Come Health Or High Water?

In a federally funded study researchers at Brigham Young University and Harvard School of Public Health studied the relationship between longevity and fine-particulate air pollution in 51 cities. Using various statistical models, they compared the late 1970's and early 1980's - when clean air laws were starting to have an effect - to the late 1990's and early 2000's. What they found was these cities averaged a 33% decrease in air pollution and that decrease added about 5 months to the average life expectancy in the U.S. Obviously, with clean air you can see a difference.

According to a national study, Kentucky has the highest death rate from smoking - one and a half times higher than the national median. West Virginia had the second highest rate, Nevada had the third. Utah and Hawaii tied for the lowest. These rates were calculated using death certificate data from 2000 to 2004, focusing on lung cancer and 18 other diseases caused by smoking. Although the annual death rates were higher for men in every state, those rates declined in 49 states since the late 1990's. Rates for women declined in only 32 states. It seems more women are declining to stop smoking.

In a study published in "The New England Journal of Medicine", researchers analyzed over 6,000 patients undergoing over 14,000 cycles of in vitro fertilization - of artificially created embryos being inserted into women's uteri. What they found was that after 3 cycles the cumulative live-birth rate was 45-53% and after 6 cycles it was 51-71% for all age groups. This means that after 6 cycles women have the same probability of having a baby as their same-age counterparts without fertility problems. Considering one IVF cycle costs $7,000-$15,000, this study gives birth to much needed information on the accuracy of in vitro fertilization.

A study done at Montreal University found that a concussion early in young athletes' careers can cause problems as they age. In the study 40 former university-level athletes ages 50 to 65 - all healthy and physically fit - answered questionnaires about their health and took a battery of attention and memory tests, Nineteen of the participants had sustained a concussion more than 30 years before. Those 19 scored lower on the tests. In addition to having cognitive problems, they also had slower reaction times. The study showed that school-level sports can be a school of hard knocks in more than one way.