> The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the number of people with diabetes will reach 350 million by the year 2030. According to a Reportlinker.com new report, World Diabetes Market Analysis, 2009-2023, worldwide costs for treating diabetes reached $25 billion in 2007 alone. Non-compliance with medication and lifestyle changes make diabetes a costly and difficult disease to manage. Article
> Today, two-thirds of people over age 65, and almost three-quarters of people over 80, have multiple chronic conditions, and 68 percent of Medicare spending goes to people who have five or more chronic diseases. Dr. Cynthia M. Boyd, a Johns Hopkins University geriatrician whose research focuses on patients with multiple chronic conditions says that "doing right by patients like this is tremendously challenging." Article
> Heart disease is leading cause of premature death, according to a new report published by the Santa Barbara County in California. The county's public health officials said that the second leading cause of premature death, motor vehicle accidents, is being connected to drinking and driving, speeding and unsafe driving. The report includes recommendations for local policymakers describing actions they could take to improve public health. Article
> Wealthier communities have higher hospice use according to new research from the University of Michigan. The report's author, Maria J. Silveira M.D., used Medicare data to determine the relationship between county-level hospice availability and county wealth, proportion of residents with a high school diploma, race and ethnicity, and age. Article
And finally... Whew! And you thought you had it bad. A Brazilian diver who accidentally got a six inch fishing spear lodged in his head has recovered after a risky five hour surgery. He is not expected to suffer any major or lasting damage. Article