Health in brief: U-M's Health & Retirement study awarded more than $19 million in grants
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A University of Michigan Health & Retirement Study was awarded more than $19 million in stimulus funding over the next two years by the National Institute on Aging, it was announced today.
Conducted by the U-M Institute for Social Research, the Health & Retirement study has been studying people over age 50 since 1992. Adding people every year, it currently is following 22,000 individuals to gather information about physical and mental health, insurance coverage, financial well being, retirement planning, living arrangements and more. The study is being awarded four grants to increase the diversity of study participants, follow-up on face-to-face interviews conducted in 2006 to analyze change in certain participants lives. The funding will also be used to conduct scans of genomes to look for genetic risks and to conduct follow-up research from 2001-2003 to look at dementia and cognitive impairment among certain individuals older than 70.
U-M one of two Michigan sites for experimental breast cancer treatment
The University of Michigan’s Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of two sites in Michigan studying a new drug to treat the particularly aggressive form of breast cancer called triple-negative breast cancer.
A clinical trial for women with the metastatic breast cancer will open at the cancer center and has already opened at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. The trial will be testing an experimental drug called BSI 201, which is in Phase III drug testing.
The hospitals are seeking a limited number of women to test the medication. The trial is a randomized, open-label study, meaning the participants will be randomly assigned to study groups and will know which treatment regimen they are receiving. For more information, call the University of Michigan Cancer AnswerLine at 1-800-865-1125.
Free screening, prevention information available later this month
The third annual U-M World Diabetes Day Health Fair will offer free health screenings, one-on-one information, prevention information and raise awareness in Ann Arbor on Nov. 14.
To be held at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, 3200 Boardwalk, the fair will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will be free and open to the public. Advance registration is requested, although walk-ins at the door will also be allowed. The screenings will include free checks of glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol and an obesity assessment.
There will be presentations between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and exhibits by U-M experts and medical supply companies. According to the American Diabetes Association, an estimated 24 million adults in the U.S. are diabetic and 57 million more are at risk of becoming diabetic.
Two U-M faculty members honored
Two University of Michigan faculty members were elected to the Institute of Medicine, which recognizes individuals who’ve demonstrated professional achievement and commitment to service, U-M announced this week. Arul Chinnaiyan, director of the Michigan Center for Translational Pathology and Professor of Pathology at the U-M Medical School received the honor for finding that genes relocate. When genes relocate they can fuse together, which is believed to be the “on switch” that causes cancer to develop.
Ana Diez Rouz, professor of epidemiology, director of the Center for Integrative Approaches to Health Disparities and associate director of the Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health and U-M’s public health school received the honor for her work in the social epidemiology of cardiovascular disease and the investigation of neighborhood health effects, among other things.
Arbor Hospice observes National Hospice and Palliative Care month
To recognize National Hospice and Palliative Care month in November, Arbor Hospice is asking faith-based and community organizations to ring their bells on Nov. 1 in memory of those who died under hospice care in the last year. It is also meant to honor hospice professionals.
“It’s our hope that community members will embrace Bells for Hospice and join us in celebrating National Hospice and Palliative Care Month to show their support for the many professionals and volunteers who make hospice care possible,” said Gloria Danna Brooks, president and CEO of Arbor Hospice in a release.
An advance directive seminar will also be held on Sunday at the Ann Arbor District Library’s Traverwood Branch from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Those attending will receive a free copy of the workbook called “Five Wishes,” which walks individuals through personal, emotion, spiritual and medical wishes when nearing the end of life.
Group art therapy session will be held on Nov. 7 and Nov. 21 for children in kindergarten through eighth grade who are grieving the loss of a loved one. It is free and open to the public. For more information, call 734-794-5460.
Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. Do you have local health events or information to share? Contact her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.
Conducted by the U-M Institute for Social Research, the Health & Retirement study has been studying people over age 50 since 1992. Adding people every year, it currently is following 22,000 individuals to gather information about physical and mental health, insurance coverage, financial well being, retirement planning, living arrangements and more. The study is being awarded four grants to increase the diversity of study participants, follow-up on face-to-face interviews conducted in 2006 to analyze change in certain participants lives. The funding will also be used to conduct scans of genomes to look for genetic risks and to conduct follow-up research from 2001-2003 to look at dementia and cognitive impairment among certain individuals older than 70.
U-M one of two Michigan sites for experimental breast cancer treatment
The University of Michigan’s Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of two sites in Michigan studying a new drug to treat the particularly aggressive form of breast cancer called triple-negative breast cancer.
A clinical trial for women with the metastatic breast cancer will open at the cancer center and has already opened at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. The trial will be testing an experimental drug called BSI 201, which is in Phase III drug testing.
The hospitals are seeking a limited number of women to test the medication. The trial is a randomized, open-label study, meaning the participants will be randomly assigned to study groups and will know which treatment regimen they are receiving. For more information, call the University of Michigan Cancer AnswerLine at 1-800-865-1125.
Free screening, prevention information available later this month
The third annual U-M World Diabetes Day Health Fair will offer free health screenings, one-on-one information, prevention information and raise awareness in Ann Arbor on Nov. 14.
To be held at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, 3200 Boardwalk, the fair will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will be free and open to the public. Advance registration is requested, although walk-ins at the door will also be allowed. The screenings will include free checks of glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol and an obesity assessment.
There will be presentations between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and exhibits by U-M experts and medical supply companies. According to the American Diabetes Association, an estimated 24 million adults in the U.S. are diabetic and 57 million more are at risk of becoming diabetic.
Two U-M faculty members honored
Two University of Michigan faculty members were elected to the Institute of Medicine, which recognizes individuals who’ve demonstrated professional achievement and commitment to service, U-M announced this week. Arul Chinnaiyan, director of the Michigan Center for Translational Pathology and Professor of Pathology at the U-M Medical School received the honor for finding that genes relocate. When genes relocate they can fuse together, which is believed to be the “on switch” that causes cancer to develop.
Ana Diez Rouz, professor of epidemiology, director of the Center for Integrative Approaches to Health Disparities and associate director of the Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health and U-M’s public health school received the honor for her work in the social epidemiology of cardiovascular disease and the investigation of neighborhood health effects, among other things.
Arbor Hospice observes National Hospice and Palliative Care month
To recognize National Hospice and Palliative Care month in November, Arbor Hospice is asking faith-based and community organizations to ring their bells on Nov. 1 in memory of those who died under hospice care in the last year. It is also meant to honor hospice professionals.
“It’s our hope that community members will embrace Bells for Hospice and join us in celebrating National Hospice and Palliative Care Month to show their support for the many professionals and volunteers who make hospice care possible,” said Gloria Danna Brooks, president and CEO of Arbor Hospice in a release.
An advance directive seminar will also be held on Sunday at the Ann Arbor District Library’s Traverwood Branch from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Those attending will receive a free copy of the workbook called “Five Wishes,” which walks individuals through personal, emotion, spiritual and medical wishes when nearing the end of life.
Group art therapy session will be held on Nov. 7 and Nov. 21 for children in kindergarten through eighth grade who are grieving the loss of a loved one. It is free and open to the public. For more information, call 734-794-5460.
Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. Do you have local health events or information to share? Contact her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.
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