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22/02/2010

An outbreak of severe dengue on the tripla frontera borders of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. Health advice in the hot weather, and Mindfulness techniques to improve mental health.

Doctors and medical unions in the area where Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil meet - are calling for an epidemic of 鈥渟evere dengue鈥 to be declared a national health emergency. Severe dengue used to be known as dengue hemorrhagic fever. It occurs when people who have already had dengue fever are bitten by a mosquito carrying a different form of the virus. Claudia Hammond talks to Valeria Perasso in Buenos Aires whose been covering the story for the 麻豆视频AV.

After the European heat waves of 2003 and 2006 there were calls for health authorities to give the public better advice about keeping cool at home. And with concerns about climate change now the topic is getting a lot more attention. Claudia talks to environmental epidemiologist Shakoor Hajat of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to find out just how accurate that advice is

Mindfulness is a form of mental training based on ancient eastern and Buddhist practices. It teaches people to train their attention to stop their mind wandering. Research has found that an eight-week course can halve the rate of recurrent episodes of depression as well as for chronic fatigue and anxiety. People have practised mindfulness for centuries, but it鈥檚 only now that it鈥檚 demanding the attention of the people actually studying the brain 鈥 the neuroscientists and psychologists. Neuropsychologist Dr Rick Hanson explains why science is getting interested now.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Sun 28 Feb 2010 22:32GMT

Chapters

  • Severe dengue outbreak in Argentina Paraguay and Brazil: A national health emergency?

    Doctors and medical unions in the area where Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil meet - are calling for an epidemic of 鈥渟evere dengue鈥 to be declared a national health emergency.

    Duration: 04:52

  • Health advice in the heat

    Claudia Hammond talks to Shakoor Hajat of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine about the accuracy of advice on health in the heat.

    Duration: 09:20

  • Mindfulness: Good for mental health?

    Mindfulness is a form of mental training based on ancient eastern and Buddhist practices. Neuropsychologist Dr Rick Hanson on why science and mental health professionals are interested now.

    Duration: 11:06

Broadcasts

  • Mon 22 Feb 2010 10:32GMT
  • Mon 22 Feb 2010 15:32GMT
  • Mon 22 Feb 2010 20:32GMT
  • Tue 23 Feb 2010 01:32GMT
  • Sun 28 Feb 2010 22:32GMT

Podcast