Texas Tech Health Check

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A recent study found that 1 in 8 U.S. adolescents and young adults use AI chatbots for mental health advice. How safe is it to use these chatbots without or along with human therapists? Our guest experts for this episode are Nicole Noble, Ph.D., an an assistant professor in the TTUHSC School of Health Professions and therapist in the Your Life Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic and David Pfaff, Ph.D., a clinical mental health therapist with the School of Health Professions Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Their insight on this topic will hopefully lead listeners to understand what to expect from these everyday chatbots, how we can use them as a tool to help with therapy, how therapists themselves use AI and why this is still one of those professional services that is best handled by a human. 

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For some people, their bones might grow too much and not fit together perfectly, including the bones around the hip joint, leading to pain. That’s when patients usually learn about hip arthroscopy. Matthew Kraeutler, M.D., is back, this time to talk to us about hip arthroscopy—What is it? Who is a candidate? What is recovery like? Dr. Kraeutler is an orthopedic surgeon with Texas Tech Physicians. He tells us what options patients, especially younger patients, have when they’re feeling pain in their hips and when he recommends treatment with this minimally invasive procedure. 

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There are challenges to practicing medicine and receiving medical treatment in rural areas, but there are benefits as well. According to National Rural Health Day, rural America is a great place for mission-minded health professionals to provide individualized care. According to this episode's guest, rural patients will approach their doctor in public. Adrian Billings, M.D., is associate academic dean for rural and community engagement with the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine and with Texas Tech Physicians of Odessa. Dr. Billings shared what it is like to practice medicine in such a large rural area and how it's led him to build deep relationships with his patients. He also shares how telehealth and modern technology are transforming care in remote areas but stresses why personal connection between patients and clients still matters most.

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A cancer diagnosis often affects patients' mental health leading to anxiety, depression and social isolation. In this episode, guest Gabriela Lelakowska, Ph.D., assistant professor and psychologist in the department of psychiatry in the TTUHSC School of Medicine,  emphasizes the importance of open communication, maintaining routines and using professional resources when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer. 

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What is your favorite fictional villain or monster? Do they have a medical condition that led them on the path of evil? How medically accurate is that? Perhaps that character wouldn’t have a been a bad guy were it not for neglect or other people’s hubris? Our experts for this episode are Ron Cook, D.O., Chief Health Officer for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, and Alan Pang, M.D., assistant professor in the school of medicine and surgeon with Texas Tech Physicians, previous guests. They talked to us about the medical realities behind some popular villains and monsters and separated the fact from fiction when it comes to monsters’ and villains’ physical appearances or underlying medical conditions. 

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Respiratory illness season is practically here. What can you do to protect your lung health right now? Tushi Singh, M.D., and Ricardo Franco, M.D., both pulmonologists with Texas Tech Physicians, are back for another episode, this one on lung cancer and what we can do to keep our lungs healthy, especially during this time of the year. You will definitely gain a better appreciation for your lungs after listening. 

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Our introduction reminds our listeners that they are getting evidence-based advice and here's an example of how our experts are doing just that. Texas Tech Physicians Orthopedic Surgeon Matthew Kraeutler, M.D., wants to preserve our knee joints and delay or avoid the need for a total knee replacement. He describes the three primary factors involved with preservation of the knee joint -- joint alignment, meniscal status and ligament stability -- and how a deficiency in one can affect the others. 

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September is National Preparedness Month, but we should be prepared for disasters regardless of the time of year. In addition to being prepared, it's good to know also what role public health has when it comes to preparing and responding to disasters. Amal Mitra, DrPH, MBBS, chair of the department of public health at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Julia Jones Matthews School for Population and Public Health explains how those in public health prepare for disasters, especially water safety, sanitation and disease surveillance. Mitra also highlights long-term long-term health issues post-disasters, such as PTSD, cardiovascular disease and sleep disturbances. He also shares his experience of what it was like to live in an are impacted by Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago. 

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Our health and well-being can affect our sexual health. Illness and disease affect men and women when it comes to physical relationships. Oftentimes, those issues take a toll on our mental health. Don't suffer in silence. Talk to a medical professional. Our guest experts for this episode are two advance practice nurse practitioners from the department of urology, Melissa Bowyer, APRN, and Kristen Sharma, APRN. Both are with Texas Tech Physicians and see patients in the TTUHSC Multispecialty Clinic at the UMC Health and Wellness Hospital. They answered our questions about what health issues could affect our sexual health and tell us that there is hope 

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In part two of this special series, we take our listeners on the journey of childhood cancer, from diagnosis to survivorship. This is the story of Emmie Rangel, a four-year-old who was diagnosed with cancer. Because she  and her family live in a rural area, they had to travel for hours in order to receive a diagnosis and then for treatment and other emergencies. This episode shifts to a narrative format from our usual interview/question and answer format.

Part 1: Hope in Every Step