Health Headlines - February 9

Alcohol Leading Problem for Retirees Battling Substance Abuse

Four out of five retirees undergoing substance abuse treatment listed alcohol as their primary substance of abuse in 2003, according to data from 29 states and other jurisdictions, says a report by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

In comparison, 44 percent of younger people enrolled in substance abuse treatment said alcohol was their primary substance of abuse.

Just five percent of retirees in treatment reported the use of opiates -- heroin or prescription narcotic pain medications -- as their primary substance of abuse, compared to 13 percent of other people admitted for treatment.

Retirees were also less likely to report cocaine (4 percent vs. 14 percent); marijuana (3 percent vs. 18 percent); or stimulants, including methamphetamines (1 percent vs. 6 percent) as their primary substance of abuse.

The report also found retirees to be less likely than other people to report a second substance of abuse -- 17 percent vs. 52 percent.

"Alcohol abuse among older adults is something few want to talk about or deal with. Too often family members are ashamed of the problem and choose not to address it," Charles Curie, SAMHSA administrator, said in a prepared statement.

"Health care providers tend not to ask older patients about alcohol abuse if it wasn't a problem in their live in earlier years. Sometimes the symptoms are mistaken for those of dementia, depression, or other problems common to older adults," Curie added. "Unfortunately, too many older persons turn to alcohol as a comfort following the death of a spouse, a divorce, retirement, or some other major life change, unaware that they are markedly affecting the quality of their lives."

CDC Issues Guidelines for Healthcare Worker Flu Shots

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new recommendations Thursday to better protect healthcare workers and patients from seasonal influenza.

The CDC recommends that:

Facilities offer influenza vaccine annually to all eligible personnel, including students.

Vaccine be offered at the workplace, during all shifts and at no cost to employees.

Hospitals use strategies proven to improve vaccination coverage, including education to correct fears and misconceptions about flu and vaccinations; reminders to staff; and having hospital official set an example by getting being vaccinated.

Facilities obtain a signed form from staff who decline flu vaccinations for other than medical reasons. This approach helps facilities better monitor who is offered vaccine, employee concerns, and barriers to vaccination. This information can help in the development of strategies to improve vaccination coverage.

The recommendations were drafted by the CDC's Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee.

"Currently, fewer than half of healthcare workers get vaccinated for flu each year. When people who work in hospitals and healthcare facilities don't get vaccinated, they can pose a serious health risk to their patients," CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding pointed out in a prepared statement.

"These recommendations are designed to highlight the importance of healthcare personnel getting vaccinated each year," she said.

Chemical Prevents HIV from Infecting Cells

A chemical called CSA-54 is capable of disabling HIV's ability to infect cells, a Vanderbilt University study finds.

Researchers say the chemical attacks HIV in a new way -- by targeting the membrane of the virus in order to prevent it from locking on to healthy cells, BBC News reported.

Most HIV treatments attack the virus after it's already infected a cell.

"We have some preliminary but very exciting results. But we would like to formally show this before making any claims that would cause unwarranted hype," researcher Dr. Derya Unutmaz, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Vanderbilt, told the Salt Lake Tribune.

The finding that CSA-54 targets the membrane of HIV may be particularly important, "as a compound that targets the viral membrane is likely to be effective against all strains of the virus, regardless of mutations, as the viral membrane remains unchanged," Unutmaz noted.

The study also found that CSA-54 was not toxic to skin cells when the chemical was tested at concentrations higher than those needed to disable HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Alcohol, Drug Use by American Teen Girls Increasing: Report

American teenage girls have surpassed boys in smoking and prescription drug abuse, says a U.S. federal government report to be released Thursday.

The report, based on data collected in the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, found that more young women than men started using marijuana, alcohol and cigarettes in the previous two years, the Washington Post reported.

In 2004, 1.5 million girls started drinking, 730,000 took up smoking, and 675,000 started smoking marijuana, said the report by the White House Office of National Drug Policy.

Experts say they're concerned about the findings because they appear to contradict evidence of an overall decline in drug use by American teens. In addition, teenage girls who smoke, drink or use drugs are at increased risk for depression, addiction and stunted growth, the Post reported.

The report also notes that substance abuse is often associated with risky sexual behavior, which increases the chances that teen girls will get pregnant or contract a sexually transmitted disease.

There are a number of factors that may explain why rates of smoking, drinking and drug use by teenage girls is on the increase, including concerns about weight and self-esteem, experts suggest.

While boys tend to use illegal substances for a thrill, girls are more likely to use alcohol or drugs as an escape, the Post reported.

Corn Mold Toxin Linked to Birth Defects

Tortillas made with corn containing a toxic mold may have been responsible for a rash of serious birth defects in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas during the early 1990s, says a report in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

For more than a decade, scientists have been trying to determine the cause of the surge of infants born with damaged or missing brains. No chemical links to the affected babies were ever proven.

Researchers now say they have human studies linking a toxin (fumonisin) in corn mold with neural tube defects in newborns, the Associated Press reported.

There were high concentrations of this toxin in the corn harvest just before the outbreak of birth defects in the Rio Grande Valley, where tortillas are a dietary staple.

Food Fact:
Sap to it!

Guess how many gallons of raw sap it takes to make 1 gallon of pure maple syrup? When the sap starts running, Vermont sugarmakers start stoking the fire under the evaporators -- there are 40 gallons of raw sap per gallon that reaches your breakfast table. The all-natural sweetener is loaded with calories -- 50 per tablespoon -- and has no significant nutritive value. But it's so flavorful a little will go a long way. Maple sugar is about twice as sweet as refined granulated sugar, and is produced when nearly all the sap has evaporated. Try it sprinkled on scones or biscuits or stirred into hot apple cider.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Pregnant pause?

Exercise does moms-to-be a lot of good; here's how to keep it safe. Focus on low-impact aerobic exercises. The most commonly recommended exercises for moms-to-be, especially in the second and third trimester, are walking, swimming, riding a stationary bike and yoga.

FAQ of the day:
What is mesclun?

Mesclun is an assortment of baby lettuce leaves, usually prewashed. The mix may be expensive, but there's no waste. It's so convenient you may find yourself eating a mesclun salad with every meal.