Here are 10 articles on some of the most interesting medical research study findings and advancements from the week of June 13.
1. When healthcare professionals are aware they're being observed, they're significantly more likely to comply with hand hygiene guidelines, according to a recent study. Read more.
2. Elderly female patients are significantly more likely than elderly men to report overall satisfaction with their hospital care, according to a study published in Sage Open Journal. Read more.
3. Researchers from two Singapore-based research centers have designed an antimicrobial material that can kill E. coli bacteria in roughly 30 seconds, according to The Science Explorer. Read more.
4. A study in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology shows the design of personal protective equipment for infectious diseases is not very user friendly, which is problematic, given its purpose. Read more.
5. New research in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests sending certain hypertensive ambulatory patients to the hospital, rather than home, may be the wrong call. Read more.
6. One contributing factor to the opioid epidemic is patients holding onto unused medications, opting to either use them again at a later date or leave them unsecured where others can access them. A new research paper suggests overestimating the amount of pills a patient will need is a big part of the problem. Read more.
7. When long-acting opioids are prescribed to patients for chronic pain not associated with cancer, the risk of all-cause mortality — including deaths other than overdose — increases. Read more.
8. A large number of 30-day readmissions are not caused by poor-quality care but are instead related to mental health, substance abuse or homelessness, according to a new study. Read more.
9. At the third meeting of the World Health Organization's Emergency Committee on the Zika virus, health officials concluded there is very low risk of international Zika spread resulting from travel to Brazil for the Olympic Games. Read more.
10. Preliminary results of an ongoing comprehensive study suggest the risk of birthing a child with microcephaly could be quite low for pregnant women infected with Zika in the third trimester. Read more.