Health-Related Quality of Life

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New Clinical Outcome Assessments Could Improve Treatment for Parkinson's

The prevalence of Parkinson's disease has doubled over the last 25 years, and over 8.5 million people are living with the disease worldwide, but treatment options are limited. The development of new clinical outcome assessments could lead to new treatments for the disease.

Claire E. O'Hanlon, Carrie M. Farmer @carriefarmer, et al.

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A Good Night's Sleep, What's It Worth to You?

Most people in the developed world would fork over serious bucks—14 percent of their paycheck—to avoid the health-threatening, productivity-sapping effects of insomnia. When it comes to sleep, quality and quantity should be parallel goals. And the benefit of achieving them could be priceless.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel, Robert J. Romanelli

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Sleep Retreats: A Pricey Trend That Doesn't Have to Be

The growing trend toward sleep vacations reflects the increasing awareness that Americans live in a sleep-starved society. Whether embarking on a sleep vacation or creating one in your own home, making intentional steps to prioritize sleep is one of the best investments you can make in your own health and well-being.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel

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Think We Should Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent? Sleep Scientist Busts 5 Tired Myths

Permanent daylight saving time is widely favored by the public, and the House of Representatives may or may not follow the Senate in its recent approval of such a change in law. But that delicious extra hour of evening recreation in the spring and summer comes at a major cost to people's sleep, mood, alertness, and productivity for the remainder of the year.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel

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How to Improve Quality of Life in Greater Cambridge: The Perspective of Local Organisational and Community Leaders

The Cambridge, UK, area performs well in different dimensions of quality of life. However real-life experience differs significantly across communities and across measurements.

Christian Van Stolk

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For Valentine's Day, a Good Night's Sleep May Be the Best Gift

With Valentine's Day approaching, many may be pondering traditional gift-giving strategies. Maybe it's flowers, chocolates, or jewelry? But consider this: As we continue to endure the challenges of pandemic living, perhaps the greatest gift you could give to your partner (and yourself) is a good night of sleep.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel

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Why the Best Valentine's Day Gift Is a Good Night of Sleep

There are some habits and behaviors that help promote sleep. There are some habits and behaviors that get in the way of sleep. If you and your partner are looking to improve your shared sleep together, you might start by looking at how well, or not well, your individual habits and behaviors are working for you.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel

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How Creating a Pillow Talk Ritual Can Help You Get a Good Night's Rest

Working to bolster your sleep can bolster your relationship quality, and vice versa, and individually or collectively, they can both bolster your health. A simple technique can help build a habit around connecting with your partner.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel

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How to Sleep Better Together (or Not): Advice for Sleep-Deprived Couples

There are many reasons why couples are increasingly choosing to sleep apart. When couples work collaboratively to find the sleep solutions that help them both get better sleep, it can improve their shared lives together in and out of bed.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel

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Why Couples Sleeping Apart Is Sometimes a Good Thing

Sleep occupies a major part of a couples' shared experience. When we are well-slept we are happier, more empathic, better communicators, and better problem-solvers, all critical building blocks of healthy relationships.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel

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Beyond Sweatpants: Waking Up in a Post–COVID-19 World

When it comes to morning wake schedules, adjusting to post–COVID-19 life may be a challenge. Taking small steps now may help you prepare for the shock of returning to the morning rush.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel

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Don't Let 'Springing Forward' Set You Back in Your Relationship

When we're sleep-deprived, we're more irritable, more prone to conflict, our communication skills suffer, and we're less empathic. Here are five tips to help you protect the health of your body and your relationship as you and your partner weather the storm of daylight saving time.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel

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When In Doubt, Do What Doesn't Come Naturally

When we are feeling anxious or depressed or otherwise bad, we experience a variety of urges toward things that we think will make us feel better, but ultimately make us feel worse. Connecting with a friend, exercising, accomplishing a task, and helping others are some things that can actually help.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel

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How to Avoid the Season of Regret

The holiday season can bring with it not only the sting of cold air, but also the sting of regret. Regret is a slippery slope for mental health. RAND's Wendy Troxel shares simple, science-backed strategies to dodge year-end regrets.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel

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Treating Breast Cancer Is Not Just About the Disease: Its Wider Impacts Need to Be Considered, Too

Successes in the early treatment of breast cancer are to be celebrated. But those achievements need not limit the development of further and better treatment for patients. Understanding the disease's wider effects could help bring this about.

Daniela Rodriguez-Rincon, Catriona Manville

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Waking Up to the Costs of Nocturia

Nocturia is a troublesome lower urinary tract condition that causes people to wake up two or more times a night to empty their bladder. Researchers calculated the overall economic cost associated with nocturia in a working-age population across six countries.

Marco Hafner, Christian Van Stolk

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Measuring Progress Toward a Culture of Health... at the Library

Libraries can provide much more than books and internet access. Libraries across the United States are evolving to play a bigger role in community health. Many offer nutrition programs, mental health support, and even free bike-shares.

Carolyn Miller, Anita Chandra

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Local Development of a Culture of Health: Learning from Sentinel Communities

The Culture of Health project focuses on making health a priority in communities. As the United States grapples with health care spending and changing demographics, the Sentinel Communities project will illuminate stories from local communities and paint a picture of the ways communities strive to improve population health.

Anita Chandra, Todd Rogers, et al.

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Supportive Housing Reduces Homelessness—and Lowers Health Care Costs by Millions

Los Angeles County has moved some of its most chronically homeless and vulnerable residents into permanent housing. Providing them with social services and health care has dramatically reduced their use of emergency rooms and other services, saving taxpayers millions of dollars.

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Housing for Health: Los Angeles County's Department of Health Tackles Homelessness with an Innovative Housing Program That Saves Money

Los Angeles County's Housing for Health program addresses an important public health issue by providing housing and supportive services to some of the most vulnerable people in our community. The program also saves taxpayers money.

Sarah B. Hunter

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Raising Awareness of the Need for Collaborative Care to Treat PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder affects nearly 8 percent of American adults from all walks of life. Research suggests that more work is needed to improve and adapt models of care for PTSD.

Lisa S. Meredith

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A New Prescription for Sleepless Americans: Take Advice, Not a Pill

New guidelines from the American College of Physicians favor behavioral therapy over meds as the first-line treatment for insomnia. However, the ACP's recommendation will not in itself raise the level of access to optimal care for insomnia patients.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel, Judith Owens

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China at Home: Marrying Prosperity and Well-Being

As China strives to sustain its upward economic trajectory, it must also address its domestic problems—such as its air pollution and the challenges presented by its aging population—if its people are to share fully in the rewards of economic development and expansion.

Michael D. Rich @michaeldrich

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Let People Make Their Own End-of-Life Decisions

Major advances in health technology have helped people to live longer, but not necessarily better, lives. Medicare recently announced plans to reimburse providers for time spent counseling patients and their caregivers about the kind of care patients would want to receive near the end of their lives.

Sangeeta C. Ahluwalia @AhluwaliaPhD, Neil S. Wenger, et al.

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Caregivers in England Report Poorer Health and Healthcare Experiences

Caregivers in England have poorer health-related quality of life than non-caregivers, reporting an average of 11 fewer days of full health per year.

Catherine L. Saunders

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Community Partners in Care Receives Accolade

Community Partners in Care, a partnership that uses a unique approach to improve depression care in under-resourced communities, has received the 2015 Community-Campus Partnerships for Health Award.

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More Long-Term Health Conditions, Poorer Health Care Experiences

Patients with multiple long-term health conditions are more likely to report poorer experiences in primary care than those with fewer health problems. A patient-centered model that takes into account the severity of disease — and the impact of combinations of diseases, on patient quality of life and health care experiences — could make a difference.

Catherine L. Saunders, Charlotte Paddison

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Can the Affordable Care Act Help Asthma Sufferers Breathe Easier?

ACA reforms can potentially address barriers that get in the way of individuals with asthma getting the care they need. At the population level, the law has the potential to improve outcomes and efficiency and equity of services for chronic conditions such as asthma for which cost-effective preventive treatments exist.

Marielena Lara

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Removing Road Blocks to Climate Change Adaptation Planning

Despite increasing interest and investments in climate adaptation science, the implementation of adaptation plans through institutional policies or other actions designed to reduce health vulnerabilities has been slow. Institutionalized assumptions are an important roadblock.

Melissa L. Finucane, Regina A. Shih @ReginaShih