Cycle of Health
Medical Student Minute | Loneliness & Social Isolation
Special | 1m 49sVideo has Closed Captions
Belinda Tang explains the connection between social isolation and our health.
On the next Medical Student Minute, Belinda Tang explains the connection between social isolation and our health.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Cycle of Health is a local public television program presented by WCNY
Cycle of Health
Medical Student Minute | Loneliness & Social Isolation
Special | 1m 49sVideo has Closed Captions
On the next Medical Student Minute, Belinda Tang explains the connection between social isolation and our health.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Checkup From the Neck-Up
Dr. Rich O'Neill hosts Checkup From the Neck-Up, a monthly podcast about mental and physical health.Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipHi all.
I'm Belinda, a fourth year medical student with my medical student minute.
About the most interesting thin I've learned in medical school so far.
By now, everyone knows how bad smoking it is.
But what if I told you abou something as deadly as smoking that doctors rarely talk about?
And no, it's not eating unhealthy or not exercising.
Blah blah blah.
Got a guest.
Loneliness and social isolation.
Research shows they're as deadly as smoking 15 cigarets a day.
How wild is that?
They can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke by up to 30%, and dementia by up to 50%.
With more depression and anxiety, too.
Who knew?
Catching up with friends and family was what we really needed for our health.
Isolation and loneliness are increasing for all of us.
Our highest among older adults.
Especially vulnerable because as we get older our social circle often shrinks.
And there are barriers that prevent older folks from socializing too.
Think about uncle Frank wit poor hearing who sits by himself in the living room at the dinner party, or grandma Mary, who can't drive to her bridge club anymore because of poor eyesight.
So my friends, having heard how that isolation and loneliness are, why not make time for this simple act of connecting?
We just might find more health and happiness for ourselves and our loved ones.
I'm Belinda, fourth year medical student at Upstate Medical University and WC.
And why, with this week's Medical student minute.
Hey.
Hey, man, how's it going?
How are you?
Good.
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Cycle of Health is a local public television program presented by WCNY