Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Apr 01, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- PARENT TALK CAN AFFECT TEEN SMOKING
Research shows how parents talk to their adolescent children can affect whether the teens quit smoking. Co-author Glen Cameron of the University of Missouri, Columbia, says the study of 620 adolescents, ages 11 to 15, and their parents showed when a parent talked about smoking in an authoritative style, it had little effect on the child's views about the unhealthy habit. However, he says, there was a decreased likelihood a teen would smoke or intended to smoke in the near future when the discussion was coupled with a parenting style that encouraged children to develop ideas and opinions.
HALF OF CANCERS PREVENTABLE
The American Cancer Society's annual report on health behaviors that affect cancer risk has found at least half of all cancer deaths are preventable. The report says the deaths could be forestalled with lifestyle changes and greater utilization of screening tests. The study authors say tobacco use is down, especially among teens, but remains unacceptably high. Other factors that affect cancer risk, such as being overweight or obese, physical inactivity, and sun exposure continue to put Americans at a higher cancer risk, they say. Cancer screening rates are low among the uninsured, and more than half of Americans over 50 fail to get screened for colorectal cancer, says Dr. Stephen Sener, ACS national volunteer president.
MANY WILLING, FEW INFORMED ON ORGAN DONATIONS
A survey shows nine out of 10 Americans support organ and tissue donation, but only 34 percent know how to donate. The results of the study of 4,500 Americans were released to coincide with National Donate Life Month by the Coalition on Donation, a not-for-profit alliance of national and local groups. Information on how to donate, a process that differs from state to state, can be obtained by clicking on the relevant region on the U.S. map at the coalition's Web site, donatelife.net. "The gap between those who support organ and tissue donation in theory and those who actually become donors is colossal and troubling and must be bridged if we are to meet the growing need for organs and tissue," says G. David Fleming, coalition executive director. The national consent rate for donation currently is 55 percent, he says.
ASPIRIN OR WARFARIN FOR BLOCKED ARTERIES
A study suggests aspirin is as effective as but safer than warfarin for reducing the risk of stroke. For years, the two drugs -- which reduce blood clotting -- have been used to treat partial blockage of arteries in the brain, called intracranial stenosis, but there was little scientific evidence for choosing one over the other, scientists say. The new study, funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows aspirin works as well as warfarin with fewer side effects, the authors say. Warfarin also requires complicated and expensive monitoring and dose adjustments while aspirin does not, says Dr. John Marler, associate director for clinical trials at NINDS.
(Editors: For more information about TEEN, contact Jeff Neu at 573-882-3346 or NeuJ@missouri.edu. For CANCER, David Sampson at 213-368-8523 or david.sampson@cancer.org. For ORGAN, Jon Newman at 804-788-1414 or jnewman@hodgespart.com. For ARTERIES, Natalie Frazin at 301-496-5924.)
Copyright 2005 by United Press International.
