The past six weeks have been fascinating for new discoveries and innovations in the world of HealthTech. A new game was launched to challenge misconceptions of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a new study linked air pollution to decreased chances of IVF success, and a new wearable monitor might be the key to replacing blood tests with less invasive sweat tests.
Read on to find out more.
OCD: using fiction to emphasise fact
There are many instances where media is used to educate people on the realities of mental health. Employing this method, the team behind the She Could Fly: Documentary Escape Game sought to dispel the trivialisation of OCD.
In popular media, OCD is often treated as a punchline. The team behind She Could Fly are working to counteract this stereotype.
Catch up on the full story here: https://www.htworld.co.uk/news/mental-health/game-aims-to-combat-trivialisation-of-ocd/
IVF success nearly halved by air pollution
The latest study by Dr Sebastian Leathersitch revealed that the odds of a live birth resulting from IVF were reduced by 38% when exposed to air pollution. What is shocking is that in 2021, 97% of people living in the EU were exposed to air pollution levels above the WHO’s annual guideline.
The hope is that with discoveries such as these, governments take more action to reduce air pollution for the benefit of everyone’s health.
Catch up on the full story here: https://www.htworld.co.uk/news/life-sciences/air-pollution-linked-to-decreased-ivf-success/
Is sweat the new blood?
Everyone hates getting their blood taken. To alleviate our common fears, researchers at Washington State University have developed a wearable device that measures certain biochemicals extracted from sweat. These biochemicals could allow doctors to track or even diagnose conditions such as diabetes, gout, or heart disease.
The key is that sweat contains many of the same important metabolites for tracking health conditions, but the process is non-invasive. Many of us will be crossing our fingers that this method will catch on.
Catch up on the full story here: https://www.htworld.co.uk/news/does-sweat-hold-the-key-to-simple-non-invasive-diagnosis/