My Professional Website Update

I've been writing and editing health and medical information since the late 90s, going full-time in 2009. I love my work, even if that means having to do something I'm not thrilled about: marketing. Being a freelance writer means you have to constantly market yourself to ensure a steady flow of clients and work.

Much of my work comes from repeat clients and I get a good bit through referrals from colleagues or other editors who have passed on my information. But I also have to make sure that I'm out there so people who are looking for health writers - or nurse writers - can know that I'm available. So, as a freelance writer, my website (along with this blog) allows potential clients to find me and see if I might be a good fit for their needs.

Before I began doing this on a full-time basis, I designed my own website and it worked well. I received many queries, some that resulted in paying work. But as the years passed, my site began to scream out "I designed this myself," and it was no longer a look I wanted. I bit the bullet and hired a web designer. I wanted a site that showed potential clients that I am a professional, but I wanted it clean and something that reflected my niche of health writing. And I got it:

http://www.medhealthwriter.com

The designer nailed it. It's clean, the colors are what I would have picked, and it presents really well.

There is some debate as to whether writers need their own site now. There are many sites that allow writers to post their CVs or writing samples. I am registered with some, but I think it's important for writers to also have their own space that they're in charge of. The other sites may be helpful, but we're at their mercy, whether it's updated, how it looks, and more. So I think that my website is a good investment.

So, here is my new website. Here's to a new year of work and discovery!

Are Menopause Symptoms Made Worse by Anxiety?

The symptoms of menopause can be distressing for many women. From the hot flashes to insomnia, the severity of the symptoms can affect their quality of life. If we already know that anxiety can make symptoms of any condition worse, does that mean if a woman is anxious, will she experience more drastic menopause symptoms? According to a study published in the journal Menopause, yes, it does.

The study looked at data from 3,503 women who were post menopausal. The researchers found that 61.9% were depressed and that 13.7% of the women reported a severe impairment in their quality of life; 25.5% mentioned severe urogenital symptoms (vaginal dryness and urinary incontinence) and 18.5% said they had severe psychological symptoms.

So what does that mean practically? The researchers concluded that screening of women undergoing menopause is important, but it's also important for women themselves to be aware of this possibility. If you do have anxiety or you have started to feel symptoms that make you believe that you're getting increasingly anxious, there are some steps you can take on your own to try to reduce the anxiety. These include things like meditation, mindfulness, exercising regularly, and keeping a journal, for example. Of course, professional help and guidance from a counsellor or therapist may be more appropriate.

Whichever steps you take, it's important to understand that you're not alone. According to a press release discussing the study:

"Although anxiety is a common symptom during menopause, panic attacks are not," says Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, NAMS executive director. "This study documents the importance of screening patients for anxiety. If women are having significant anxiety, they should discuss viable treatment options with their healthcare providers. These can include relaxation techniques, caffeine reduction, and exercise. Estrogen therapy or other mood medications might also prove helpful.

Have you gone through menopause? How have you found the process?

Reducing Falls in Seniors Using Technology

I've written many articles and blog posts about home safety for seniors - how to reduce the risk of falls by changing the environment and by managing health and medical issues. Falls at any age can be serious, but as we age, one fall can start a domino effect, leading to severe disability or even death.

Over the years, researchers have been trying to find ways to predict who is at highest risk of falling and how we can best prevent these accidents from happening. There have been studies that use scores, assessing mental and physical ability, for example, but nothing seems to be too effective yet. Now, with technology advancing as it is, perhaps there is a solution.

According to this press release, researchers have developed sensors that monitor a person's gait and stride, and could predict if the person is at risk for falling within the next few weeks. The sensors kept track of regular motion and walking, and picked up on any changes that could indicate weakness or an irregularity.

"Results from an analysis of the sensor system data found that a gait speed decline of 5 centimeters per second was associated with an 86.3 percent probability of falling within the following three weeks. Researchers also found that shortened stride length was associated with a 50.6 percent probability of falling within the next three weeks."

If something like this is successful in predicting falls, this could not only help reduce falls, but reduce the worry of family members who are concerned about their older relatives living alone. Good news all around. Kudos to the researchers who are working to keep our seniors safe. After all, it could help us one day too.

HPV Vaccine Study Shows Reduction in Cervical Cell Abnormalities

Gardasil, a vaccine that helps prevent four human papilloma viruses (HPV) known to cause cervical cancer and cervical warts, was approved in the United States and Canada in 2006. Since then, millions of doses have been given, and probably an equal number of debates about its utility and safety have been argued among both the general public and healthcare professionals.

New study findings 

A new study published last week in the Canadian Medical Association Journal reviewed the efficacy and safety of the vaccine over the past eight years. The study included 10,204 women, aged 18 to 24 years, who had undergone Pap smear testing for cervical abnormalities. Most women in the group, 8,723 (85.5%) did not have any abnormalities, but 1,481 women (14.5%) did; 1,384 of these women had low-grade cervical anomalies and 97 had high-grade abnormalities.

The researchers found that 56% of the women were not vaccinated with Gardasil and 16.1% in this group had cervical abnormalities. Forty-four percent of the women received at least one dose before their screening test; 84% in this group were fully vaccinated, having received 3 or more doses; 11.8% in the fully vaccinated group had cervical abnormalities. In other words, women who had received the full dose of Gardasil had a lower incidence of cervical abnormalities that could lead to cancer.

But is the vaccine safe?

Tara Haelle did such a good job last year in her article about Gardasil vaccine that I thought it was better to refer you to her piece: Gardasil HPV Vaccine Safety Assessed In Most Comprehensive Study To Date.

But what about long-term efficacy, some people ask? What if it stops working? Yes, it's true that we don't know if the vaccine's effectiveness will last - but we didn't know that about the other vaccines we took either. I was vaccinated with the hepatitis vaccine when I first began working as a nurse. It was hospital policy and we didn't really have a choice. At the time, we weren't told that it was only effective for 25 years. We didn't know.

The morality argument

Just a few weeks ago, I read a respectful debate between a group of people who weren't sure if they wanted to vaccinate their teens, both male and female, with Gardasil. Most were in favor of the vaccine, while a few others were either hesitant or against it. I do realize that some parents are distrustful of vaccines, particularly one that appeared to come onto the scene as quickly as Gardasil. But I was surprised to see someone pull out the morality argument in the discussion - that if you gave your daughter Gardasil, you were condoning early sexual behavior.

That argument always bothers me. We will never control how or when our children have sex simply by not giving them a vaccine for a sexually transmitted infection. That just isn't going to happen. And what about all those whose teens and children whose first sexual experiences aren't their choice? We can never forget the number of teens and children who are abused, who are victims of sexual predators. Using sexual morality as an excuse to not give the vaccine just doesn't hold water.

So is Gardasil a good thing for our children?