Winning Big but Feeling no Better? The Effect of Lottery Prizes on Physical and Mental Health

We use British panel data to determine the exogenous impact of income on a number of individual health outcomes: general health status, mental health, physical health problems, and health behaviours (drinking and smoking). Lottery winnings allow us to make causal statements regarding the effect of income on health, as the amount won by winners is largely exogenous. Positive income shocks have no significant effect on self‐assessed overall health, but a significant positive effect on mental health. This result seems paradoxical on two levels. First, there is a well‐known gradient in health status in cross‐sectional data, and second, general health should partly reflect mental health, so that we may expect both variables to move in the same direction. We propose a solution to the first apparent paradox by underlining the endogeneity of income. For the second, we show that lottery winnings are also associated with more smoking and social drinking. General health will reflect both mental health and the effect of these behaviours and so may not improve following a positive income shock. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Systemic allergic vasculopathy after naproxen (author's transl)]

The authors report a case of hypersensitivity angiitis presenting with cutaneous, muscular, articular, and renal signs. They suggest a possible etiological mechanism for such disorders: a circulating immune-complex disease, and criticize the often improper interpretation of the results of lymphoblast transformation tests. Hypersensitivity angiitis, "ground base disease", requires investigation for possible underlying immunity abnormalities or neoplasms.     

Temporal and Spatial Compartmentalization of Drug-Resistant Cytomegalovirus (CMV) in a Child with CMV Meningoencephalitis: Implications for Sampling in Molecular Diagnosis

We describe a case of antiviral-resistant cytomegalovirus meningoencephalitis occurring after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Antiviral-resistant cytomegalovirus was identified in blood 16 months earlier. However, wild-type cytomegalovirus was evidenced in blood when the meningoencephalitis was diagnosed. Treatment of meningoencephalitis should be adapted to all previously identified resistance mutations in any compartment.     

Informal Home Care for Elderly in Belgium: A Study on the Features and Challenges of Informal Care at Local Level

In Belgium, and in other OECD countries, there is a growing awareness about the importance of informal home care for the elderly’s well-being. Informal care is considered as an intrinsically valuable social phenomenon. Public authorities in Belgium have been advocating an active policy of support for informal carers. In 2007, an extensive survey was carried out in the Belgian municipality of Kruibeke in order to establish a better picture of the various needs of the elderly in their home situation, but also to better understand the way in which informal care is provided and perceived by care receivers and care givers. The study points to the need for support for the difficult burden of informal care and highlights the need for a coordinated and integrated approach to elderly care.