Women Increasingly Being Diagnosed with COPD

A recent report released in the Medical Journal of Australia has revealed that more women are dying from diseases related to smoking than ever before. Smoking is thought to be responsible for approximately 60% of the cases of COPD. As a result, the report is calling for creating more anti-cigarette campaigns that are targeted specifically toward women.

According to a review of hospital admissions in Australia, the number of deaths and admissions for asthma have fallen. At the same time, the rates of women diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, has risen. The disease is characterized by wheezing, coughing, and breathlessness.

In 1993 alone, 1,900 women in Australia lost their lives to the disease. This number increased to 2,300 in 2003. Men, on the other hand, had a drop during this same time period, with 4,000 losing their lives to the disease in 1993 and 3,200 in 2003. While more men are still currently affected by the disease than women, the trend is certainly disturbing for women.

Although the study was based in Adelaide in Australia, researchers state that the data represents international trends. People that go undiagnosed with the disease have also been found to have a poorer quality of life than those that have been diagnosed and are receiving treatment.

Imus Controversy May Be a Catalyst for Change

The controversy surrounding the comments and subsequent firing of shock jock Don Imus has been grabbing all of the headlines as of late. Initially, it seemed the controversy was primarily focused on whether or not the comments were racially charged. More recently, however, the focus has been placed more on how Imus’ comments are a reflection of society’s poor perception of women.

As a result of the controversy surrounding Imus’ comments, many groups and leaders have been mobilized and have found that their cause of fighting for women’s rights has suddenly gained more attention. More specifically, those fighting against what has been referred to as gangsta rap are taking advantage of the situation in order to get their message heard.

Upon his firing, Imus claimed that the lyrics in rap songs have called black women “worse names than I ever did.” Many agree with Imus’ statement, including the Reverend Al Sharpton, who has now made it one of his personal goals to help uplift the status of women.

“We will not stop until we make it clear that no one should denigrate women. We must deal with the fact that ho and the b-word are words that are wrong from anybody’s lips.”

Defenders of rap music, however, maintain that the music is a poetic expression that tells a story of the lives of the rap artist. They go on to say that the music should not be criticized. Rather, the critics should work to improve the lives of those growing up in the same hopeless and violent lifestyle as many gangsta rappers had to endure.

Rappers themselves defend their music, claiming there is a difference between the women they talk about in their songs versus educated women. According to rapper Snoop Dogg, “(Rappers) are not talking about no collegiate basketball girls who have made it to the next level in education and sports. We’re talking about hos that’s in the ‘hood that ain’t doing – that’s trying to get a n- for his money.”

Whether music is to blame or not, what remains true is that women still are not viewed equally by many members of society. As a result, many people – both male and female –are working collectively to bring about a change.

Exercise May Prove to Help Relieve Menopause Symptoms

According to a study conducted by Penn State University, exercise can go a long way in helping women to fend off the symptoms associated with menopause. The study found that those women that were engaged in a routine exercise program self-reported having a better quality of life compared to those that did not exercise.

The study focused on 164 volunteers, all of whom were mostly sedentary prior to the study. The women were then divided into three groups. One of these groups met three times each week in order to walk together for an hour. Another group gathered in order to perform 90 minute yoga sessions. The final group did not exercise at all.

The study found that the women who exercised enjoyed an improved outlook and mood. When it came to hot flashes and night sweats, however, the results were mixed. Half of the women in the study reported an improvement in these areas, with most of them being women participating in the exercise groups. Those participating in the walking group, which is aerobic exercise, enjoyed greater benefits than those in the non-aerobic yoga group.

“It’s a nice reaffirmation that exercise is beneficial for lots of different things.” – Dr. Charles Castle, Lancaster gynecologist and member of the Pennsylvania Medical Society board of trustees

The study is not conclusive, however, as it did not account for the various stages of menopause. As such, it is possible that some of the women’s symptoms may have lessened on their own. The study was also unable to determine if the exercise actually decreased the symptoms or if women were simply in better moods after exercising.

With menopause affecting approximately 1.5 million women between the ages of 45 and 55 in the United States per year, any steps that can help improve the symptoms is sure to be well received.

Heart Disease the Number One Killer of Women

A recent study performed by the National Institutes of Health has confirmed what has been suspected for a few months now: heart disease is officially the number one killer of women in the United States.

According to the study, heart disease is now responsible for more deaths than even cancer. In fact, two in every five deaths of women in the United States is related to either heart disease or to stroke.

Traditionally, heart disease was thought of as a disease affecting more men than women. Due to this misconception, women have often ignored this potential danger. As a result, the American Heart Association is working heard to educate American women in regards to steps they can take to reduce their chances of suffering from heart disease.

There are a number of symptoms that women should watch for, all of which can be signs of a problem with the heart. These include: shortness of breath without chest pain, suddenly feeling exhausted despite a lack of activity, and pain the lower chest that is often mistaken for stomach problems.

“If you look at statistics of women who’ve died suddenly of heart attack, two-thirds died before they could reach the hospital.” - Dr. Nieca Goldberg, cardiologist and associate professor of medicine at New Your University and Medical Director of the Women’s Heart Program

All of these symptoms tend to be subtle in women. In addition, they can easily be mistaken for other problems that are not associated with the heart. As a result, women fail to realize the danger they are in. For this reason, many of the women that die from heart disease actually die before ever reaching the hospital.

In order to reduce the risk of heart disease, women need to refrain from smoking and drinking. In addition, they should watch their diets and avoid overeating. Integrating exercise into her daily routine will also reduce the chances of developing this fatal disease.

Many Women Pay More For Health Coverage Than Men

According to a recent study conduct by Harvard Medical School researchers, women pay more as a result of high-deductible health insurance plans than men do. As a result, when employers change their health coverage to those with high-deductibles, women are effectively taking a pay $1,000 pay cut per year.

The Harvard study examined the expenses for men and women below the age of 45 and found that men spend less than $500 per year on medical deductibles. Conversely, women spend more than $1,200. The study also found that only a third of men insured by a high-deductible plan spend over $1,050 per year in medical costs. When it comes to women, however, 55% are paying more than this cost.

“High-deductible plans punish women for having breasts and uteruses and having babies. When an employer switches all his employees into a consumer-driven health plan, it's the same as giving all the women a $1,000 pay cut, on average, because women on average have $1,000 more in health costs than men” - Steffie Woolhandler, lead author of the study

The reason for women spending more on medical deductibles was directly related to the fact that women have a number of routine examinations that are necessary simply because they are women. These examinations include mammograms, Pap tests, cervical cancer vaccinations, birth control, and costs related to pregnancy.

Exercise Can Reduce Arthritis Pain In Elderly Women

Arthritis is an unfortunate side effect of aging for many women. As a result, they experience achy and stiff joints that can make movement seem impossible. According to a new Australian study, however, exercise and movement can actually help reduce the pain associated with arthritis in women.

According to the lead author of the study, Kristiann Heesch from the University of Queensland in Australia, it isn’t necessarily to start maniacally exercising in order to reduce arthritis-related pain. Rather, a bit of simple walking or engaging in moderate activities can be highly beneficial.

"If we could put out a pill that would solve a lot of problems, it would be physical activity, but we can‘t wrap it up into a little pill and give it to people” - Kristiann Heesch from the University of Queensland in Australia

The study indicates that getting exercise for just 75 minutes per day for women in their 70s can lead to significantly less symptoms. Those that were active for at least 2 ½ hours per week experienced even less difficulties and continued to experience less pain for three years afterward. The study also showed that the strongest link between exercise and arthritis was a reduction in lower joint pain. The reasons for this connection, however, are not quite clear.

Although exercise was beneficial in combating arthritis pain in older women, the study found that middle-aged women did not receive the same benefits.

New Guidelines for Mammography Screenings Released

The American College of Physicians has just released new guidelines for women between the ages of 40 and 49 when it comes to mammography screenings. According to the new guidelines, women need to take more factors under consideration when deciding whether or not to have a mammography than just their age.

This new way of looking at a woman’s risk for breast cancer was initiated by the fact that the risk of breast cancer is not evenly distributed when it comes to women in this age group. Therefore, not all women need to have a mammography at this age. In fact, there are some potential issues with having a mammography at this age, as false-positive results are possible. In addition, there is the risk involved with unnecessary radiation exposure.

“It is important to tailor the decision of screening mammography by discussing the benefits and risks with a woman, addressing her concerns, and making it a joint decision between her and her physician.” – Amir Qaseem, MD, PHD, DHA and lead author of the study

According to the new guidelines, clinicians should periodically perform an assessment for each of their patients in order to determine their risks for breast cancer. The clinicians should then inform women in this age group about the benefits as well as the risks involved with a screening. The final decision as to whether a screening is necessary needs to be based on whether or not the benefits outweigh the potential risks.

If the clinician and the patient decide a screening is not necessary at the time, the issue should be addressed again every one to two years. These new guidelines represent The American College of Physicians’ stance that women should be encouraged to make more informed decisions about their bodies.

Women Techie Being Threatened Online

A recent controversy surrounding a female blogger has brought to light the extremes of cyberbulling as well as the lack of respect women continue to have within the technology field.

Kathy Sierra, who is a game developer and programming instructor, has been maintaining a blog for quite some time now. Within her blog, she has provided inspiration, advice, guidance, and information to her fellow techies. As of late, however, she has started to receive a number of death threats and other violent threats.

Some of the threats Sierra has received have included graphic images of her being suffocated/silenced or of her next to a noose. Many of the threats have been sexual in nature as well.

“If you want to do something about it – do not tolerate the kind of abuse that includes threats or even suggestions of violence (especially sexual violence). Do not put these people on a pedestal. Do not let them get away with calling this “social commentary”, “protected speech”, or simply “criticism”. I would never be for censoring speech – these people can say all the misogynistic, vile, tasteless things they like – but we must preserve that line where words and images become threats of violence. Freedom of speech – however distasteful and rude the speech may be, is crucial. But when those words contain threats of harm or death, they can destroy a life.” - Kathy Sierra, written on her blog in response to recent threats

As can be expected, Sierra now fears leaving her house out of concern for her safety. She has also cancelled her upcoming speaking arrangements and has even decided to discontinue her blog.

The reasons behind the death threats Sierra is receiving are unclear, though most of the threats make reference to the fact that she is female and that these cretins wish her to be silenced. While Sierra is a supporter of free speech, it is clear that these death threats go beyond maintaining one person’s rights as they infringe upon another person’s right to live her life in safety.

Research Indicates Magazine Ads Make Women Feel Bad About Themselves

A recent study revealed what women and psychology experts have long suspected: ads containing beautiful and flawless women makes women feel bad about themselves. According to the study, even the most attractive of women find themselves feeling bad about their appearance when looking at these ads.

The study involved surveying 81 college women and asking them to rate their opinion about their own appearance. The questions ranged from asking their opinions on their facial features to their chest size.

After rating themselves, some of the women were asked to look at magazine ads containing fashion models. The other women were asked to look at ads without women. The women were then surveyed again and those that saw the ads with the fashion models reported a lower body image.

The survey also found that even attractive women experienced a negative self body image after viewing the fashion models. This effectively dispelled the myth that larger sized women or those struggling with eating disorders are the only ones negatively impacted by images of fashion models.

“Most women know intuitively or subconsciously that when they look at magazines they’ll feel badly about themselves.” – Laurie Mintz, associate professor of education, school and counseling psychology in the MU College of Education

The researchers involved with this study believe that even attractive women take a blow to self-esteem when seeing these ads because they are afraid of losing their attractive qualities. They also believe women still continue to look at these magazines and ads simply because they are looking for a way to be as beautiful as the women they see in the magazines. Even though women know these images are not realistic, they still hope to achieve this same unrealistic standard of beauty.

It is for this very reason that many marketing campaigns focus on making women feel as if they can avoid weight gain, signs of aging, and other “unattractive” qualities by purchasing and using their products. In essence, the ads strive to make women feel bad about themselves in an effort to get them to purchase their products.

Study Shows Aspirin May Help Prevent Death in Women

According to a recent study, women that consume low to moderate amounts of aspirin on a regular basis can severely reduce their risks of death. Deaths related to heart disease are particularly affected by taking aspiring.

The research study was performed by the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Medical School. In all, 79,439 women were followed every two years from 1980 through to 2004. The study simply asked women if they were consuming aspirin on a regular basis and how many tablets they typically used per week.

The women selected for the study had no history or sign of cancer or cardiovascular disease when the study began. The study found that 45,305 women did not use aspirin, while 29,132 took low to moderate dosages and 5,002 took more than 14 aspirins per week.

By the end of the study, 9,477 of the women had passed away. 1,991 of these women died from heart disease and 4,469 died from cancer. The study found that the women reporting aspirin use had a 25% lower risk of death when compared to those that never used aspirin.

The study found a stronger correlation between using aspirin and a reduction in cardiovascular disease. In fact, those that used aspirin on a regular basis demonstrated a 38% lower risk. They also had a lower risk for cancer, with a 12% lower risk.

“Use of aspirin for one to five years was associated with significant reductions in cardiovascular mortality.” - Study published by the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Medical School

The exact link between aspirin and the reduction in death is not fully understood, though researchers believe aspirin has a positive effect on pathogenic pathways including insulin resistance, inflammation, oxidative stress, and cyclo-oxygenase enzyme activity.

Whether or not women should take aspirin was not determined through this research because the women were not prescribed regular dosages of aspirin versus placebo medication. Nonetheless, the study indicates that further research into the effects of aspirin is warranted.