Podcast References

Prescription Drug Statistics & Trends

| According to the National Center for Health Statistics at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 48.6% of Americans have used at least one prescription drug in the past 30 days. Around 24% have used three or more prescribed medications, and 12.8% have used at least five.

| About 66% of U.S. adults take prescription drugs (Health Policy Institute, 2021).

| About 26% of UK adults take prescription medications (Public Health England, 2020). 

| To put this in perspective, if you are at a house party with 12 people in the United States, eight of the people you talk to take prescription drugs and four do not. If you are at a house party with 12 people in England, only three of them take prescription drugs, and nine of them do not. 

National Health Status

| Health care spending, both per person and as a share of GDP, continues to be far higher in the United States than in other high-income countries. 

| The U.S. has the lowest life expectancy at birth, the highest death rates for avoidable or treatable conditions, the highest maternal and infant mortality, and among the highest suicide rates.

| The U.S. has the highest rate of people with multiple chronic conditions and an obesity rate nearly twice the OECD average.

| Americans have a shorter life expectancy than people in almost all other high-income countries.

| Nearly 9 out of 10 people we surveyed described their own health as either “good,” “very good,” or “excellent,” despite the same people also reporting low levels of exercise and poor diets. 

| 68% of obese Americans say they're as healthy or healthier than the average American.

| 87% of people who never or infrequently eat vegetables report being in “good” or “excellent” health.

| 77% of people who never or infrequently work out believe they are in “good,” “very good,” or “excellent” shape.

  • Joshua A. Salomon and others, Are Americans Feeling Less Healthy? The Puzzle of Trends in Self-rated Health, American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 170, Issue 3, 1 August 2009, Pages 343–351, https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwp144

Chronic disease statistics

Childhood diseases and cancer protection

NSAIDs & Arthritis

Opiods & Low Back Pain

  • Ashworth J, Green DJ, Dunn KM, Jordan KP. Opioid use among low back pain patients in primary care: Is opioid prescription associated with disability at 6-month follow-up?. PAIN®. 2013 Jul 1;154(7):1038-44. Link

  • Corcoran KL, Bastian LA, Gunderson CG, Steffens C, Brackett A, Lisi AJ. Association between chiropractic use and opioid receipt among patients with spinal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pain Medicine. 2020 Feb 1;21(2):e139-45. Link

  • Whedon JM, Toler AW, Kazal LA, Bezdjian S, Goehl JM, Greenstein J. Impact of chiropractic care on use of prescription opioids in patients with spinal pain. Pain Medicine. 2020 Dec 25;21(12):3567-73. Link

  • Association Between Chiropractic Use and Opioid Receipt Among Patients with Spinal Pain: https://academic.oup.com/painmedicine/article/21/2/e139/5575223?login=false

Antibiotics and Asthma

  • Wickens K, Pearce N, Crane J & Beasley R. Antibiotic use in early childhood and the development of asthma. Clinical and Experimental Allergy. 1999;29:766-771.

Medication and Cancer

Antibiotic Use and Cognition:

Steroid Drugs, Depression, and Other Psychiatric Effects:

  • Corticosteroid medicines include cortisone, hydrocortisone, and prednisone. They are used in treating rashes, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and other conditions to reduce inflammation, such as arthritis.

  • Psychiatric adverse effects during systemic corticosteroid therapy are common. Severe reactions occur in nearly 6% of patients, and mild to moderate reactions occur in about 28%. Disturbances of mood, cognition, sleep, and behavior as well as frank delirium or even psychosis are possible. Long-term therapy tends to induce depressive symptoms.

  • Psychiatric Adverse Effects of Corticosteroids, Thomas P. Warrington, MD, J. Michael Bostwick, MD, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, VOLUME 81, ISSUE 10, P1361-1367, OCTOBER 2006

Female Contraceptives and Depression:

  • 1) The researchers found contraceptive users were 23% more likely to be prescribed antidepressants at a later date.

  • Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry: Skovlund CW, Mørch LS, Kessing LV, Lidegaard Ø. Association of Hormonal Contraception With Depression. JAMA Psychiatry. 2016;73(11):1154–1162. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.2387

  • 2) Women who reported first use of oral contraceptives in adolescence showed a long‐term association between adolescent oral contraceptive use and depression risk in adulthood.

  • Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry: Anderl, C., Li, G. and Chen, F.S. (2020), Oral contraceptive use in adolescence predicts lasting vulnerability to depression in adulthood. J Child Psychol Psychiatr, 61: 148-156. https://doi.org/10.111

Dementia and Anticholinergic Drug Use:

  • These are drugs that block a chemical messenger called acetylcholine, which affects muscle activity in the digestive and urinary tracts, lungs, and elsewhere in the body. It's also involved in memory and learning.

  • Up to half of older adults in the US take one or more of these medications. Common examples include:

     | amitriptyline, paroxetine, and bupropion (most commonly taken for depression)

     | oxybutynin and tolterodine (taken for an overactive bladder)

     | diphenhydramine (a common antihistamine, as found in Benadryl).

  • Those who had taken any medication with anticholinergic activity were 11% more likely to be eventually diagnosed with dementia; for those drugs with the most anticholinergic effects, the risk of dementia was 30% greater.

  • British Medical Journal (BMJ): Richardson K, Fox C, Maidment I, Steel N, Loke YK, Arthur A, Myint PK, Grossi CM, Mattishent K, Bennett K, Campbell NL, Boustani M, Robinson L, Brayne C, Matthews FE, Savva GM. Anticholinergic drugs and risk of dementia: case-control study. BMJ. 2018 Apr 25;361:k1315. doi: 10.1136/bmj.k1315. Erratum in: BMJ. 2019 Oct 31;367:l6213. PMID: 29695481; PMCID: PMC5915701.

  • Anticholinergic drugs and risk of dementia: case-control study BMJ 2018; 361 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k1315 (Published 25 April 2018) BMJ 2018;361:k1315

Driving Disease Higher: Pain Relievers and Hearing Loss

  • Compared with women who used ibuprofen less than once per week, those who took the pain reliever two to three days per week had a 13 percent increased risk for hearing loss, while women who used the medication four to five days per week had a 21 percent increased risk. For those who used ibuprofen six or seven days per week, the increased risk was 24 percent.

  • Compared with women who took acetaminophen less than once per week, women who used acetaminophen two to three days per week had an 11 percent increased risk for hearing loss, while women taking the medicine four to five days per week had a 21 percent increased risk.

  • Nurses' Health Study II: https://nurseshealthstudy.org/

  • Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

  • https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2012/09/pain-relievers-increase-hearing-loss-risk/

Great Lakes Recovery

Religion and Health:

  • “This study represents the most rigorous and comprehensive systematic analysis of the modern-day literature regarding health and spirituality to date,”... It revealed that participation in a spiritual community, such as regular attendance at religious services, was associated with healthier living, including longer lifespans, less depression and suicide, and reduced substance use.

    • Balboni TA, VanderWeele TJ, Doan-Soares SD, et al. Spirituality in Serious Illness and Health. JAMA. 2022;328(2):184–197. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.11086

  • Elderly patients are 14 times less likely to die following surgery if they found strength and comfort in their religious faith and remained socially involved.

    • Oxman TE et al. Lack of social participation or religious strength and comfort as risk factors for death after cardiac surgery in the elderly. Psychosomatic Medicine. 1995; 57(1):5-15.

Chiropractic Studies

  • Seniors & Chiropractic:

    • As part of a comprehensive elderly assessment program, patients who were under chiropractic care were compared to those who were not, and researchers found that the individuals under continuing chiropractic care were free from the use of a nursing home (95.7% vs. 80.8%); free from hospitalizations for the past 23 years (73.9% vs. 52.4%); more likely to report a better health status; more likely to exercise vigorously; and more likely to be mobile in the community (69.6% vs. 46.8%).  Furthermore, they were less likely to be using prescription drugs.

      • Rupert RL, Manello D, and Sandefur R: “Maintenance care: Health promotion services administered to US chiropractic patients aged 65 and older, Part II.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2000;23(1):10.

    • Chiropractic patients 65 and older were asked, “How important do you feel chiropractic treatment has been in maintaining and promoting your health?” 95.8% believed it to be either “considerably” or “extremely” valuable.

There was a significant correlation between the reduced use of nonprescription drugs and the number of years of maintenance care. Decreased smoking also correlated with years of maintenance care. The study noted, “Chiropractors may administer more prevention and health-promotion services than any other health profession.”

  • Coulter ID, Hurwitz EL, Aronow HU, et al: “Chiropractic patients in a comprehensive home-based geriatric assessment, follow-up and health promotion program.” Topics in Clinical Chiropractic 1996;3(2):46.

  • Wellness/Immune Support:

    • Clayton J. Campbell, Christopher Kent, Arthur Banne, Amir Amiri, and Ronald W. Pero: “Surrogate Indication of DNA Repair in Serum After Long Term Chiropractic Intervention - A Retrospective Study.” J. Vertebral Subluxation Res., - JVSR Com, February 18, 2005

  • Athletes & Chiropractic: 

    • Lauro, Anthony; Mouch, B: “Chiropractic Effects on Athletic Ability.”  The J Chiro Res and Clin Invest 1991;   6 (4):   84–87

  • Kids & Chiropractic:

    • Van Breda, W. & J., D.C.s,: “A Comparative Study of the Health Status of Children Raised Under the Health Care Models of Chiropractic and Allopathic Medicine.” Journal of Chiropractic Research, -  Summer 1989; Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 101-103

  • Medication Use Lowered with Chiropractic:

    • Corcoran KL, Bastian LA, Gunderson CG, Steffens C, Brackett A, Lisi AJ. Association between chiropractic use and opioid receipt among patients with spinal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pain Medicine. 2020 Feb 1;21(2):e139-45. Link

    • Whedon JM, Toler AW, Kazal LA, Bezdjian S, Goehl JM, Greenstein J. Impact of chiropractic care on use of prescription opioids in patients with spinal pain. Pain Medicine. 2020 Dec 25;21(12):3567-73. Link

  • Athletic Performance & Chiropractic:

    • Athletes: Lauro A, Mouch B. Chiropractic effects on athletic ability. J Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation. 1991;6(4):84–87. [Google Scholar]

    • Runners: Grimston SK, Engsberg JR, Shaw L, Vetanze NW. Muscular rehabilitation prescribed in coordination with prior chiropractic therapy as a treatment for sacroiliac subluxation in female distance runners. Chiropractic Sports Medicine. 1990;4(1):2–8. [Google Scholar]

    • Dancers: Waters KD, Boone WR. The relationship of spinal misalignment elements to muscle imbalance in dance performance. Chiropractic. 1988;1(2):49–58. [Google Scholar]

    • Golfers: Costa SMV, Chibana YET, Giavarotti L, Compagnoni DS, Shiono AH, Satie J, Bracher ESB. Effect of spinal manipulative therapy with stretching compared with stretching alone on full-swing performance of golf players: a randomized pilot trial. J Chiropractic Medicine. 2009;8:165–170. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Walking

Smoking & Salads

  • Serum carotenoid levels and risk of lung cancer death in US adults, Kyoung-bok Min, Jin-young Min, Cancer Sci 105 (2014) 736–743

Hydration and water

  • Adults who stay well-hydrated appear to be healthier, develop fewer chronic conditions, such as heart and lung disease, and live longer than those who may not get sufficient fluids, according to a National Institutes of Health-funded study published in eBioMedicine.   

  • Dmitrieva NI, Gagarin A, Liu D, et al. Middle-age high normal serum sodium as a risk factor for accelerated biological aging, chronic diseases, and premature mor