International health news
Researchers have reported that poorer countries should have greater access to effective healthcare. Death rates linked to heart disease and cancer in developed countries have decreased over the last few years but have remained unchanged or increased in the undeveloped countries. The lifespan of people in developed countries has increased by 2 – 2.5 years while the lifespan in undeveloped countries has only increased by 0.2 years.
A recent study done at Penn State College of Medicine has shown that statin drugs lower cholesterol but are a risk to the brain at the same time. The drug could actually increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. Out of the 50 million people who participated this study, they were able to identify 22,000 people suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
A recent study has shown that anti-epilepsy drugs could be beneficial for people with mild Alzheimer’s disease. According to the EEG scans done after giving participants different injections, they have found out that the drug can partially restore normal brain activity.
Country updates
A new report by the Canadian Cancer Society predicts that one in two Canadians will get cancer and one in four dies from it. This makes cancer the leading cause of death in Canada. In 2017, a predicted 206,000 people will be diagnosed with cancer and 80,800 of them will die from it. The four most common cancers are prostate, breast, lung and colorectal.
International health authorities have announced that Yemen is facing the worst cholera outbreak in the world. At this moment, 200,000 people are diagnosed with cholera and this number is increasing to 5,000 cases every day. This outbreak is partly caused by the violence currently happening in the country.
A new study has shown that since the smoking ban in England, heart disease deaths have decreased by 20%. Since smoking was banned from pubs, restaurants and other public places in 2007, the amount of smokers in the UK feel to the second-lowest in Europe.
Health advice
A new study shows that toxins produced by fungus growing on wallpapers could be the reason you are feeling sick at home. These toxins are a threat to the indoor air condition and cause the Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), a medical condition where people in buildings suffer from symptoms of illness or feel unwell for no apparent reason.
More than 40 studies have shown that sitting behind a desk, in the car or on a couch can increase the risk of cancer, premature death and especially type 2 diabetes. This is due to the reduced muscle activity in the main leg and back muscles, which help regulate blood sugar and remove harmful blood fats. It can also lead to eating more and gaining weight.