To drink or not to drink...That is the question. Women are now faced with this dilemma. Research has shown that while consuming alcohol in moderation is good for the heart, it may increase the risk of breast cancer. Kaiser Permanente Health Group looked at records for more than 70,000 women over a 20-year period and noted that women who have just one drink a day have an 10 percent increased risk of the disease and those who have 3 drinks are at 30 percent increased risk. These startling statistics are equivalent to a woman smoking one pack of cigarettes every day. The scientists believe the risk comes from the alcohol itself, which increases the production of the female hormone, estrogen, which is linked to breast cancer. According to Yan Li of Kaiser Permanente, "It makes no difference in terms of whether women drink wine, liquor or beer."

Titles include:

• Caring for the Patient with Breast Cancer (507)
• Alternative Pain Management in Oncology Treatment (518)
• Guided Visualization: Working with the Healing Power of Your Immune System (511)
• Cancer as a Diagnosis: Supporting the Care Givers (515)

Researchers wanted to estimate the prevalence of ADHD in American children as well as determine the prevalence, recognition, and treatment by socioeconomic group. Using the data collected on over 3,000 children ages 8 to 15 years, they found that despite fears that ADHD is on the rise, the prevalence of the disorder is vague and ranges anywhere between from 2% and 26% of American youngsters.

"The most important message is that we want physicians to be more aware of the symptoms of ADHD and to do a thorough diagnostic assessment," Dr. Froehlich, one of the researchers noted. She also said that while medications are very effective for most children with ADHD, they do not work for everyone, and other options, such as behavioral treatments should be explored. "We want children who are suffering from ADHD to be recognized, and we want families to know what the treatment options are, but not necessarily to go straight to medication," she added.

Caregivers of children in the study were given questionnaires to complete which evaluated inattention and hyperactivity/impulsiveness both in the home and at school. Data showed that 8.7% of the children (equivalent to 2.4 million children nationwide) met the criteria for having ADHD in the year prior to the survey. Results further showed that Hispanics were less likely than whites to meet the ADHD criteria; boys were more likely than girls, although the girls were less likely to be diagnosed with the disorder. In addition, the study revealed that ADHD is prevalent among poor children and less than 50 percent of children are identified or receiving treatment.

Our new program on ADHD (205) discusses both childhood and adult ADHD as well as describes therapies and interventions. This series can be used by practicing healthcare professionals, teachers, social workers, and psychologists or programs providing their education.

Meanwhile, another study finds that eating lots of fruits and vegetables will not reduce the risk of colon cancer, but is good for general health and prevention of cardiovascular disease. Marji McCullough, a nutritional epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society, said, "Eating fruits and vegetables … helps prevent weight gain, which is also related to chronic disease including cancers…" of the mouth and pharynx, esophagus, stomach, colon-rectum, larynx, lung, ovary, bladder and kidney.

"Results were consistent between men and women," researchers said. "The consumption of fruits and vegetables was not strongly associated with the risk of colon cancer overall but was inversely associated with the risk of distal colon cancer," they added. "Diets plentiful in fruits and vegetables remain important given these findings and the benefits that have been observed for other health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and some other cancers."

McCullough concurred and said, "This finding doesn't change the bottom line," she said. "You should eat a diet high in a variety of fruits and vegetables." She also stated that eating red or processed meats is associated with the development of colon cancer.

Our oncology library has several series that deal with colon cancer, all of which can be utilized by either hospitals for staff development and orientation or by undergraduate programs in nursing.

Titles include:

• Basic Genetics for the Oncology Nurse (504)
• Managing Physical Assessment and Supportive Cancer Care (505)
• Chemotherapy Administration for the Oncology Nurse (512)
• Symptom Management for the Radiation Oncology Patient (513)
• Preventing Medication Errors for the Oncology Nurse (514)
• Traditional Pain Management in Oncology Treatment (517)

• October 11, 2007: Depression and Migraines Linked to Victims of Child Abuse
• October 04, 2007: Nurses Now Affected by Malpractice Claims
• September 27, 2007: Braden Scale Most Effective for Identifying Risk for Pressure Ulcers
• September 20, 2007: New Guidelines for Controlling Asthma in Adults and Children
• September 13, 2007: New Data Analyses Techniques Show Long-Term Survival Better for Cancer Patients
• September 6, 2007: Cortical Stimulation Gives New Hope to Stroke Patients
• August 30, 2007: 50% of All Cancer Deaths can be Linked to Obesity and Smoking
• August 23, 2007: Physical Activity Found to Improve Cardiovascular Risk in Children with Type 1 Diabetes
• August 16, 2007: Hostility and Depression Harmful to Men's Immune System
• August 7, 2007: Decrease in Women's Use of Hormone Therapy Linked to Drop in Breast Cancer
• August 2, 2007: Use of SSRI's Down in Teens While Suicide Number Rises
• July 26, 2007: New Definitions from the International Diabetes Federation

Concept Media produces and distributes award winning education media for colleges, healthcare institutions, social service agencies and counseling centers throughout North America, Europe, and the South Pacific. Most programs come in VHS, DVD and CD formats. Site Licenses and Distance Learning packages are also available for our library of programs.

Concept Media is best known in the area of professional nursing education and represented in more than 95% of the nation's nursing school media libraries. We have developed partnerships with leading nursing education institutions including Brigham Young University, Drexel University, and ICN/ Washington State University College of Nursing. Concept Media is well-respected and has received numerous awards for programs on diabetes, human development, mental health, substance abuse, counseling, and addiction.

For your convenience, Concept Media also offers additional resources in the form of Instructor's Guides which are available online. And, in keeping with our mission to focus on the needs of educators in the healthcare field, we invite you to call with any suggestions, questions, program requests, or ways in which we can better serve you.

We would like to hear from you. Please email us on any topics you would like to see covered in Hot Topics.

hottopics@conceptmedia.com. Or call us at (800) 233-7078.