New Tool Shows Youth Overexposure To Alcohol-Related Advertising

April 12, 2012 coms 0

A new online tool draws attention to how young people are exposed to radio ads for wine, beer and hard liquor. The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth developed the tool at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health by tracking and analyzing the consistency of alcohol-related ads in 75 radio markets in 2009.

Talk Dirty to Me: Researchers Urge Doctors and Patients to Discuss Sexual Health

March 26, 2012 coms 0

In spite of the strong link between sexual function and a person’s overall health, the subject is unlikely to come up in a doctor’s office. In fact, according to a new study, a majority of doctors skirt the issue entirely. Of those physicians who do attempt an assessment of their patients’ sexual function, most ask superficial questions that shed little light on issues that could signal underlying problems.

Matching Communicaton Styles to Patients’ Beliefs [Study]

March 15, 2012 coms 0

According to a new study by researchers at Penn State, what patients and their families believe about religion and genetics makes a difference in the way they react when told that they have a health problem. Roxanne Parrott, lead author of the study, explained that greater understanding of the different ways in which people react to being diagnosed with an illness helps professionals develop effective communication strategies.

Exposure to Mass Media Improves Diet [Study]

February 1, 2012 coms 1

Television’s bad influence on viewers’ eating habits has long been a source of concern for health experts and parents. However, a new study by researchers in Italy shows that the more exposure to newspapers, television and the Internet people have, the healthier they eat. The study found that the more participants used television, newspapers and the Internet as a source of information, the more closely they adhered to a traditional Mediterranean diet.

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Botox Impairs Communication Skills

May 2, 2011 coms 0

New research makes one ask the question of what is more important: less wrinkles or being an effective communicator? A new study by USC and Duke found that Botox injections are damaging patients ability to read emotions. Once using Botox, those treated have more trouble reading what others are thinking and feeling.

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Alexithymia reduced through affectionate communication

April 15, 2011 coms 0

Alexithymia is a relatively new word in the scientific world and is a term that represents an inability to understand, process, and describe emotions. Each of us has some level of alexithymia, but this personality trait is often found with other conditions on the autism spectrum, as well as post-traumatic stress disorders. It has also been shown to be related to eating and panic disorders, as well as substance abuse.

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Cancer news articles may contribute to confusion about cancer

January 3, 2011 coms 0

New research from North Carolina State University shows that most online news stories about cancer contain language that likely contributes to public uncertainty about the disease – a significant finding, given that at least one-third of Americans seek health information online.

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Celebrity Journalism May Contribute Positively to Consumer Health Behaviors

October 18, 2010 coms 0

Celebrity journalism is often considered to be without merit, discounted due to its sensational details and lack of news value. MU researchers now say that celebrity journalism may be an underappreciated way to communicate health messages. In a recent award-winning paper, Amanda Hinnant, assistant professor of magazine journalism in the University of Missouri School of Journalism, found some readers of celebrity health stories report that the stories have an impact on their own behavior and how they discuss health issues.