Small businesses can find success with wellness programs
Wellness programs are popular among large companies, but small companies also can benefit from programs geared toward a specific work force. Some small businesses may believe they’re too small to offer such programs, but experts say the firms often experience higher rates of participation and more ease in implementing the programs than do larger companies. BenefitsLink
CDC: Life expectancy rises, but many live with pain
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) annual report on health in the U.S. shows life expectancy reached a record 77.9 years in 2004, but it also found that many Americans suffer from pain caused by headaches and joint and back issues. Deaths from heart disease fell 16 percent between 2000 and 2004, and cancer deaths dropped 8 percent, but diabetes is a growing threat. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hospitals work with customers on cost control
Hospitals are stepping in to help businesses cut their healthcare costs in a variety of ways. Programs offered by some hospitals include reduced-rate services, such as smoking cessation classes, or the development of corporate wellness divisions. The Wichita Eagle
CDC: Poor health among younger diabetics on the rise
Rates of diabetes among people between the ages 18 and 44 are on the rise, and half of those who already have the disease rate their health as being only “fair” or “poor,” according to a new CDC report. The fair- and poor-health ratings among people 45 and older have changed little over the past 10 years, but the number of health complaints among younger Americans has increased from about 36 percent in 1996 to 43.4 percent in 2005. HealthDay News
Decreasing calories, increasing popularity
The popularity of light and low-fat treats, such as Edy’s® Slow Churned® Light chocolate ice cream, is on the rise in the U.S. Sales of such products hit $32.1 billion in the year-period ending Oct. 7, according to ACNielsen. These lighter products may be evidence of Americans’ inability to eat in moderation, some concerned nutritionists say. Contra Costa Times/Associated Press
Virtual health monitoring systems allow elderly to see nurses — at home
Virtual checkups are gaining favor in healthcare, allowing the growing number of elderly patients with chronic diseases to link up with nurses in the midst of a nationwide nursing shortage. Monitoring technologies allow nurses to read everything from a patient’s blood pressure to their weight and breathing remotely through a computer, and the American Telemedicine Association reports that there are 50,000 to 100,000 patients around the country currently using the remote units. Newsday/Stamford Advocate
Questions raised on use of antianemia drugs
A series of articles in the latest New England Journal of Medicine has sparked criticism of the use of antianemia drugs to raise red blood cell counts to levels higher than FDA standards. The FDA said it will review additional data from one of the studies, which was halted because patients died at an unexpectedly high rate. The Boston Globe
