Event: Why You Should Be Skeptical of the Media’s Medical Reporting

A National Capital Area Skeptics event worth checking out for those in the Washington, DC area:

 “One of the greatest disservices that the current trend of sensationalist, opinion-based media ‘reporting’ does is to misinform the public about medical matters. It’s one thing to distinguish evidence-based medicine from science-based medicine, and another that the news media often doesn’t seem to care about either. We’ll discuss specific examples of how news reporting on medical science can get things both right and wrong, and possible ways the non-medically trained public can skeptically approach medical news stories to tease out the truth.”

When: Saturday, September 10, 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Where: Bethesda Regional Library, 7400 Arlington Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814

The event is hosted by Dr. John Cmar of Johns Hopkins University.

More information is available here.

I want to be alone (with my cellphone)

These days, a cell phone is much more than a method of communication. In fact, a new study shows it’s being used as just the opposite. According to a new survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 13 percent of mobile owners pretend to be on their cell phone in order to avoid social interaction.

Out of the 2,277 people surveyed, younger cell phone users were most likely to have used this avoidance method – 30 percent of those between the ages of 18 to 29. In comparison, only 2 percent of those 65 and older have ignored someone by pretending to use their phone.

The survey also revealed people use their phones for:

• Information retrieval: 51% had used their phone at least once to get information they needed right away
• Emergencies: 40% of cell owners said their phone helped them in some kind of emergency situation
• Entertainment: 42% said they used the cell phones to stave off boredom
• Text messaging and picture taking: 73% of cell phone owners used their devices for each purpose
• Multimedia: 54% of respondents used their phone to send photos or videos to others, while 44% used their phone to access the Internet

One percentage that is (pleasantly) surprising – 29 percent of cell phone owners reported turning off their phone for a period simply to take a break.

Vital Statistics

A roundup of some interesting studies making news. As always, a mention here doesn’t mean an endorsement.

Are packed lunches unsafe for children?

A new study finds that many packed lunches may reach dangerous temperatures by the time a child eats at daycare, even when packed in an insulated container with ice packs. The study revealed that more than 90 percent of perishable items were at an unsafe temperature an hour and a half before lunch time.

The research team examined lunches of nine central Texas day care centers for children between the ages of 3 and 5, and tested the temperature of individual perishable items from 705 lunches an hour and a half before the scheduled lunch time.

About 39 percent of the packed lunches did not have an ice pack, while 45 percent had just one ice pack. More than 88 percent of the lunches were at room temperature and just 1.6 percent of perishable items were kept in the USDA recommended temperature zone. Food-borne illness is of particular concern for children under the age of 5.

Survey: Americans are losing respect for smokers

Twenty years ago, between 14 and 17 percent of Americans reported having less respect for smokers. However, a new Gallup survey of 1,016 adults reports that number has now jumped to 25 percent. Gallup points out this trend may be influenced by the shrinking smoking population, which has dropped from 27 percent in 1991 to 22 percent today.

It was found that nonsmokers are the primary source of this view, with 30 percent saying they have less respect for smokers. The survey revealed only 5 percent of smokers share this point of view. When surveyed about obesity, 12 percent said they had less respect for those who are overweight or obese, down from 16 percent in 2003. Meanwhile, more than four in five adults said their respect for a person was not influenced by the individual’s weight.

Does a friendly work environment lead to a longer life?

New research from Tel Aviv University finds that positive social interactions in the workplace may be associated with a lower risk of death. In a study of 820 adults from various fields, those who felt that they had little or no emotional support in the workplace were 2.4 times more likely to die during the course of the study.

Although a direct relationship cannot be determined, a risk factor appeared to be one’s perceived level of control. Men who reported more control in the work environment were associated with a lower risk of dying; however, the opposite was found to be true for women. The risk of death for women who reported more control rose by 70 percent. The study authors point out this may be related to the changing gender roles in the work environment over the course of the past two decades.