Industry-certified particle masks are most effective at protecting people from volcanic ash, whilst commonly used surgical masks offer less protection. A first of its kind study, led by Dr Claire Horwell of the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience at Durham University, UK, has measured the effectiveness of different types of respiratory protection against volcanic […]
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New York State sepsis reporting mandate appears to improve care, reduce deaths
A New York State requirement that all hospitals report compliance with protocols to treat severe sepsis and septic shock appears to improve care and reduce mortality from one of the most common causes of death in those who are critically ill, according to a new study published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal […]
Study illustrates challenges of lowering tetanus mortality
The overall mortality in patients suffering non-neonatal tetanus is high. Efforts to reduce mortality in one sub-Saharan African intensive care unit (ICU) by implementing a standard tetanus protocol did little to change mortality rates, although they shifted causes of deaths, researchers have now reported in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Tetanus is a vaccine-preventable neglected disease […]
Opt-out organ donation register unlikely to increase number of donations
An opt-out organ donation register is unlikely to increase the number of donations, according to a new study from Queen Mary University of London. The researchers say donors should actively choose to be on the register by opting-in to ensure they genuinely want to donate their organs and to limit families from refusing the donation […]
Weight loss: Surprising scale of health benefits for biggest losers
When it comes to shedding pounds, it pays to think big, according to new research by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). The study, in collaboration with the American Cancer Society, focused on Americans looking to slim down and found those who lost more than a fifth of their body weight […]
Men take care of their spouses just as well as women (new research suggests)
Men respond to their spouse’s illness just as much as women do and as a result are better caregivers in later life than previous research suggests, according to a new Oxford University collaboration. The study, published in Journals of Gerontology, Series B, is good news for our increasingly stretched adult care services, which have become […]