L.L. Woodard
Freelance writer/editor and freelance observer of life. Three decades of nursing experience in long-term care, from development of team care planning to hands-on patient care.
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School of Practical Nursing, graduated 1978; Geriatric Certification; Liberal Studies degree, BGSUInterests
Health and wellness, nutrition, sociology, Oklahoma, baby boomers, criminal justice, common sense, positive aging, active constituency, alternative and natural health, psychology, family, politics, social issues, senior issuesMotto
All that evil needs to succeed is for good men to do nothing.-Edmond Burke
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Some Progress in Diabetes Care, More NeededResearchers who examined data for the period 1999 through 2010 for signs of progress in diabetes care discovered both heartening information about the state of diabetes care and evidence that more progress in such care is yet needed.
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More Older Adults Seeking Therapy for First TimeIn a trend that is occurring nationwide, more people age 80 years and older are seeking psychological counseling for the first time in their lives than have ever done so in the past, reported NYTimes.com.
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Tulsa Dentist's Patients Test Positive for Blood-Borne DiseasesWhen the unsanitary practices in the dental offices of Dr. W. Scott Harrington first came to light in March, it was as a result of one of the dentist's patients having tested positive for the blood-borne diseases HIV and hepatitis C.
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'Super' Germs Developing Faster Than Drugs Needed to Treat ThemIn March, Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alerted the public to a family of 70 bacteria that have the propensity and ability to develop into "nightmare bacteria."
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FDA Cites 30 Compounding Pharmacies for Unsanitary PracticesThe safety practices of compounding pharmacies in relation to preparation of sterile fluids came to the forefront in 2012, when products from the New England Compounding Center, NECC, were linked to the fungal meningitis outbreak that occurred.
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Mental Health Issues Receive Nation's AttentionMental health issues have received much attention since the gunmen in the mass shootings that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn. and in the Century movie theater in Aurora, Colo. are known to have, or have had, mental illness.
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Research Reveals Another Heart-Unhealthy Component of Red MeatL-carnitine, a naturally-occurring substance in red meat and a chemical additive of many energy drinks, is associated with the development of atherosclerosis suggests the outcome of research published yesterday.
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Tulsa Dentist's 'Mouthpiece' Defends 'Impeccable' Practice HistoryDr. W. Scott Harrington, the Tulsa-based dentist whose questionable safety and hygiene practices came to light March 29, has had his 'impeccable' practice record of 35 years defended in a public statement issued by his attorney.
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Costs of Dementia Highest of Any Disease in U.S.Dementia care, including that of Alzheimer's disease and other conditions that result in cognitive losses, has costs so high that it tops that of the two leading causes of death in the United States, heart disease and cancer.
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Cholesterol-Fighting Drug May Soon Prevent BlindnessA new discovery by research scientists has identified the role cholesterol plays in contributing to age-related macular degeneration, AMD, the leading cause of blindness in older adults.
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New Research Concludes Statin Side Effects in QuestionResearch involving the examination of more than 107,000 patients at two Boston hospitals published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine concluded that at least some of the side effects associated with statins may be temporary.
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FDA Approves First Drug of Its Kind for Type 2 DiabetesOn March 29, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first of a new type of medication to treat type 2 diabetes. Nearly 26 million people have diabetes in the United States alone, with type 2 diabetes being the most common form.
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Blood Testing Continues for Oklahoma Dentist's PatientsMore than 400 people who have been patients of Dr. W. Scott Harrington, the Tulsa, Okla., dentist whose practices are at the center of a health scare there lined up early Saturday for free blood testing, according to ABCNews.com.
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'Dirty' Dentist Office Linked to HIV, Hepatitis C InfectionPatients of Dr. W. Scott Harrington, a dentist practicing for more than 30 years in Oklahoma will begin receiving notification letters from the Tulsa County Health Department of recommended testing for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
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Researchers Identify 'Haul' of New Genetic Markers for Cancer RisksTo the layman, the science behind genetic discovery and its uses is mystifying until the scientific terms and methods are broken down into concepts readily understandable.
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Hope on the Horizon for New Hepatitis C TreatmentAlthough newer treatments have become available in recent years to treat the hepatitis C virus, HCV, but because they must be given with two other HCV treatments, substantial side effects and risk of drug interactions remain.
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Horse Slaughter, Earthquake News in OklahomaOklahoma House Bill 1999, a measure that would allow horse slaughter in the state but maintains the ban for consuming horse meat in the state won approval from the Senate today and will be making its way to the desk of Gov. Mary Fallin for consideration.
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Key to Long, Quality Life Tied to Social ConnectionsLoneliness and social isolation may not go hand in hand as quality of life or longevity predictors, according to a study published Monday.
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Oklahoma Graduates Women from New Prison Diversion ProgramOklahoma County, the most populous county in the state of Oklahoma and site of the state capitol, celebrated yesterday the graduation of four women from its newly developed intensive rehabilitation program called ReMerge.
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Oklahoma News Includes 1 Million Pound Weight LossOklahoma is often the center of controversy with its conservative legislature, governor and legislation, but it's also a state that "gets it right" on less highlypublicized issues.
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Good News on Tuberculosis Incidence in the United StatesThe United States has tuberculosis rates for 2012 and the preceding 20 consecutive years to celebrate on World TB Day, held each year on March 24, the anniversary of the announcement of the discovery of the organism responsible for the disease.
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Feds Notify Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner They Will Enforce LawEven as the Oklahoma legislature works to get its Affordable Care Act nullification law through the Senate, the federal government, via the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services notified Oklahoma's state officials that the ACA will be enforced there.
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'Extra Caution' Yields New Recalls from Compounding PharmaciesIn a nod to the contaminated injectable medicines that caused the U.S. fungal meningitis outbreak in the fall of 2012, two compounding pharmacies have exercised "extra caution" in recalling some potentially suspect medications.
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IRS has $917 Million in Unclaimed Tax RefundsBaby boomers, seniors, Generation Xers and anyone who was an adult in 2009, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service has potentially good -- and surprising -- news for you.
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Oklahoma Looks to Legalize Horse SlaughterYesterday, the state House of Representatives passed HB 1021, preventing enforcement of the Affordable Care Act in the state while at the state capitol, several legislators and farmers voiced support of two measures to re-instate the slaughter of horses
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Oklahoma House Approves Bills on Armed Teachers, Nullification of 'Obamacare'Both branches of the Oklahoma legislature have been busily considering proposed changes to state law, from Gov. Mary Fallin's request to a reduction in the state income tax rate to bills that were approved today by the House of Representatives.
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Quality of Ovarian Cancer Treatment Varies WidelyA variety of topics was presented in the field of gynecologic cancers, with one resonating not only among the conference's attendees, but also with the general public -- that of the varying degrees of the quality of treatment for ovarian cancer.
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Deadly Skin Cancer Rate Drops in Women Who Take AspirinIn an analysis of data obtained in the Women's Health Initiative, WHI, Observational Study, OS, researchers established a preventive relationship between the regular use of aspirin and the incidence of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer.
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A Peek Inside Scientific Quest for the 'Fountain of Youth'Resveratrol, an organic compound found in quantity in red wine and dark chocolate, may well be the solution to preventing the diseases associated with aging, according to study results published March 8 in the journal Science.
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Drug-Resistant Bacteria in Oklahoma, No Reporting to CDCOn Tuesday, top officials of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sounded an alarm about what agency director, Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. termed "nightmare bacteria," bacteria that have developed strong resistance to known antibiotics.
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Move Over, Kids: Digital Games Found Good for SeniorsIf grandpa and grandma don't already own a video game system, gifting such a system to them may be in their best interest health-wise.
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Knives and Bats on Planes: Recipe for Trouble?Air travel is as safe as ever, but is it? On Tuesday, the Transportation Security Administration issued a statement on changes in its prohibited items list, and it's a doozy. -
Drug-Resistant Bacteria Pose Increasing Health RisksOn Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's director, Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., sounded an alarm via a telebriefing about an antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria that pose a triple-risk to health.
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Study Demonstrates Heart-Healthiness of Mediterranean DietAll calories are not equal, nor are all fats -- that's at least part of what a seven-year study of the Mediterranean diet versus a low-fat diet revealed.
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Flu Vaccine Barely Effective for U.S. SeniorsThe good news about the 2012-2013 influenza season in the United States is that for the fourth week in a row, health care providers reported that they are seeing fewer patients who have influenza-like illnesses, according to the CDC.
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17 Professional Physician Groups Support 'Choosing Wisely'In our current culture, patients and their health care providers are intended to be partners in developing unique treatment and preventive strategies best suited for the individual. Many people enjoy this partnership, but it can be a daunting undertaking.
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Prescription Drugs Cause More Than Half of Deadly Drug OverdosesThe United States has a drug problem, but it's not the illegal substances for which a drug war has been waged since the 1970s; more than half of fatal drug overdoses in 2010, were caused by prescription medications.
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Sixth Person Dies from New SARS-like VirusThe novel coronavirus, that public health authorities began to take note of in Sept. 2012 when nine people from Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar became ill with SARS-like respiratory infections, has claimed the life of a man in Birmingham, England.
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Course of Chronic Diseases Change with Community InterventionsWouldn't it be great if science finally gave us the silver bullet that would eliminate overweight and obesity -- and improve overall health at the same time? Would it be frustrating to learn that this "miracle" has been in front of our noses all the time?
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Seasonal Flu on the Downswing in OklahomaThe 2012-2013 began a few weeks earlier in this current season; perhaps Oklahoma's current decrease in newly reported cases in mid-February demonstrates that continued trend of the peak of the flu season occurring within so many days/weeks after the onset
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Health Experts Worldwide Monitor New SARS-like VirusSeasonal influenza isn't the only flu illness that causes concern for health experts; public health officials the world over are constantly monitoring what is and what may be developing in the area of viral illnesses.
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Even Healthy Older Adults Hit Hard by FluCold weather and seasonal flu go hand in hand, and while we have the groundhog to provide insight into the length of winter, no one can say for certain when the 2012-2013 influenza season will taper off.
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New Research Suggests Timing of Meals Affects Weight LossWhile many of us still search for the magic bullet that will take and keep away extra pounds, medical science is doing what it can to improve health by unlocking the mysteries of weight control one piece at a time.
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When the Chips Fall on Medicaid Expansion, Where Will Oklahoma Stand?Where will Oklahoma's uninsured be when the mandated expansion of Medicaid in 2014 by the Affordable Care Act goes into place throughout most of the nation -- but not in Oklahoma due to Gov. Mary Fallin's, R-Okla., decision for the state to opt out?
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Study: Poor Sleep Affects Memory in Baby Boomers, SeniorsYou've heard people of various age groups laughingly refer to an occasional memory lapse as "having a senior moment." The humor of such a situation decreases proportionately with either increase in age or increase in such lapses -- or both.
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Non-Partisan Studies Reveal Medicaid’s Changes, ShortcomingsThe Kaiser Family Foundation, a non-partisan organization that refers to itself as “a leader in health policy analysis, health journalism and communication” and one that runs its own research programs, released studies on research into changes in Medicaid
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30-Day Hospital Readmission Criteria May Be FaultySection 3025 of the Affordable Care Act that became effective Oct. 1, 2012, requires that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS, make reduced payments to participating hospitals with excessive 30 day readmission rates for discharges.
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Overweight Americans Face Increased Risk of Death in Auto AccidentsThe costs and health concerns of being overweight or obese are far-reaching, and according to recent research, extend to the increased likelihood of death in auto accidents in the obese.
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The Search for Successful Alzheimer's Treatments Moves in New DirectionAlzheimer's disease is the most frequently seen form of dementia that robs those with the illness of their short term memories, and as the disease advances it leads to personality changes and loss of ability to function in activities of daily living.
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Oklahoma Legislators Provide Glimpse into Upcoming SessionThe Oklahoma Legislature of 2013 will convene at noon on Feb. 4. If earlier years are any indication of how many proposals the state's elected officials will be considering, there could be 3,000 or so pieces of legislation up for grabs.
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Tackle Health Care, Federal Spending and High Incarceration Rates in One Fell SwoopWouldn't it be awe-inspiring if a single, common sense solution were available that would reduce federal spending, reduce taxpayer health care costs and reduce the rate at which our nation incarcerates people?
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Flu Precautions and Treatment for Baby Boomers, SeniorsThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory to clinicians on Tuesday, listing a summary of the agency's recommendations for the use of influenza antiviral medications for the 2012-2013 flu season. -
Oklahoma Flu Hospitalizations Mid-Season Top Last Season's TotalsIn this 2012-2013 flu season that began Sept. 30, the Sooner state has seen a total of 484 hospitalizations with the illness, compared to a total of 316 hospitalizations for the entire September through May 2011-2012 flu season.
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One-Third of Americans Turn to Online Sources for Health InformationIn a nationwide survey conducted Aug. 7 through Sept. 6, 2012 of more than 3,000 people, answers to survey questions revealed 35 percent of Americans revealed they have at least gone once to the Internet to determine what a medical condition might be.
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CDC Unsure if Widespread Flu Trend Will Rebound or WorsenForty-seven of the 50 United States reported widespread influenza illness for the week ending Jan. 5. Twenty-four states and New York City reported high influenza-like illnesses, ILI, in the same time period.
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Oklahoma Experiencing Widespread Influenza Along with Most of NationForty-two states are reporting widespread incidence of influenza; Oklahoma is one of them as are each of the states bordering it. In Thursday's influenza update, the Oklahoma State Department of Health reported eight deaths have resulted from the flu.
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Report Suggests How to Improve Health Care and Save MoneyAfter learning just yesterday about the poor health of Americans relative to other democratic wealthy nations worldwide, it is heartening to learn that the Commonwealth Fund Commission has reported on ways to improve the quality and cost of health care.
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America Continues to Come Up Short in Health and LifespanA study requested by the U.S. government, jointly conducted by the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine, resulted in a report that reveals the state of health and lifespan in the nation continues to fall behind other wealthy nations.
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U.S. Flu Season Activity Peaks -- for NowThe 2012-2013 influenza season began a month early this time around. Reports of flu-like illnesses and confirmed flu cases so far indicate peak reporting in the third week of Dec. 2012.
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Major Cancer Death Rates Are Lower; Throat and Anal Cancer Incidence on the RiseWhile the latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer reveals positive news in the fact that the overall death rate from cancer has decreased, the statistics mean little to anyone has lost a loved one to the disease.
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FDA Aims to Reduce Contaminated Food Via New RulesWith one in six people in America developing a foodborne illness each year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is moving forward with the proposal of two new rules as required by the Food Safety Modernization Act, signed into law Jan. 1, 2011. -
Three of Oklahoma's Universities Rank in Top 100 Public CollegesThree of Oklahoma's public universities have ranked within the top 100 public colleges in the nation, according to the annual ranking of such institutions of higher learning completed by Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
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FDA Approves 39 New Drugs in 2012Both pharmaceutical companies and officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have been busy; the drug companies compiling stats from clinical research trials, the FDA vetting applications to ensure the safety and efficacy of proposed new drugs.
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Oklahoma New Year's Eve Opening Night Celebration 2013Even though the weather forecast holds rain for today and a slight chance that the showers could turn icy if the temperatures dip, the Opening Night celebrations planned in the state's capital city.
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Oklahoma Drought Continues; Flu Season Mild Thus FarDrought levels have remain relatively the same, with the majority of the state experiencing extreme to exceptional levels of dryness. On a more positive note, seasonal flu data shows regional, mild activity.
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Reverse Mortgages: Boon or Bane for Baby Boomers, Seniors?There can be few people who haven't seen the commercials with aged celebrities touting the virtues of reverse mortgages. But are reverse mortgages all they're cracked up to be; could they be the financial salvation baby boomers and their seniors need?
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Medicare Quality Bonuses to Hospitals a Game-ChangerAs the Affordable Care Act moves toward its third anniversary, more of its incremental changes are being implemented. One of those changes, that of linking hospital quality of care with at least some of its Medicare reimbursement, is now in full swing.
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CDC Provides New Update on Fungal Meningitis Outbreak of 2012The health risks of the fungal meningitis outbreak of 2012 that began in mid-September are still not behind those people unfortunate enough to have received contaminated injections of methylprednisolone acetate in 19 states.
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Oklahoma Ranks Solidly in the Middle in Public Health PreparednessPublic health readiness is a measure of a state's ability to provide basic health protections and safety for its residents. With many states' budgets being economically challenged, many states have had to reduce or eliminate essential services.
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Obama: Pot Arrests Not a Priority but Not Off the Table EitherThe election of Nov. 7, 2012 will be remembered for many changes, but none any more potentially game-changing than voters in the states of Colorado and Washington legalizing the recreational use of marijuana.
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Study: Talk Therapy May Help Depression when Medications InadequateA first of it's kind of a large scale research study concluded that the addition of talk therapy to a medication regimen helps to relieve the symptoms of depression, the leading cause of disability in the United States in those ages 15 years to 44 years.
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Medicare Open Enrollment Period Comes to a Close on Dec. 7Oklahoma residents age 65 or older and disabled residents have until midnight Friday to make their choices for supplement health insurance and/or prescription drug coverage -- as do the residents in the rest of the nation.
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Flu Season Begins Earliest in a DecadeFlu season has begun in the United States, according to Dr. Thomas Friedan, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The good news: The vaccine available for the season matches up well with the flu already being reported.
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New Cases, Death Rate Slows in Fungal Meningitis OutbreakIf there's any positive news to be known about the fungal meningitis outbreak 2012, linked to tainted injectable medications, is that at long last the reports of new infections and deaths having occurred are coming in more slowly. -
Oklahoma Employment Present is Good; Future Looks Even BrighterWednesday's Bureau of Labor Statistics' report on employment/unemployment statistics reported by metropolitan areas throughout the nation revealed that Oklahoma City had the lowest unemployment rate among 49 major cities for the seventh month straight.
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Second Panel of Experts Weigh in on Hep C Testing for Baby BoomersIn August 2012, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the recommendation that all baby boomers get tested for hepatitis C. On Monday, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force provided a draft opinion on the need for such testing.
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Oklahoma and West Virginia Left Out of Education Grants 'Lottery'The U.S. Department of Education has $400 million in grant funds available to what will be 20 or so finalists around the nation to improve education in innovative and ambitious ways. Neither Oklahoma nor West Virginia will be seeing those grant dollars. -
Rolling Stones Tour to Celebrate 50th AnniversaryConsider this: Mick Jagger, 69, Keith Richards, 68, and Charlie Watts, 71, founding members of the Rolling Stones just completed the first step of their worldwide tour to celebrate the band's 50th anniversary.
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Injection Site Infections Join Meningitis, Joint Infections from Tainted DrugsThe more than 14,000 people who were potentially exposed to tainted injectable drugs through back or joint injections already have health concerns; yesterday public health officials announced that there is an increase in serious injection site infections.
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Twinkies Union Deserves Some EmpathyCOMMENTARY | Before Twinkies lovers feel compelled to stone the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, BCTGM, for refusing to return to work by a Hostess-imposed deadline, let's consider the worker's side of the it. -
Oklahoma Compounding Pharmacy Laws Some of Strictest in NationJerrod Roberts, owner of Flourish Integrative Pharmacy, wants people to know that it is not the science of compounding that is behind the current meningitis outbreak, but people working in the industry who are not following protocol, such as at NECC. -
Massive Open Online Courses Revolutionizing Higher EducationPerhaps you've heard of Massive Online Open Courses, MOOCs. The first such course so named was available in 2008, but it wasn't until 2011 that both institutions and the public entered the arena that may well change higher learning.
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Oklahoma's Tom Coburn Exposes Non-Defense Military SpendingSen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., is perhaps best known for his fiscal conservatism and annual publication of the Wastebook, yesterday provided a 73-page booklet about wasteful spending by the U.S. Department of Defense. -
Oklahoma's Rate of Diabetes Triples in 16-Year Time SpanThere's plenty of bad news to go around much of the nation when it comes to the current rates of type 2 diabetes, but Oklahoma especially so, with a triple rate increase from 1995 through 2010.
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Meningitis Outbreak 2012 May Be a Game-ChangerCongress and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are seeking remedies to prevent future situations from developing due to shoddy practices by compounding pharmacies who presently escape the strict oversight traditional pharmaceutical manufacturers face.
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Long-term Multivitamin Use Benefits QuestionedIn the elusive search for the Fountain of Youth or the magic potion that will keep serious disease at bay, there is new research that demonstrates the search must continue.
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Meningitis Outbreak Numbers Continue to MountWhile it's a relief to learn that the rate of new cases of fungal meningitis is slowing down, some of the people who are slowly recovering from the meningitis are developing a second infection, this one located at the epidural injection site.
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Study Demonstrates Damage of a Single Unhealthy MealThe rate of overweight and/or obese baby boomer Americans hovers in the 70+ percent range, indicating that people of this generation need to know and heed good nutrition. Dr. Anil Nigam presented a recent study that demonstrated just how important it is.
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Compounding Pharmacies Feeling the Effects of NECC's ErrorsClosing the barn door after the horse has escaped doesn't help those it might encounter, but it does protect people from the many other horses that remain in the barn. This is analogous to what's going on with compounding pharmacies in some states now.
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Meningitis Outbreak Updates and InsightsPhysicians, health experts, and public health officials continue to grapple with the ongoing outbreak of fungal meningitis related to contaminated vials of an injectable steroid medication.
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Sununu and Cain: What Were They Thinking?COMMENTARY | Yesterday, retired Army General Colin Powell announced his endorsement of Barack Obama for re-election, citing concerns with Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's wavering views on foreign policy.
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Could Donald Trump Be More Irrelevant?COMMENTARY | On Tuesday, the man who is a legend in his own mind, Donald Trump, made an announcement that he had an announcement to make that might effect the outcome of the upcoming presidential election. -
Roe vs. Wade Decision Not Enough to Silence PoliticiansCOMMENTARY | When some politicians open their mouths, few people listen. Other elected officials can't avoid controversy; each time they speak, people are listening and, very often, shaking their heads in disbelief. -
Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women ReviewedSince 2005, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended against such long-term use; guidelines published on Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine reaffirmed the panel's 2005 statement.
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Where is the Line for Personal/Parental Responsibility?COMMENTARY | I am not unsympathetic to the Maryland parents whose 14-year-daughter died in December 2011 from heart failure caused by caffeine toxicity that negatively impacted a pre-existing condition.
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A Kinder, Gentler America Since Obama Took Office?It was once thought by some that the election of the first black president in the United States might result in an increase of racial hate crimes as a backlash. The latest FBI's Hate Crimes Statistics report shows that just the opposite happened. -
Health Experts Sort Out Relevant Meningitis Outbreak InfoAs much as health experts and clinicians alike would like to have the answers to many questions related to the fungal meningitis outbreak in the United States, they also know that undue haste may provide false information with which to proceed.
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What Needs to Be Done to Increase Overall Cancer Awareness?October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, as it has been for more than 25 years. Since the invasive form of this potentially life-threatening illness will strike about one in eight American women, it is an important health topic. -
Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Now in 16 StatesIn what has turned out to be a real-life horror story for people who inadvertently received contaminated spinal injections and for the health care field in general, the news isn't getting any better. -
Native American Tribes Boost Oklahoma's EconomyOklahoma has the largest population of Native Americans among all 50 states, a population that adds nearly $11 billion to the state's economy each and every year.
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Americans’ Cholesterol Levels Take Positive TurnCholesterol, the substance that collects inside blood vessels and increases the risk of coronary artery disease, was the subject of a study that looked at Americans' cholesterol levels over a 22-year period to determine what changes had taken place. -
Oklahoma AG Pruitt Leads the Way for Disadvantaged HomeownersOn Monday, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt (R) announced that the first checks from mortgage payout settlements were in the mail, and one couple from Tulsa, the Zuniga's, received their $20,000 check at the AG's press conference.
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Meningitis Outbreak Grows with No End in SightThe fungal meningitis outbreak in the United States has taken a twist that didn't altogether surprise health experts, but rather confirmed their fears.
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Medicare Open Enrollment Period Begins TodayThe open enrollment period for choosing a Medicare supplement insurance or Medicare Advantage Plan begins today and ends Dec. 7. This enrollment period for those on Medicare is second in importance only to having originally enrolled in Medicare.
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CDC Ups Figure in Meningitis OutbreakEarlier this week, officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 13,000 people had been potentially exposed to the tainted steroid injections that are at the heart of the current fungal meningitis outbreak.
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Oklahoma Senator Wants to Abolish Death PenaltyThe 10th annual World Day Against the Death Penalty took place on Wednesday and if Oklahoma state Senator Constance Johnson (D) can rally her senate members, Oklahoma will celebrate next year's annual observance as an active participant.
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Disability After Hospitalization a Reality for Older AdultsEven though a hospital is the best setting to be in when you are acutely ill, a stay in the hospital is a double-edged sword for older adults, particularly the very old or frail.
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New Oklahoma Oil Fields Figure into Continental Resources' FuturePortions of Carter, Garvin, Grady and Stephens counties in Oklahoma figure prominently in Continental Resources Inc. future, the company identified with the oil boon in North Dakota and Montana, according to Reuters.
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13,000 People May Have Been Exposed to Tainted MedicationThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and health officials in the states where known shipments of contaminated methyl prednisolone were received are working diligently to contact the 13,000 people potentially exposed to infection.
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Oklahoma City Still Rated Nation's Top EconomyOften, Oklahoma finds itself near the bottom of national rankings; not so with the current economy. Attorney General Scott Pruitt (R) is gaining national attention. Oklahoma residents will have to wait to know the grade their public school earned.
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Meningitis Outbreak Linked to Contaminated Injectable MedicationThe current meningitis outbreak in the United States is caused by a fungus, one of the rarer types of the infection that affects the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
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Oklahoma WIC Cuts Funding to Three Tulsa ProgramsThree of the Tulsa, Okla. area Planned Parenthood sites have been providing nutritional assistance for women and children for 18 years; that assistance will come to a halt at the end of 2012.
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Oklahoma Looks to Cooler Weather to Ease DroughtThe cooler temperatures in Okahoma predicted for Thursday and the five days thereafter might put a dint in the effects of the extreme drought.
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Use of Heart Attack Prevention Drug QuestionedBeta-blockers, a class of medications prescribed by doctors for decades, may not be the prevention tools against heart attacks and strokes they were intended to be.
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Driverless Cars May Save Baby Boomers' Driving PrivilegesBaby boomers and their juniors are less likely to have the need to surrender their car keys due to safety considerations as the generations before them have. It may become possible thanks to the development and legalization of the use of driverless cars.
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Street Panhandlers Make News Again in OklahomaNot to be confused with residents of the Oklahoma panhandle, the panhandlers of Oklahoma City who are again headline-worthy are of the cardboard sign-holding variety that can be seen at many of the city's busy intersections.
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Financial Assistance Available for Baby Boomers, SeniorsNot only are the eldest of the baby boomer generation already age 65+, 10 million boomers age 50+ are providing care for one or more of their aging parents.
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It's Flu Shot Season in OklahomaWhen the crimson and cream and orange and black pom poms begin to flutter, many an Oklahoman's mind and heart is turned to football. Football season is also flu season, and time for Oklahoma residents to prepare for the upcoming flu season.
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U.S. Baby Boomers Find 'Soul Mates' in Australian CounterpartsA study recently released in the country "down under" reveals that baby boomers there also have a high rate of obesity and being overweight and the same risks for developing chronic diseases that will impact them now and in the future.
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West Nile Virus Claims 9th Oklahoma VictimJohn Archer, 78, of Muskogee, Okla., succumbed to the mosquito-borne West Nile virus, WNV, becoming the fourth case of the illness in Muskogee County and the ninth death in the state.
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As Baby Boomers Age, Knee Replacement Surgery Numbers SoarBaby boomers requiring knee replacement surgery are merely the tip of the iceberg in the soaring increase seen in knee replacement surgeries in the last two decades for people on Medicare.
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Arrests Two Years After Oklahoma Woman's SlayingOn Nov. 2, 2010, 34-year-old Julie Mitchell's body was found stuffed in a closet in her Oklahoma City home. The slaying remains unsolved. On Monday, her widower and two of his sons were arrested for illegal gambling.
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Oklahoma and National Voter Registration DayOklahoma and the nation as a whole recognize today as National Voter Registration Day. The countdown to the upcoming Nov. 6 elections officially begins; election day is now six weeks away.
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Romney Advocates Emergency Room Care for UninsuredOn Sunday, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney appeared on "60 Minutes," granting an interview to television journalist Scott Pelley. Romney made a statement that bears further examination.
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Oklahoma AG, Others Take Aim at Dodd-Frank ActThe Dodd-Frank Act, a financial regulation reform measure, was signed into law by President Obama in 2010. Three states have filed a lawsuit citing the unconstitutionality of the law, with Oklahoma joining Michigan and South Carolina.
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Obama Details Vision of Medicare for Baby BoomersThe November presidential election looms larger daily and the candidates from both parties are sharpening their rhetoric and addressing details to their plans for the next four years. Health care is a hot topic; the future of Medicare is up in the air.
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What's Behind Cavalier Attitudes Toward Genetically Modified Food?COMMENTARY | The United States used to be the "first" in many areas -- war craft and space exploration come to mine -- but in recent years the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has lagged behind its European counterparts when it comes to food safety.
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Romney’s Supporters: Helpmates or Mates from Hell?COMMENTARY | In a week when Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney could use all the positive support he can get, at least two of his supporters have gained negative media attention for remarks and actions they've taken.
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Census Bureau Report Details Oklahoma StatisticsThe U.S. Census Bureau today released the latest detailed statistics on the nation's 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, in 40 categories measuring population, housing and economics.
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West Nile Virus: Record-Setting Number of Cases Summer 2012Public health officials and the general population in the United States are already looking at a record-setting number of West Nile virus, WNV, cases since 2003 and mosquito season hasn't come to its conclusion.
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West Nile Virus Continues to Plague OklahomaThe mosquito-borne illness, West Nile virus, WNV, continues to make its presence known in several states, including Oklahoma. While the number of deaths attributed to the viral illness remains at eight, the total number of cases has risen to 144.
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Romney/Ryan Might Be Comedy Team if Not so TragicCOMMENTARY | I'll give presidential candidate Mitt Romney this: He's not trying to deny the things he said on the recently released video. Fair enough, candidate Romney didn't know his private conversation was being taped.
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Boomers Head into Retirement with Student Loan DebtMany baby boomers and some of their seniors embraced the “back to school in midlife” concept and will be paying for that privilege long into their retirement years.
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Did a Judge in America Really Say That?COMMENTARY | Today I cringed at the news that Oklahoma County District Judge Bill Graves not only denied two men the right to change their names, but quoted the book of Genesis in his argument for doing so.
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Severe to Exceptional Drought Continues in Oklahoma, Central U.SA glance at the U.S. national map will reveal colors of gold, orange and brown. This would be good news if those colors signified autumn color changes, but on the drought map, they represent areas of severe to exceptional drought.
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Recession Woes Subtract Years, Medicare and Social Security Add YearsA study published in the Sept. 2012 edition of The National Bureau of Economic Research quantifies the answers to two concerns about the American economy's effect on the life expectancy of the baby boomer generation.
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Reverse Mortgages, Refinancing are Problem Areas for Older AdultsThe trend toward home foreclosures and the loss of retirement savings and/or investments have affected every segment of the population to some extent, but this particular combination of events has taken its toll on older baby boomers and their seniors.
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Central Oklahoma, 'Reddest of the Red States,' Embracing Obamacare?Mick Cornett, Republican mayor of Oklahoma City may have had Mead's thoughts in mind when he asked for, and received federal funds from the Prevention and Public Health Fund -- a part of the Affordable Care Act.
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Why is the American Health Care System Broken?The Institute of Medicine, IOM, issued a lengthy report, "Best Care at Lower Cost," on Thursday. In addition to offering potential solutions to the problems in American health care, the IOM spells out what many of us have known for years: Health care, as
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West Nile Virus Cases Continue to Mount in OklahomaThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its weekly update on West Nile virus activity on Tuesday; the Oklahoma State Department of Health updated its West Nile virus information today.
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No Definitive Answers on Organic Food Nutrition Status?On Tuesday the Annals of Internal Medicine published the results of a systematic review that sought to determine whether organic food was more nutritious than conventionally grown food. Media headlines indicated ideas as facts that aren't totally factual.
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Xtandi Newest Prostate Cancer AgentThe National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2012, more than 240,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States alone. More than 28,000 men will likely die of the disease in the same time period.
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Baby Boomers: Retirement to Rural Areas May Be Bumpy RoadApproximately 10,000 baby boomers are retiring daily and will continue to do so for the next 19 years. Seventy-six million Americans comprise the baby boomer generation, and at least some of the boomers will choose to retire to rural areas.
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Attention Fellas! Eating Chocolate May Be Good for YouFor a number of years, dark chocolate and cocoa have been associated with an improvement in cardiovascular health. A recent study involving more than 35,000 men found a correlation between eating chocolate and the reduced risk of stroke.
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West Nile Virus Claims More Victims in OklahomaAmid the CDC's report that 1,590 cases of WNV have been reported with a total of 66 deaths, Tulsa World advised that two more Oklahomans died this week from the mosquito-borne virus, bringing the state's total deaths from the infection to five.
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Advertising Under the Guise of ResearchYou're skimming over your favorite news source, reading headlines as you go. Your attention is caught -- briefly -- by the latest study results in one area or another of health. There are companies who hope you remember the headline, the article less so.
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Hoping for Healthy Seniors Years? Get Fit by 50It seems like every time you turn around, someone else is espousing the benefits of physical activity. Here's yet another reason to get moving: your fitness level at age 50 affects both the occurrence and severity of chronic disease in later life.
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FEMA Grants Funds to One Oklahoma County, Denies Three OthersOklahoma, a state where drought, heat and mosquitoes are wreaking havoc with residents, crops and livestock, experienced its share of wildfires that began July 28 and weren't extinguished until the second week of August.
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Let's Have More Facts, Less Rhetoric in Presidential CampaignAs the American public continues to be inundated with presidential campaign rhetoric, we are left to wonder the truth behind the statements made by the candidates and the Super PACs supporting them.
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'Legitimate Rape': Have We Made No Progress in Attitudes?Stripping aside any politics involved, merely knowing that an educated American male would have the audacity to speak the phrase "legitimate rape" in this time and place, in a public forum, is mind-boggling.
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Seasonal Changes, Heat, Drought Bring More Health RisksIt’s not as if the extreme heat and dryness haven’t already caused enough problems for much of Oklahoma; now the increased threat of West Nile Virus and an oft-deadly infection caused by an amoeba that thrives in warm waters are issues to be considered.
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CDC Recommends One-Time Testing for All Baby BoomersThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today firmed up its recommendation that all baby boomers -- those individuals born between 1945 to 1965 -- receive one-time testing for the viral infection, hepatitis C.
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At What Cost Comes Current Oil/Natural Gas Boom?As America strives to increase homemade energy sources, some areas of the nation are thriving -- and even booming -- thanks in large part to the availability of oil and natural gas through the method of hydraulic fracturing.
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Middle-Age Loneliness, Attitude Affect HealthResearch studies published June 18 in the Archives of Internal Medicine and one presented at the International Conference on Social Identity and Health on June 11 reveal how certain attitudes and feelings can contribute to physical health outcomes.
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Baby Boomers and Drug-Resistant GonorrheaSometimes headlines in the news don't grab a person's attention because the subject matter isn't of personal interest to the reader. Baby boomers take heed, drug-resistant gonorrhea may well be a topic of interest and/or concern to you.
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How Will the FDA React to Being 'Spanked' on Antibiotic Use in Animals?COMMENTARY | Wouldn't it be refreshing if all related agencies on the same level -- say, the federal level -- worked together for the betterment of life of the American citizenry?
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Should We Legislate Against Obesity?Mayor Michael Bloomberg might as well have struck a match in a fireworks factory as declare on May 30 that soda drinks larger than 16 ounces would be prohibited in New York City, as reported by Gothamist.com.
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Oklahoma Governor Signs Multiple Bills into LawAmong the bills signed into law by the state's elected leader was a budget for the state, reforms to the Department of Human Services, and the Bridge to Literacy program.
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Depression: It's More Than a FeelingLike many people, I equated people with depression as those who were weepy or lacking energy. I sometimes wondered if depressed people weren't just folks who needed to pull themselves up by the boot straps and get on with life.
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Oklahoma Joins 13 Other States with Licensed Open-Carry Gun LawsOklahoma Governor Mary Fallin has signed into law a licensed open carry gun law for her state, set to take effect on November 1, reported Reuters.
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Oklahoma Legislature 'Fiddles' with Two Weeks Left to WorkThe Oklahoma 53rd Legislature must adjourn no later than Friday, May 25, but lawmakers have yet to develop a budget for the coming year or determine funding sources for a sorely needed new state medical examiner's office.
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Will Oklahoma Pro-Life Lawmakers Learn from Court Rulings?COMMENTARY | In the last two months, judges within the state of Oklahoma have blocked or ruled as unconstitutional three separate laws intended to stop abortions (Personhood law) or interfere with the process for abortions.
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Oklahoma Governor Signs Strong Anti-Meth BillOklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signed House Bill 2941 into law on Tuesday, reported KRMG.com. The bill places further limits on the purchase of cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine, a chemical used in making methamphetamine.
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Student Loan Bill: The Big 'Ball' in the Game of Politics as Usual?Both major parties strongly desire to put the football that is a student loan interest reduction bill kicked over the goal post on their end of the field, according to The Washington Times.
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Looking for a Shining Example of Three-Branch System in Action?Sometimes there are actions taken and decisions made at the federal level in American government that cause citizens to question whether the check and balance function of the three branch-system works.
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Physicians Change Recommendations for Many Medical TestsIn an announcement that may initially seem counter-intuitive, several physician specialty groups provided lists of medical tests that they have deemed unnecessary or used too frequently as part of the ABIM Foundation's Choosing Wisely project.
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Aging in America Conference Attendees Told Who Will 'Transform Aging'The Sunday general session of the American Conference on Aging 2012 answered concerns about how aging will change within this and the coming decade: Baby boomers will transform aging -- and aging will transform baby boomers.
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Oklahoma Personhood Bill One Step Closer to Becoming LawThe Oklahoma legislature is one vote away from doing what voters in Mississippi and Colorado were unable to do: making the concept of "personhood" law in the state.
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Preliminary Drug Studies Show Promise for Controlling CholesterolThe U.S CDC tells us that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The risk factors for heart disease include obesity, physical inactivity, and high cholesterol levels -- like health and lifestyle conditions of baby boomers.
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'Stand Your Ground' Laws Are Not the ProblemCOMMENTARY | To me as an average citizen, the tragic death of Trayvon Martin and the acceptance of his shooter's use of Florida's "Stand Your Ground Law" seems to be less about the law itself and more about its application.
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Obama Oklahoma Visit Highlights EnergyPresident Barack Obama is about to do something he hasn't done since taking office: He is going to visit Oklahoma.
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Is Seniors' Health Care 'Nightmare' Close to Happening?Medicare has been the safety net helping senior Americans get the health care they need, but Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) has no qualms about pulling that rug out from under a vulnerable segment of the U.S. population.
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Could Peacetime Martial Law Be Near?COMMENTARY || On Friday, March 16, President Barack Obama signed an executive order titled, "National Defense Resources Preparedness."
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Oklahoma Seeks to Stem Prescription Painkiller AbuseAccording to an insurance industry website, the state of Oklahoma leads the nation in a statistic that any state would be happy in which to trail, namely prescription painkiller drug abuse.
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Oklahoma House Considers Open Carry Gun Bill and MoreOklahoma legislators have been busy this week addressing issues ranging from open meeting requirements for the state lawmakers to open carry laws for guns.
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Oklahoma Women Unite to Fight Personhood BillSenate Bill 1433, originally introduced Feb. 6 of this 2012 legislative session and authored by Sen. Brian Crain, R-District 39, is stirring new activity at the Capitol in Oklahoma City. The "Personhood Bill" has raised the ire of some Oklahoma women.
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FDA Adds Warnings to Cholesterol Drugs' LabelsThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration has added new warnings to the statin class of cholesterol-lowering drugs and one longstanding precaution has been removed.
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Oklahoma Criminal Justice Bill Wins Support of State's DAsOklahoma lawmakers are working towards changes to the current way the criminal justice system addresses funding, improved follow-up services for all released prisoners and the addition of mental health and drug screening for anyone charged with a felony.
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Oklahoma Leaders Applaud Pipeline ConstructionTransCanada, the corporation behind the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, announced its decision on Monday to build a southern section of the pipeline that will extend from Oklahoma to the Gulf Coast in Texas, according to the Associated Press.
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NYPD's Stealthy Investigation of Muslims Should Alarm All AmericansCOMMENTARY | Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers most often quoted said, "All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." Imagine how Jefferson would feel about the latest covert activity of the NYPD.
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Baby Boomers at Risk of Hidden Hepatitis CDue to a number of risk factors, including intravenous drug use and limited testing of the blood supply prior to 1992, as reported by CBSNews.com, those born between 1946 through 1964 -- baby boomers -- are at the highest risk for having hepatitis C.
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Are Oklahomans Ready to Outlaw Abortion, Contraception and in Vitro Fertilization?Legislators in two distinctly different areas of the nation passed legislation that is as far apart in intent and content as the two states involved. The New Jersey legislators voted in favor of gay marriage while the Oklahoma Senate voted for personhood.
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Could Proposed Amendment Put Employers in Charge of Health Services?Roy Blunt, R-Mo., may well be following his conscience in regards to employers -- or their health insurance companies -- having to provide birth control to employees on the basis of religious or moral conviction, but is that fair to employees?
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Access to Money-Saving Benefits for Those 60 and OlderIt's no secret that many Americans are facing tough economic times and perhaps no segment more so than those aged 60+ who are living on reduced or fixed incomes.
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Study Shows Inverse Link Between Brain Games and Alzheimer's DiseaseA clinical study published Monday in the online edition of the Archives of Neurology is the first of its kind to link participation in reading, brain games and writing with a decreased production of a protein that has been linked to Alzheimer's disease.
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EPA Urged by Legislators for Valid Probe of Fracking RisksThere's a lot at stake in the outcome of the EPA's Final Study Plan to Assess Hydraulic Fracturing: the future of the practice also known as "fracking," and the nations ability to continue to move forward toward energy independence.Also published on:
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Joe Paterno Didn't Deserve Death with IndignityCOMMENTARY | Joe Paterno, college football coaching great, has died reports TheWashingtonPost.com. It is a sad time for his family and friends and the many people who admired him.
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Paula Deen Abdicated Personal ResponsibilityWhen Paula Deen, announced January 18 to America that not only does she have type 2 diabetes, she is going to be a spokeswoman for the pharmaceutical company who produces the diabetes medication she takes, the public was only partially surprised.
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Sexual Activity Deemed Safe for Many Heart Patients by AHAThe American Heart Association has released its first scientifically-based statement with recommendations for sexual activity for people with heart conditions or cardiovascular disease. The good news: Sex is safe for many people with heart problems.
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Legislators Had Little Choice but to Respond on SOPA, PIPAOn Wednesday, some large Internet websites delivered on their promise to "put their money where their mouth is" by blacking out their sites for 24 hours in protest of the proposed SOPA and PIPA legislation, according to NYDailyNews.com.
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On Tap for Oklahoma Legislature: Weapons, Texting While Driving, SmokingOklahoma legislators are readying themselves for the upcoming opening on February 6 for the 2012 state legislative session, reports TulsaWorld.com. Lawmakers face a deadline of Thursday to file bills they want considered during this next session.Also published on:
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Can Brain Games Help Baby Boomers Keep Their Minds Sharp?Less than two weeks ago the British Medical Journal published the Whitehall II study results that indicate memory and thinking skills actually begin to decline around age 40 rather than age 60 as had been thought.
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Fifty and Older Americans Not Immune to HIV/AIDS and Other STDsAmericans are enjoying longer life expectancies and active sex lives thanks to improvements in medicine and health care. An unexpected consequence of these factors is that people aged 50 and over are experiencing increasing rates of HIV/AIDS infection.
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Will Comedy Show Us the Way?Politicians are elected to office to represent their constituents; comedians are self-appointed word troubadours with their fingers on the pulse of the populace.
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Bald and Beautiful Barbie Citizen Movement SwellsNever underestimate the power of the individual -- or the power of social media -- to make a difference. In this case, two women whose lives have been touched by cancer, are asking Barbie doll manufacturer, Mattel, to create a bald and beautiful version.
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Central Oklahoma's Diet and Awareness Initiative Labeled a SuccessSince Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett announced his resolution on January 1, 2008 that city and area residents needed to lose weight, participants in the OKC Million program have collectively lost 1 million pounds.
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Cholesterol Meds Increase Risk of Diabetes in Middle-Aged WomenA group of researchers investigated the relationship between the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs, statins and the incidence of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus in postmenopausal women.
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Who Wins in Adoption Reversal?Adoptions are highly emotional, no matter the circumstances. The reversal of a two-year-old adoption order not due to any wrong-doing on the part of any involved party is also deeply emotional with the return of a toddler to her biological father.
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Learn to Express Yourself Confidently Using Assertive CommunicationThere are many ways to say the same thing -- with the potential for the message to be heard differently by the listener depending on the style of communication used.
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Eating Style Can Stave Off Alzheimer's Disease, Ease Fears: StudyIn the report of a 10 year clinical study on cognitive decline, including memory loss, published yesterday in the British Medical Journal, researchers reported their findings that such decline may begin occurring in the fourth decade of life.