SPOTLIGHT: Research links efficacy to thoughts

A patient's thoughts and feelings can play a big role in determining just how effective their annual flu shot can be, says a new study from the University of Wisconsin. In the study, researchers divided young women into two camps: one group that felt they were living up to their goals and satisfied with their lives and another group that wasn't. That first group with poor self-esteem demonstrated a significantly weaker response to their flu shot--delivered during the flu season--with lower levels of immunoglobulin M antibodies. Report