InfoTrak

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results offered strategies aimed at forming good habits, breaking bad ones, and mastering the tiny behaviors that lead to extraordinary results. He explained how to find the underlying causes of bad habits and why that can help to correct them. He offered examples of ways to redesign an environment to break bad habits.

Tasleem Padamsee, PhD, Assistant Professor of Health Services Management and Policy at Ohio State University. Dr. Padamsee led a study that found that African-American women at high risk of breast cancer are less likely than white women to pursue potentially life-saving preventive care. She talked about the most common preventative steps that at-risk patients can take. She also encouraged patients to talk to their physicians about cancer risk concerns.

Marcos A. Rangel, PhD, Applied Microeconomist, Assistant Professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy Medicine at Duke University led a study that found that immigrant children are nearly twice as likely to study and pursue careers in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as children born in the US. He believes that because immigrant students are less comfortable communicating in English than their native-born peers, they gravitate toward subjects where the language barrier is less of an impediment.

Marcos A. Rangel, PhD, Applied Microeconomist, Assistant Professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy Medicine at Duke University led a study that found that immigrant children are nearly twice as likely to study and pursue careers in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as children born in the US. He believes that because immigrant students are less comfortable communicating in English than their native-born peers, they gravitate toward subjects where the language barrier is less of an impediment.

Every day an unseen form of labor creeps into our lives—the kind of secretarial and managerial work necessary to run a life and a household. Elizabeth Emens, PhD, Isidor and Seville Sulzbacher Professor of Law at Columbia Law School, author of Life Admin: How I Learned to Do Less, Do Better, and Live More discussed how this labor is created, how it affects our lives, and how we might avoid, reduce, and redistribute admin whenever possible—as individuals and as a society.

Each year, thousands of teenagers and young adults are prescribed opioids for pain relief after having their wisdom teeth removed Alan Schroeder, MD, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the Stanford University School of Medicine led a study that found almost 6 percent of these patients were diagnosed with opioid abuse during the 12 months after the initial prescription. He discussed alternate options for pain relief. He said wisdom tooth extraction is by far the most common surgical procedure for adolescents and young adults but there is very little research that supports the widespread use of the procedure.

Advertising works, and Dr Jennifer Emond’s study found that kids who were exposed to TV ads for high-sugar cereals were more likely to subsequently eat the cereals they had seen advertised. She talked about the effect this may have on diet quality and childhood obesity, and offered suggestions to parents on how to maintain control of TV watching, particularly for small children.

Advertising works, and Dr Jennifer Emond’s study found that kids who were exposed to TV ads for high-sugar cereals were more likely to subsequently eat the cereals they had seen advertised. She talked about the effect this may have on diet quality and childhood obesity, and offered suggestions to parents on how to maintain control of TV watching, particularly for small children.

Teresa Gil, PhD, psychotherapist , author of Women Who Were Sexually Abused As Children: Mothering, Resilience and Protecting the Next Generation estimates that there are approximately 21 million mothers in America who experienced childhood sexual abuse. She discussed how that trauma may affect their own parenting. She talked about the value of strong mother-daughter relationships, spiritual beliefs, and therapy in coping.

How honest are you with your doctor? Over half of patients in a recent study say they don’t share key information with their physician. A research scientist says withholding those facts may be risky. Then, an expert says mothers in America who experienced sexual abuse in childhood may find the trauma affects them as parents.