Monday, 06 September 2010 02:20

Two innovative treatments, one involving hormone therapy and the other a popular video game, are offering hope to those suffering from what would have, at one time, been a life-ending or life-altering traumatic brain injury (TBI).

TBIs cause a range of severe physical and mental disorders that can permanently and severely change the lives of both patients and their loved ones. They can cause permanent neurological, muscular and emotional trauma. According to the American Medical Association, recent studies have even proven a conclusive link between TBIs and clinical depression; concussion survivors may become up to eight times more likely to experience severe depression in the future.

Statistics provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that roughly two million Americans sustain traumatic brain injuries every year -- one every 15 seconds. Fifty thousand of these patients die, and 80,000 of them face long-term disability.

A Natural Cure?

In spite of strides in medical research in the past decades, scientists had not developed any consistently successful treatments for over 30 years. Thankfully, that may change in the near future. The National Institutes of Health is currently undergoing a large-scale, multi-million dollar study of the use of progesterone (a predominantly female hormone that is needed by the female body to stay healthy during pregnancy) to treat and lessen the impact of traumatic brain injuries.

Progesterone, like other neurosteroids, is produced and used in the brain, and is linked to the processes governing cognitive function and memory. The exact science of progesterone in the brain is not entirely understood, but animal studies show that progesterone can aid brain cell development and reduce trauma-related swelling.

The initial NIH study involved 100 patients with TBIs who were all given an IV infusion of progesterone within hours of the injury - there was a direct correlation between this treatment and a dramatic reduction in mortality and disability levels. The expanded follow-up study will involve about 1,100 patients over three years, and the medical community is anxiously awaiting the results.

A High-Tech Approach

Another promising approach to helping TBI patients takes advantage of readily available technology. In a case study of an injured soldier, Kansas State University researchers proved that regular use of Nintendo's Wii Fit video game system can markedly improve balance and aid in long-term neurological rehabilitation. The easy access, relatively low cost and interactivity of the Wii make it a more approachable option than other virtual reality rehabilitation systems.

Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan often return from combat with TBIs, some of them undiagnosed in the field. The unique aspect of using the Wii system is that it can not only treat diagnosed conditions these servicemen and women are facing, but, by providing baseline readings that are stored over time, it may help to uncover previously unknown issues and treat them as well.

Many serious accidents and other TBI incidents cannot be prevented, but there is new hope that the most serious impacts can be more effectively treated in the coming years. If you or a loved one is suffering the lasting effects of a TBI, it is a good idea to consult an attorney in your area who has in-depth knowledge of the medical and legal aspects of these injuries.

Article provided by Bird Law Group
Visit us at www.birdmabrey.com

Monday, 06 September 2010 02:20

The Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon today used World No Tobacco Day to announce that the Rudd Government will provide $5 million to help support Quitline services around Australia.

This funding is in addition to the Government’s comprehensive package of anti-smoking measures, including a 25 per cent increase in tobacco excise, the world’s first plain packaging regime and additional funding for anti-smoking social marketing.

The Government’s modelling is that the excise increase alone will result in approximately 87,000 Australians quitting smoking.

Since the release of these tough tobacco measures there has been an increased demand for Quitline services – including reports that calls to the Quitline have doubled.

Demand has also increased due to the Government’s anti-smoking campaign running since February. The next advertisements from this hard hitting campaign will start before the end of this year.

Funding for Quitline will help support increased demand for services. Increased support for Quitline was a recommendation of the National Preventative Health Taskforce.

The $5 million in one-off funding will be made available to:

• address one-off costs from this period of high demand for their services – including increased hours of access where appropriate;
• develop and deliver counsellor training, including specific training to help high-risk and highly disadvantage groups quit;
• develop new and online quit support resources; and
• improve quality and national consistency across Quitline services.

Quitline provide an invaluable service to people who are trying to quit smoking. Quitline provides telephone information and advice or counselling service for people who want to quit smoking.

Smokers can phone the Quitline confidentially on 131 848 from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call only.

Quitline can provide smokers with evidence on:

• the best way for you to quit;
• coping with withdrawal symptoms; and
• Quit courses and details of local organisations which provide individual help and counselling.

On World No Tobacco Day today, the Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon, announced an anti-tobacco workforce will soon roll out in the first 20 of 57 regions around Australia to tackle Indigenous smoking rates.

Mr Snowdon said each region would receive a regional tobacco coordinator and tobacco action worker, in addition to two new Healthy Lifestyle workers to help improve nutrition and physical activity in indigenous communities.

In total, from July, 82 positions will be rolled out as follows:

• • 20 Regional Tobacco Coordinators
  • 21 Tobacco Action Workers
  • 41 Healthy lifestyle workers

Mr Snowdon said that the high level of Indigenous smoking rates could not be ignored,

“Overall, around one in six Australians smoke; but the rate is almost one in two among Indigenous Australians. One in five deaths among Indigenous Australians is caused by smoking and that’s unacceptable,” Mr Snowdon said.

He said the new anti-tobacco workforce will be employed from July this year to help reach more Indigenous people to run local smoking prevention and quit campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking, and support individuals to quit.

These positions will complement new Healthy Lifestyle workers, which are part of a $37.5 million initiative to help people get more physically active and improve their eating habits.

He said the Rudd Government is committed to addressing Indigenous health issues and in particular excessive smoking rates.

The new anti-tobacco workforce is part of the $100.6 million Tackling Smoking measure, an investment made by the Rudd Government through the COAG partnership with the states and territories.

Former Indigenous Social Justice Commissioner, Dr Tom Calma, has been engaged
as national coordinator to lead this important work.

“The new anti-tobacco workers will help with preventative measure to deter people from taking up the habit, and will help connect people to the help they need to quit,” Dr Calma said.
“A community-level approach to tackling the high rates of smoking among Indigenous people will help ensure the most appropriate methods are used to educate communities about the dangers that smoking poses to their health,” Dr Calma said.

These workers will be employed by Aboriginal community controlled health organizations, such as Aboriginal Medical Services, where possible.

The Rudd Government also announced today it will provide $5 million to help support Quitline services around Australia. The Government’s modelling is that the excise increase alone will result in approximately 87,000 Australians quitting smoking.

The Australian Government has also invested in the $14.5 million Indigenous Tobacco Control Initiative, which is funding 18 projects operating around Australia, trialing ways to better engage with Indigenous people to help them quit, or not take up smoking in the first instance.

Mr Snowdon said that Australia is leading the world in anti-smoking initiatives, including:

• • a 25 per cent rise in tobacco excise to increase the cost of a packet of cigarettes to more than $15 - expected to encourage around 87,000 Australians to quit and deter younger Australians from taking up smoking
  • legislation to mandate plain packaging for tobacco products by July 2012
  • legislation to restrict Australian internet advertising of tobacco products, bringing the internet into line with other media
  • graphic health warnings on packets to be updated and expanded
  • anti-smoking advertising to be increased by $27.8 million over four years to more than $85 million over four years.

“By working with Indigenous stakeholders themselves, we can halve the Indigenous smoking rate over the next decade and give Indigenous Australians more opportunity to live long and healthy lives,” Mr Snowdon said.

For more information go to: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ctg/publishing.nsf/Content/national-action-to-reduce-indigenous-smoking-rate

Media contact: Alice Plate 0400 045 999 or Alice This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Photos from Indigenous Smoking campaign ‘ditch the durries’ are available at www.flickr.com/photos/warrensnowdon/

Priority Regions for Tackling Smoking and Healthy Lifestyle Workforce

State/Territory	Priority Regions 2010-11
NSW	Tamworth/Moree/Narrabri	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	Campbelltown	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	Inner Sydney	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	Newcastle/Lake Macquarie	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
Victoria	Southern Metropolitan (Dandenong)	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	Loddon Mallee Region (Swan Hill / Mildura)	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
QLD	Central Queensland	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	Far North Queensland	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	South East Metropolitan	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	Wide Bay/Sunshine Coast	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
SA	Whyalla/Flinders and Far North	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	Hills Mallee Southern/Riverland/South East	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	Metro South	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
WA	Kimberley West	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	Kimberley East	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	Goldfields	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	Pilbara	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
NT	Darwin Urban	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	Katherine West	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
	Central Australia	Regional Tobacco Coordinator x 1 Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Workers x 2
ACT	ACT	Tobacco Action Worker x 1 Healthy Lifestyle Worker x 1