Mouth cancers form part of a wider group of upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) cancers (oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and oesphagus), which are strongly associated with smoking and alcohol. The aim of this review was to quantify the association between alcohol drinking and UADT cancer mortality The Medline and ISI Web of Science databases were searched [read the full story…]
Alcohol misuse is responsible for about 4% of all deaths annually, and in the UK it costs the NHS more than £3 billion per year. A number of medications are currently licensed for the treatment of alcohol dependence. Unfortunately the medications don’t work for everyone and in the USA at least, fewer than 10% of [read the full story…]
Substance use is common in people with mental health problems, and this can have important negative consequences for health and social function. The high comorbidity of mental health problems and substance use is a major contributor to the shorter life expectancy of this population – a person with a severe mental disorder can expect to [read the full story…]
Alcohol is responsible for approximately 2.5 million deaths worldwide every year, making it the third largest cause of preventable death after tobacco and obesity. The economic burden to the UK has been estimated in the region of £20 billion per year, comprising the NHS bill, costs to employers and policing costs amongst other things. Reducing harmful [read the full story…]
Alcohol misuse is recognised as one of the major health care issues in the US. Specifically, alcohol misuse is ranked third in causes of preventable deaths (after tobacco and obesity) affecting 30% of the population. Alcohol dependence has 4% prevalence in the US, but hazardous drinking patterns are believed to be evident in 21% of [read the full story…]
A cohort study published in JAMA tried to answer the question what are the risk factors for suicide in the US military. This is a hot topic as the rate of suicide has increased in US military personnel from about 11/100,000 people in 2005 to about 18/100,000 so that now deaths from suicide outnumber deaths [read the full story…]
We have posted previously about increasing concerns about misuse of tobacco and alcohol amongst people with mild to moderate learning disabilities, with one review in the United States suggesting that people with learning disabilities were less likely to receive or remain in treatment. The authors of this systematic review were interested in looking at interventions [read the full story…]
Good oral health can be achieved and maintained by compliance with preventive and curative measures and effective self-care. However, adherence to positive behaviours such as toothbrushing, interdental cleaning, smoking cessation and good dietary habits can be variable. Traditional approaches of patient education revolve around disseminating information and normative advice. Increasingly the use of motivational interviewing [read the full story…]
Alcohol, together with tobacco and obesity, is one of the most important modifiable causes of morbidity and premature mortality, and is estimated to account for around 4% of deaths worldwide. This study attempted to clarify the number of alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in the United States, and the years of potential life lost in this way. [read the full story…]
Yesterday we posted about a U.S. review which identified the small number of studies on substance abuse and the lack of clear estimates of prevalence. Normally, here at Elf towers, we only identify studies that are reviews of literature, or single studies that report results. But given yesterday’s posting, we thought it might be interesting [read the full story…]
