing your status will allow you to take steps to protect your health and the health of others. If you know you are HIV-positive and pregnant, you can take medications and other precautions—such as refraining from breast-feeding— to significantly reduce the risk of infecting your chi...

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A Practical Guide to Getting Tested for HIV

June 2008 — Health experts estimate that approximately 25% of Americans infected with HIV do not know their status — a figure that has profound public health implications. In fact, evidence suggests that most new infections stem from people who are unaware of their HIV status, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C...

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How can I reduce my risk of becoming infected with HIV through sexual contact?

If you are sexually active, protect yourself against HIV by practicing safer sex. Whenever you have sex, use a condom or "dental dam" (a square of latex recommended for use during oral-genital and oral-anal sex). When used properly and consistently, condoms are extremely effective. But remember:• Use only latex condoms (or dental dams). Lambskin products provide little protection against HIV.• Use only water-based lubricants. Latex condoms are virtually useless when combined with oil- or petroleum-based lubricants such as Vaseline® or hand lotion. (People with latex allergies can use polyethylene condoms with oil-based lubricants).• Use protection each and every time you have sex.• If necessary, consult a nurse, doctor, or health educator for guidance on the proper use of latex barrie...

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How can I help fight HIV/AIDS?

Everyone can play a role in confronting the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Here are just a few suggestions for how you can make a difference:• Volunteer with your local AIDS service organization.• Talk with the young people you know about HIV/AIDS.• Sponsor an AIDS education event or fund raiser with your local school, community group, or religious organization.• Urge government officials to provide adequate funding for AIDS research, prevention education, medical care, and support services.• Speak out against AIDS-related discrimination.• Support continued research to develop better treatments and a safe and effective AIDS vaccine by making a donation to amf...

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brain tissue loss in aids

HIV is not an easy virus to pass from one person to another. It is not transmitted through food or air (for instance, by coughing or sneezing). There has never been a case where a person was infected by a household member, relative, co-worker, or friend through casual or everyday contact such as sharing eating utensils or bathroom facilities, or through hugging or kissing. (Most scientists agree that while HIV transmission through deep or prolonged "French" kissing may be possible, it would be extremely unlikely.) Here in the U.S., screening the blood supply for HIV has virtually eliminated the risk of infection through blood transfusions (and...

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HIV transmitted? how is

A person who has HIV carries the virus in certain body fluids, including blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. The virus can be transmitted only if such HIV-infected fluids enter the bloodstream of another person. This kind of direct entry can occur (1) through the linings of the vagina, rectum, mouth, and the opening at the tip of the penis; (2) through intravenous injection with a syringe; or (3) through a break in the skin, such as a cut or sore. Usually, HIV is transmitted through:• Unprotected sexual intercourse (either vaginal or anal) with someone who has HIV. Women are at greater risk of HIV infection through vaginal sex than men, although the virus can also be transmitted from women to men. Anal sex (whether male-male or male-female) poses a high risk mainly to the receptive...

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HIV/AIDS? How many people are affected .

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimates that there are now 40 million people living with HIV or AIDS worldwide. Most of them do not know they carry HIV and may be spreading the virus to others. In the U.S., approximately one million people have HIV or AIDS, and 40,000 Americans become newly infected with HIV each year. According to the CDC, it is estimated that a quarter of all people with HIV in the U.S. do not know they are carrying the virus.Since the beginning of the epidemic, AIDS has killed more than 25 million people worldwide, including more than 500,000 Americans. AIDS has replaced malaria and tuberculosis as...

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What is AIDS?

AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is a disease in which the body's immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off infections, known as "opportunistic infections," and other illnesses that take advantage of a weakened immune system.When a person is infected with HIV, the virus enters the body and lives and multiplies primarily in the white blood cells. These are immune cells that normally protect us from disease. The hallmark of HIV infection is the progressive loss of a specific type of immune cell called T-helper, or CD4, cells. As the virus grows, it damages or kills these and other cells, weakening the immune system and leaving the person vulnerable to various opportunistic infections and other illnesses ranging from pneumonia to cancer. A person can receive a...

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Kaiser HIV/AIDS Report

The National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS plans to call on President Obama to develop a national strategy to address the HIV/AIDS among blacks in the U.S., the AP/Yahoo! Canada News reports. The organization's head, Virginia Fields, will discuss the state of HIV/AIDS in the black community on Thursday in New York City. According to the AP/Yahoo! Canada News, Fields will examine HIV/AIDS education, treatment, resources and other issues during her speech. The commission coordinates volunteer efforts among business leaders, religious leaders, elected officials and policy experts. The AP/Yahoo! Canada News reports that Obama has said that he aims to launch a strategy to address HIV/AIDS-related health disparities.Fields' speech comes ahead of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, which...

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Brain Power

Walk and Talk - Recent research shows the brain-boosting and mood-boosting value of exercise. Walking in particular seems most helpful. From your own experience you may also know how much a good conversation can clarify your thinking and help you generate new ways of looking at things. So why not combine the two, and take a walk with someone with whom you can have an intelligent conversation. It will be good for your body and m...

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Mood Disorder

Mood disorders: These disorders, also called affective disorders, involve persistent feelings of sadness or periods of feeling overly happy, or fluctuations from extreme happiness to extreme sadness. The most common mood disorders are depression, mania and bipolar disor...

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Mental Health

Any disease of the mind, the psychological state of someone who has emotional or behavioral problems serious enough to require psychiatric.Types of Mental IllnessThere are many different conditions that are recognized as mental illnesses.The more common types inclu...

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Psychotic Disorder

Psychotic disorders: Psychotic disorders involve distorted awareness and thinking. Two of the most common symptoms of psychotic disorders are hallucinations -- the experience of images or sounds that are not real, such as hearing voices -- and delusions -- false beliefs that the ill person accepts as true, despite evidence to the contrary. Schizophreniais an example of a psychotic disord...

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Mental Heath Recovery

What is Mental Health Recovery and why do I need it? We define mental health recovery as the "individual process of overcoming the negative impact of a psychiatric disability despite its continued presence". More simply said, recovery is the process by which an individual recovers their self-esteem, identity, self-worth, dreams, pride, choice, dignity and a meaningful l...

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Getting Know Your Brain

How does learning change the brain? What about memory? How can you enhance your memory or improve your thinking, learning, and creativity? Explore this section to find the answer to these and other questions. Your brain is made up of hundreds of billions of cells. You might think of each of these cells as a musician in an orchestra. Each person in the orchestra plays notes that—in harmony with all of the sections in the orchestra—results in elaborate music. The complex concerto that the orchestra's musicians play is—in this case—your own behavior patterns. Your thoughts, actions, and senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing) affect distinct sets of nerve cells and brain chemicals. How It Works Patterns of chemical and electrical signals travel between the nerve cells in your brain. Nerve...

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Enhance Support

How Peer Support Enhances the Recovery Process When a person experiences a potentially life threatening illness, who do they want to talk to? An expert in treating the illness and someone who has survived it. Because The Main Place's staff is made up of individuals who have overcome the impact that mental challenges had on their lives, they can: 1) Share their wisdom, knowledge and experience in recovery; 2) Make you aware of choices you have and assist in implementing your own personal plan of recovery; 3) Link you to resources beyond the mental health system; 4) Help you master the skills necessary to recover; and 5) Provide comfort and support along the journ...

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How Brain Relate Function

How Parts of Our Brains Relate to FunctionThe part of our brains called the "frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex"—especially the so-called "prefrontal cortex"—is where important functions like reasoning and planning take place. Other areas of our brains (the hippocampus, the amygdala, and neighboring structures in the temporal lobe) are connected to the cortex by complex nerve cell connections, which form the core of your brain's memory-processing syst...

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Difference Between Learning and Memory

Difference between Learning and Memory Not all learning is transformed into lasting memories. "Learning is how you acquire new information about the world, and memory is how you store that information over time," says Eric R. Kandel, M.D., vice chairman of The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and recipient of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physiology of Medicine for his work on the molecular basis of memory. "There is no memory without learning, but there is learning without memory." For example, you may look up a telephone number and remember it just long enough to make your call. This is sometimes called "working memory." It requires learning—but not for the long ha...

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What does Brain Learning Means

What Does "Learning" Mean? To most of us, "learning" means an attempt to create a memory that lasts. Mastering new dance steps, learning foreign languages, or remembering acquaintances' names require our brains to encode and store new information until we need it. How much do you remember of what you learned in school? Unless you've used skills from school in your day-to-day life, you may have trouble recalling the details. This is why brain researchers draw differences between learning and memory. They are closely linked—but they are not the same thi...

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How you feel pain

Your experience of pain is part biology, but it's also influenced by psychological and cultural factors. Despite years of research, questions linger about exactly what happens between the moment you stub your toe and the moment you say "ouch" — or some other choice wo...

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Your Peripheral Nerves

These nerves extend from your spinal cord to your skin, muscles and internal organs. Some peripheral nerve fibers end with receptors that respond to touch, pressure, vibration, cold and warmth. Other types of nerve fibers end with nociceptors (no-sih-SEP-turs) — which are receptors that detect actual or potential tissue dama...

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Pain Message Reaction

Current understanding of pain is based on gate-control theory, which grew out of observations of World War II veterans and their reactions to different types of injuries. The central concepts of gate-control theory are:Pain messages don't travel directly from your pain receptors to your brain. When pain messages reach your spinal cord, they meet up with specialized nerve cells that act as gatekeepers, which filter the pain messages on their way to your brain. For severe pain that's linked to bodily harm, such as when you touch a hot stove, the "gate" is wide open, and the messages take an express route to your brain. Weak pain messages, however, may be filtered or blocked out by the gate.Nerve fibers that transmit touch also affect gatekeeper cells. This explains why rubbing a sore area —...

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Electroconvulsive Therapy

With electroconvulsive therapy, electrodes are attached to the head, and while the person is sedated, a series of electrical shocks are delivered to the brain to induce a brief seizure. This therapy has consistently been shown to be the most effective treatment for severe depression. Many people treated with electroconvulsive therapy experience temporary memory loss. However, contrary to its portrayal in the media, electroconvulsive therapy is safe and rarely causes any other complications. The modern use of anesthetics and muscle relaxants has greatly reduced any risk. Other forms of brain stimulation, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and vagal nerve stimulation, are under study and may be beneficial for people with severe depression that does not respond to drugs...

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Treatment of Mental Illness

Extraordinary advances have been made in the treatment of mental illness. Understanding what causes some mental health disorders helps doctors tailor treatment to those disorders. As a result, many mental health disorders can now be treated nearly as successfully as physical disorders.Most treatment methods for mental health disorders can be categorized as either somatic or psychotherapeutic. Somatic treatments include drug therapy and electroconvulsive therapy. Psychotherapeutic treatments include individual, group, or family and marital psychotherapy; behavior therapy techniques (such as relaxation training or exposure therapy); and hypnotherapy. Most studies suggest that for major mental health disorders, a treatment approach involving both drugs and psychotherapy is more effective than...

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Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis is the oldest form of psychotherapy and was developed by Sigmund Freud in the first part of the 20th century. The person typically lies on a couch in the therapist's office 4 or 5 times a week and attempts to say whatever comes to mind, a practice called free association. Much of the focus is on understanding how past patterns of relationships repeat themselves in the present. The relationship between the person and the therapist is a key part of this focus. An understanding of how the past affects the present helps the person develop new and more adaptive ways of functioning in relationships and in work settin...

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Psychotherapy

In recent years, significant advances have been made in the field of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, sometimes referred to as “talk therapy,” works on the assumption that the cure for a person's suffering lies within that person and that this cure can be facilitated through a trusting, supportive relationship with a psychotherapist. By creating an empathetic and accepting atmosphere, the therapist often is able to help the person identify the source of the problems and consider alternatives for dealing with them. The emotional awareness and insight that the person gains through psychotherapy often results in a change in attitude and behavior that allows the person to live a fuller and more satisfying life.Psychotherapy is appropriate in a wide range of conditions. Even people who do not have...

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Psychodynamic & Cognitive Therapy

like psychoanalysis, emphasizes the identification of unconscious patterns in current thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. However, the person is usually sitting instead of lying on a couch and attends only 1 to 3 sessions per week. In addition, less emphasis is placed on the relationship between the person and therapi...

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Cognitive therapy

helps people identify distortions in thinking and understand how these distortions lead to problems in their lives. The premise is that how people feel and behave is determined by how they interpret experiences. Through the identification of core beliefs and assumptions, people learn to think in different ways about their experiences, reducing symptoms and resulting in improvement in behavior and feeli...

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Suppotive Psychotherapy

which is most commonly used, relies on the empathetic and supportive relationship between the person and the therapist. It encourages expression of feelings, and the therapist provides help with problem solving. Problem-focused psychotherapy, a form of supportive therapy, may be conducted successfully by primary care docto...

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Behavior therapy

is related to cognitive therapy. Sometimes a combination of the two, known as cognitive-behavior therapy, is used. The theoretical basis of behavior therapy is learning theory, which holds that abnormal behaviors are due to faulty learning. Behavior therapy involves a number of interventions that are designed to help the person unlearn maladaptive behaviors while learning adaptive behaviors. Exposure therapy, often used to treat phobias, is one example of a behavior therapy...

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Interpersonal therapy

was initially conceived as a brief psychologic treatment for depression and is designed to improve the quality of a depressed person's relationships. It focuses on unresolved grief, conflicts that arise when people fill roles that differ from their expectations (such as when a woman enters a relationship expecting to be a stay-at-home mother and finds that she must also be the major provider for the family), social role transitions (such as going from being an active worker to being retired), and difficulty communicating with others. The therapist teaches the person to improve aspects of interpersonal relationships, such as overcoming social isolation and responding in a less habitual way to othe...

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Limitations Of Traditional Drug Treatment Programs

Treatment programs designed for people whose problems are primarily substance abuse are generally not recommended for people who also have a mental illness. These programs tend to be confrontive and coercive and most people with severe mental illnesses are too fragile to benefit from them. Heavy confrontation, intense emotional jolting, and discouragement of the use of medications tend to be detrimental. These treatments may produce levels of stress that exacerbate symptoms or cause rela...

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Dual Diagnosis and Mental Illness (Schizophrenia and Drug or Alcohol dependance)

Dual Diagnosis and Mental Illness (Schizophrenia and Drug or Alcohol dependance)Families who have mentally ill relatives whose problems are compounded by substance abuse face problems of enormous proportions. Mental health services are not well prepared to deal with patients having both afflictions. Often only one of the two problems is identified. If both are recognized, the individual may be bounced back and forth between services for mental illness and those for substance abuse, or they may be refused treatment by each of them. While the picture regarding dual diagnosis has not been very positive at this point, there are now signs that the problem is being recognized and there is an increasing number of programs trying to address the treatment needs of people with both problems. Research...

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Characteristics Of Appropriate Programs

Desirable programs for this population should take a more gradual approach. Staff should recognize that denial is an inherent part of the problem. Patients often do not have insight as to the seriousness and scope of the problem. Abstinence may be a goal of the program but should not be a precondition for entering treatment. If dually diagnosed clients do not fit into local Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) groups, special peer groups based on AA principles might be developed. Clients with dual diagnosis have to proceed at their own pace in treatment. An illness model of the problem should be used rather than a moralistic one. Staff needs to convey understanding of how hard it is to end an addiction problem and give credit for any accomplishments. Attention should be given...

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Treatment Programs For The Dually Diagnosed

Treatment Programs For The Dually DiagnosedAs many families have probably discovered, service systems have not been well designed with this population in mind. Typically a community has treatment services for people with mental illness in one agency and treatment for substance abuse in another. Clients are referred back and forth between them in what some have called "ping-pong" therapy. What is needed are "hybrid" programs that address both illnesses together. Development of these programs locally requires considerable advocacy effor...

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Advocacy For Effective Treatment

If no appropriate programs exist in the community, families of dually diagnosed persons may need to advocate for them. References at the end of the paper describe a number of experimental programs that can serve as sources of information. Advocacy should also be directed at research and training. An example of a recommended program is one conceptualized by Sciacca (1987). It uses an educational approach and recognizes the tendency for dually diagnosed individuals to deny their problem. The patient does not have to recognize or publicly acknowledge that he or she has a problem. Patients meet in a group and talk about the issue of substance abuse, view videotapes and involve themselves in helping others. Only later do members get around to talking about their problem and the potential for treatment....

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Family Management And Coping

It is difficult enough to cope with problems presented by a relative's mental illness, but when substance abuse is also a problem, family stress can be multiplied. These families need all the help they can get to help them cope with the additional burdens they fa...

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Develop A Plan Of Action

Since it is likely to be difficult at best, select a time when things are relatively calm to decide what to do. Involve as many members of the family as possible and develop an approach all can agree upon. The following set of guidelines may help you come up with a plan:1. Be sure that all members agree on what the problem is. What exactly have members observed that has to be dealt with? Is it some unacceptable behavior that might be caused by drugs or is there clear evidence of drugs? What is the evidence?2. Generate a number of possible solutions to the problem with the goal of acting on the one(s) that all agree are the best one(s). Of course, families will differ a great deal in what they think is possible in their situation. What follows is a hypothetical family who might come up with...

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Support And Self-Care For The Rest Of The Family

Coming to terms with chemical dependency of a mentally ill relative does not come easily. For a time, it just feels too painful, too bewildering, too overwhelming to face. The family may feel terribly angry at the person and blame him or her for seeming so stupid, so weak willed as to add problems of substance abuse to an already highly disturbed life.Feeling angry and rejecting unfortunately does not help the situation and delays rational thinking about how to approach the situation. Parents and siblings may be hurt because the addicted person blames others for his or her problems and breaks trust by lying and stealing, and in general, creates chaos throughout the household. A great deal of fear and uncertainty may prevail as behavior becomes more irrational and violence or threats of violence...

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Support And Self-Care For The Rest Of The Family

Coming to terms with chemical dependency of a mentally ill relative does not come easily. For a time, it just feels too painful, too bewildering, too overwhelming to face. The family may feel terribly angry at the person and blame him or her for seeming so stupid, so weak willed as to add problems of substance abuse to an already highly disturbed life.Feeling angry and rejecting unfortunately does not help the situation and delays rational thinking about how to approach the situation. Parents and siblings may be hurt because the addicted person blames others for his or her problems and breaks trust by lying and stealing, and in general, creates chaos throughout the household. A great deal of fear and uncertainty may prevail as behavior becomes more irrational and violence or threats of violence...

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Antisocial Behavior May Be Caused By Low Stress Hormone Levels

A link between reduced levels of the 'stress hormone' cortisol and antisocial behaviour in male adolescents has been discovered by a research team at the University of Cambridge.Levels of cortisol in the body usually increase when people undergo a stressful experience, such as public speaking, sitting an exam, or having surgery. It enhances memory formation and is thought to make people behave more cautiously and to help them regulate their emotions, particularly their temper and violent impulses.The new research, funded by the Wellcome Trust, shows that adolescents with severe antisocial behaviour do not exhibit the same increase in cortisol levels when under stress as those without antisocial behaviour. These findings suggest that antisocial behaviour, at least in some cases, may be seen...

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Stress-related Disorders Affect Brain’s Processing Of Memory

Researchers using functional MRI (fMRI) have determined that the circuitry in the area of the brain responsible for suppressing memory is dysfunctional in patients suffering from stress-related psychiatric disorders. Results of the study will be presented December 3 at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)."For patients with major depression and other stress-related disorders, traumatic memories are a source of anxiety," said Nivedita Agarwal, M.D., radiology resident at the University of Udine in Italy, where the study is being conducted, and research fellow at the Brain Imaging Center of McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston. "Because traumatic memories are not adequately suppressed by the brain, they continue to interfere...

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Medications for Mental Illness

This booklet is designed to help mental health patients and their families understand how and why medications can be used as part of the treatment of mental health problems.It is important for you to be well informed about medications you may need. You should know what medications you take and the dosage, and learn everything you can about them. Many medications now come with patient package inserts, describing the medication, how it should be taken, and side effects to look for. When you go to a new doctor, always take with you a list of all of the prescribed medications (including dosage), over-the-counter medications, and vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements you take. The list should include herbal teas and supplements such as St. John's wort, echinacea, ginkgo, ephedra, and ginseng....

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Wearable Technology Helps Monitor Mental Illness

Psychiatric researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine will report important new findings from a study of patients with bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia at the upcoming meeting of the Society of Biological Psychiatry, to be held in San Diego May 17-20.The patented approach developed at UCSD, using a novel device called a “LifeShirt” – a computerized vest that continuously monitors the patient’s movements – shows that patterns of movements differ between patients with the two disorders. The device, manufactured by VivoMetrics©, monitors hyperactive and repetitive movements, and collects data on respiration, heart rate and other physiological measures.While wearing the vest, subjects’ movements were also recorded by a camera embedded in the ceiling,...

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Drug breakthrough for fashionable new mental illness:

Life-changing new drug(chemical name Avafynetyme HCl) has just been marketed for the widely under-recognised disorder Dysphoric Social Attention Consumption Deficit Anxiety Disorder (DSACDAD).DSACDAD is a where sufferers experience symptoms such as "worrying about life, feeling tense, restless, or fatigued, being concerned about their weight, noticing signs of aging, feeling stress at work, home, or finding activities they used to enjoy, like shopping, challenging."The drug targets the recently hedonine hormone to boost the brain's reward system for when "feeling better is not enough".Havidol other next generation drugs Fukitol, Panexa, Progenitorivox and Proloxil as medications that not only affect the brain, but also purify the so...

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Child and Adolescent Mental Illness and Drug Abuse Statistics

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)is a condition that becomes apparent in some children in the preschool and early school years. It is hard for these children to control their behavior and/or pay attention. It is estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of children have ADHD, or approximately 2 million children in the United States. This means that in a classroom of 25 to 30 children, it is likely that at least one will have ADHD. (Source: NIMH)Autism Spectrum Disordersare more common in the pediatric population than are some better known disorders such as diabetes, spinal bifida, or Down syndrome. (Source: American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-IV-TR (fourth edition, text revision). A recent study of a U.S. metropolitan area...

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Mental Illness Screening Plan A Boon For Drug Makers

Citing recommendations by the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (NFC), George W. Bush wants to launch a nationwide mental illness screening program in government institutions, including the public school system, for all students from kindergarten up to the 12th grade.The New Freedom Commission was established by an executive order Bush issued on April 29, 2002. According to a July 22, 2003, press release, the commission recommends transforming America's mental health care system."Achieving this goal will require greater engagement and education of first line health care providers - primary care practitioners - and a greater focus on mental health care in institutions such as schools, child welfare programs, and the criminal and juvenile justice systems. The goal is integrated care that...

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Child and Adolescent Drug Abuse Statistics

Did You Know Drug Abuse is Still a Major Problem???An estimated 19.5 million Americans aged 12 or older were current users of an illicit drug in 2003. This estimate represents 8.2 percent of the population.Over half (51%) of America’s teenagers have tried an illicit drug by the time they finish high school.An estimated 71 million Americans reported being current users of a tobacco product in 2003, a prevalence rate of 30% for the population 12 years and older.Marijuana is the most widely used illicit substance in this country. In 2003, 14.6 million people were current users of marijuana.For the second year in a row inhalant use has increased in 8th graders with 17.3% reporting use at least once in their lifetime. These drugs are particularly dangerous because they can damage the nervous system...

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Criminal Penalties

While in a foreign country, a citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in their countries and do not afford the same protections available to the individual under their. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in your countrie for similar offenses. Persons violating the law, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Criminal penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect severe jail sentences and fin...

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Road Safety

All traffic operates on the left side of the road, and most vehicles use right-hand drive. Roads in major cities and toll roads are good. Roads are narrower and may be more poorly maintained in rural areas and remote regions. Driving at night outside major cities can be hazardous. Taxis are an affordable means of transportation. The safest option is to call the taxi company directly. Make sure the taxi driver agrees to take you to your destination, never get into a taxi already occupied by another passenger and always insist on using the taxi meter. A list of taxi safety tips, along with a list of more reputable taxi companies, is available from the U.S. Embassy ...

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Consular Information Sheet - April 24, 1998

Country DescriptionIndonesia is an independent republic consisting of more than 13,500 islands spread over 3,000 miles. Its economy is developing, and tourist services are plentiful in the major tourist sites.Entry Requirements: A passport valid for six months beyond theintended date of departure is required. A visa is not required for touriststays up to two months. For additional information about entry requirements, travelers may contact the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036, telephone (202) 775-52...

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Information on Crime

The crime rate in Jakarta is moderate but rising. Minor crimes, such as pickpocketing and thefts, occur in popular tourist sites throughout the country. Incidents of carjackings and robbery have been reported. Lost or stolen passports should be reported to the local police and the citizins. Embassy or nearest consulate....

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Posted 24 April 19...

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Posted 24 April 1998.

According to press reports, a choking smog from forest fires burning out of control in the province of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo has compromised the health of thousands of people in the cities of Samarinda and Balikpapan, as well as in surrounding areas. At least 300 cases of pneumonia have been reported, and ailments such as eye infections, respiratory infectionsand asthma are on the rise. One newspaper has reported that at least 2 people have died due to the haze. After dissipating for a few months, the haze has returned to Southeast Asia as land has been deliberately burned and seasonal monsoon rains have been held off by the El Nino weather ph...

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Posted 15 May 1998

According to press reports, dengue hemorrhagic fever has claimed the lives of approximately 800 people in Indonesia since the beginning of the year.Dengue fever is common during the monsoon season, which generally lasts from October to April, but government officials have stated that this year's outbreak is extraordinary. At least 32,000 people have been infected since January 1998.Localized outbreaks have been recorded in several locations, notably thedistrict of Palembang in South Sumatra Province, the cities of Bandung and Jakarta in West Java Province, the town of Dili in East Timor Province and the town of Palu in Central Sulawesi Province. Jakarta alone has...

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Posted 15 May 1998.

According to press reports, an outbreak of hepatitis A has affected more than 600 people in the regency of Bondowoso in Eastern Java. Eight villages in the districts of Tapan, Wonsari and Sukosari have been affected, the largest in the region's history. Poor hygiene and contaminated river water have been cited as causes of the outbre...

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Current Health Concerns

According to postings on ProMED, 8 people are dead and 46 others have been hospitalized in the eastern province of Nusa Tangara due to rabies. Initial investigation by health officials seemed to indicate that the disease was not rabies, but further tests proved that dogs carrying rabies were responsible for the deaths. An order has been issued to capture and destroy approximately 170,000 stray dogs in Nusa Tanga...

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Risk areas

Risk exists throughout the year in all areas of Irian Jaya and in rural areas of other islands (exceptions are metropolitan areas of Jakarta, Jogakarta, Surabaya, Medan, and Denpasar plus contiguous tourist beach areas of Bali). Chloroquine-resistant falciparum is confirmed, and chloroquine-resistant .. vivax is reported. Fansidar resistance is reported in several areas and resistance to mefloquine may occur. WHO reports that P. falciparum is responsible for 49% of cases. Java and Bali report a total of 16,000 cases annually, with an added 59,000 reported from the Outer Islan...

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Protective measures

advises that risk is limited to areas not usually visited by travelers and recommends that only travelers likely to have evening or nighttime exposure in risk areas undertake chemoprophylaxis with mefloquine in addition to personal protective measures. Persons with epilepsy, psychiatric disorders or known hypersensitivity to mefloquine should not use this drug and should consider alternate means of protection. Consult your physician regarding additional precautions and potential side effec...

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Disease Risk Summary

The general level of community sanitation and public health awareness is low throughout Indonesia. Insect-borne illness: considered an important cause of disease in this area. Encephalitis (Japanese type) - occurs (risk may extend to resort areas, including those on Bali) Filariasis - prevalent in rural areas Malaria - common Typhus (mite-borne) - occurs in deforested areasFood-borne and ...

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Yellow fever

A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required fromtravelers coming from infected areas. A certificate is also required fromtravelers arriving from countries in the endemic zon...

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Rabies

Preexposure vaccination should be considered for travel to Java, Kalimantan, Sumatra or Sulawesi for persons staying longer than 30 days who are expected to be at risk to bites from domestic and/or wild animals (particularly dogs), or for persons engaged in high risk activities such as spelunking or animal handling. Need for vaccination is more important if potential exposure is in rural areas and if adequate postexposure care is not readily availab...

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Typhoid

Vaccination should be considered for persons staying longer than 3 weeks, adventurous eaters, and those who will venture off the usual tourist routes into small cities, villages and rural areas. Importance of vaccination increases as access to reasonable medical care becomes limited.Contraindications depend on vaccine type.All routine vaccines (such as DTP or Td, Hib, MMR, polio, varicella, influenza and pneumococcal) should be kept up-to-date as a matter of good health practice unrelated to trav...

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Hepatitis B

Vaccination is advised for health care workers, persons anticipating direct contact with blood from or sexual contact with inhabitants, and persons planning extended stays of 6 months or greater (especially those who anticipate using local health care facilities, staying in rural areas, or having intimate contact with the local populatio...

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Japanese encephalitis

Consider vaccination if staying a month or more on Bali, Irian Jaya, Java, Kalimantan, Lombok, Mollucas, Nusa Tenggara or Sulawesi, especially if travel includes rural areas. Also consider if staying less than 30 days and at high risk (in case of epidemic outbreak or extensive outdoorexposure in rural areas). While transmission likely occurs all year and varies by island, peak risk is generally from November to March, although it is June to July in some years. Human cases have historically been reported only on Bali and Java.one-time booster dose is recommended for travelers who have previously completed a standard course of polio immunization. Refer ...

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Immunizations

These recommendations are not absolute and should not be construed to apply to all travelers. A final decision regarding immunizations will be based on the traveler's medical history, proposed itinerary, duration of stay and purpose for traveli...

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Hepatitis A

Consider active immunization with hepatitis A vaccine or passive immunization with immune globulin (IG) for all susceptible travelers. Especially consider choosing active immunization for persons planning to reside for a long period or for persons who take frequent short-term trips to risk areas. The importance of protection against hepatitis A increases as length of stay increases. It is particularly important for persons who will be living in or visiting rural areas, eating or drinking in settings of poor or uncertain sanitation, or who will have close contact with local persons (especially young children) in settings with poor sanitary conditio...

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Specific Concerns

AIDS occurs. Blood supply may not be adequately screened and/or single-use, disposable needles and syringes may be unavailable. When possible, travelers should defer medical treatment until reaching a facility where safety can be assured. The large number of tropical plants and pollution levels inurban areas may cause children and adults with asthma problems severe discomfo...

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Health Precautions

General CautionsRecent medical and dental exams should ensure that the traveler is in good health. Carry appropriate health and accident insurance documents and copies of any important medical records. Bring an adequate supply of all prescription and other medications as well as any necessary personal hygiene items, including a spare pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses if necessary.Drink only bottled beverages (including water) or beverages made with boiled water. Do not use ice cubes or eat raw seafood, rare meat or dairy products. Eat well-cooked foods while they are still hot and fruits that can be peeled without contamination. Avoid roadside stands and street...

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Skin cancer

There are several different types of cancer referred to under the general label of skin cancer. The most dangerous is the melanoma; the most common type is squamous cell carcinoma. Skin cancer is an increasingly common condition due to the degradation of the ozone layer and the consequent increased levels of ultraviolet radiation. Minor surface skin cancers are readily treatable by simple surgery, but if the cancer is allowed to grow then it will penetrate through the layers of skin and affect the lymphatic system. It may also metastasize and spread to other parts of the bo...

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2008 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Report

The Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee reviewed existing scientific literature to identify sufficient evidence to develop a comprehensive set of specific physical activity recommendation...

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2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Toolkit

The toolkit provides resources that will complement what your organization is doing now to encourage people in your community to get the amount of physical activity they need, based on the 2008 Phy...

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2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

The Federal Government has issued its first-ever Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. They describe the types and amounts of physical activity that offer substantial health benefits to Americ...

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Brain tumor

A brain tumor is a mass created by abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells either found in the brain (neurons, glial cells, epithelial cells, myelin producing cells etc.) (primary brain tumors) or originating in another part of the body and spreading to the brain (secondary brain tumors or metastatic brain tumors). Brain tumors are usually located in the posterior third of the brain in childhood and in the anterior two-thirds of the brain in adulthood. Primary brain tumors are named due to the cell types, from which they are originated. Frequently encountered histologic brain tumor types are glioma, glioblastoma, astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, medulloblastoma, meningioma and neuroglioma. Tumors can be benign and are usually, but not necessarily, localized to a small area. They can also...

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Patent Medicines

During the 1800s and early 1900s a number of companies marketed cure alls in the form of pills, lotions and ointments. These Patent Medicines were said to cure impotence, restore hair, make you strong an healthy. For the most part these cures did not work and were likely dangerous or at best placebos. A cynic might say that there is a parallel between today's health food industry and some of the more audacious claims made by these patent medicin...

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Learn How To Manage Stress of Modern Life With the Common Sense Princi

Jan Fiore, Ayurveda Lifestyle Counselor and stress management consultant now offers in-person and long distance Ayurveda lifestyle counseling. Sessions focus on learning how to work in harmony with your true nature instead of against it in the areas of diet, exercise, activit...

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Health and Anti-Aging

Are scientists getting close to solving the what makes us age? Can medical breathroughs make us live longer? This article discusses how aging occurs to the the macroscopic, tissue, cellular and genetic levels. These add up as th...

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The Vitamin Breakdown

Vitamins are organic compounds that the human body cannot produce and therefore must acquire through the diet. To help maintain good health, humans need 13 different vitamins. These include: vitamin A, the various B and D vitamins, vitamin...

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Birth Certificates

The ROI section is also responsible for issuing birth certificates . At the time of birth, relevant forms are filled in by the parents, which are delivered at the bedside to mothers, and forwarded to the department along with copies of computerised national identity cards (CNIC) of both parents. A birth certificate is then issued the next working day. It may be noted that only the father or mother of the baby can collect the sa...

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Health Information Management Services (Medical Records

The Health Information Management Services (HIMS) at Aga Khan University Hospital , Karachi (AKUH,K) offers comprehensive services for medical record keeping, maintenance and dissemination of patients' clinical information. A medical record (MR) number (part of a sequencing format since 1984) is issued to the patient at his/her first visit to the hospital and is then referred to whenever the patient revisits the hospital. In this way, a comprehensive medical record is maintained throughout. It may be noted that the medical record is purged if the patient remains inactive for five years. In case, the patient revisits after being inactive, a new file is created bearing the patient's original medical record number. To date HIMS have issued over...

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