Medical Information Privacy Concerns May Require Legislative Action. Copyright 2005 Terry McDermott
Medical information is among the most sensitive and
personal information that can be collected and shared. It
has always been accepted that privacy of personal medical
data is central to the doctor-patient relationship. But, surprisingly, there is no comprehensive federal medical information privacy law.
Records containing medical information are less protected
than credit reports or video rental records. There is a patchwork of state health privacy laws. Some laws cover specific individuals or organizations or specific medical conditions. But state laws vary widely and few address medical information privacy concerns in a comprehensive fashion.
For a variety of reasons a new sense of urgency exists for privacy rules governing the use of personal medical conditions information. Some are as follows:
- Rise in managed care -
- New information and communications technology
- Concerns raised by mapping of the human genome
- Increased demand for health data
- Commercial use of health data
Increased access to medical information can result in an increased risk of misuse. Stricter privacy guidelines can prevent access by those who are not bound by ethical or legal standards or who are motivated strictly by profit or curiosity.
Some patients adopt privacy protecting behavior like paying out-of-pocket or doctor hopping. Others may be reluctant to give accurate or complete medical information. In the worst-case scenario, people will avoid care altogether. As a result, a patient puts him/herself at risk because of undetected or untreated conditions. In addition, without full patient participation up-front, the medical data collected will be unreliable for users elsewhere in the system. Ultimately, health care initiatives that depend on complete and accurate information may be undermined.
Protecting medical conditions information privacy ensures access to care and improves the quality of care for individuals and their communities.
About the Author:
J. Terrence McDermott is administrator and webmaster for
Home Medical Suppies Central at http://www.medical-supplies-4u.net - a site featuring medical supplies and equipment and resources for home caregivers. He can be reached at termcder@gmail.com
Autism and Nutritional Supplements
Unfortunately, it has been proved beyond doubt that a large percentage of the United States population suffers from nutritional deficiency. Studies show, 30% of the general population has a marginal level of Vitamin C and 15% are Vitamin C deficient. Low level of vitamins and minerals like, calcium, iron, folic acid, magnesium, and chromium continue to be a significant but common problem in the United States. It is also being noticed that children suffering from Autism are the most common patients for vitamin and mineral deficiency. Generally children suffering from Autism have much lower level of vitamins A, C, D, and E, and all B vitamins (except choline) and some minerals (zinc, magnesium, selenium).
The most common problems that are detected in children suffering from nutritional deficiency can be listed as follows:
High Copper: Zinc ratio
B12 deficiency
Calcium deficiency
Sulfate deficiency
Vitamin A
Why children with Autism suffer the most?
Chronic diarrhea/constipation: Malabsorption is a common problem related to Autism. A recent study by the Southwest Autism Research Center of over 400 people with autism has found that 48% reported chronic diarrhea or chronic constipation
Gastrointestinal inflammation: Many patients suffering from Autism experience chronic gastrointestinal inflammation and structural compromise in the digestive tract. This intestinal inflammation likely reduces nutrient absorption.
Dietary restrictions: One of the classic symptoms of autism is restricted interests and behaviors and this often extends to choices of food. Restricted, self-limited diets are highly likely to be deficient in one or more essential nutrients.
The Brighter Side
When we are all concerned with the increasing rate of autistic children and problems due to lack of necessary vitamins and minerals it has also been proved that multivitamin/mineral nutrient supplement goes a long way in helping these children. These nutritional supplements significantly contribute towards their improvement of IQ, scholastic test scores, and early neurological development. Children with learning disabilities experience substantial behavioral, cognitive, and academic gains by use of these multivitamin nutritional supplements.
Studies and feedback from parents of children with Autism has shown that calcium, vitamin C, folic acid, and vitamin B6 with magnesium, zinc, niacin, niacinamide, and dimethylglycine resulted in improvement in 41–58% of cases.
The Liquid Vitamin Formula and the Liquid Mineral Formula (available at http://www.awakennutrition.com ) developed with the advice of James Adams. Ph.D. Arizona State University is an ideal solution to meet the nutritional needs of Autism and ADHD. James B. Adams is a father of a young girl with autism, diagnosed in 1994, and that is what led him to eventually shift much of his research emphasis to autism, focusing on biological causes and treatments.
It was found in research that a combination of Vitamin B6 and Magnesium is highly effective in reducing many of the deficits and symptoms of autism. Vitamin C has also been shown in a clinical trial to facilitate a reduction in symptom severity in children with autism. Vitamin B6 is significantly elevated in children with autism, probably due to defective pyridoxal kinase, implying a functional need for more. This may explain why very high doses of vitamin B6 have been shown in numerous studies to benefit children with autism. However, further study is required to measure pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, PMP, and PLP simultaneously to validate this interpretation. Alpha lipoic acid levels should also be higher and preferably at par with those found in typical adults.
These are some of the basic requirements that must be kept in mind while developing any nutritional supplements to be effective and contribute towards proper treatment and growth of children with autism and people suffering from lack of minerals and vitamins. James Adams research ahs gifted us with two such multivitamin nutritional supplements however we should put in continuous effort to develop even better solutions and products that would be effective to cure autism.
Author's Bio: This article is written by Ray Smith, a marketing expert with years of experience in different industries and specialized knowledge on branding and internet marketing.
Chelation - Liquid Vitamin
Green Tea and Your Health
Green tea has been used as for medical remedies in China since ancient times. It was said to have many health benefits and be a remedy for many ailments. It is also said that the Japanese owe their slim figures to green tea.
Today, scientist in Asia and the west are providing scientific evidence that green tea is a benefit to our health. An anti-oxidant call EGCG that is in green tea is the main cause of this.
Green tea has been shown to do many things including:
- Inhibit the growth of new cancer cells and kill existing cancer cells
- Promote weight loss helping the body burn up to 10 percent more body fat.
- Increase energy expenditure up to 4 percent.
- Prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
- Reduce the risk of colon, breast, and lung cancer.
- Boost the immune system.
- Have an anti-inflammatory effect making it a good supplement for those with arthritis.
- Help in the prevention of tooth decay.
Green Tea Differs from Other Types of Tea
What makes green tea different from other tea is the process in which it is made. Made from the plant of Camellia sinensis, the leaves are steamed after being removed from the plant so that oxidation of the leaves is prevented. By doing this the leaves remain green and active substances that are contained in the leaves keep their healthful qualities.
Side Effects of Green Tea
There are no reported harmful side effects in drinking green tea or taking green tea extract capsules. Thus making green tea one of the best supplements available.
Use of Green Tea
There are 2 ways of supplementing your diet with green tea:
- Drinking green tea: 2 to 3 cups daily.
- Green tea capsules or tablets: 2 capsules or tablets of green tea extract daily.
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