Terminal Illness and Discussing Death

Terminally ill patients may be better off discussing death with their doctors.  A study of 322 terminally ill cancer patients finds those who had discussions with their doctors about their impending deaths received less aggressive medical care and had a better quality of life in their remaining days.  Discussing their deaths with their doctors did not cause patients to be more psychologically distressed.  It did result in lower rates of resuscitation and intensive care visits.  Patients who talked with their doctors about their deaths entered hospice sooner and had a better overall quality of life. 

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Depressed Adults Are Likely to Also Be Smokers

Depression and Smokers  More than 40% of U.S. adults who have depression are also smokers, meaning people need help with both if they want to quit.  According to a U.S. Government survey published, it says that more than half of middle-aged men with depression were also smokers, while half of women under 40 who were depressed also smoked.  About 7% of U.S. adults had depression in the years 2005 through 2008.  Globally, tobacco kills about 5 million people a year and according to the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it's a big deal.  On average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than non-smokers.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cigarette smoking is responsible for about one in five deaths annually, or about 440,000 deaths per year.