It was an extremely busy week in the OHSU press office last week…but not for the right reasons. We didn’t announce a big science breakthrough or escort press to one of our big holiday celebrations for pediatric patients. Press both called and came to OHSU Hospital as we were the medical center that treated the teenage injured in last week tragic shooting at Clackamas Town Center. Then, just three days later, the phones started ringing … Read More
Recently, OHSU research revealed an interesting statistic which is being echoed in news headlines: Here’s an excerpt from some of the coverage: While past studies have documented PTSD symptoms in trauma, cancer and organ transplant patients, the new study from the Oregon Health & Science University is among the first to monitor for PTSD symptoms in patients undergoing an elective medical procedure, according to Robert Hart, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon, professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation, and … Read More
OHSU , along with several other partners, recently released a startling report about the seriousness of alcoholism in the U.S. military. A summary of the report by CBS News A new report says substance use and misuse among troops and their families has become a “public health crisis” and says Pentagon methods for dealing with it are out of date. In a study requested by the Defense Department, the Institute of Medicine report Monday said: … Read More
Some good news and bad news this week for families with children diagnosed with ADHD. First the bad news: According to new OHSU research, there are many subtypes of the disease meaning we need to study it at great length to identify all the variations and help develop better treatments.(That will take time) The good news? The future looks much brighter for families because we now know that “one size does not fit all” when … Read More
Perhaps you’ve seen the show Hoarders on A & E? It’s a fascinating, sometimes saddening show about people who keep and store almost everything…sometimes with disastrous consequences. As it turns out, OHSU has a hoarding expert, Dr. James Hancey. Dr. Hancey has appeared in recent news stories on the subject. See here and here. He’s also a scheduled guest on The OHSU Effect: Inside Health & Science this weekend. Be sure to tune in at … Read More
In regards to this former post and current news story… I recently spoke with Dr. Erick Turner about the results of his research on psychiatric drug publication bias, and more importantly, what it means for patients. Here is what he had to say.
Are physicians fully informed while prescribing pills? That's a good question. When it comes to psychiatric medications, it's also a fair question. The issue at hand here is publication bias – the topic of a new paper just published by OHSU/Portland VA researcher Dr. Erick Turner. The link to the full article is here. So what is publication bias? Here’s an excerpt from an ABC News story which explains: Researchers running drug trials are required … Read More
Winter may make you grouchy, but does the lack of sunlight make you sad? In other words, do you think you have Seasonal Affective Disorder? Many folks are familiar with this annual malady…but you may not be aware that OHSU is home to an international expert on the topic: Dr. Alfred Lewy. Dr. Lewy recently appeared on KPTV to talk about the health issue. CLICK THIS LINK TO WATCH
For those with winter depression, the rainy Northwest can be a tough place to live But at OHSU, we have an expert with knowledge of how to chase away the November Blues. He is Dr. Alfred Lewy and his research was featured in a recent Seattle Times article. Here’s an excerpt: For the millions of Americans who suffer from mild to severe winter blues — a condition called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD — bright-light … Read More
This news story just happened to catch my eye: MSNBC: Widely-used PTSD drug fails test in combat veterans With two wars going on, it’s no surprise that PTSD rates continue to climb and today’s news is not good news for families battling the issue. However, medications aren’t the only way to combat PTSD. OHSU’s Helene Wabbeh has been developing a meditation therapy to assist veterans. Here’s a video clip to explain: … Read More
