Health Information

Reuters - Palestinians struggling to cope with the Israeli blockade of Gaza and the trauma of war are turning to painkillers and tranquillizers at a rate that risks triggering a wave of addiction.

AP - Did government health officials “cry swine” when they sounded the alarm on what looked like a threatening new flu? The so-far mild swine flu outbreak has many people saying all the talk about a devastating global epidemic was just fear-mongering hype. But that’s not how public health officials see it, calling complacency the thing that keeps them up at night.

AP - Up to 2 billion people could be infected by swine flu if the current outbreak turns into a pandemic lasting two years, the World Health Organization said Thursday.

Reuters - Too much sunlight in places like Greenland where long summer days often cause insomnia appears more likely to drive a person to suicide, Swedish researchers said Friday.

AP - America’s two swine flu deaths — a toddler and a pregnant woman — each suffered from several other illnesses when they were infected with the virus, according to a study released Thursday.

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) — Today’s women often manage many roles,
including partner, friend, mother, daughter, employee and manager of the
home.

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) — Children who stutter can become embarrassed
and anxious about speaking, which can make the situation even worse.

HealthDay - THURSDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) — Healthy older adults cope better
with sleep deprivation than younger adults, and daytime sleepiness among
older adults isn’t a normal part of aging, U.S. researchers say.