Consequences of “diabetes distress”; War conflicts hindering global vaccinations; Robots take over prostate surgery – Morning Medical Update

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Consequences of “diabetes distress”

In a study published by a team in the UK and the Czech Republic, researchers found that children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes faced a higher risk of having various mental health issues, including mood and anxiety disorders.

Currently, there 8.7 million people living with type 1 diabetes globally, with the findings urging a stronger need for monitoring and support for the mental health of younger people with the condition.

Along with developing mental health issues, the data suggested that children with type 1 diabetes were more than four times more likely to develop behavioral syndromes, such as eating and sleep disorders. Read more about the findings here.

War conflicts hindering global vaccinations

According to data from UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), more than half of children live in countries where armed conflicts or other humanitarian crises have created vulnerable situations. For example, the war in Sudan has increased the number of unvaccinated children in the country, reaching 701,000 last year compared to 110,000 in 2021.

Katherine O’Brien, the director of the WHO’s immunization and vaccines department, said, “This puts the lives of the most vulnerable children at risk.” She also said children in these settings “also lack security, they lack nutrition, they lack health care, and are most likely as result of those things to die from a vaccine-preventable disease if they get it.”

The new data is a warning from these organizations, as an international goal to halve the number of zero-dose children by 2030 has been derailed. Find more information about the effects of war on health care for children in this article.

Robots take over prostate surgery

Penn State Health is now offering aquablation therapy, a minimally invasive robotic surgical procedure to treat enlarged prostate. The therapy uses camera and ultrasound imaging combined with advanced planning software to provide a multidimensional view of the treatment area. It is also the first and only image-guided, heat-free robotic therapy to treat the condition.

“Aquablation is a terrific addition to our treatment options for patients with enlarged prostates,” Jay Raman, chair of urology and head of robotic surgery at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, said. “It’s precise, consistent and predictable, and provides patients with long-term relief and no negative effects on sexual activity.”