ALKHOBAR, 20 March 2007 — Information technology is making inroads in many fields and nowhere more so than in the health care industry. Most of us have used an Internet search engine to help diagnose our aches and pains, but increasingly technology is offering much more.
In the Kingdom, it is only recently that mental health has been taken as seriously as physical health. With psychological problems such as depression on the rise, many individuals are wondering what mental health therapies might be available. Unfortunately, too many people are still reluctant to approach a physician and request such information. That’s where a new Internet site might be effective.
The current issue of the Professional Psychology Journal features a paper describing a new website, www.TherapyAdvisor.org, which is available to both professionals and consumers of mental health services. The website highlights effective psychosocial treatments for a number of mental health conditions. The paper indicates the web application was rated positively by most of the 239 practicing psychologists who evaluated the site and was reported to increase awareness of and commitment to try Evidence Supported Treatments (ESTs) among approximately 60 percent of the participants. The website is designed so that consumers can easily browse and obtain information related to effective treatments for several mental health conditions.
When faced with the difficult situation of dealing with a mental health problem in oneself or a family member, consumers can become overwhelmed when considering the myriad of treatment choices. TherapyAdvisor.org offers quick and easy to read information about treatments that have received support in scientific studies. Consumers can also compare the treatments described on www.TherapyAdvisor.org to the treatment they may be receiving from a mental health practitioner.
There are 40 disorders covered by TherapyAdvisor.org, grouped in the categories of adult, child, geriatric, chemical dependency and health behavior disorders. Within each disorder is information providing:
• A description of the disorder and its prevalence.
• A list of all of the effective treatments for the disorder.
• Information about medications used to treat the disorder.
• Self-help resources, such as books and other media available.
• Links to organizations that provide information and advocacy about the disorder.
A key strength of TherapyAdvisor.org is that the information on the disorders has been written by experts in their fields. Many of these experts developed the treatments they describe. TherapyAdvisor access is free and anonymous for mental health consumers, so don’t hesitate to check it out.
Now, we all know that stress is the cause of many health problems. So take a look at the emWave Personal Stress Reliever (www.emwave.com) that helps you control your stress response by transforming stress into productive energy. EmWave, developed by Quantum Intech and introduced by HeartMath, is a handheld interactive device, small enough to fit in your purse or pocket. Use emWave to reset your inner balance before important communications, meetings, between tasks, to rebalance your mind and emotions following stressful situations or whenever you just want to feel better.
EmWave Personal Stress Reliever helps to build a cushion between you and stress by teaching you to access a high-performance state called coherence. The term coherence refers to a mental and emotional state people experience when they’re in-sync — when the heart, brain and nervous system work with more harmony and efficiency. Simply stated, more coherence equals improved energy and less stress.
Respected organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, the US Veterans Administration and the University of North Carolina are exploring the benefits of emWave Personal Stress Reliever with various health challenges including anxiety, pain management, hypertension, PTSD, recovery for cancer patients and ADHD.
Of course, improving mental and physical health should be a priority for everyone. Again and again we’ve heard that exercise is one element of a healthy lifestyle. Bringing technology into the exercise arena can help everyone stay well while keeping fit. To accomplish that goal, Zephyr Technology (www.zephyr-technology.com) has introduced the ShoePod — a member of the Zephyr family of Wearable Smart Fabric products.
The ShoePod uses patent-pending wireless Smart Fabric technology to provide biomechanical analysis of foot forces over time. The ShoePod is small and at less than 50 grams, is designed to be worn inside any shoe unnoticed by the user. Wireless communication relays the data collected by the ShoePod in real time to a collection device located up to 100 meters away. The system can seamlessly connect to local computers, watches or the Internet. Utilizing the latest memory technology, ShoePod can log over a weeks worth of data.
“The ShoePod allows in-shoe measurement of force, timing and technique,” said Brian Russell, Zephyr CEO. “The price and usability allows entire teams to exercise in the field and be analyzed live, remotely or over the Internet.”
ShoePod gives podiatrists, rehabilitation professionals and orthopedic surgeons an affordable tool to qualify their patients pre- and post-injury performance. Real life data can be collected and then analyzed remotely or in person with the included Zephyr software analysis tools. Sports professionals, coaches and athletes wanting to improve their technique and fitness can use ShoePod as a tool to measure the center of pressure, gait, foot timing, strike force and comparisons such as left to right forces. Zephyr’s trend analysis tools allow various fatigue mechanisms to be identified from real world activities.
Zephyr Technology even makes a special version of the ShoePod that can improve life for individuals with diabetes. Developed in conjunction with leading diabetes foot research teams, ShoePod Diabetic provides an early warning system for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN). DPN is a condition where nerves in the periphery of the body are damaged, causing a lack of sensation. DPN may lead to foot ulceration and amputation. An estimated 60 percent of Type II diabetics develop DPN. ShoePod Diabetic provides an advanced solution for detecting DPN onset.
The ShoePod Diabetic is a thin Smart Fabric shoe insole which measures temperatures, coupled with a wireless data transmitter and recorder. Graphical diagnostic tools enable accurate comparative analysis, providing early warning of deterioration in the tissues of the foot due to DPN. The ShoePod provides a convenient means for diabetics and their health care providers to monitor foot health and potentially prevent DPN related amputation, a major cause of adult disability.
