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Family Medicine

Tuition-free medical schools alone won’t fix diversity problems – STAT – STAT

Medical students at Albert Einstein School of Medicine in New York City gathered last week to hear a life-changing announcement: Ruth Gottesman revealed she would be donating $1 billion, ensuring no student at Einstein will pay tuition ever again.

Leadership at Albert Einstein School of Medicine celebrated the donation as a means to attract a more diverse student body. Improving diversity in the nations physician workforce is a public health imperative. Forty years of affirmative action policies were unable to compensate for the devastating impact of the 1910 Flexner Report, which led to the mass closure of medical schools that admitted Black students, and an estimated loss of 35,000 Black physicians into the field. Despite the urgency of improving diversity in our physician workforce, the number of applicants from Black, Hispanic, and other underrepresented groups in medicinebeing admitted to medical school has decreased in the United States. Black/African American, low-family income, and first-generation students are less likely to be admitted to M.D.-Ph.D. programs, despite being as qualified or more qualified than other applicants. In trying to explain these gaps, as well as the shortage of students interested in entering primary care, experts often point to the high cost of medical school. But the truth is more complicated than that. Simply going tuition-free cannot address entrenched issues of racial and socioeconomic disparities in medical school admissions.

New York University School of Medicine announced at its 2018 White Coat Ceremony that it would become tuition-free. The change was similarly hailed as beneficial for expanding student body diversity and the primary care workforce. While the number of applications to NYUs medical school increased by 47% between 2018 and 2019 and applications from students from underrepresented groups rose by 102%, the percentage of matriculants at NYU who identified as Black/African American has averaged just below 11% between 2019 and 2022, down from 14% in 2017.

NYUs matriculating student MCAT range narrowed from 506-528 in the 2017-2018admissions cycle to 516-527 in the 2022-2023 admissions cycle, and their accepted GPA range narrowed from 3.45-4.0 to 3.62-4.0 in the same time frame. Thanks at least in part to this increased selectivity, their U.S. News and World Report Ranking rose from No. 11 in 2018 to No. 3 in 2019. In addition, no students in NYU Grossman School of Medicines inaugural tuition-free class, who matriculated in fall 2018 and graduated in 2022, matched into family medicine. Three students from the class that matriculated in fall 2019 matched into family medicine in 2023, and the number of students matching into pediatrics decreased from 10 in 2022 to six in 2023.

Tuition-free medical school has also been suggested as an intervention to improve the financial diversity of medical school matriculants, which may contribute to increased enrollment by people from groups underrepresented in medicine. A study found that between 2017 and 2019, one-quarter of student doctors reported a family income in the top 5% of income earners, while the percentage of students from the lowest household income quintile has never exceeded 5.5%.

Relieving the burden of student loan repayment does nothing to address the link between wealth and medical school admissions in the United States. Applicants reporting a family income of less than $50,000 are 48% less likely than applicants reporting a family income of $200,000 or greater to be accepted into an M.D. program, most likely because medical school admissions policies heavily favor wealthy applicants. Wealth facilitates applicants participation in unpaid activities such as shadowing, volunteering, and clinical research, while family income is linked to success in college admissionsand on the MCAT. After NYU became tuition-free, the percentage of students who self-reported as financially disadvantaged fell from 12% in 2017 to 3% in 2019 and has remained between 3% and 7% since.

Relief from student loan debt for medical students should be celebrated. However, absent any additional interventions it is unlikely to substantially improve the racial, ethnic, and financial diversity of our physician workforce. The nullification of affirmative action policies in the United States presents an additional challenge, but not an insurmountable one, as is evidenced by the University of California at Davis success in achieving representation that matches or exceeds the United States population. (California has prohibited state institutions from using race or ethnicity for admissions decisions since 1996.) The UC-Davis admissions committee focuses on socioeconomic disadvantage, which is deeply interwoven with race in the United States through centuries of racial violence and disenfranchisement.

Addressing racial bias and socioeconomic disadvantage will require a shift away from traditional admissions metrics. Medical schools could deemphasize the MCAT, an exam known to favor white, wealthy applicants, or prioritize applications from community college graduates, a cohort of diverse students with a high prevalence of intention to work with underserved communities. Because the process of applying to medical school unfolds over several years, the expansion of pathway programs for students from underrepresented groups is essential to provide mentorship, networking opportunities, and academic support to counteract the interpersonal discrimination that adversely affects students of color. (Pre-medical students from underrepresented backgrounds, for instance, experience greater discouragement from their pre-health advisors than their white counterparts.) As gatekeepers to the profession, medical school admissions committees and pre-health advisers must confront their own biases and embrace a holistic admissions approach that considers hardshipsexperienced by applicants.

These interventions will require not only a financial investment on the part of medical schools but also an investment in changing perceptions of what it means to be a qualified applicant.

One of us is now a resident physician, and the other is currently in medical school. We are thrilled for the students at Albert Einstein School of Medicine who will benefit from Ruth Gottesmans generosity. But as people celebrate, we hope they will realize that there is no single fix even one as significant as free tuition for the complex issues of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in medical school admissions.

Tricia Pendergrast, M.D., is a resident physician in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan. Jared E. Boyce, ScM, is an M.D.-Ph.D. candidate in the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

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Tuition-free medical schools alone won't fix diversity problems - STAT - STAT

Family Medicine

Smart Creates Interactive Program to Increase Access to Healthcare, STEM-Related Fields | Newsroom – UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine

Danae Smart, MD, MS, second-year family medicine resident at the UNC School of Medicine, created Healthcare Sparks to inspire the next generation to consider professions in healthcare and related fields.

CHAPEL HILL, NC Danae Smart, MD, MS, noticed a disparity in many pre-college-aged students access to healthcare and STEM-related fields early in her time in medical school at Loma Linda University in California. In response, Smart, now a second-year resident at UNC Family Medicine, created Healthcare Sparks at the end of her first year of medical school to encourage professionals in training to engage with middle and high school students with the goal of sparking their interest in medicine and related scientific fields.

Smart emphasizes the need for representation in healthcare, stating,I believe there must be more diversity in healthcare. Lack of resources and lack of exposure to black and brown healthcare professionals are two barriers that inhibit minority students from pursuing health careers, barriers which Healthcare Sparks addresses.

The program, initially supported through the Healthy Neighborhood Projects program at Loma Linda, began with an afterschool enrichment program in San Bernadino and included many children coming from households of incarcerated parents. The sessions were led by medical students and explored basic anatomy and physiology concepts reinforced with educational games, using an interactive Healthcare booklet that Smart has now published.

Starting her residency at UNC Family Medicine, Smart hoped to expand the program to more institutions, noting the positive feedback from students.

I conducted a survey at the US Dream Academy in San Bernadino, and all of the respondents reported learning more about science and being more interested in health careers since starting Healthcare Sparks, Smart said. Feedback at Culbreth Middle School in Chapel Hill was similar, with students noting the session was better than they expected, and that they didnt know a science lesson would be so enjoyable.

With the use of the published Healthcare Sparks book and video resources available on the website, the goal is to have more professionals in training who can lead the learning sessions.

Ultimately, I hope Healthcare Sparks inspires students to pursue health careers and creates mentorship opportunities for volunteers who decide to start the program at their institutions, Smart said. I want students to see providers who look like them and to know they can achieve whatever goals they aspire to.

To learn more about the program, watch this video and visit healthcaresparks.org.

Media contact: Reid Johnson, Communications Director, UNC Family Medicine

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Smart Creates Interactive Program to Increase Access to Healthcare, STEM-Related Fields | Newsroom - UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine

Family Medicine

NJ Doctor Practices the ‘Art’ of Primary Care with Patients – Hackensack Meridian Health

When family medicine doctorAmelia Pawaroo-Balram, M.D., was still in high school, she was considered a budding artist skilled at drawing and painting, who won awards in local competitions. Her parents thought she would follow that creative path in college, but she surprised them by saying, Im going to study medicine.

Born in New York, she grew up in Montville, New Jersey, with her parents, who are from Guyana, South America. With ancestors from India, she completed her academic studies at St. Matthews University School of Medicine Grand Cayman, and her residency at St. Josephs University Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey.

Dr. Pawaroo-Balram began her practice withHackensack Meridian Health in September 2023, and is now affiliated withHackensack University Medical Center.

Because of my international background, I enjoy working with people from different backgrounds, and I can assimilate into different scenarios. I like working as a team with my patients to achieve a common goal. Just like my patients, I get excited when the information comes together perfectly to achieve that.

Spending time with my 5-year-old daughter, Madisonwho is going on age 20is such a joy. Shes into art, as well. She told me she wants to be a doctor because then she can work with me!

I fund the Wi-Fi at an orphanage in Guyana. When my daughter grows out of her clothes, I pack them up and send them there, too. I used to send baby bottlesI mean, I had 20 at one time, and I think of someone there who has none, and how important that one thing is to them. I want to continue to remain grounded, and this helps me.

Bill Gates. His story is so inspiring: dropping out of college, then starting Microsoft and doing so well as a global business leader and philanthropist. He used his creativity to mold technology, and its a big reason why we are where we are with tech today. I have a ton of questions for him!

The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.

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NJ Doctor Practices the 'Art' of Primary Care with Patients - Hackensack Meridian Health

Family Medicine

Mommy Minute: What to keep in your medicine cabinet – Yahoo! Voices

We keep all sorts of things in our medicine cabinets but whats really essential to have on hand?

Neha Vyas, MD, family medicine physician for Cleveland Clinic, said adhesive bandages are a must, but if theyre always falling off, you may want to try the liquid kind.

They actually make liquid bandages, which are really good for those cuts that are somewhat annoying and dont seem to hold very well with the adhesive bandages, said Dr. Vyas. They seem to hold up under water much better than the adhesive bandages.

Its also a good idea to have some type of pain reliever in your medicine chest.

And if youre prone to achy muscles, pain relieving patches may be useful.

Antacids can come in handy for the occasional bout with heart burn, upset stomach or diarrhea.

For itchy insect bites, hydrocortisone cream may provide relief.

Speaking of itch, people who suffer from allergies will want to stock up on some antihistamines.

Those are great to have around if you have the seasonal allergies, or right as youre starting to develop a respiratory infection and you have that runny nose or the sneezing, or the itchy, watery eyes, Dr. Vyas explained.

She recommends checking your medicine cabinet every six months to toss and replace expired items.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.

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Mommy Minute: What to keep in your medicine cabinet - Yahoo! Voices

Family Medicine

Open House Held Thursday at Knoxville Hospital and Clinics – KNIA KRLS Radio

An open house was held Thursday at Knoxville Hospital and Clinics for the new Don and Margaret Long Infusion Center and Weiler Specialty Clinics.

The community came out to the hospital to celebrate the first phase of the $21 million expansion project. The Weiler Foundation Specialty Clinics, home to 24 visiting specialists, is located on the east side of the hospital and shares a waiting room with the Dr. Earl J. McKeever Clinic for family medicine. The Don & Margaret Long Infusion Center, located on the south side of the hospital, provides private treatment spaces featuring 12 treatment chairs with room for loved one support. Knoxville Hospital and Clinics CEO Kevin Kincaid says he was excited to see the communitys response to the effort.

People really wanted to have an open house. We were able to open this project about a month earlier than expected, so it kind of threw some of the original planning into a little bit of chaos when it came to, how do we do an open house when were already open? The community has been really flexible picking a good day that is good from a patient activity perspective. Its been a great turnout and we just love having people come see what we do.

The next phase of the construction project will focus on the Emergency Department, with work expected to begin this month.

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Open House Held Thursday at Knoxville Hospital and Clinics - KNIA KRLS Radio

Family Medicine

Will $1 Billion Given to a Bronx Medical School Improve the Boroughs Health? – The New York Times

For Trevor Barker, a first-year student at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, the $1 billion gift from a longtime former professor that will eliminate tuition at the medical school could well be life-changing.

Mr. Barker works two campus jobs and sends money home to his mother in California. He had expected to graduate hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. But the free tuition has made him ponder new options for his career.

I hadnt really been able to consider family medicine, but I might want to, he said.

Family medicine doctors do everything from delivering babies to caring for older people usually in underserved communities. Mr. Barker said he might consider practicing medicine in the Bronx, even though doctors there generally earn less.

The billion-dollar donation by Dr. Ruth Gottesman made national news last week for its generosity and because of her life story. It also resonated because it did not go to a school in Manhattan, where top medical and educational institutions are regularly feted with gifts from billionaires.

Instead her gift went to the only medical school in the poorest and unhealthiest county in New York State: Einstein, a well-regarded medical school with over 1,000 students that is affiliated with a major hospital, Montefiore Medical Center. Almost immediately, doctors and health experts began to consider what effect it would have on health care in a borough with high rates of chronic diseases like diabetes and asthma, and with relatively few primary care physicians.

Dr. Gottesmans gift is intended to help Einstein and its medical students and encourage more lower-income students to apply to medical school. It might also encourage students like Mr. Barker to practice medicine in the borough. And some health care experts and doctors were optimistic that the boon to Einstein would be felt beyond the campus, with a trickle-down effect that would eventually improve health care across the Bronx.

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Will $1 Billion Given to a Bronx Medical School Improve the Boroughs Health? - The New York Times

Neuroscience

Refined Carb Intake’s Effect on Facial Attractiveness – Neuroscience News

Summary: A new study reveals a statistical connection between the consumption of refined carbohydrates and decreased facial attractiveness, as judged by heterosexual volunteers of the opposite sex. Participants who consumed a high-glycemic breakfast, rich in refined carbohydrates, were rated as less attractive than those who had a low-glycemic meal.

This research, involving 104 French adults, adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that diet, specifically the intake of refined carbohydrates found in the Western diet, may impact non-medical traits such as attractiveness. The study also observed sex-specific differences in how snack consumption affects attractiveness, highlighting the complex relationship between diet and social perceptions.

Key Facts:

Source: PLOS

In a new study, participants levels of consumption of refined carbohydrates were statistically linked with their facial attractiveness as rated by heterosexual volunteers of the opposite sex.

Visine and colleagues at the University of Montpellier, France, present these findings in the open-access journalPLOS ONEon March 6, 2024.

The Western diet consists of high levels of refined carbohydratesfoods processed in ways that typically remove much of their nutritional value, such as white flour, table sugar, and ingredients in many packaged snacks.

Prior research has linked increased consumption of refined carbohydrates with adverse health effects, such as obesity, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

Preliminary evidence has suggested that consuming high levels of refined carbohydrates might also affect non-medical traits, such as a persons attractiveness.

To further explore this possibility, Visine and colleagues conducted a study involving 104 French male and female adults.

The researchers gave some of the participants a high-glycemic breakfastone with refined carbohydrates known to boost blood sugar levelswhile others received a low-glycemic breakfast.

The participants also completed a questionnaire to evaluate their typical habits of consumption of refined carbohydrates. Additional heterosexual volunteers were then asked to rate the facial attractiveness of opposite-sex participants as captured in photos taken two hours after the provided breakfast.

Only participants and volunteers with four grandparents of European origin were included in this research, to reduce cultural heterogeneity.

Statistical analysis showed that consuming the high-glycemic breakfast was associated with lower subsequent facial attractiveness ratings for both men and women.

Chronic consumption of refined carbohydrates during breakfast and snacks was also associated with lower attractiveness ratings, although consumption of high-energy foods at these times was associated with higher attractiveness ratings.

The researchers noted some sex differences: for afternoon snacking in men specifically, high-energy intake was instead associated with lower attractiveness ratings, while high-glycemic intake was linked to higher attractiveness ratings.

All results held true after statistically accounting for other factors that could affect attractiveness, such as actual age, perceived age, BMI, smoking habits, and facial hairiness.

Further research, including for larger and more diverse sample sizes, is needed to deepen understanding of exactly how refined carbohydrates may be linked to attractiveness and other social traits.

The authors add: Facial attractiveness, an important factor of social interactions, seems to be impacted by immediate and chronic refined carbohydrate consumption in men and women.

Funding:This work was supported by Agence Nationale pour la Recherche HUMANWAY project (ANR-12- BSV7-0008-01). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Author: Hanna Abdallah Source: PLOS Contact: Hanna Abdallah PLOS Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access. Chronic and immediate refined carbohydrate consumption and facial attractiveness by Visine A et al. PLOS ONE

Abstract

Chronic and immediate refined carbohydrate consumption and facial attractiveness

The Western diet has undergone a massive switch since the second half of the 20thcentury, with the massive increase of the consumption of refined carbohydrate associated with many adverse health effects.

The physiological mechanisms linked to this consumption, such as hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinemia, may impact non medical traits such as facial attractiveness.

To explore this issue, the relationship between facial attractiveness and immediate and chronic refined carbohydrate consumption estimated by glycemic load was studied for 104 French subjects.

Facial attractiveness was assessed by opposite sex raters using pictures taken two hours after a controlled breakfast. Chronic consumption was assessed considering three high glycemic risk meals: breakfast, afternoon snacking and between-meal snacking.

Immediate consumption of a high glycemic breakfast decreased facial attractiveness for men and women while controlling for several control variables, including energy intake. Chronic refined carbohydrate consumption had different effects on attractiveness depending on the meal and/or the sex.

Chronic refined carbohydrate consumption, estimated by the glycemic load, during the three studied meals reduced attractiveness, while a high energy intake increased it.

Nevertheless, the effect was reversed for men concerning the afternoon snack, for which a high energy intake reduced attractiveness and a high glycemic load increased it.

These effects were maintained when potential confounders for facial attractiveness were controlled such as age, age departure from actual age, masculinity/femininity (perceived and measured), BMI, physical activity, parental home ownership, smoking, couple status, hormonal contraceptive use (for women), and facial hairiness (for men).

Results were possibly mediated by an increase in age appearance for women and a decrease in perceived masculinity for men. The physiological differences between the three meals studied and the interpretation of the results from an adaptive/maladaptive point of view in relation to our new dietary environment are discussed.

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Refined Carb Intake's Effect on Facial Attractiveness - Neuroscience News

Neuroscience

Linking Childhood Adversity to Adult Mental Health – Neuroscience News

Summary: Researchers delved into how adverse childhood experiences contribute to the risk of psychiatric illness in adulthood, leveraging data from over 25,000 twins in the Swedish Twin Registry. The study uncovers a dose-response relationship between childhood adversity and later mental health problems, while also highlighting the significant role of genetic and environmental factors within families.

By analyzing twins with differing experiences of abuse but shared family backgrounds, the research provides nuanced insights into the interplay between direct abuse effects and inherited or environmental influences. This study underscores the importance of family-wide health interventions to mitigate the long-term mental health risks associated with childhood adversities.

Key Facts:

Source: Karolinska Institute

A research team has examined the link between adverse childhood experiences and the risk of mental health problems later in life, according to a study inJAMA Psychiatry.

The researchers from Karolinska Institutet and University of Iceland have found that the risk of suffering from mental illness later in life among those experiencing significant adversity in childhood can be partly explained by factors shared by family members, such as genetics and environment.

Several previous studies have shown that people who have experienced various types of adverse childhood experiences have a higher risk of suffering from psychiatric illness later in life.

Now, a new study from Karolinska Institutet, using a special type of twin research design, can confirm the link, show a clear dose-response relationship and at the same time broaden the picture.

The researchers can now show that there are also significant genetic and environmental factors that play a role and contribute to mental illness.

The researchers used three different cohorts of the Swedish Twin Registry, comprising over 25,000 individuals. The twins responded to a large web-based questionnaire and answered questions about different types of adverse childhood experiences including family violence, emotional abuse or neglect, physical neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, rape and hate crime. In addition, information about adult psychiatric disorders was obtained from the Swedish Patient Registry.

These are of course very difficult questions to answer, but this is the best data source we have access to, says Hilda Bjrk Danelsdttir, a doctoral student at the University of Iceland and visiting doctoral student at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institutet and the studys first author.

By identifying twin pairs who reported different experiences of abuse while growing up in the same family and then following those who later received a psychiatric diagnosis, the researchers have been able to sort out how much of the increased risk is due to the abuse itself and how much is due to genetics and environment.

Most previous studies on the mental health effects of childhood adversity have not been able to take these things into account. Now we can show that the increased risk of mental health problems after adverse childhood experiences can be partly explained by factors shared by family members, such as genetic factors or factors in the childhood environment, says Hilda Bjrk Danelsdttir.

She argues that this finding should therefore lead to health care interventions addressing risk factors within the whole family, not just the affected child or children.

The more different types of childhood adversities individuals experienced, the higher the risk was of receiving a psychiatric diagnosis later in life. The researchers can also show that sexual abuse and rape in childhood as well as having experienced three or more types of adversities were the experiences most strongly linked to future mental health problems. This is something that is also important knowledge when treating vulnerable children and their families.

I hope that our study can raise awareness of childhood circumstances as possible causes of psychiatric disorders in adulthood and how to best address them, says Hilda Bjrk Danelsdttir.

Funding: The research was funded by the European Research Council, the Icelandic Research Center and the EUs Horizon 2020.

Author: Hilda Bjrk Danelsdttir Source: Karolinska Institute Contact: Hilda Bjrk Danelsdttir Karolinska Institute Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access. Adverse Childhood Experience and Adult Mental Health Outcomes by Hilda Bjrk Danelsdttir et al. JAMA Psychiatry

Abstract

Adverse Childhood Experience and Adult Mental Health Outcomes

Importance

Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has consistently been associated with multiple negative mental health outcomes extending into adulthood. However, given that ACEs and psychiatric disorders cluster within families, it remains to be comprehensively assessed to what extent familial confounding contributes to associations between ACEs and clinically confirmed adult psychiatric disorders.

Objective

To investigate whether associations between ACEs and adult mental health outcomes remain after adjusting for familial (genetic and environmental) confounding.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This Swedish twin cohort study used a discordant twin pair design based on monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins. A total of 25252 adult twins (aged 18-47 years) from the Swedish Twin Registry born between 1959 and 1998 were followed up from age 19 years until 2016, with a maximum follow-up time of 39 years. Data were analyzed from April 2022 to November 2023.

Exposures

A total of 7 ACEs, including family violence, emotional abuse or neglect, physical neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, rape, and hate crime, were assessed with items from the Life Stressor Checklist-Revised in a web-based survey.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Adult (ages >18 years) clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorders (ie, depressive, anxiety, alcohol or drug misuse, or stress-related disorders) were obtained from the Swedish National Patient Register.

Results

Of 25252 twins included in the study (15038 female [59.6%]; mean [SD] age at ACE assessment, 29.9 [8.7] years), 9751 individuals (38.6%) reported exposure to at least 1 ACE. A greater number of ACEs was associated with increased odds of any psychiatric disorder in the full cohort (odds ratio [OR] per additional ACE, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.48-1.57). The association remained but ORs per additional ACE were attenuated in DZ (1.29; 95% CI, 1.14-1.47) and MZ (1.20; 95% CI, 1.02-1.40) twin pairs. Individuals who were exposed to sexual abuse compared with those who were not exposed had increased odds of any clinically confirmed psychiatric disorder in all comparisons: full cohort (OR, 3.09; 95% CI, 2.68-3.56), DZ twin pairs (OR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.33-3.32), and MZ twin pairs (1.80; 95% CI, 1.04-3.11).

Conclusions and relevance

This study found that associations between ACEs and adult mental health outcomes remained after controlling for shared genetic and environmental factors, which was particularly evident after multiple ACEs or sexual abuse. These findings suggest that targeted interventions may be associated with reduced risks of future psychopathology.

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Linking Childhood Adversity to Adult Mental Health - Neuroscience News

Neuroscience

Overnight neuronal plasticity and adaptation to emotional distress – Nature.com

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Original post:
Overnight neuronal plasticity and adaptation to emotional distress - Nature.com

Neuroscience

Less Obesity and Depression in NPD Individuals – Neuroscience News

Summary: A comprehensive study across 38 states in the U.S. has revealed a surprising link between narcissism and positive health outcomes, including lower obesity and depression rates. States with higher levels of narcissism also showed a lower likelihood of heart failure and hypertension deaths, highlighting the complex role of narcissistic traits in public health.

However, these states also experienced less sleep and a higher demand for plastic surgeons, suggesting a nuanced interplay between narcissisms adaptive and maladaptive aspects. This groundbreaking research underscores the importance of considering psychological traits in public health strategies and interventions.

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Source: Neuroscience News

The exploration of narcissisms association with state-level health outcomes across the United States reveals a fascinating paradox within the realm of public health and personality psychology.

This extensive study, drawing on data from over 4,000 individuals in 38 states, transcends the traditional confines of individual behavior to uncover the broader societal implications of the dark triad traits, particularly narcissism.

It challenges the pervasive narrative that narcissism is solely detrimental, highlighting instead its complex dual naturewherein lies a potential ally for public health.

Narcissism, part of the dark triad of personality traits alongside Machiavellianism and psychopathy, is typically characterized by grandiosity, entitlement, and a preoccupation with self-image. However, this study sheds light on its less recognized facet: the adaptive qualities that can foster resilience, ambition, and an enhanced focus on personal health.

The findings intriguingly suggest that these adaptive aspects may lead to healthier lifestyle choices, such as regular exercise, dietary mindfulness, and engagement with preventive healthcare measures.

At a societal level, the study reveals that states with higher levels of narcissism exhibit lower rates of obesity and depression, alongside reduced mortality from heart failure and hypertension.

This correlation suggests that the positive health behaviors adopted by narcissistic individuals could aggregate to influence broader health trends within populations. Such a pattern points towards the potential of harnessing narcissisms adaptive aspects for public health benefits.

However, the study also unveils the downsides of these traits at a societal scale, including reduced sleep durations and an elevated demand for plastic surgery.

These findings hint at the societal pressures and possibly unhealthy standards of beauty that might be more prevalent in areas with higher narcissistic tendencies.

It underscores the importance of a balanced view of narcissism, recognizing both its potential to motivate healthful behaviors and its capacity to drive less beneficial outcomes, such as sleep deprivation and an obsession with physical appearance.

The nuanced understanding of narcissisms impact on health outcomes has profound implications for public health policies and interventions.

Recognizing the dual nature of narcissism can inform the development of more targeted health promotion strategies that leverage its adaptive qualities while mitigating its maladaptive aspects.

For instance, public health campaigns could emphasize self-enhancement and confidence as motivators for healthy living, while also addressing the potential pitfalls of excessive self-focus and appearance-based self-esteem.

Moreover, this study highlights the importance of psychological traits in shaping health behaviors and outcomes at a population level.

It suggests that public health strategies could benefit from considering the psychological makeup of target populations, tailoring interventions to not only address physical health needs but also the underlying personality factors that influence behavior.

While this study provides valuable insights into the relationship between narcissism and health outcomes, it also opens the door for further research.

Future studies could explore the mechanisms through which narcissism influences health behaviors and outcomes, and how these may vary across different contexts and populations.

Additionally, research could examine the interactions between narcissism and other psychological and social factors, offering a more comprehensive understanding of its role in public health.

This groundbreaking study challenges conventional views of narcissism, revealing its complex relationship with health at both individual and societal levels. By illuminating the adaptive aspects of narcissism that can contribute to positive health outcomes, it invites a reevaluation of how we understand and leverage personality traits in public health.

As we move forward, this research not only broadens our understanding of the interplay between psychology and health but also offers a promising avenue for developing more nuanced and effective public health strategies.

Author: Neuroscience News Communications Source: Neuroscience News Contact: Neuroscience News Communications Neuroscience News Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access. Mirror, mirror on the wall, whos the healthiest of them all The surprising role of narcissism in state-level health outcomes by DritjonGruda et al. Journal of Research in Personality

Abstract

Mirror, mirror on the wall, whos the healthiest of them all The surprising role of narcissism in state-level health outcomes

This study investigates narcissisms role in state-level health outcomes across the U.S. While often seen as maladaptive, narcissisms adaptive aspects, like self-enhancement, might promote better health.

Analyzing data from 4,230 participants in 38 states, we explore the link between dark triad traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy) and health outcomes.

States with higher narcissism had lower obesity and depression rates, and a lower likelihood of heart failure and hypertension deaths. However, these states reported less sleep and higher demand for plastic surgeons.

This study is the first to provide a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between dark triad traits and health on the state level, with significant implications for public health policies and interventions.

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Less Obesity and Depression in NPD Individuals - Neuroscience News