Compiled by Sylvia Thompson and Dr Muiris Houston.
RIGHT ADVICE: Tips for Taking Medicines, a free booklet aimed at individuals taking regular prescription and over-the-counter drugs, has been re-issued. Full of advice such as how to remember to take your medicine (e.g. send yourself a mobile phone reminder), the booklet also includes descriptions of common terms used on medicines and a patient medication record. Produced by the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, Tips for Taking Medicines is available in pharmacies.
TRAVEL TIPS: A new online shopping site for international travellers has just been launched. www.travelshop.ie is a one-stop shop for insect repellents, plug adaptors, water purification tablets, mosquito nets, etc, all of which have been approved by the Tropical Medicine Bureau (TMB). The site also contains advice on holiday vaccination.
PERIODS & STRESS: Primary dysmenorrhoea (painful periods without a known cause) is one of the most common gynaecological problems among women of childbearing age. Researchers assessed the role of stress during the preceding menstrual cycle on the rate of painful periods in the next cycle. Although the overall proportion of women reporting high stress was low, levels of medium and high stress were greater among the women with dysmenorrhoea. Perceived stress in the first two weeks of the cycle had a greater impact on dysmenorrhoea than did perceived stress in the second half of the cycle.
LIFE'S CHALLENGE: Jobs that are both challenging and afford opportunities to take responsibility seem to protect against the development of dementia. Researchers found that people who had worked in jobs that had been intellectually demanding, had afforded scope for a high degree of control, and had required socialising with people other than immediate work colleagues were less likely to have dementia.
SECTION TRENDS: The US has seen a steep rise in Caesarean sections in women where there was no immediate risk to the baby, according to new research which looked at four million births. For first-time mothers over 40, the odds of having a "no indicated risk" or "designer" Caesarean were over five times that for mothers aged 20-24. Undergoing Caesareans where there is no reported medical indication raises serious questions, say the authors, not least for younger mothers who plan to have further children. More research is needed on whether the risks associated with surgery outweigh the benefits, they conclude.