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UPI
2 days ago
- Health
- UPI
Hoarders say they feel stigmatized, face 'everyday discrimination'
Compulsive hoarders reported "significantly higher" perceptions of social and physical disorder in their neighborhoods as well as more "everyday discrimination" than did matched counterparts, according to a recent study. Photo by Josefina/ Pexels ST. PAUL. Minn., June 27 (UPI) -- Compulsive hoarders feel stigmatized and are more likely to view their neighborhoods as less safe and more chaotic than counterparts do, according to researchers who are seeking to promote empathy for sufferers. Tapping data made available from a wide-ranging National Institutes of Health initiative, the analysts found that people with hoarding reported "significantly higher" perceived neighborhood social disorder, neighborhood physical disorder and everyday discrimination than did matched counterparts. That perceived "daily discrimination" was also found to be a strong predictor of hoarding disorder relative to other participants, even those diagnosed with related types of obsessive-compulsive disorders, according to a recent study online in the Journal of Affective Disorders. The study comes as medical science is struggling with how to effectively address hoarding that when left untreated can put sufferers and family members at serious risk of heath problems, injury, removal of at-risk children or older adults from the home, homelessness or in the worst case, even death. Hoarding also comes with high public costs. Between 2014 and 2022, more than 5,200 residential fires connected to cluttered environments resulted in 1,367 fire service injuries, 1,119 civilian injuries and over $396 million in losses, according to data collected through the National Fire Incident Reporting System. The study's lead author, Mississippi State University clinical psychology doctoral student Jarrod Williams, said the findings shed new light on how hoarders view themselves and their communities, and can perhaps serve to humanize them, reduce the stigma they feel and lead to new avenues of treatment. "We already know that people with hoarding experience high rates of isolation and loneliness, and this study demonstrates that they not only have worse neighborhood experiences but also worse perceived discrimination," he told UPI. "If we can reduce how often people with hoarding experience discrimination and improve how they interact with their communities, that would be really helpful step in the right direction to alleviating this public health issue," he said. Psychiatrists define hoarding disorder as a type of obsessive-compulsive mental health condition primarily characterized by difficulty discarding objects regardless of their value, with the result being the accumulation of clutter that compromises living spaces. It is a chronic condition that particularly affects older people: an estimated 6% of older adults have hoarding disorder, compared to roughly 2% of the general population. Hoarding behaviors typically emerge before age 20, but the severity of disorder symptoms often increase with each decade of life. For those afflicted, compulsive hoarding results in more functional impairment than many of the most common medical and psychiatric disorders such as major depression, chronic pain and diabetes, according to studies. The greatest risks associated with severe cases include fires, injuries from falls, pest infestations and medical illnesses. Recent research suggests that trauma and stressful events during one's life can impact hoarding disorder, including interpersonal violence, having belongings taken by force or childhood abuse. Biology and genetics may play a role. Since the 1990s, the "gold standard" treatment for hoarding disorder has been cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, in which a patient's beliefs about possessions and discarding are identified, challenged and modified through a process called "cognitive restructuring" This involves learning to identify and disregard irrational, harmful thoughts. Results with CBT, appearing promising. One study found that 71% of patients were considered improved after 26 CBT sessions and 81% of patients rated themselves improved. However, treatment refusal and compliance remains a concern: Few people seek treatment for hoarding disorder on their own and often refuse treatment when it is offered to them. Williams said the Mississippi State study could provide new clues about how to approach hoarders by illuminating their "neighborhood experience," which is defined as someone's perception of their neighborhood and the victimization and/or discrimination they experience within it. Using survey responses from the NIH's All of Us research program, he and his colleagues focused on 64 participants diagnosed with HD, 1,265 participants diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder but not hoarding disorder, and 85,329 individuals without records of psychiatric issues. The 64 hoarding disorder patients were matched to up to five participants with OCD exactly by age, race/ethnicity, gender and using nearest neighbor matching for income, marital status and education, while up to 10 non-psychiatric control participants were matched exactly using age, race/ethnicity, gender, marital status and education. "Significant differences" were found in the hoarding disorder patients' survey responses about neighborhood social cohesion and safety, neighborhood social disorder, neighborhood physical disorder, neighborhood crime/safety, medical discrimination and overall discrimination, Williams reported. "What these findings say to me is that people with hoarding know they're being stigmatized, and I would hypothesize that's why their neighborhood experience is worse," he said. "And I hope that this knowledge can promote a level of compassion for them. "I would guess that part of the reason for the disfunction they experience in their communities is due to stigma and perceived stigma. Part of how we help them is being compassionate and understanding." Agreeing with that sentiment is Lisa M. O'Neill, associate director of research and education at the University of Arizona's Center on Aging in Tucson and a clinical assistant professor of medicine. She also serves on the Arizona governor's Advisory Council on Aging and is the co-founder and chair of the Southern Arizona Hoarding Taskforce. O'Neill told UPI that after five years of teaching community education classes for people struggling with hoarding behaviors, she is convinced that to make real headway against this disorder, sufferers "need to feel understood, not judged." Reaching them and finding effective treatments requires empathy with how they view their situations, especially among professionals and community members, she said in emailed comments. "For example, even if someone hasn't had any direct contact with a person who struggles with alcohol addiction, we have all had enough education to know that simply saying 'just stop drinking' isn't going to solve anything. We know that people struggling with addiction need help. "While physical addiction and mental health disorders are not the same thing, education on these issues builds a community-wide understanding and hopefully a small measure of empathy," she said. Because most hoarding behaviors usually begin in adolescence or the early 20s, it's likely that every conversation sufferers have ever had with anyone about their behaviors or possessions "has not been positive, and after a lifetime of negative conversations/outcomes, they might be afraid to openly seek help because no one seems to understand," O'Neill added. People with hoarding behaviors "need education and behavior modification as well as realistic tips so they can practice building new thought processes and behavior patterns -- new habits, all while keeping their anxiety and emotional distress in check," she urged, adding, "Behavior modification is hard, and it takes time." Hoarders' negative views of their neighborhoods are most likely influenced by their tendency to be "socially isolated from others," added Jessica Rasmussen, a psychologist with Mass General Brigham in Boston, who specializes in the psychopathology of hoarding and provides cognitive behavioral therapy. "Individuals with HD often are dealing with depressive symptoms or social anxiety that can lead them to withdraw from those around them and be less likely to reach out for help," she told UPI in emailed comments. "They are also frequently dealing with feelings of embarrassment or shame concerning the hoarding, they are fearful of how they will be perceived and worried about being negatively judged. "It is often family members, friends or the local community that may reach out for help for the individual with HD," she said. CBT is effective and has been shown to help sufferers reduce clutter in their homes, improve their ability to discard possessions as well as resist acquiring more than they need, Rasmussen added. CBT for hoarding disorder "focuses on examining beliefs about possessions and shifting them, as well as gradual exposure to discarding and resisting excessive acquisition. It also provides cognitive skills training for executive functions such as decision making and categorization."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Family fights for carbon monoxide safety after tragedy
Following their own tragedy, one family is hoping to help save others from a hidden danger while traveling. In 2023, John Heathco and his girlfriend, Abby, were supposed to be enjoying a long weekend by the beach in Mexico, but within hours of getting to their hotel, they felt like something was off. "They had a couple tacos and some guacamole by the pool, went back to the room and started feeling awful," said Chuck Heathco, father of John. They thought it was food poisoning, but John Heathco's family said the couple's hotel room had been filled with a silent killer: carbon monoxide. "After dinner, they went back to the room and never came back out of the room," said Keri Bliss, John Heathco's sister. Prosecutors said the two had been dead for 11 or 12 hours when they were found in their hotel room. Police said that paramedics received a report that the Americans were unconscious in their room. They were dead by the time paramedics arrived. The 40-year-old's family described him as intelligent, loving and supportive. "He was my best friend, too," said Jill Heathco, John Heathco's mother. Taking action to save lives Unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning not linked to fires kills about 400 Americans each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Heathco family is speaking for the first time as they launch the John Wesley Heathco Legacy Foundation, an effort to legally require hotels to have working carbon monoxide detectors in each room. Currently, only 14 states mandate it, including: California, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin. "Something has to happen to help prevent this from another family suffering, the loss we have with Johnny and Abby," said Jill Heathco. The family hopes to empower travelers with safety information. "Losing Johnny, I pray that no other family has to go through that loss," Jill Heathco said. "We've got a tremendous hole in our heart." Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig and Rep. Mike Levin of California plan to introduce new legislation to require carbon monoxide detectors in hotels and other short-term rentals. "You would think the large hotel chains would actually do this preventively," said Craig. "I mean, these are literally people's lives that are being impacted. People are dying." Lawmakers acknowledge this legislation comes with the cost of installing and maintaining carbon monoxide detectors in each hotel room. "It's common sense and it's something that I hope we can get passed and get signed into law and save lives," said Levin. For the Heathco family, a life saved means one less family living with their kind of heartbreak. "What I think about a lot is I'm the father of an amazing man," said Chuck Heathco. "And to this day, I still find myself wanting to be more like him." Recent carbon monoxide incidents A CBS News data review of FEMA's National Fire Incident Reporting System found that over the last 15 years, fire departments nationwide responded to about 360 carbon monoxide incidents at U.S. hotels and motels annually. Data on deaths from the reported incidents is not closely tracked. In February, three Massachusetts women in their 20s died in their hotel room while on vacation in Belize. The cause was determined to be carbon monoxide poisoning. In April, officials in Costa Rica determined carbon monoxide was the cause of death for Miller Gardner, the teen son of retired New York Yankees player Brett Gardner. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include: HeadacheDizzinessNauseaVomitingWeaknessChest painConfusionPreventing carbon monoxide poisoning Carbon monoxide poisoning is preventable with detectors. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency advises people to have a separate CO detector on each floor. "If you are getting a single carbon monoxide detector, place it near the sleeping areas and make certain the alarm is loud enough to wake you up," the EPA notes on its website. The agency says like smoke detectors, they need to be tested regularly. Travelers can also purchase a portable carbon monoxide detector for about $25. In a statement, chief communications officer for the American Hotel and Lodging Association, Ralph Posner, told CBS News: "While carbon monoxide incidents in hotel settings remain rare, AHLA emphasizes the importance of proactive measures to protect guests and employees. Our members are required to comply with all applicable local and state codes with respect to carbon monoxide detection, typically adapted from the International Fire Code. AHLA also encourages our members to follow industry-wide best practices, including regular inspection and maintenance of fuel-burning appliances, proper installation of carbon monoxide detectors in applicable areas, and ongoing staff training on monitoring and emergency response procedures." Car bomb outside Palm Springs fertility clinic was act of terrorism, officials say Maintenance worker arrested as manhunt for Louisiana escaped inmates continues More alarming Newark airport traffic control outages reported
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Travelers encouraged to protect themselves from carbon monoxide following recent tragedies
It's an invisible danger you probably aren't thinking about when you're headed on vacation. The threat of carbon monoxide has been linked to several recent tragedies involving travelers. 14-year-old Miller Gardner, son of former New York Yankees player Brett Gardner, died on a family vacation at a Costa Rica beach resort back in March. His death happened one month after three young women from Revere were discovered dead in their Belize hotel room. Authorities said carbon monoxide poisoning caused the deaths in both cases. 'It's not something that we normally see or talk about which is why it's easy to lose track of it,' said Charon McNabb, President of the National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Association. McNabb has made it her mission to educate travelers on the steps they can take to protect themselves from carbon monoxide poisoning. 'Call ahead, and ask the management, is it possible to have a carbon monoxide alarm? When was the last time the alarm was checked?,' she advised. McNabb also recommends avoiding stay near the hotel's pool where equipment is often a hotspot for CO leaks. 'If you have small kids I know it's really enticing to have a room next to the pool, but it could be quite dangerous,' she explained. Rental platforms like Airbnb and VRBO often indicate whether rentals have carbon monoxide alarms installed. McNabb said even if your accommodation has a carbon monoxide detector, it won't matter if it isn't tested regularly and replaced every few years. 'Carbon monoxide alarms have a 5-to-10-year shelf life. It's very difficult to tell from the front of an alarm how long into the aging process that alarm might be,' said McNabb. Safe Kids Worldwide suggests families bring a portable carbon monoxide alarm on vacation especially if the location is an older building. If a carbon monoxide is already present, the organization suggests testing it out. Boston 25 News found portable CO detectors with good reviews for under $50 on Amazon. It's important make sure the device you select is certified as meeting standards set by UL Standards & Engagement. 'People can protect themselves by bringing these small devices with them particularly if you have families. Small children and pets are affected as well,' said Dr. Barbarajean Magnani, Professor of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Emerita at Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Magnani said carbon monoxide can suffocate victims before they know it's too late. 'The problem with carbon monoxide, it's a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas, so people are unaware if there's a problem, if there's a leak,' she said. Carbon is the leading cause of poisoning deaths in the U.S. Symptoms may include: Headache Dizziness Nausea Vomiting Weakness Chest pain Confusion According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 400 Americans die each year 'from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning not linked to fires.' Data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System shows firefighters responded to more than 4,000 carbon monoxide incidents at hotels, motels, and resorts between 1999 and 2020. More than 1,000 people have been hurt and at least two dozen have died. The National Conference of State Legislatures says the requirements for carbon monoxide detectors in homes and hotels differ by state. Not all U.S. states require properties to install CO detectors. In 2005, Massachusetts passed 'Nicole's Law' which requires that carbon monoxide detectors be installed in all residences that have any source of carbon monoxide. 'It's important for our government officials to recognize the gap in the safety net and try to close that up for our travelers,' added McNabb. McNabb is working with lawmakers to advocate for 'Safe Stay Act' which will be introduced in June. The federal bill would require all hotels and motels nationwide to install compliant carbon monoxide detectors and provide written notice of compliance to guests during check-in. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ESO Earns NERIS V1 Compatibility Badge, Ensuring Compliance, Continuity for Fire Incident Customers
As fire departments prepare to migrate to new national data standards, ESO's integration to NERIS reduces burden, ensures compliance AUSTIN, Texas, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ESO, a leading data services and software provider for EMS, fire departments, hospitals, and state and federal agencies, today announced it is one of the first software providers to earn the compatibility badge for the National Emergency Response Information System V1 (NERIS) through the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI). As one of the first software providers to earn the NERIS V1 Compatible Badge, ESO's Fire Incident application meets all new compliance requirements under NERIS while maintaining its focus on ease of use, data accuracy and intuitive reporting. Rolling out in 2026, NERIS is set to replace the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and marks the most significant update to national standardized reporting for fire departments in decades. 'NERIS represents a tremendous opportunity to unite fire incident reporting under a newer, more modern data standard,' said Tom Jenkins, senior advisory and research manager at FSRI. 'Fire departments' ability to easily collect, report and gather insights from incident data is as important to their own decision-making as it is to overall community safety. Compliant third-party technology providers play a critical role in making that possible.' As part of its ongoing commitment to empower fire departments with industry-leading data and software tools, ESO has been working closely with FSRI for more than a year to provide the documentation and technical specifications required to earn NERIS compliance and demonstrate compatibility. 'The impending NERIS rollout has left fire departments unsure of how to best prepare. That's why we've made it a core focus to support them with the resources and technology to ensure a seamless transition,' said Sam Brown, chief operating officer at ESO. 'With this NERIS-compliant update, fire departments using ESO's Fire Incident application will gain all the benefits of a truly interoperable data platform—without the implementation headaches that come from such a comprehensive migration.' The NERIS update comes at no additional cost to ESO Fire Incident application customers, who will have access to onboarding and training resources as limited and general availability open throughout 2025. The application will also feature new compliant workflows and full permission sets for system administrators, while maintaining CAD file integrity and archived incident search pages. For more information about ESO, visit About ESOESO (ESO Solutions, Inc.) is dedicated to improving community health and safety through the power of data. Since its founding in 2004, the company continues to pioneer innovative, user-friendly software to meet the changing needs of today's EMS agencies, fire departments, hospitals, and state and federal offices. ESO currently serves thousands of customers across the globe with a broad software portfolio, including the industry-leading ESO Electronic Health Record (EHR), the next-generation ePCR; ESO Health Data Exchange (HDE), the first-of-its-kind health care interoperability platform; ESO Fire RMS, the modern fire Record Management System; ESO Patient Registry (trauma, burn and stroke registry software); and ESO State Repository. ESO is headquartered in Austin, Texas. For more information, visit About Fire Safety Research InstituteFire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), part of UL Research Institutes, strives to advance fire safety knowledge and strategies in order to create safer environments. Using advanced fire science, rigorous research, extensive outreach and education in collaboration with an international network of partners, the organization imparts stakeholders with knowledge, tools, and resources that enable them to make better, more fire safe decisions that ultimately save lives and property. To learn more, visit Follow FSRI on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Media Contact:For ESO, Hope SanderRed Fan Communicationseso@ 737-280-8783Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Sacramento City Fire awarded federal grant to upgrade lifesaving tools
( Sacramento City Fire Department recently received a $165,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to purchase new extrication equipment, better known as Jaws of Life. The department told FOX40 News the grant has helped replace the extrication tools in three of its nine fire trucks that had the older equipment. Each set costs about $53,000. These new life-saving tools are battery-operated, have a nine-hour battery life, and are stronger and more capable than gas-powered extrication tools. With the gas-powered extrication tools, Sacramento City Fire said each tool would often take minutes on end to set up, as firefighters had to use a generator to connect the hydraulic lines to the extrication tool before using it. Now, with the battery-powered tool, it's changing the way firefighters respond. 'We had a large power unit that was very heavy, and each firefighter could only carry one tool. With this one, one firefighter can carry two tools,' Paramedic Firefighter Jason Johnson said. 'Another firefighter can carry the RAM as well as the O'ConO'Connelle, and the drop cloth and some saws, all as well.' With the new battery power extrication tools, no generator or extensive setup is required. Firefighters only need to connect an attachment to it, and with a click of a button, it's ready to go within seconds. Captain Justin Sylvia, the public information officer with Sacramento City Fire, said this changes how fast firefighters respond to specific calls, including when a person is pinned inside their car in need of help. 'We call it the golden hour, and we need to get that person to an operating room within one hour. That's going to be their best chance of survival,' Captain Sylvia said. 'So we can cut them out of a vehicle or extricate them out a lot quicker than before, that going to save time, that's going to save lives.' Captain Sylvia said data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System shows in 2022, more than 55-thousand crashes across the country involved car extrication. He added that 42 percent of people killed in car crashes were alive when first responders arrived–a statistic that underscores how crucial every minute is at a scene. While the tools are primarily used for auto extrication situations, they have a wide range of other uses, including using them to save animals pinned in between a fence. Three Sacramento City Fire trucks and a rescue unit have the new extrication equipment. The department is aiming to have all nine trucks with the latest state-of-the-art tool in the near future. As far as the older gas-powered extrication tools, they will hold onto them and use them as a backup in case the battery-powered extrication tool stops working. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
