Don't miss "Living Alive and Well in STL" on Thursday

Tune in to  "Living Alive and Well in STL" this Thursday!

Tune in to KSDK NewsChannel 5 on Thursday, June 23 from 7-7:30 p.m. for "Living Alive and Well in STL." Hosted by KSDK anchors Kay Quinn and Art Holliday, "Living Alive and Well in STL" will highlight a series of stories about how trauma and toxic stress impact the well-being of youth in our region. "Living Alive and Well STL" will feature several stories with topics ranging from preparing your young adult for the emotional challenges of the transition from high school to college to gang prevention strategies that the St. Louis City Police Department has deployed.

PTSD in veterans

This is a video from UMSL and MIMH with Martha Metter and Charles Clyde talking about PTSD and how it relates to veterans.  This recording was part of Mental Illness Awareness Week: Recovery is Possible and was recorded in October of 2008.

Library books on PTSD include

• Fields of combat: understanding PTSD among veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan by Erin P. Finley
• Hidden battles on unseen fronts: stories of American soldiers with traumatic brain injury and PTSD by Patricia P. Driscoll and Celia Straus for the Armed Forces Foundation 

as well as the DVD Of men and war

Opioid use and abuse

Opioid addiction is an epidemic across the country, and news stories about it are everywhere you turn, from local news to national.  The New York Times, in a June 7 article, states that over 165,000 people in the United States died between 1999 and 2014 due to prescription opioid overdoses.  This April, Prince became another victim.

Opioids include both heroin and prescription painkillers.  They can affect balance and thinking and memory and can cause nausea, vomiting, and constipation.  Alternatives to opioids for pain management include exercise, weight loss, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness meditation, tai chi, and yoga.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention introduced new guidelines in March for prescribing opioids.

Wake Up St. Louis! is a portal for local resources.

Health on your phone

An announcement from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine MidContinental Region:

Study Examines Use of Mobile Health Applications
among U.S. Adult Populations

This study examined the use of mobile health applications (mHealth apps) among the U.S. adult population. It also investigated the respondents' attitude towards helpfulness of mHealth apps for achieving health behavior goals, medical care decision-making, and asking a physician new questions or seeking a second opinion. In a national sample of adults who had smartphones or tablets, 36% had mHealth apps on their devices. Among those with apps, 60% reported the usefulness of mHealth apps in achieving health behavior goals, 35% reported their helpfulness for medical care decision-making, and 38% reported their usefulness in asking their physicians new questions or seeking a second opinion.

This blog post has reviews of selected mobile apps by NN/LM MCR librarians who are part of the Mobile App Experience Project.  Becker Medical Library at WashU has lists of FDA approved apps, medical specialty apps, and a guide to blogs and other lists of medical apps. 

Do you use any apps to track your health or help make health decisions?  Let us know in the comments.

Government health information

Want to keep up with the latest news about the Zika virus?  How about information on flu vaccines, suicidal thoughts, physical fitness, mold, and poisoning?  A portal to access health resources?  All of this (and more) is at this website.

Screens and Sleep

Sleep is one of the cornerstones of health, affecting brain function, emotions, physical well-being, safety, and functionality.  Obesity and diabetes are correlated with lack of sleep, and cardiac health and mental health depend on sleep too.

Sunlight helps set the body's internal clock, but now electric lights and screens contribute too.  That's why scientists recommend not watching TV or using a computer near the time you want to fall asleep, and getting an hour of morning sunlight for those who have trouble falling asleep.

To read more, check out the websites below, and place a hold on Arianna Huffington's new book on sleep.

The importance of sleep
Sleep
Sleep hygiene
Sleep disorders
Understanding sleep

Telemedicine

Consulting remotely with a health care professional through a phone or computer is quicker and easier than going to the emergency room or getting an appointment.  Though not a replacement for in-person care, such as exams or tests, it can be a good way to get a fast answer to a question, and doctors can usually prescribe medicine (not across state lines).


Insurers are sometimes reluctant to pay, but are growing increasingly willing, as it is a cost-effective option in some situations.  Telemedicine as a proportion of all health care provided will likely
continue to grow for the foreseeable future.