Sharp minds:
Elderly women have a better mental function than men of the same age, despite their lower level of formal education, according to Dutch researchers. Of those taking part in the study, the proportion of women with limited formal education was significantly higher than that of men, but women had better scores for mental speed and memory than men. Good mental speed was found in 33 per cent of the women and 28 per cent of the men. Forty one per cent of the women and 29 per cent of the men had a good memory.
The authors conclude that limited formal education alone cannot explain the differences in mental function between men and women. They suggest that biological differences, such as the relative absence of cardiovascular disease in elderly women compared with men of the same age, could account for these sex differences in mental decline. (Journal Of Neurology, Neurosurgery &Psychiatry)
Coffee and cancer:
Swedish researchers say there is no association between coffee consumption and risk of colorectal cancer, despite previous studies suggesting a protective effect from coffee consumption. Data from more than 61,000 Swedish women aged 40-74 was collected and analysed. The women were free from cancer at the start of the study and varied in their coffee consumption. Details of many other dietary factors were also taken into account. No link was found during an average 9.6 years of follow-up, and regular consumers of four or more cups of coffee per day did not show decreased risk of colorectal cancer compared with those who never or rarely drank coffee. (Gut)
Passive smoking:
The public-health department of the North Western Health Board carried out a study into levels of exposure to passive smoking in a sample of children in the north-west. Questionnaires were distributed to 265 schoolchildren aged 12-17.
Seventy-two per cent classified themselves as non-smokers. Thirty-two per cent of children surveyed were exposed to smoke at home and 74 per cent exposed to smoke in the wider community, while 26 per cent were exposed to smoke both at home and in the community. Ninety-one per cent of children were found to be exposed to passive smoking at some location.
The researchers conclude that further measures are required to reduce the level of passive smoking. (Irish Medical Journal)
Contact numbers:
The 8th annual edition of the Irish Medical Directory has just been published. Printed on glossy paper in magazine format, it contains contact information for hospitals (including their departments and clinics), health boards, support groups, pharmaceutical companies, GPs and medical consultants and their specialities. A very useful resource for those working in the health-care sector, the directory costs £45. Call 01-4926040 or e-mail info@imd.ie for more information.
Asperger's conference:
The Asperger Syndrome Association of Ireland is holding a one-day conference on Asperger's syndrome/high-functioning autism on Saturday, at the Cork Institute of Technology. Speakers include the psychiatrist Dr Eimer Philbin-Bowman, the educational psychologist Jo Douglas and the clinical psychologist Margaret Farrelly. Booking details from 021-4965012.
Overuse of antibiotics:
International research shows that up to 50 per cent of antibiotic use in humans may be inappropriate. "Common conditions such as sore throats, bronchitis and flu do not always require a dose of antibiotics," says Dr Ed Smyth.
The consultant microbiologist is part of a multidisciplinary subgroup of the scientific advisory committee at the National Disease Surveillance Centre, which was set up to tackle the growing resistance to antibiotics in Ireland.
Educating the GPs on the use of antibiotics, good general hygiene (and avoiding the overuse of antibacterial cleaning agents), improved infection control in hospitals and community settings and better surveillance of antibiotic resistance are recommendations of the just-published "Strategy for the Control of Antimicrobial Resistance in Ireland".
Compiled by Muiris Houston and Sylvia Thompson
lifelines@irish-times.ie