Citizens' Daily Lobby

A study recently published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention found that insurance status is strongly associated with disease severity of prostate cancer in men between the ages of 18 and 99 years.  The study examined a large cohort of men from the National Cancer Database, 2004-2006.  Importantly, results showed that lack of insurance is significantly associated with more advanced disease at diagnosis, even when race and socioeconomic status are controlled.  The relationship held for both men less than and older than 65 years.  The authors conclude

In a large national sample of men diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004-2006, we found that men who were uninsured or Medicaid insured at the time of diagnosis had significantly higher PSA [prostate specific antigen] levels, clinical T stage, and Gleason scores than men with private insurance. Greater disease severity among men who are uninsured or Medicaid insured likely reflects lower access to medical care and utilization of PSA testing and a higher proportion of non–screen-detected cancers.

The findings suggest that Medicaid insurance may not be effectively covering patients.   In this study, Medicaid was less “protective” than private insurance.  The authors speculate that enrollment times may account for some of this discrepancy.

Increased disease severity among patients coded as insured by Medicaid may be due in part to retroactive enrollment of uninsured individuals after their cancer diagnosis, and may not reflect access to care among persons continuously insured by Medicaid.

For those whose concern is limited to economic factors, the study might be taken further to calculate the costs to the medical system of those more advanced disease patients compared to those diagnosed at earlier stages.

Source: Fedewa et al, Association of Insurance and Race/Ethnicity with Disease Severity Among Men Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, National Cancer Database, 2004-2006, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention, 2010,  19: 2437-44.

You, know, Winter Solstice, the holiday that the Arkansas Freethinkers “virtually”  made up according to conservative  blogger, Jason Tolbert.    I was surprised to hear this, having long had a soft spot in my heart for this, the shortest day in the year.    Coincidentally,  ancient (and Pre-Christian) peoples on multiple continents also celebrated this very same day!!    It must be a coincidence, after all, because otherwise we are going to have to accept that 1) ancient people were observant enough to mark the change in day length accurately or 2)  Jason Tolbert is about as educated as Sarah Palin.

Tonight, the Arkansas Freethinkers are having a Solstice Celebration near their monument on the Capitol grounds at 9:30pm.  I will be there.   After tonight, the days will get longer, the nights shorter, and the sunshine sweeter.  What’s not to celebrate?

This is a new word for me.  It was coined by Robert Proctor of Stanford University, and it means the study of  culturally -induced ignorance or doubt.

Dr. Proctor applies this term particularly to the misinformation promulgated by the tobacco companies.  I would apply it to virtually any position held by the Religious Right.  I would also apply it to any position held by the Religious.   For my Georgia cousins who are currently debating health care reform on Facebook under the guise of religiosity:  that means you.

According to a recent study by the Pew Institute,  only 6% of scientists identify themselves as Republican.  Only 9% would describe themselves as conservative.  Perhaps that’s because of the consistent disregard for science that highlights the worldview of conservatives in America today.  Case in point:  global warming.  Fully 94% of scientists believe that the earth is warming (84% of those believe warming is caused by human activity).  Among the general public 85% believe global warming is a real phenomonen, but only 49% think it is human-driven.  In contrast, 43% of Republicans think global warming is not caused by human activity.

It is a testament to the power of right-wing manipulation of public opinion that the American public is largely confused about the degree to which scientists agree on global warming.   Only 56% of the public say that scientists agree on global warming as caused by humans.  Remember, the actual consensus among scientists was 84%.

(note:  I prefer the term “climate change” over global warming, because it is a broader term for what is happening  worldwide where some areas will actually grow colder, but the Pew Institute used global warming in this survey.)