Health news and health widget

There's something about the holiday season that makes people want to run for cover. Busier schedules, longer to-do lists, heightened entertaining pressures and the current financial crunch are quickly adding up to make this the season of discontent. So what's the secret to facing the coming holidays head on? Ah, that's simple. Learn to master the art of relaxation. read more

With "limited federal guidance" on what health care services undocumented immigrants are eligible to receive, many states are "grappling" with what services to provide, the Los Angeles Times reports. Federal law prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for nonemergency care to undocumented immigrants, but it is not clear what counts as an emergency, the Times reports. The federal government defines an emergency as "an acute condition that, without immediate care, would seriously jeopardize a patient's health or impair bodily functions, parts or organs," according to the Times. read more

The quality of hospitals across the U.S. is inconsistent. To address this issue, the federal government and private organizations have begun to publicly report data, such as how well hospitals treat certain conditions. But until now, there has been no data on how patients themselves feel about the care they received. read more

Health Canada is warning consumers not to use Eros Fire, a product promoted to enhance sexual performance, as this product may pose serious health risks. The product was found to contain xanthoanthrafil (also known as benzamidenafil), which is not indicated on the label. read more

(International Osteoporosis Foundation) Three specially focused sessions at the IOF World Congress on Osteoporosis will offer orthopaedic surgeons a unique opportunity to discuss the specific clinical challenges of fracture healing and repair, and learn how best practice is applied in different regions of the world. Online registration, at considerably reduced rates, closes on October 31, 2008.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the state's largest health insurer, will require physicians to adopt computer prescription systems by 2010 to qualify for bonus payments, the Boston Globe reports. read more

Rising premiums and limited subsidies have made California's Major Risk Medical Insurance Program -- a high-risk pool that provides health coverage to uninsurable residents with pre-existing health conditions -- "either unaffordable, unavailable or ineffective for many of those who most need health insurance," the Los Angeles Times reports. Under MRMIP, residents pay about two-thirds of the cost for coverage, while the state covers the rest of program's costs with funds from the state tobacco tax. Insurers voluntarily participate in the program. read more

At the annual meeting of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL), ETHICON Women's health & Urology today announced results of a seven-country study measuring the effects of uterine fibroids and associated symptoms on quality of life (QoL). Researchers found that one in five women suffer with symptomatic fibroids for more than 5 years before getting medical treatment. read more

A study conducted by a team of stroke experts from the West Virginia University health Sciences Center demonstrates that CT (computed tomography) perfusion imaging may dramatically improve stroke diagnosis. The study showed CT perfusion had 100 percent accuracy for detecting the large, devastating type of stroke. read more

Is there a doctor in the house? Yes, there is, thanks to the sponsorship of Lorillard Tobacco Company. Families throughout the country who'd love to have the help and advice of a real doctor when it comes to communicating an anti-smoking message to kids can now have electronic access to Dr. Michael Popkin, psychologist and founder of Active Parenting Publishers and author of video-based parenting education programs. read more