Employees who have more control over their daily activities and do challenging work they enjoy are likely to be in better health, according to a new study from The University of Texas at Austin published in this month's Journal of Health and Social Behavior.
"The most important finding is that creative activity helps people stay healthy," said lead author John Mirowsky, a sociology professor with the Population Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin. "Creative activity is non-routine, enjoyable and provides opportunity for learning and for solving problems. People who do that kind of work, whether paid or not, feel healthier and have fewer physical problems."
Although people who work do give up some control over their daily activities, the study found that being employed leads to better health generally, regardless of the amount of creativity required in their work.
"One thing that surprised us was that the daily activities of employed persons are more creative than those of non-employed persons of the same sex, age and level of education," Mirowsky said.
BBCWed, 19 Dec 2007 15:27 UTC
Lack of sunlight may increase the risk of lung cancer, a study suggests.
Can nerves grow and regenerate? The answer may be yes, according to a
new research published in the journal
Advanced Materials. This research shows that nerves from the central system, known as neurons, can grow and regenerate with the appropriate technique.
A newer type of scan to detect potentially deadly blood clots in the lungs works as well as an older technique it has largely replaced, researchers said on Tuesday.
A Canadian team led by Dr. David Anderson of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, said the study was the first to compare computed tomography or CT angiography with the older ventilation-perfusion scans.
Cow's milk allergy persists longer than previously reported, and the majority of children may retain the sensitivity into school age, study findings suggest.
|
| ©REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch
|
| Cows graze in a field near the eastern German village of Pudlitz, July 30, 2007. The sign reads 'Our Milk'.
|
New kinesiology research hopes to provide definitive test for CFS.
One of the most difficult things for people suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is that many believe the condition to be a psychological, not physical affliction.
New research by the Faculty of Kinesiology hopes to measure one of the syndrome's most obvious symptoms - information that could help doctors in the diagnosis CFS.
"Diagnosis of the syndrome, generally follows eliminating every other possible cause, which leads some to speculate that the condition isn't real," says Dr. Brian MacIntosh. "One thing we know is that CFS sufferers feel profound fatigue and worsening of other symptoms following even moderate physical activity. Using our expertise in the field of exercise physiology we believe we can measure this post exertion malaise and say with certainty if an individual has recovered from exercise or if that activity is making them even more fatigued."
MacIntosh, who is the Faculty of Kinesiology's Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, is an expert in the area of muscle fatigue. Much of his research has centered on high-performance athletes in peak physical condition, however he says that this research fits in well with his overall area of interest.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is closely monitoring a recent outbreak of bird flu among humans in northwest Pakistan that left two dead, the UN press center said.
The WHO website reported that eight people in Pakistan were suspected of suffering from the virus, stating: "the cases were detected following a series of culling operations in response to outbreaks of H5N1 in poultry. One of the cases has now recovered and a further two suspected cases have since died."
Pakistan's health ministry initially said that six people had tested positive for the virus and that steps were being taken to prevent any spread.
The outbreak is reported to have started in an area to the north of the capital Islamabad and all the suspected victims - four brothers and two cousins- had been slaughtering chickens. Two of the brothers died.
Cell phone use raises the risk of mouth cancer, a new study has found. Five years of heavy use increased the chances of developing a tumor by around 50 percent compared with people who had never used a mobile phone, scientists found. The study is the latest to link cell phone use to a serious disease, and raises concerns that mobile phones could be interfering with the body in ways that scientists simply do not yet understand.
A Tamiflu study done in Japan has not eased doubts about the flu drug's safety and possible side effects. Over half of all influenza patients in Japan exhibiting abnormal behaviors had taken the drug Tamiflu; however, it is still not clear if there was a causal link between the drug Tamiflu and their actions, a government report showed on Monday. Japan is investigating whether there is any link between Tamiflu, made by Roche Holding AG, and neuropsychiatric problems after more than 100 people, mostly young people, exhibited erratic behaviors after taking the drug, such as jumping from buildings. There have been a total of eight cases of death after abnormal or possibly abnormal behavior. The Health Ministry report indicated that of the 137 patients who had shown abnormal behavior, 82 had taken Tamiflu, while 52 had not.
Tamiflu, a drug used to treat the flu, has been linked to abnormal behavior and other brain side effects in more than 50 children in the United States, and tomorrow a Food & Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel will meet to discuss what should be done about these dangerous Tamiflu side effects. Last Friday, a report prepared by FDA staffers recommended that new warnings be placed on the label of Tamiflu regarding such side effects. The FDA report also recommended new warnings for Relenza, another anti-flu drug.
