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Duke University Medical Center
VOLUME 24, NUMBER 22
JUNE 3,1977
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA
m
Study Reveals
Coffee Only Harms Wallet
COFFEE BREAK—Dr. Siegfried Heyden, professor of community health sciences, sips
coffee during a break in his working day. A study conducted by the physician in rural
Evans County, Ga., indicates that, contrary to p>opular opinion, heavy consumption of
the brown beverage is not unhealthy. (Photo by Jim Wallace)
Disability Benefits Help Relieve
Worries when She Can't Work
By Ina Fried
“I can't imagine what I would have
done without my benefits from
Duke," says Pauline Carden, former
nurse clinician in the Urology Clinic.
After working in the medical
center for 22 years, she contracted
tuberculosis of the spine. She doubts
she will ever be able to work again as
a nurse.
Carden, 63, is one of about 100
Duke employees on medical
disability leave who are receiving
disability benefits from the
university. "Duke stood by me and
offered every possible service as to
what to do and how to do it," Carden
said, "so I've had no worries."
Who's Covered?
Any permanent, full-time
employee is covered by total
disability insurance after three years
of employment at Duke, according to
Lois Ann Green, personnel benefits
officer. Duke pays the entire
premium for the disability
insurance.
Total disability means that in the
first 28 months the person is
completely unable to perform his or
her regular occupation. Green
explained. After 28 months, it means
the person is unable to j>erform any
occupation for which he or she is
reasonably trained.
If approved, benefits begin after
four months and continue until the
disabled employee recovers and
returns to work, reaches age 65 or
dies.
What Are Benefits?
The monthly income benefit,
combined with Social Security and
Workmen's Compensation, will
equal 55 per cent of the employee's
covered monthly salary. Green said.
The minimum is $50 a month.
(Continued on page 3)
By David Williamson
Coffee prices may cause
heartburn, but a study conducted by
medical center scientists indicates
that the aromatic brown beverage
itself is perfectly harmless.
The research compared the
coffee-consuming habits of 2,350
adults in rural Evans County, Ga.,
with coronary heart disease, stroke
and all other causes of death in the
same population over four and a half
years.
Dr. Siegfried Heyden, professor of
community health sciences at Duke,
said no significant differences in
death rates were found in groups
listed as "high coffee consumers" —
five or more cups per day and "low
coffee consumers" — four or fewer
cups per day.
Results of the study, conducted as
part of an ongoing U.S. Public Health
Service research effort launched in
1960, confirm a preliminary
investigation published by Heyden
and his associates four years ago.
Unbelievable Attacks
"More diseases have been related
to the use of coffee than to the
cigarette habit and alcohol
consumption combined," the
physician said. "The multitude of
ailments of civilization and risk
factors of chronic degenerative
diseases which have been alleged
to be related to the regular drinking
of coffee leaves the layman and.the
practicing physician confused and
skeptical."
Heyden classifies himself as a
heavy coffee drinVer, but not a
z'. r?\
WHAT you SEE IS WHAT YOU CfT'—Richara /v Bmdewald, associate director of
personnel and director of benefits and records, explains how Duke helps pay for
health insurance coverage for employees and their families. The Benefits and
Records Office has begun a series of information presentations covering Duke's
major fringe benefit programs: Retirement Plan, Blue Cross/Blue Shield health
insurance, life insurance and total disability insurance. Programs are scheduled
durmg regular, paid working hours. Details of disability benefits are in the
accompanymg story. For more information about the presentations, call Alphonso
Williams, 684-6723. (Photo by Ina Fried)
smoker. He said he finds it
"unbelievable" that coffee is still
associated in the press and by the
public with such widely differing
illnesses as hypertension, bladder
cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, birth
defects and coronary heart disease
despite overwhelming scientific
evidence to the contrary.
"I don't see many attacks on
tobacco and alcohol anymore," he
said. "Perhaps this is passe, and
everyone assumes that everyone
knows about their dangers already.
Attacking coffee seems to be in
vogue now."
Unscientific Studies
The scientist said studies linking
coffee with coronary heart disease,
bladder cancer and other conditions
frequently fail to take into account
the number of cigarettes smoked.
That's like "not seeing the forest for
the trees," he said, and "is
completely unscientific."
The data published by the
physician and his colleagues four
years ago is known as a "prevalence"
study. It was based on extensive
health interviews with residents of
Evans County in Georgia to find out
their coffee drinking habits and
whether they had had heart attacks
or strokes in the past.
(Continued on page 2)
Medical Center
To Honor Some
Special People
More than 250 employees, staff,
faculty and retirees will honored
at the Annual Medical Center
Awards Dinner, June 10, at the
Downtowner Motor Inn.
Dr. Jerome Harris, professor of
pediatrics, and Charles S. Wall,
Medical Center Housekeeping, will
receive awards for 40 years of
service.
These awards, as well as the
thirty-year awards, will be presented
by Dr. William G. Anlyan, vice
president for health affairs.
Dr. R. R. Robinson, chief executive
officer of the hospital, will present
the ten- and twenty-year awards.
Richard H. Peck, administrative
director of the hospital, will give
closing remarks.
The dinner will follow a 6:30 p.m.
reception and, characteristically, will
start on time. Herb E. Aikens,
director of Employee Relations
promises.
Aikens will be the M.C. for the
ceremony, which will feature music
by the Russ Olson Trio.
(Continued on page 4)