Voice analysis software may help diagnose PTSD in veterans

Voice analysis software can help detect post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans based on their speech, a study suggests.

Doctors have long understood that people with psychiatric disorders may speak differently than individuals who do not have mental health problems, researchers note in Depression and Anxiety. While some previous research points to the potential for distinct speech patterns among people with PTSD, it’s been unclear whether depression that often accompanies PTSD might explain the unique voice characteristics.

In the current study, voice analysis software detected which veterans had PTSD and which ones did not with 89 percent accuracy.

“Those with the PTSD talked more slowly (slower tongue movement), were more monotonous with fewer bursts of vocalization, were less animated and energetic (lifeless) in their speech, and had longer hesitations and a flatter tone,” said the lead study author.

“Our findings suggest that speech-based characteristics can be used to diagnose this disease, and with further refinement and validation, may be employed in the clinic in the near future,” the author said.

The team used an artificial intelligence program that “learns” how to classify individuals based on examples of speech.

First, researchers recorded hours-long interviews based on questions often asked by clinicians to diagnose PTSD. Altogether, they interviewed 53 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with PTSD related to their service as well as 78 veterans without the disease.

Then, they fed the recordings into voice analysis software developed by Stanford Research Institute (SRI) International, designers of the “Siri” App, to yield a total of 40,526 speech-based features captured in short spurts of talk.

The software linked patterns of specific voice features with PTSD, including less clear speech and a lifeless, metallic tone, both of which had long been reported anecdotally as helpful in diagnosis.

While the study did not explore the disease mechanisms behind PTSD, the theory is that traumatic events change brain circuits that process emotion and muscle tone that affect a person’s voice, the study team writes.

 The study was small, and it wasn’t designed to prove whether or how PTSD might directly cause changes in vocal patterns. It’s also possible that results might be different for people who experienced trauma unrelated to military service such as sexual assault or a natural disaster.

Other warning signs of PTSD may also be easier for family members to spot, said the Dr.                              

 “I think more general, observable indicators of trauma are more relevant in such cases,” a researcher who wasn’t involved in the study said. “Noticing that a family member exposed to a recent trauma appears to be unusually irritable, aggressive, hyper-vigilant, or reports nightmares, flashbacks of the trauma, or appears socially withdrawn or depressed ... would warrant a clinical assessment.”

But it may not be too far in the future that a tool like the one tested in the study could be one way to identify people who need to be evaluated for PTSD, said a U.S. Army Capt.

“In a perfect world, I see this technology used as an early warning tool for PTSD,” said the Army Capt. 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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Wearable adhesive patch sensor accurately predicted worsening heart failure

Wearing a removable, adhesive patch sensor accurately predicted worsening heart failure and the need for hospitalization several days before heart failure hospitalization occurred among veterans with heart failure, according to research published today in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation: Heart Failure.

The participants in the LINK-HF multi-center study consisted of one hundred heart failure (HF) patients who were veterans, average age of 68 years, enrolled at four Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals -- in Salt Lake City; Palo Alto, Calif.; Houston, and Gainesville, Fla. -- after an initial acute heart failure admission to the hospital. The participants wore an adhesive sensor patch on their chest 24 hours a day for a minimum of 30 days and up to three months after their initial hospital discharge for a heart failure event. Of the eligible participants, 90% continued to wear the sensor at 30 days, and at 90 days; data was collected from August 2015 through December 2016.

The sensor monitored heart rate, heart rhythm, respiratory rate and physical activities such as, walking, sleeping and body posture for each participant. The data was transmitted from the sensor via Bluetooth to a smartphone, and then uploaded from the smartphone to an analytics platform on a secure computer server. A machine learning algorithm, a type of artificial intelligence approach to data analysis, established a normal baseline for each patient and then examined the incoming data. When observed data deviated from the expected 'normal baseline' behavior, the algorithm generated an alert to indicate the patient's heart failure was getting worse. The technology accurately predicted hospitalization risk more than 80% of the time. This prediction of hospitalization took place an average of 6.5 days before the readmission.

"With the use of remote data from the sensor and through data analysis by machine learning, we have shown that we can predict the future. Next, we will look at whether we can change the future," said lead study author Josef Stehlik, M.D., M.P.H., the Christi T. Smith Professor of Medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine, medical director of the Heart Transplant Program and co-chief of the Advance Heart Failure Program at the University of Utah Hospital and the Salt Lake City Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Heart failure (HF) is a major public health issue - it impacts about 6.2 million U.S. adults and is the No. 1 hospital discharge diagnosis in the U.S. Heart failure-related health care costs were an estimated $30.7 billion in 2012 and are expected to reach $53 billion by 2030. About 80% of these costs are for hospitalization according to a study cited by the researchers and published in 2011. In the first 90 days after discharge from the hospital for heart failure, patients are at a high, up to 30%, risk of readmission. Given this significantly increased risk of HF worsening after hospitalization, the researchers focused on testing a non-invasive solution to improve HF management during this critical time period.

In chronic heart failure, a person's condition can get worse with shortness of breath, fatigue and fluid buildup, to the point many end up in the emergency room and spend days in the hospital to recover. If we can identify patients before heart failure worsens and if doctors have the opportunity to change therapy based on this novel prediction, we could avoid or reduce hospitalizations, improve patients' lives and greatly reduce health care costs. With the evolution of technology and with artificial intelligence statistical methods, we have new tools to make this happen."    Josef Stehlik, lead study author.

Study limitations included:

    Study participants were 98% male, so it is unknown if these findings would be consistent in females;
    A majority of the participants had HFrEF (heart failure with reduced ejection fraction), so further study in patients with HFpEF (heart failure with preserved ejection fraction) is needed; and

    Additional research is necessary to determine if treatment changes based on the alerts could lead to improved patient outcomes.

In a future study, the researchers will test changing patient treatment based on the alert generated by the algorithm. "We are hoping that with this information, we can intervene and decrease the hospitalization rate, improve quality of life, and, for patients who end up being admitted to the hospital, shorten the length of stay," concluded Stehlik.


This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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10 Tips to Help You Minimize Your Medication Expenses

Have you ever felt like skipping a medication because of its high cost? That feeling isn’t completely unjustified. Millions of people all over the world are feeling the strain of rising prices of prescription drugs today, which can lead to some irrational and health-threatening choices. In fact, a lot of people today don’t even fill prescriptions because they simply can’t afford the high costs.

Cutting back on pharmaceutical costs can appear to be a real challenge at times. However, following a few simple tips can really help you in that regard. Take a look at these steps that can help you minimize your drug costs.

1. Make use of apps to compare local drug prices
Several websites and mobile applications can help you find the most affordable drug prices.
GoodRx, for instance, is a popular app in this regard. It collects and compares prices and discounts from more than 70,000 US pharmacies you likely weren’t aware of. You can use the app to print free discounted coupons, or simply send the coupon to your phone, email, or through a text message.

Another useful app is Blink Health where you can check for local prices by searching the name of the prescription drug. One good thing about this app is that it has the option of delivering your medication to your doorstep. OneRx and Rx Saver are a couple of other easy-to-use apps and programs that offer great discounts to consumers.

You can also consider ScriptSave, WellRx, Easy Drug Card, and Search Rx for drug coupons and rebates.

2. Save by opting for a 90-day supply

The majority of pharmacies offer higher savings if you opt for a long-term supply. Even your insurance company’s pharmacy plan will have medications available in a 90-day-supply.

Choosing a 90-day-supply will ensure that your medications are delivered to your home, and it will also allow you to process refill requests online. Furthermore, with this plan, three months of your medications will be delivered for a lower cost per month. Some insurance health plans offer an incentive to fill 90-day supplies and provide your meds at two times the monthly co-pay instead of three.

Bear in mind, however, that if you are taking a new medication, then it is better to opt for a regular 30-day supply to first check if you can endure the drug. You can gradually move to a 90-day-supply once you get used to the medication. 

3. Check for an older medication that is just as effective

Physicians often prescribe newer antibiotics that are being promoted as more effective. However, these newer medications are generally more expensive as well. Interestingly, though, these newer antibiotics aren’t exactly more effective than the older ones, as they generally have the same composition. In most cases, these newer meds are covered by patent protection and packaged as something more efficient to attract consumers.

Most generic medicines are made in the same factory, and it would be prudent to ask your doctor for the generic antibiotic. You are likely to save a lot, as a generic broad-spectrum antibiotic will cost you about 80% less than a new antibiotic.

4. Cut your expenses by using a Pill Splitter

Using a Pill Splitter is a great way to cut your medical expenses. Many medicines can be split in half, and that can help you save almost half your drug costs.

This method really comes into play if you are taking several medications for the same condition. You can ask your physician if there is a pill available in a dose that is double your normal dosage. Another point you must remember is to do a cost comparison between the two dosages. If you find out that the pill with the higher dose is less than double the cost for your regular dose one, then choosing the higher dose med will save you money.

You can then confirm with your doctor whether there will be any issues if you split the pill or capsule. If you get the green light, then go ahead and buy a pill splitter and cut the tablets in two.

Keep in mind, however, that tablet-splitting isn’t safe for all meds. Only use it when you are absolutely certain. Some of the easily available split medicines are Ambien, Aricept, Buspar, Effexor, Lipitor, Luvox, Paxil, Remeron, Risperdal, Seroquel, Serzone, Viagra, Zoloft, Zyprexa.

You can check with your pharmacist for other options.

5. Use a Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Having access to a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) program at work can be quite beneficial. With FSA, you can place your money into the account and pay for your medications with pre-tax dollars. If you’re in the 25% tax bracket, for instance, then this will effectively give you a 25% discount on your meds.

Hence, this is a vital advantage for people who know how much they spend annually on medication and other health-related purchases. Do understand that if you don’t spend all the money in your FSA by the end of the year, you will end up forfeiting the money. Thus, it would be better to use this account for your medication expenses wisely. 

6. Check if you qualify for Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs)

Most pharmaceutical companies run Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs). These programs offer free or low-cost prescription medicine to people who are uninsured. This is especially helpful for those who can't afford their medicine.

Most PAPs require that the applicant completes an application form that requires a doctor's signature. These programs then send the medicine to the doctor's office for distribution to the patients. A few PAPs can also send the medicine to a pharmacy.

It is up to the pharmaceutical companies to decide if they will have a PAP and what medicines they will make available through the program. Some programs sell generic meds at a fixed price for a three-month supply. Companies often include and remove a medicine in the program, hence, it is best to learn about their availability beforehand.

Interestingly, a lot of doctors are not even aware of PAP. Your best source of information on this program is the Internet. RXAssist.org is a comprehensive directory for research about PAPs. In the US and the US Virgin Islands, there are a number of states that offer PAPs. You can search and see if any of them are from your area.

7. Check your insurer’s formulary lists

A formulary is a list of generic and brand name prescription medications that any given drug plan will cover. This is beneficial because when you fill your prescription, you don’t have to pay the full price. The formulary process does save money for you and your insurer but can get a little complicated to understand.

You might want to check the formulary lists of different health plans to make sure that the medications you are taking are covered. Most of these lists can be found online, but in some cases, you may need to request the document from a potential insurer. You would then need to do a little homework to understand and recognize each plan’s "summary of benefits and coverage” and learn how much they would cost you.

8. Veterans can now avail more medical benefits

There have been some changes recently in the laws that grant veterans benefits for particular illnesses like diabetes and hypertension. The veteran would, of course, have to qualify for the conditions set by the Veteran’s Administration (VA). Their medical benefits package is quite useful and covers preventive care services like immunization against infectious diseases (like flu shots) and even inpatient hospital services such as surgeries, medical treatments, and kidney dialysis.

To utilize these services, you would need to be enrolled in VA health care.

9. Apply for an ‘Extra Help’ program

Medicare (a national health insurance program in the United States) and Social Security have a program called Extra Help that helps with prescription costs for people with limited income and resources. For those enrolled in the program, prescription costs are a mere $3.60 for each generic med and $8.95 for each brand-name covered drug. Extra Help will not only pay the prescription costs, but will also take care of premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance of Medicare prescription drug coverage.

You can check if you qualify for the Extra Help program from the Medicare website. Furthermore, you can even reapply for this program if your income and resources change.

10. Make use of a Verified Internet Pharmacy
Verified internet pharmacies are useful for many reasons. Firstly, they have passed the severe inspection by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). You would be surprised to know that plenty of online pharmacies are noncompliant with federal and state laws or NABP safety and pharmacy practice standards. Check the validity of your internet pharmacy by using the Find a Safe Site list.

Online pharmacies offer better pricing than offline stores along with lower transaction and product costs. Doorstep delivery and validation of prescription through licensed pharmacists are some of the other benefits of internet pharmacies. If you are on more than one medication and can’t visit the local drug store regularly, then a verified internet pharmacy can be a real boon.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement 

Voice analysis software may help diagnose PTSD in veterans

Voice analysis software can help detect post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans based on their speech, a study suggests.

Doctors have long understood that people with psychiatric disorders may speak differently than individuals who do not have mental health problems, researchers note in Depression and Anxiety. While some previous research points to the potential for distinct speech patterns among people with PTSD, it’s been unclear whether depression that often accompanies PTSD might explain the unique voice characteristics.

In the current study, voice analysis software detected which veterans had PTSD and which ones did not with 89 percent accuracy.

“Those with the PTSD talked more slowly (slower tongue movement), were more monotonous with fewer bursts of vocalization, were less animated and energetic (lifeless) in their speech, and had longer hesitations and a flatter tone,” said the lead study author.

“Our findings suggest that speech-based characteristics can be used to diagnose this disease, and with further refinement and validation, may be employed in the clinic in the near future,” the author said.

The team used an artificial intelligence program that “learns” how to classify individuals based on examples of speech.

First, researchers recorded hours-long interviews based on questions often asked by clinicians to diagnose PTSD. Altogether, they interviewed 53 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with PTSD related to their service as well as 78 veterans without the disease.

Then, they fed the recordings into voice analysis software developed by Stanford Research Institute (SRI) International, designers of the “Siri” App, to yield a total of 40,526 speech-based features captured in short spurts of talk.

The software linked patterns of specific voice features with PTSD, including less clear speech and a lifeless, metallic tone, both of which had long been reported anecdotally as helpful in diagnosis.

While the study did not explore the disease mechanisms behind PTSD, the theory is that traumatic events change brain circuits that process emotion and muscle tone that affect a person’s voice, the study team writes.

The study was small, and it wasn’t designed to prove whether or how PTSD might directly cause changes in vocal patterns. It’s also possible that results might be different for people who experienced trauma unrelated to military service such as sexual assault or a natural disaster.

Other warning signs of PTSD may also be easier for family members to spot, said the Dr.

“I think more general, observable indicators of trauma are more relevant in such cases,” a researcher who wasn’t involved in the study said. “Noticing that a family member exposed to a recent trauma appears to be unusually irritable, aggressive, hyper-vigilant, or reports nightmares, flashbacks of the trauma, or appears socially withdrawn or depressed ... would warrant a clinical assessment.”

But it may not be too far in the future that a tool like the one tested in the study could be one way to identify people who need to be evaluated for PTSD, said U.S. Army Capt.

“In a perfect world, I see this technology used as an early warning tool for PTSD,” the Captain who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email. 

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