IMPACT ON HEALTH

Many Believe God Trumps Doctors

When it comes to saving lives, God trumps doctors for many Americans

An eye-opening survey revealed widespread belief that divine intervention can revive dying patients. And, researchers said, doctors "need to be prepared to deal with families who are waiting for a miracle." More than half of randomly surveyed adults — 57 percent —said God's intervention could save a family member even if physicians declared treatment would be futile. And nearly three-quarters said patients have a right to demand such treatment. When asked to imagine their own relatives being gravely ill or injured, nearly 20 percent of doctors and other medical workers said God could reverse a hopeless outcome.

Chewing Gum May Help Colon Patients

Can you chew gum and recover from surgery at the same time? British researchers say it's a great idea for some patients. Chewing gum may speed the return of normal bowel function after colon surgery, a new analysis of five studies suggests. Some patients have trouble moving their bowels after colon surgery, but chewing gum may fool the body into good digestion. Gum gets the juices flowing, literally. Besides saliva, it may stimulate gut hormones and pancreatic secretions, according to the study's authors, researchers at the Imperial College London. The findings, in the August issue of Archives of Surgery, come from an analysis of five studies with a total of 158 patients. As the patients recovered from colon surgery, some chewed sugarless gum three times a day for five to 45 minutes. Others did not chew gum.

Stress, Anxiety Worsen Response to Allergens

Even a little stress and anxiety can greatly worsen and extend a person's reaction to common allergens, a new study says. The finding, recently presented at the American Psychological Association annual meeting in Boston, is important, as allergies are the fifth-most-common chronic disease in the United States. The researchers estimate that Americans pay more than $3.4 billion for allergy medications and allergy-related doctor visits annually, and lose about 3.5 million work days a year because of them. "Allergies are not minor problems," researcher Jan Kiecolt-Glaser, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at Ohio State, said in a news release issued by the university. "A huge number of people suffer from allergies and, while hay fever, for example, is generally not life-threatening, allergy sufferers often also have asthma, which can be deadly."

After combat, citizen soldiers turning to alcohol

National Guard and Re-serve combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are more likely to develop drinking problems than active-duty soldiers, a new military study suggests. The authors speculate that inadequate preparation for the stress of combat and reduced access to support services at home may be to blame. The study, appearing in last Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, is the first to compare Iraq and Afghanistan veterans' alcohol problems before and after deployment. It should help guide planning for future prevention and treatment programs, said study co-author Dr. Edward Boyko, who works for the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System.

Extra Pounds Mean Fees in Alabama

Alabama, pushed to second in national obesity rankings by deep-fried Southern favorites, is cracking down on state workers who are too fat. The state has given its 37,527 employees a year to start getting fit — or they'll pay $25 a month for insurance that otherwise is free. Alabama will be the first state to charge overweight state workers who don't work on slimming down, while a handful of other states reward employees who adopt healthy behaviors. Alabama already charges workers who smoke — and has seen some success in getting them to quit — but now has turned its attention to a problem that plagues many in the Deep South: obesity.