Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder gets a lot of attention these days, but it’s not always a well-understood topic. Among the misconceptions about PTSD is the notion that it’s a relatively new diagnosis. It’s not. It’s a serious disorder that affects an estimated 5.2 million American adults every year. It’s common in veterans, although not even 40% of veterans who are diagnosed with PTSD when they come home get treatment. But it’s pervasive in non veterans too; about 7.8% of Americans will experience PTSD at some point in their lives. Tracing a history of PTSD, as far back as the first and second World Wars (and even in ancient mythology and the bible) can lead to a better understanding of the disease. Understanding can lead to better treatment, like cognitive therapy and medication. Perhaps more importantly, better awareness of PTSD will lead to increased ability to recognize the signs and seek help for a loved one. Check out this infographic to learn more.
Tag: Infographic
The Next Revolutions in Health and Fitness Are Tiny, Nearly Invisible and Absolutely Amazing
These revolutions are going to be tiny. Some of them are almost invisible. But technology is bringing major changes to health and fitness, from daily workout trackers to crucial preventive techniques. Workout trackers are about to get even more amazing, with devices that track not just your speed and incline data, but extreme data like G-Force. And webcam personal trainers will take some of the cost barriers and time commitment issues out of daily workout routines. Meanwhile, fitness equipment isn’t the only thing that’s getting easier and easier to bring into your own home; medical devices are coming there too. Checking, recording, and analyzing your vital signs will be possible with a wearable sticker so thin it’s basically a “tattoo,” and online methods of sharing information with your doctor will transform doctor’s visits and annual physicals forever. But can you imagine a small implant that can predict a heart attack within three or four hours before it might happen?
Why House Calls Are Health Care’s Future, Not Just Its Past
The 308,000 individuals worldwide who received remote monitoring in 2012 to care for issues like heart disease, diabetes, and mental illness is already pretty impressive. The projections for the next five years are even more astounding. The telehealth revolution has already started, and while home monitoring is certainly on the rise, the resources to improve diagnosis, treatment, and maintaining quality of life are improving significantly. Being able to “health from home” points to global trends in safer sharing of information, better rates of disease prevention, and lower costs of time and money for families facing diseases and conditions. It makes one wonder: what’s next for telemedicine and mobile health technology?
Why It’s Time to Ditch the Water Bottle
No other country in the world uses as much bottled water as the United States, and it may be turning into a big problem for the public systems that many people (including lower-income families) rely on. Though bottled water come with some upsides, especially convenience, you have the power to solve some big problems with a little decision about how you carry your water.
The One Thing Health Care Reform Needs Most
Much of the controversy and emotionally-charged conversations surrounding health reform come from the same place: medical care is simultaneously costly, crucial and complex. People don’t always get the care they need, and when they do, they often don’t know how much it costs. In this visual analysis, Castlight Health offers a concise look at the issue of health care transparency, and how it affects American families, businesses and taxpayers.
Source: Castlight Health/Visually
5 Secrets to Boosting Health Innovation
Even innovators in a booming field need a little help sometimes. That’s why health accelerator programs work to support medical technology startups by providing everything from financial capital to strategic guidance. In a review of industry practices, the California Healthcare Foundation has reported five ways to “maximize the value of healthcare accelerators” including providing access to healthcare professionals and making specialized connections in the marketplace.
You Won’t Believe the Data Behind This Health Care Innovation
Collecting more data isn’t the solution to every problem. But in health care, better data often lead to better results. One of the biggest obstacles in diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases is that medical professionals and researchers need more accurate, detailed, diverse, connected data to better understand threats to people’s health. Digital technology can help. The Nokia Sensing XChallenge recognizes major innovation in health technology, and showcases some of the big numbers behind health at the same time. For example, tuberculosis still kills about 1.4 million people worldwide every year, but new devices can detect epidemics early and prevent the disease’s spread.