Veggie Snack Recalled for Salmonella Risk
A snack called Veggie Booty is being recalled nationwide due to possible contamination with salmonella bacteria, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported.
The product, made by Robert's American Gourmet Food Inc., of Sea Cliff, N.Y., is sold in foil bags of 4-ounce, 1-ounce, and half-ounce sizes.
Consumers are urged to throw any packages of the product away. Veggie Booty is often eaten by children, and parents are urged to watch for signs of gastrointestinal illness in any youngster who has already eaten the product, the FDA advised Thursday.
The agency has had 52 reports of illness in 17 states, beginning in March. Almost all of the victims have been children under age 10, mostly toddlers. Four were hospitalized with symptoms including bloody diarrhea. The FDA said it learned of the illnesses on June 27 from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is investigating the outbreak. The product also is sold in Canada.
In addition to bloody diarrhea, other symptoms of salmonella poisoning may include abdominal cramps and fever. Symptoms usually begin within four days of exposure, the FDA said.
People with weaker immune systems, including the young and elderly, are especially prone to salmonella poisoning.
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English Smoking Ban Begins Sunday
A ban on smoking in public buildings starts Sunday in England, to include pubs, restaurants, and even Buckingham Palace, the Associated Press reports.
Taxi and delivery drivers also face a £50 fine if they light up inside their cars, the wire service said.
England joins France, Spain, Italy, Iran, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, South Africa, Uruguay and New Zealand in passing federal legislation to restrict smoking. The United States has no federal policy, but some states, including New York and Florida, have imposed some of the globe's most stringent laws against smoking, the AP said.
Public smoking is already restricted in the rest of Britain, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Despite these bans, the World Health Organization predicts there will be an additional 2 billion smokers worldwide by 2030, the wire service said.
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Plane Travel Boosts Blood Clot Risk: WHO
Long airline flights of four hours or more double a passenger's risk of dangerous blood clots, a new World Health Organization (WHO) study concludes.
Clots called venous thromboembolisms (VTE) usually form in the legs and can be deadly if they travel to the lungs.
A similar risk applies to people who travel for long periods by car, bus or rail, the Bloomberg news service reported. Each year, more than 600,0000 people in the United States contract a VTE that travels to the lungs, referred to as a pulmonary embolism. About 10 percent of these people die, Bloomberg reported.
Other activities linked to such clots include the use of drugs such as estrogen and birth control pills, and childbirth within the past six months, the news service said.
In a statement, the WHO urged air carriers to provide passengers with information about these risks, including current prevention advice that encourages leg exercise and avoiding prolonged sitting.
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Bacterium's Genome Transplanted
Human genome sequencing pioneer J. Craig Venter and his colleagues say they have successfully transplanted the genome of one type of bacteria into another, The New York Times reports.
Venter directs a nonprofit research laboratory that bears his name in Rockville, Md. He said the achievement was the first step in creating a synthetic bacterium, which could ultimately be used to produce an alternative to fossil fuels and limit the effects of global warming, the newspaper reported.
Experts praised the Venter announcement as a landmark accomplishment, but said it was among a long series of steps required before synthetic chromosomes could be adapted to living cells, the Times said.
The research is published in the online version of Science.
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Respiratory Disorders Common Among Young ER Visitors
Nearly three of every 10 children and teens admitted to a U.S. hospital after visiting the emergency room have a significant respiratory disorder, including asthma, pneumonia or acute bronchitis, the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported Thursday.
Of all child admissions with respiratory problems in 2004, asthma accounted for more than one-third of them, the agency said in a statement.
Among children ages 5 to 9, respiratory illness accounted for 26 percent of ER visits that led to a hospital admission. Among children 10 to 14, the rate fell to 12 percent, and among teens ages 15 to 17, the rate was 8 percent, AHRQ said.
Overall, about half of the 2.3 million hospital admissions involving children and teens each year begin in hospital emergency departments, the agency said.
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All U.S. Hospitals Privy to Infection Tracking System
All hospitals in the United States now have access to a system that lets them track institutional infections, including a deadly form of staph called methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MSRA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
In a statement, the agency said it expected nearly 1,000 facilities to take advantage in the coming months of the National Healthcare Safety Network.
Eight states -- California, Colorado, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia -- have designated the network as a way to help comply with legislation requiring hospitals to report healthcare related infections.
To date, more than 600 institutions in 45 states participate in the network, the CDC said.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Health Tips for June 30
Health Tip: Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Unusually heavy menstrual bleeding, medically known as menorrhagia, can be caused by a variety of factors.
Here are common causes, courtesy of the University of Virginia Health System:
* Hormonal or chemical imbalances.
* Platelet disorders.
* Pelvic inflammatory disease.
* Uterine fibroids.
* An abnormal pregnancy.
* Abnormalities in the pelvis, including infections, tumors or polyps.
* Some birth control methods, including IUD.
* Liver, kidney or thyroid disease.
Health Tip: Understanding Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when ketones -- a byproduct of fats when broken down -- begin to build up in the body. It occurs when glucose, a sugar typically used as the body's energy source, isn't available and the body begins to use fat instead.
Left untreated, ketoacidosis can lead to serious cell damage, heart attack, kidney failure, and even death.
Here are some warning signs of the condition, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine:
* Frequent urination or thirst that persists for a day or more.
* Fatigue, and muscle stiffness or aches.
* Headache, nausea and vomiting.
* Distinctive breath odor, often fruity.
* Mental stupor or disorientation that could lead to coma.
* Rapid breathing, or difficulty breathing when lying down.
* Low blood pressure.
* Loss of appetite, abdominal pain.
Unusually heavy menstrual bleeding, medically known as menorrhagia, can be caused by a variety of factors.
Here are common causes, courtesy of the University of Virginia Health System:
* Hormonal or chemical imbalances.
* Platelet disorders.
* Pelvic inflammatory disease.
* Uterine fibroids.
* An abnormal pregnancy.
* Abnormalities in the pelvis, including infections, tumors or polyps.
* Some birth control methods, including IUD.
* Liver, kidney or thyroid disease.
Health Tip: Understanding Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when ketones -- a byproduct of fats when broken down -- begin to build up in the body. It occurs when glucose, a sugar typically used as the body's energy source, isn't available and the body begins to use fat instead.
Left untreated, ketoacidosis can lead to serious cell damage, heart attack, kidney failure, and even death.
Here are some warning signs of the condition, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine:
* Frequent urination or thirst that persists for a day or more.
* Fatigue, and muscle stiffness or aches.
* Headache, nausea and vomiting.
* Distinctive breath odor, often fruity.
* Mental stupor or disorientation that could lead to coma.
* Rapid breathing, or difficulty breathing when lying down.
* Low blood pressure.
* Loss of appetite, abdominal pain.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Health Headlines - June 29
Tainted Chinese Toothpaste Widely Distributed in U.S.: Report
Toothpaste imported from China that was tainted with the poisonous chemical diethylene glycol was more widely distributed in the United States than first thought, The New York Times reported.
Some 900,000 tubes containing the chemical used in antifreeze products have been found in institutions for the mentally ill, hospitals, prisons, and juvenile detention centers in Georgia and North Carolina, the newspaper said Thursday. Officials in those states have no reports of illness from the tainted tubes, which have been replaced with domestic products.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned Americans not to use any Chinese-made toothpaste, regardless of brand. Even small amounts of the chemical could be toxic, especially in children and people with liver problems, FDA officials told the Times.
Panamanian government officials first discovered the tainted products in May, leading a host of nations to seize the toothpaste. Diethylene glycol is commonly used in Chinese toothpaste as a substitute for a more expensive yet safer chemical cousin, the Times said. Regulators in China have insisted that the international uproar over the tainted products is unjustified.
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Respiratory Disorders Common Among Young ER Visitors
Nearly three of every 10 children and teens admitted to a U.S. hospital after visiting the emergency room have a significant respiratory disorder, including asthma, pneumonia or acute bronchitis, the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported Thursday.
Of all child admissions with respiratory problems in 2004, asthma accounted for more than one-third of them, the agency said in a statement.
Among children ages 5 to 9, respiratory illness accounted for 26 percent of ER visits that led to a hospital admission. Among children 10 to 14, the rate fell to 12 percent, and among teens ages 15 to 17, the rate was 8 percent, AHRQ said.
Overall, about half of the 2.3 million hospital admissions involving children and teens each year begin in hospital emergency departments, the agency said.
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All U.S. Hospitals Privy to Infection Tracking System
All hospitals in the United States now have access to a system that lets them track institutional infections, including a deadly form of staph called methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MSRA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
In a statement, the agency said it expected nearly 1,000 facilities to take advantage in the coming months of the National Healthcare Safety Network.
Eight states -- California, Colorado, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia -- have designated the network as a way to help comply with legislation requiring hospitals to report healthcare related infections.
To date, more than 600 institutions in 45 states participate in the network, the CDC said.
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New Vaccine Prevents Precancerous Lesions in Women: Study
An investigational vaccine to prevent cervical cancer protected at least 90 percent of women from precancerous lesions, maker GlaxoSmithKline says.
Cervarix prevented the lesions associated with two strains of human papillomavirus that are responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancer cases, according to study results published in The Lancet medical journal. The vaccine also protected women against infections from two other HPV strains that cause an additional 10 percent of cervical cancers, the Bloomberg news service reported.
The study enrolled more than 18,000 women, ages 15 to 25, for an average of 15 months.
In a comment accompanying the study, however, Jessica Kahn of the University of Cincinnati and Robert Burk of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City noted that the study did not establish the long-term effects of the vaccine.
Some 250,000 women die each year from cervical cancer, the second most common form of cancer to affect women, according to World Health Organization statistics cited by Bloomberg. About 500,000 cases are diagnosed worldwide each year, 80 percent of them in developing nations.
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Psychiatrists Get More Drug Company Gifts: Report
Drug makers give more money for lectures and other services to psychiatrists than physicians in any other specialty, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
As an example, the newspaper cited this week's announcement by Vermont officials that drug company payments to psychiatrists more than doubled last year to an average of $45,692 from $20,835 in 2005. A similar trend in Minnesota was reported earlier by the newspaper.
Drug firms spent $2.25 million on marketing payments, fees, and travel expenses to Vermont doctors, medical institutions, and universities last year, an increase of 2.3 percent over 2005, the newspaper said.
Those numbers, however, do not include free drug samples given to physicians, or the salaries of marketing sales representatives, the Times said.
The Vermont analysis found that endocrinologists received the second-largest amount from drug makers, an average of $33,730.
Revelations like these have fueled calls from federal and state legislators to track and limit drug maker payments to doctors, the Times said. The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging was to begin hearings Wednesday on federal legislation to do just that. And more than a dozen states are considering similar bills, the newspaper said.
The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen issued a statement saying it was prepared to testify before the federal committee on the need for a strong national disclosure law.
"While physicians may argue that these interactions do not affect them, much research suggests otherwise. Pharmaceutical companies would not pay such exorbitant sums (to physicians) if they did not think they could influence prescribing practices," Public Citizen said.
Health Tips for June 29
Health Tip: Passing a Kidney Stone
A kidney stone is a hard mass created by crystals that have separated from the urine.
Most kidney stones will pass on their own, and surgery usually isn't necessary.
The U.S. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse offers these suggestions if you have a kidney stone:
* Drink plenty of water to help flush the kidney stone from the body. Two to three quarts per day is recommended.
* Take an over-the-counter pain medication.
* Call your doctor if you see blood in your urine, have extreme back or side pain that does not subside, or have a fever or chills.
* Once the stone has passed, try to save it to give to your doctor for testing.
Health Tip: Saving a Knocked-Out Tooth
If your child has a permanent tooth knocked out, it should be considered a dental emergency, the Nemours Foundation advises.
The tooth is most likely to survive if it is properly placed back in the socket within 30 minutes of the injury.
Here are the foundation's suggestions for what to do if a child's permanent tooth is knocked out:
* Find the tooth, and only handle it by the crown (the part that you'd see in a person's mouth), never by the root.
* Immediately rinse the tooth (don't scrub it) with saline solution or milk. Don't use tap water, which typically contains chlorine, unless that's all that's available.
* If your child is old enough to hold it there, place the tooth gently back in its socket.
* If your child is young, store the tooth in a cup of milk, or hold it in your mouth between your cheek and lower gum.
* Go immediately to your dentist or local emergency room.
A kidney stone is a hard mass created by crystals that have separated from the urine.
Most kidney stones will pass on their own, and surgery usually isn't necessary.
The U.S. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse offers these suggestions if you have a kidney stone:
* Drink plenty of water to help flush the kidney stone from the body. Two to three quarts per day is recommended.
* Take an over-the-counter pain medication.
* Call your doctor if you see blood in your urine, have extreme back or side pain that does not subside, or have a fever or chills.
* Once the stone has passed, try to save it to give to your doctor for testing.
Health Tip: Saving a Knocked-Out Tooth
If your child has a permanent tooth knocked out, it should be considered a dental emergency, the Nemours Foundation advises.
The tooth is most likely to survive if it is properly placed back in the socket within 30 minutes of the injury.
Here are the foundation's suggestions for what to do if a child's permanent tooth is knocked out:
* Find the tooth, and only handle it by the crown (the part that you'd see in a person's mouth), never by the root.
* Immediately rinse the tooth (don't scrub it) with saline solution or milk. Don't use tap water, which typically contains chlorine, unless that's all that's available.
* If your child is old enough to hold it there, place the tooth gently back in its socket.
* If your child is young, store the tooth in a cup of milk, or hold it in your mouth between your cheek and lower gum.
* Go immediately to your dentist or local emergency room.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Health Headlines - June 28
Psychiatrists Get More Drug Company Gifts: Report
Drug makers give more money for lectures and other services to psychiatrists than physicians in any other specialty, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
As an example, the newspaper cited this week's announcement by Vermont officials that drug company payments to psychiatrists more than doubled last year to an average of $45,692 from $20,835 in 2005. A similar trend in Minnesota was reported earlier by the newspaper.
Drug firms spent $2.25 million on marketing payments, fees, and travel expenses to Vermont doctors, medical institutions, and universities last year, an increase of 2.3 percent over 2005, the newspaper said.
Those numbers, however, do not include free drug samples given to physicians, or the salaries of marketing sales representatives, the Times said.
The Vermont analysis found that endocrinologists received the second-largest amount from drug makers, an average of $33,730.
Revelations like these have fueled calls from federal and state legislators to track and limit drug maker payments to doctors, the Times said. The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging was to begin hearings Wednesday on federal legislation to do just that. And more than a dozen states are considering similar bills, the newspaper said.
The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen issued a statement saying it was prepared to testify before the federal committee on the need for a strong national disclosure law.
"While physicians may argue that these interactions do not affect them, much research suggests otherwise. Pharmaceutical companies would not pay such exorbitant sums (to physicians) if they did not think they could influence prescribing practices," Public Citizen said.
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U.S. Teen Birth Rates Vary By State
Texas has the highest teen birth rate in the United States (63 births for every 1,000 females ages 15-19), while New Hampshire has the lowest rate (18 births for every 1,000 female teens), according to a new report from the nonpartisan research group Child Trends.
The group's annual analysis of teens who give birth found that teen birth rates were lowest in the Northeast, and highest in the South and Southwest.
After Texas, states with the highest rates were Mississippi, New Mexico, Arkansas, and Arizona. After New Hampshire, states with the lowest rates were Vermont and Massachusetts, a Child Trends statement said.
Overall, the report found, the national teen birth rate in 2005 fell to an historic low at 40.4 births for every 1,000 female teens. That represented a 35 percent decline from the recent high in 1991 of 61.8.
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Iowa Has Shortest Emergency Room Wait
If you need emergency room attention and want to be seen faster than in any other U.S. state, be sure to visit a hospital in Iowa.
The average wait time there is two hours, 18 minutes, well under the national average of three hours, 42 minutes, according to a new study from an Indiana firm that measures patient satisfaction.
Nebraska ranked second-fastest last year at two hours, 26 minutes, followed by South Dakota (2:28), Vermont (2:32), and Wisconsin (2:34), according to the analysis by Press Ganey Associates Inc.
The average emergency room wait time was longest in Arizona (4:57), Maryland (4:07), Utah (4:04), New York (3:58), and Florida (3:57), the Associated Press reported.
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AMA Exploring 'Health Courts' to Judge Malpractice Cases
The American Medical Association says it has adopted principles to guide the establishment of so-called "health courts" to judge medical malpractice cases.
The courts, comprised of judges trained in medical standards, would be designed to "render more accurate decisions on whether or not medical malpractice has actually occurred," the AMA said in a statement.
The system would be patterned after a California law adopted in 1975 that included a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages.
"California's Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) has kept California's medical liability premiums in check, while they have increased sharply in other parts of the country without reforms," the AMA statement said. "Nearly 30 states have enacted caps with varying limits and exceptions, but such reforms remain elusive in other states and at the federal level."
The idea of health courts is "one of the promising alternatives that deserve further study as we work to fix the broken medical liability system," the statement said.
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China Closes 180 Food Plants
Chinese regulators have closed 180 food plants after uncovering more than 23,000 food safety violations, The New York Times reported.
Following a scandal involving contaminated vegetable protein that triggered one of the largest pet food recalls in U.S. history, China said its crackdown on plants that produce food for human consumption began in December. Regulators discovered that some food makers were using "industrial chemicals, dyes, and other illegal ingredients in making a range of food products," the newspaper said.
Despite the crackdown, China has denied that its food exports are dangerous.
Announcement of the crackdown appeared on the Web site of China's leading quality watchdog. The action involving some 33,000 law enforcement officers uncovered violations including "illegal food making dens, counterfeit bottled water, fake soy sauce, banned food additives, and illegal meat processing plants," according to the Times.
Experts told the newspaper that the Chinese food production system is beset with problems, including unenforced regulations, corruption, and bribery.
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Texas A&M Allegedly Hid Bioweapons Accident
Three researchers at Texas A&M University accidentally became infected last year with a highly contagious biological weapons agent, and the school then tried to cover up the accident, a state watchdog group alleges.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that the accident was confirmed in April 2006, but the school allegedly didn't report the incident to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention until recently.
The allegations were made by the Sunshine Project, a bioweapons watchdog group based in Austin, the newspaper said.
The agent involved is called Coxiella burnetti, also called "Q Fever," the Sunshine Project alleged. The group's director said the agent is very contagious, although only about 1 percent or 2 percent of infected people die, the newspaper reported. The Texas A&M researchers did not become ill, school documents suggested.
Still, the alleged withholding of the accident was a violation of federal law, and the school should be sanctioned under the federal Bioterrorism Act, Sunshine Project director Edward Hammond told the newspaper.
The group said it was unclear how the researchers became infected. The school issued a statement saying it was awaiting a response from the CDC, and would have no further comment.
Health Tips for June 28
Health Tip: Getting Antioxidants
Antioxidants are compounds that protect against cell damage caused by molecules called free radicals. Studies have linked free radicals to cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The Cleveland Clinic offers this list of common antioxidants, and the foods in which they're found:
* Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits and juices; berries and other fruits; dark green vegetables; red and yellow peppers.
* Vitamin E, found in vegetable oils, whole grains, and leafy green vegetables.
* Selenium, found in whole grains, most vegetables, chicken, eggs, and most dairy products.
* Beta carotene, found in colorful fruits and vegetables like broccoli, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, red and yellow peppers, apricots, cantaloupes and mangoes.
Health Tip: Having Blood Drawn?
Many doctors ask their patients to provide a blood sample to test for a specific disease or condition, or to help gauge the patient's overall health.
Modern blood tests are very safe procedures, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation says. You are at no risk of catching a disease, such as AIDS or hepatitis, or getting an infection from having your blood drawn. The people who draw your blood should always wear gloves and use one-time, disposable needles.
Side effects from having blood drawn typically are quite minor, and may include:
* Bruising or minor swelling at the site of the injection. These symptoms can be soothed with an ice pack.
* Light-headedness or dizziness from watching someone draw your blood.
* People who take blood-thinning medications such as Coumadin may require a pressure bandage.
Antioxidants are compounds that protect against cell damage caused by molecules called free radicals. Studies have linked free radicals to cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The Cleveland Clinic offers this list of common antioxidants, and the foods in which they're found:
* Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits and juices; berries and other fruits; dark green vegetables; red and yellow peppers.
* Vitamin E, found in vegetable oils, whole grains, and leafy green vegetables.
* Selenium, found in whole grains, most vegetables, chicken, eggs, and most dairy products.
* Beta carotene, found in colorful fruits and vegetables like broccoli, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, red and yellow peppers, apricots, cantaloupes and mangoes.
Health Tip: Having Blood Drawn?
Many doctors ask their patients to provide a blood sample to test for a specific disease or condition, or to help gauge the patient's overall health.
Modern blood tests are very safe procedures, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation says. You are at no risk of catching a disease, such as AIDS or hepatitis, or getting an infection from having your blood drawn. The people who draw your blood should always wear gloves and use one-time, disposable needles.
Side effects from having blood drawn typically are quite minor, and may include:
* Bruising or minor swelling at the site of the injection. These symptoms can be soothed with an ice pack.
* Light-headedness or dizziness from watching someone draw your blood.
* People who take blood-thinning medications such as Coumadin may require a pressure bandage.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Health Headlines - June 27
Fast Food Chains Won't Post Calorie Counts in NYC: Report
At least three of America's largest fast food chains plan to defy a New York City rule that takes effect July 1 requiring restaurants to post calorie counts on their menus, the Associated Press reported.
Awaiting the outcome of a New York Restaurant Association lawsuit to overturn the regulation, McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's have said they would defy the new rule, the wire service said. Other fast food eateries such as Taco Bell and KFC haven't announced a decision, although their menus remain unchanged, the AP added.
The city has said it wouldn't fine any violators until October.
New York City is the first U.S. city to require that calorie counts be added to menus in typeface at least as large as each item's price.
Fast food establishments, saying the new rule would make their menus virtually impossible to read, have said they're being unfairly singled out, since the rule applies only to restaurants that serve standardized portions, the AP said.
The road to implementation has been a lot smoother for another New York City rule that takes effect Sunday -- a ban on trans fat cooking oils in all restaurants. Most fast food chains consulted said they've already made the switch, the AP reported.
Artery-clogging trans fats, found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, have been shown to contribute to heart disease.
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AMA Wants Allergy Medicines Allowed at Schools
Children with severe allergies should be permitted to bring their potentially lifesaving medicines to school, the American Medical Association voted Monday during its annual meeting in Chicago.
Many school districts prohibit students from bringing medicine to school and 18 states have similar bans, said Dr. Duane Cady, a member of the AMA's board of trustees.
But in the case of serious food allergies, for instance, preventing medicines at school can literally be a matter of life and death, according to the measure AMA delegates adopted, the Associated Press reported.
The AMA vote covers medicines that include prescription epinephrine and other injectable drugs to treat severe allergic reactions called anaphylaxis, which can cause swelling, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness and even death, the AP said.
"Life-threatening allergic reactions to foods can easily happen at school or away from home, and an epinephrine injection at the first sign of a reaction is critical," said AMA board member Dr. Rebecca Patchin.
All states should have laws that allow children to protect themselves, she said.
An estimated 12 million Americans have food allergies, according to the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network. Each year, an estimated 30,000 people are treated at emergency rooms for severe food allergies, and more than 100 people die, the AP reported.
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Corporate America Creating Health Safety Net for Early Retirees
Thousands of early retirees are hoping that corporate America will help rescue them from the ranks of the uninsured, The New York Times reported Monday.
Many people aged 55 to 64 are jobless as a result of layoffs, employee buyouts, and the loss of American jobs overseas. They're also too young for Medicare and can't afford private insurance.
So the HR Policy Association (HRPA), a group representing 250 corporate giants including General Electric, IBM, and Sears, has devised a program to create affordable insurance plans for HRPA-member retirees. Premiums would be cheaper than traditional private plans, and no one who qualifies could be turned down for a medical condition, the newspaper said.
Details of each plan would vary by employer, including whether the company would help subsidize the plan.
The HRPA told the newspaper it doesn't know how many early retirees are among its members, but the Times said there are some 800,000 middle-age Americans who are uninsured and are too young for Medicare.
New accounting rules implemented in the 1990s prompted many companies to stop providing some or all insurance for early retirees. Only 18 percent of large employers still contribute to health benefits for retirees younger than 65, the newspaper said.
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Millions of Americans Still Lack Health Insurance
Some 43.6 million Americans lacked health insurance coverage in 2006, which amounts to 14.8 percent of the population, a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.
Among working-age Americans between ages 18 and 64, 19.8 percent didn't have insurance in 2006, a slight rise from 18.9 percent in 2005, the CDC report found.
On a positive note, fewer children under age 18 were uninsured last year (9.3 percent) than in 1997 (13.9 percent), the agency said.
In 2006, the percentage of uninsured in the 20 largest states ranged from a high of 23.8 percent in Texas to 7.7 percent in Michigan.
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Alzheimer's Drug Battle Ends Up in U.K. Court
A pair of pharmaceutical firms and an advocacy group for Alzheimer's patients have taken Britain's drug watchdog to court, hoping to overturn the government's decision to deny many Alzheimer's patients access to a three-drug regimen designed to inhibit the disease, BBC News reported.
The government's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has ruled that the three medicines -- donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine -- were not cost effective for people with mild Alzheimer's, the BBC said.
Drug companies Eisai and Pfizer, with support from the Alzheimer's Society, want Britain's High Court to reverse the ruling. NICE guidelines published in 2006 stated that the drugs should only be prescribed to people with moderate forms of the disease.
NICE has ruled that the drugs, which cost about £2.50 ($5 US) a day would not be effective enough to recommend for all patients, and were not good value for the money, the BBC reported.
Health Tips for June 27
Health Tip: Dangers of Sleeping With Baby
If parents allow an infant to sleep in their bed, that may seem like a natural and loving act.
But it's not a good idea, the American Academy of Family Physicians warns. The group lists these possible risks:
* Suffocation of the baby from a parent rolling onto or next to the baby.
* Suffocation of the baby from being trapped between a mattress and a headboard, or mattress and the wall.
* Suffocation of the baby from sleeping face-down on the mattress, pillow or blanket.
* Strangulation of the baby from the infant's head being trapped in part of the headboard.
Health Tip: Stop Your Child From Biting
Young children often bite out of frustration, anger and emotions that they don't otherwise know how to express.
Here are suggestions on how to break a child's biting habit, courtesy of the Center for Effective Parenting:
* Watch what prompts the child to bite -- such as large playgroups or playing with certain toys -- and try to change or avoid those situations.
* Place the child promptly in time out after he has bitten, and explain that he is not allowed to return to fun activities until he has calmed down.
* Explain to the child what she can do instead of biting -- asking an adult for help, for example.
* Direct your attention to the child who was bitten, and away from the biter. If the child bites for attention, he will learn that there are more effective ways to get it.
If parents allow an infant to sleep in their bed, that may seem like a natural and loving act.
But it's not a good idea, the American Academy of Family Physicians warns. The group lists these possible risks:
* Suffocation of the baby from a parent rolling onto or next to the baby.
* Suffocation of the baby from being trapped between a mattress and a headboard, or mattress and the wall.
* Suffocation of the baby from sleeping face-down on the mattress, pillow or blanket.
* Strangulation of the baby from the infant's head being trapped in part of the headboard.
Health Tip: Stop Your Child From Biting
Young children often bite out of frustration, anger and emotions that they don't otherwise know how to express.
Here are suggestions on how to break a child's biting habit, courtesy of the Center for Effective Parenting:
* Watch what prompts the child to bite -- such as large playgroups or playing with certain toys -- and try to change or avoid those situations.
* Place the child promptly in time out after he has bitten, and explain that he is not allowed to return to fun activities until he has calmed down.
* Explain to the child what she can do instead of biting -- asking an adult for help, for example.
* Direct your attention to the child who was bitten, and away from the biter. If the child bites for attention, he will learn that there are more effective ways to get it.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Health Headlines - June 26
Corporate America Creating Health Safety Net for Early Retirees
Thousands of early retirees are hoping that corporate America will help rescue them from the ranks of the uninsured, The New York Times reported Monday.
Many people aged 55 to 64 are jobless as a result of layoffs, employee buyouts, and the loss of American jobs overseas. They're also too young for Medicare and can't afford private insurance.
So the HR Policy Association (HRPA), a group representing 250 corporate giants including General Electric, IBM, and Sears, has devised a program to create affordable insurance plans for HRPA-member retirees. Premiums would be cheaper than traditional private plans, and no one who qualifies could be turned down for a medical condition, the newspaper said.
Details of each plan would vary by employer, including whether the company would help subsidize the plan.
The HRPA told the newspaper it doesn't know how many early retirees are among its members, but the Times said there are some 800,000 middle-age Americans who are uninsured and are too young for Medicare.
New accounting rules implemented in the 1990s prompted many companies to stop providing some or all insurance for early retirees. Only 18 percent of large employers still contribute to health benefits for retirees younger than 65, the newspaper said.
-----
Millions of Americans Still Lack Health Insurance
Some 43.6 million Americans lacked health insurance coverage in 2006, which amounts to 14.8 percent of the population, a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.
Among working-age Americans between ages 18 and 64, 19.8 percent didn't have insurance in 2006, a slight rise from 18.9 percent in 2005, the CDC report found.
On a positive note, fewer children under age 18 were uninsured last year (9.3 percent) than in 1997 (13.9 percent), the agency said.
In 2006, the percentage of uninsured in the 20 largest states ranged from a high of 23.8 percent in Texas to 7.7 percent in Michigan.
-----
Video Games Addictive? AMA May Defer to Psychiatrists
The American Medical Association appears unlikely to tackle a controversial proposal to brand video game playing an addiction, the Chicago Tribune reported Monday.
An advisory committee to the AMA, meeting in Chicago this past weekend, had floated a proposal to add excessive video game play to a mental illness handbook as addictive behavior, the newspaper said.
But Sunday's testimony at the AMA annual meeting seemed to favor deferring judgment to the American Psychiatric Association, the Tribune reported.
No quick decision is expected on whether to include video game play in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the newspaper said.
Classifying the behavior as an addiction could influence whether insurance firms or employers reimburse claimants, as they would for alcohol or drug dependency, the Tribune said.
-----
Alzheimer's Drug Battle Ends Up in U.K. Court
A pair of pharmaceutical firms and an advocacy group for Alzheimer's patients have taken Britain's drug watchdog to court, hoping to overturn the government's decision to deny many Alzheimer's patients access to a three-drug regimen designed to inhibit the disease, BBC News reported.
The government's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has ruled that the three medicines -- donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine -- were not cost effective for people with mild Alzheimer's, the BBC said.
Drug companies Eisai and Pfizer, with support from the Alzheimer's Society, want Britain's High Court to reverse the ruling. NICE guidelines published in 2006 stated that the drugs should only be prescribed to people with moderate forms of the disease.
NICE has ruled that the drugs, which cost about £2.50 ($5 US) a day would not be effective enough to recommend for all patients, and were not good value for the money, the BBC reported.
-----
Echinacea May Be Beneficial, After All
The latest in series of conflicting studies of the herbal supplement echinacea finds that it may actually help reduce a person's chances of catching a cold by up to 58 percent, University of Connecticut researchers said Monday.
In a study published in the online version of The Lancet Infectious Diseases medical journal, the scientists wrote that echinacea might cut down on the length of the average cold by about 1.4 days, the Baltimore Sun reported.
Other studies of the herbal supplement have yielded conflicting results. In 2005, research on more than 400 people published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that echinacea had no effect on colds, the newspaper said.
In the most recent study, Dr. Craig Coleman's team at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy analyzed the results of 14 independent research projects involving a combined 1,600 patients.
However, critics of the UConn study noted that some study participants were taking other vitamins and herbs -- including vitamin C, rosemary, and thyme -- so that it wasn't clear which of any of these supplements was actually providing a health benefit, the newspaper reported.
Health Tips for June 26
Health Tip: Questions About Your Medications?
Many people taking prescription or over-the-counter medications may not fully understand how and why to take them.
If you have medication questions or concerns, talk with your pharmacist, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores advises.
Here are possible questions to ask:
* What condition is this medication for, and what is it supposed to do?
* How long should this medication be taken?
* What are the special instructions for this medication -- time of day it should be taken, how often, with food or water?
* Are there any side effects of this medication? Can this medication interact with other drugs I'm taking?
* What happens if I miss a dose?
* How should the medication be stored?
Health Tip: Ladder Safety
Falling from a ladder can cause serious injury.
Here are suggestions on how to stay safe while working on a ladder, courtesy of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
* Check the ladder for loose screws or parts, and clean off any mud or similar substances that could interfere with your footing.
* Place the ladder solidly on a firm, level surface. Never use ladders on ground that is bumpy, uneven or soft.
* Always set the ladder locks before climbing.
* Never sit on the top rung or shelf, since it is not designed to carry your full weight.
* Don't use a taller ladder than you need for the job, and try to position the ladder close to what you're trying to reach -- no leaning.
* Be careful when lifting or moving objects while on the ladder. Be sure to steady yourself to avoid losing your balance.
* When climbing, have someone steady the ladder. You should hold on to both rails as you climb.
Many people taking prescription or over-the-counter medications may not fully understand how and why to take them.
If you have medication questions or concerns, talk with your pharmacist, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores advises.
Here are possible questions to ask:
* What condition is this medication for, and what is it supposed to do?
* How long should this medication be taken?
* What are the special instructions for this medication -- time of day it should be taken, how often, with food or water?
* Are there any side effects of this medication? Can this medication interact with other drugs I'm taking?
* What happens if I miss a dose?
* How should the medication be stored?
Health Tip: Ladder Safety
Falling from a ladder can cause serious injury.
Here are suggestions on how to stay safe while working on a ladder, courtesy of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
* Check the ladder for loose screws or parts, and clean off any mud or similar substances that could interfere with your footing.
* Place the ladder solidly on a firm, level surface. Never use ladders on ground that is bumpy, uneven or soft.
* Always set the ladder locks before climbing.
* Never sit on the top rung or shelf, since it is not designed to carry your full weight.
* Don't use a taller ladder than you need for the job, and try to position the ladder close to what you're trying to reach -- no leaning.
* Be careful when lifting or moving objects while on the ladder. Be sure to steady yourself to avoid losing your balance.
* When climbing, have someone steady the ladder. You should hold on to both rails as you climb.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Health Headlines - June 25
Blood Sugar Levels in Pregnant Women Affect Baby's Health Risk, Study Finds
New research has established a strong link between a pregnant woman's blood sugar level and health risks to her newborn.
This risk is evident whether or not the woman has gestational diabetes, the Associated Press reports. The risks to the baby include the possibility of high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity as the child grows.
The study, described by Northwestern university scientists as the largest ever done on the subject, was presented Friday at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association's scientific session in Chicago. The conclusion was a confirmation of earlier research: the higher the level of blood sugar a pregnant woman has, the greater the health risk to her baby.
The study was conducted in nine counties and involved more than 23,000 pregnant women, A.P. reports. Another finding indicated an association between Caesarian sections, big babies and high blood sugar levels in their mothers, the wire service says.
The study indicated that pregnant women should maintain strictly controlled diets and/or medication to reduce their blood sugar.
-----
Despite Free Treatment, Mental Problems Among College Students Continue to Rise, Survey Says
Results from a study of almost 3,000 students at the University of Michigan show that the incidence of mental illness on campus is rising, and one reason may be that many students aren't seeking the help they need.
An Internet-based survey conducted by Daniel Eisenberg, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and his colleagues, found that even thought most of the professional help available to students with anxiety or depression was free, more than half of the poll's respondees didn't seek treatment.
According to a university news release, the large number of those who answered negatively has prompted a wider, similar survey of between 12 and 15 colleges and universities in the fall.
While 72 percent of those with a positive screen for major depression acknowledged in the survey they needed help, more than half said they weren't getting it, Eisenberg's study found.
So, even though help is free, "We can't assume that reducing financial barriers is enough," Eisenberg said in the news release. Other factors may include socioeconomic background -- students who came from poor families were almost twice as likely not to seek help, the survey found.
-----
Oregon Surgeon Performs Gall Bladder Removal Through the Mouth
Recovery time from surgery to remove a gall bladder can be long and often painful. And over the years, surgeons have developed techniques to reduce the problem, using a laparoscope to make a much smaller incision.
But now, reports the Associated Press, comes ball bladder removal with no abdominal incision, because the organ is removed through the patient's mouth.
Using a technique he perfected in Brazil, Oregon surgeon Dr. Lee Swanstrom has performed at least three gall bladder removals in which the surgical instrument is sent into the stomach through the mouth, the wire service reports.
Swanstrom then cuts a small hole in the patient's stomach, locates the gall bladder and removes it through the mouth. The recovery time is much faster, the A.P. quotes Swanstrom as saying. And while the procedure is still in its experimental stage, he plans 22 more surgeries to measure outcomes.
Gall bladder surgery is the most common major surgery done in the United States each year, with an estimated 500,000 surgeries annually.
-----
Protein Predicts Pancreatic cancer Patients' Treatment Outcome
The blood protein known as CA 19-9 has long been used as an indicator of how far pancreatic cancer has progressed in a patient.
Now, researchers from Jefferson University Hospital's Kimmel Cancer Center have found that CA 19-9 also can be used to predict how well a pancreatic cancer patient will do after a variety of treatments, from surgery to radiation to chemotherapy.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most virulent of malignancies. The National Cancer Institute estimates there will be about 37,000 cases of cancer of the pancreas in 2007 and slightly more than 33,000 deaths. One of the difficulties in fighting pancreatic cancer, experts say, is how far it advances before any symptoms appear.
Based on research by a team led Dr. Adam Berger, M.D., an assistant professor of surgery at Jefferson Medical College, the lower the level of CA 19-9 in the blood of a pancreatic cancer patient, the longer the survival. Half of the 385 patients in the study with CA 19-9 levels higher than 180 U/ml lived for approximately nine months, while half of those whose levels were 180 or below lived more than twice as long, about 21 months, according to a university press release.
After following the patients for three years, the researchers found that about 30 percent of those with levels 180 or under were still alive, while virtually none of the patients with levels above 180 were. "We think that it is a very sensitive predictor of response to chemotherapy and radiation after surgery," Berger is quoted as saying in the news release.
The study's findings will be reported June 23 at the semi-annual meeting of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) in Philadelphia.
-----
Many U.S. Men Have Had 15 or More Sex Partners
A new U.S. government survey found that 29 percent of American men and nine percent of women reported they've had sex with at least 15 partners in their lifetime.
The average number of sexual partners was 6.8 for men and 3.7 for women, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey released Friday. It included 6,237 people, ages 20 to 59, who were asked about their sexual habits and drug use. The data was collected from 1999 to 2002, Bloomberg news reported.
Among the other survey findings:
- Only four percent of adults ages 20 and older have never had sex.
- About one in seven respondents (16 percent) said they first had sex before age 15.
- More than one in five adults ages 20 to 49 have tried cocaine or other street drugs at some point in their life, and five percent said they had used such drugs within the previous year.
The findings about Americans' sexual habits suggest that the Bush administration's emphasis on promoting abstinence among unmarried people as a way of preventing sexually transmitted diseases is inadequate, said one expert.
"To rely on just one strategy for something is just bad; the more options you have, the more likely people are to use one of them," Bean Robinson, a psychologist and sexual behavior researcher at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis, told Bloomberg.
-----
Mexicans in U.S. Rural Areas Lack Good Medical Care
Working-age Mexicans in rural areas of the United States are about one-third less likely than rural whites to have a usual source of medical care, while Mexicans in urban areas are one-quarter less likely than whites to have a usual source of medical care, according to a study led by researchers from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The study authors noted that not having a usual source of medical care -- such as a regular doctor or community health clinics -- limits a person's access to primary care, which is the front line for preventing and managing health problems.
The analysis of 2002-2003 data also found that Mexicans living in U.S. cities were no more likely than those in rural areas to have visited a doctor at least once within the previous year -- even though medical care is more readily available in cities.
Urban-dwelling Mexicans were 21 percent less likely than rural whites and 26 percent less likely than urban whites to have seen a doctor within the previous year.
Few studies have examined whether living in rural areas worsens the health care access disparity between Hispanics and whites, even though U.S. census data shows that the Hispanic population in small towns and rural areas has more than doubled in recent decades, the study authors said.
Health Tips for June 25
Food Fact:
Herbal form = function.
For herbally "enhanced" drinks, pay attention to what the label doesn't say. Labels typically do not list the form of an herb, making it impossible to gauge effectiveness. With ginkgo, for example, potential benefits have been seen in extracts standardized to contain a certain percentage of active ingredients. If the ginkgo in a drink is not of this kind, it will be ineffective no matter how much is added.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Tai chic.
Secrets from the far east can speed healing after a heart attack and help prevent future ones. The ancient Chinese exercise regimen tai chi combines movement, breathing and meditation. It can improve balance, muscular strength and agility; increase energy and range of motion in arthritic joints; reduce stress; promote serenity and lower your blood pressure.
FAQ of the day:
Do I need to drink milk to get my calcium?
Your calcium may be OK, but you may be lacking vitamin D, which is essential for calcium absorption and bone health. We typically get vitamin D from sunlight (our skin synthesizes the vitamin using UV light) and fortified foods, such as milk and some breakfast cereals. But other milk-based foods, such as yogurt and cheese, use unfortified milk, so no vitamin D. If you don't drink fortified milk, are over age 65, and spend a lot of time indoors, consider a vitamin D supplement providing 400 to 600 IU daily.
Herbal form = function.
For herbally "enhanced" drinks, pay attention to what the label doesn't say. Labels typically do not list the form of an herb, making it impossible to gauge effectiveness. With ginkgo, for example, potential benefits have been seen in extracts standardized to contain a certain percentage of active ingredients. If the ginkgo in a drink is not of this kind, it will be ineffective no matter how much is added.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Tai chic.
Secrets from the far east can speed healing after a heart attack and help prevent future ones. The ancient Chinese exercise regimen tai chi combines movement, breathing and meditation. It can improve balance, muscular strength and agility; increase energy and range of motion in arthritic joints; reduce stress; promote serenity and lower your blood pressure.
FAQ of the day:
Do I need to drink milk to get my calcium?
Your calcium may be OK, but you may be lacking vitamin D, which is essential for calcium absorption and bone health. We typically get vitamin D from sunlight (our skin synthesizes the vitamin using UV light) and fortified foods, such as milk and some breakfast cereals. But other milk-based foods, such as yogurt and cheese, use unfortified milk, so no vitamin D. If you don't drink fortified milk, are over age 65, and spend a lot of time indoors, consider a vitamin D supplement providing 400 to 600 IU daily.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Health Headlines - June 24
Blood Sugar Levels in Pregnant Women Affect Baby's Health Risk, Study Finds
New research has established a strong link between a pregnant woman's blood sugar level and health risks to her newborn.
This risk is evident whether or not the woman has gestational diabetes, the Associated Press reports. The risks to the baby include the possibility of high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity as the child grows.
The study, described by Northwestern university scientists as the largest ever done on the subject, was presented Friday at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association's scientific session in Chicago. The conclusion was a confirmation of earlier research: the higher the level of blood sugar a pregnant woman has, the greater the health risk to her baby.
The study was conducted in nine counties and involved more than 23,000 pregnant women, A.P. reports. Another finding indicated an association between Caesarian sections, big babies and high blood sugar levels in their mothers, the wire service says.
The study indicated that pregnant women should maintain strictly controlled diets and/or medication to reduce their blood sugar.
-----
Protein Predicts Pancreatic cancer Patients' Treatment Outcome
The blood protein known as CA 19-9 has long been used as an indicator of how far pancreatic cancer has progressed in a patient.
Now, researchers from Jefferson University Hospital's Kimmel Cancer Center have found that CA 19-9 also can be used to predict how well a pancreatic cancer patient will do after a variety of treatments, from surgery to radiation to chemotherapy.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most virulent of malignancies. The National Cancer Institute estimates there will be about 37,000 cases of cancer of the pancreas in 2007 and slightly more than 33,000 deaths. One of the difficulties in fighting pancreatic cancer, experts say, is how far it advances before any symptoms appear.
Based on research by a team led Dr. Adam Berger, M.D., an assistant professor of surgery at Jefferson Medical College, the lower the level of CA 19-9 in the blood of a pancreatic cancer patient, the longer the survival. Half of the 385 patients in the study with CA 19-9 levels higher than 180 U/ml lived for approximately nine months, while half of those whose levels were 180 or below lived more than twice as long, about 21 months, according to a university press release.
After following the patients for three years, the researchers found that about 30 percent of those with levels 180 or under were still alive, while virtually none of the patients with levels above 180 were. "We think that it is a very sensitive predictor of response to chemotherapy and radiation after surgery," Berger is quoted as saying in the news release.
The study's findings will be reported June 23 at the semi-annual meeting of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) in Philadelphia.
-----
Many U.S. Men Have Had 15 or More Sex Partners
A new U.S. government survey found that 29 percent of American men and nine percent of women reported they've had sex with at least 15 partners in their lifetime.
The average number of sexual partners was 6.8 for men and 3.7 for women, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey released Friday. It included 6,237 people, ages 20 to 59, who were asked about their sexual habits and drug use. The data was collected from 1999 to 2002, Bloomberg news reported.
Among the other survey findings:
- Only four percent of adults ages 20 and older have never had sex.
- About one in seven respondents (16 percent) said they first had sex before age 15.
- More than one in five adults ages 20 to 49 have tried cocaine or other street drugs at some point in their life, and five percent said they had used such drugs within the previous year.
The findings about Americans' sexual habits suggest that the Bush administration's emphasis on promoting abstinence among unmarried people as a way of preventing sexually transmitted diseases is inadequate, said one expert.
"To rely on just one strategy for something is just bad; the more options you have, the more likely people are to use one of them," Bean Robinson, a psychologist and sexual behavior researcher at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis, told Bloomberg.
-----
Mexicans in U.S. Rural Areas Lack Good Medical Care
Working-age Mexicans in rural areas of the United States are about one-third less likely than rural whites to have a usual source of medical care, while Mexicans in urban areas are one-quarter less likely than whites to have a usual source of medical care, according to a study led by researchers from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The study authors noted that not having a usual source of medical care -- such as a regular doctor or community health clinics -- limits a person's access to primary care, which is the front line for preventing and managing health problems.
The analysis of 2002-2003 data also found that Mexicans living in U.S. cities were no more likely than those in rural areas to have visited a doctor at least once within the previous year -- even though medical care is more readily available in cities.
Urban-dwelling Mexicans were 21 percent less likely than rural whites and 26 percent less likely than urban whites to have seen a doctor within the previous year.
Few studies have examined whether living in rural areas worsens the health care access disparity between Hispanics and whites, even though U.S. census data shows that the Hispanic population in small towns and rural areas has more than doubled in recent decades, the study authors said.
-----
WHO Wants $2 Billion to Fight Drug-Resistant TB
The World Health Organization (WHO) is asking for $2.15 billion to battle drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis in order to prevent a possible future epidemic.
At a meeting in Geneva with journalists, WHO tuberculosis expert Paul Nunn said that between 400,000 and 450,000 people worldwide have multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) and 25,000 to 30,000 have the more severe extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB), Agence France-Presse reported.
The WHO wants the funding for a program that seeks to improve diagnosis and treatment of "basic" TB before drug resistance occurs and to develop treatments for drug-resistant TB strains. This approach could prevent 134,000 MDR-TB- and XDR-TB-related deaths over the next two years.
If action isn't taken, Nunn warned that there could eventually be millions of drug-resistant TB cases worldwide each year, which would represent a "return to the pre-antibiotic era," AFP reported.
-----
Many Parents Can't Leave Work to Care for Sick Child
Greater access to federal and employer-provided job leave can help working American parents better care for chronically ill children, says a RAND Corporation study in the journal Pediatrics.
Researchers surveyed 574 full-time parents of chronically ill children in order to examine the availability of paid and unpaid work leaves, how often parents missed work to care for ill children, and the length of time the parents were away from work. The survey was conducted between November 2003 and January 2004.
Less than half the parents qualified for benefits under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which provides eligible workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year to care for ill family members without the risk of being fired.
The study also found:
- Only 30 percent of parents reported having employer-provided leave that could be used to care for ill family members, and only 15 percent said they had access to paid leave.
- Most of the parents reported missing some work in the past year to care for their ill children. Of those, 40 percent said they returned to work before their child's health improved. Of that group, 60 percent said they returned to work because they needed the pay.
- Nearly half the parents said that at least once in the previous year they could not take time off work even though their children needed them. Of those, 70 percent said they would have taken time off work if they would have received at least some pay during the time off.
- Parents were more likely to miss work to care for their children if they were aware of their eligibility for Family and Medical Leave benefits; had access to employer-provided leave; or had access to paid leave.
Among the study authors' recommendations:
- Evaluate the potential impact of expanding eligibility for the Family and Medical Leave Act and educate more employees about these benefits.
- Examine the likely effects on families and businesses when access to employer-provided or government-provided leave benefits is increased.
RAND is a nonprofit research organization.
Health Tips for June 24
Food Fact:
Be skeptical of "superjuices."
So-called "enhanced" drinks may have less than meets the eye. The amount of ginseng in your water, ginkgo in your iced tea or echinacea in your juice is far below the recommended levels claimed to affect energy, memory, immunity or anything else. The problem for drinkmakers: Often, adding enough would affect taste.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Fitting in fitness.
Going on a business trip? Make a pact with yourself to exercise -- it's easy when you plan ahead. Before you leave on your next trip, call health clubs in the area you'll be visiting and find one that offers a day pass. Ask the hotel concierge to suggest safe running/walking routes near your hotel, and maybe provide maps. Or, simply walk to a room on a higher floor, and you won't need to reserve a stair climber in the gym.
FAQ of the day:
Do children need whole milk?
Children only need whole milk until age 2. Up to that age, infants and toddlers need more fat, from a variety of sources, than the rest of us. One reason is that their brains are rapidly developing, and brains are made up mostly from fat. Let your infants and toddlers enjoy their whole milk, whole yogurt and other high-fat dairy foods, as well as plenty of other "good" fats in tofu, fish, nuts and seeds, for example, up to age 2. After that, gradually switch to dairy foods that reduce saturated fat.
Be skeptical of "superjuices."
So-called "enhanced" drinks may have less than meets the eye. The amount of ginseng in your water, ginkgo in your iced tea or echinacea in your juice is far below the recommended levels claimed to affect energy, memory, immunity or anything else. The problem for drinkmakers: Often, adding enough would affect taste.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Fitting in fitness.
Going on a business trip? Make a pact with yourself to exercise -- it's easy when you plan ahead. Before you leave on your next trip, call health clubs in the area you'll be visiting and find one that offers a day pass. Ask the hotel concierge to suggest safe running/walking routes near your hotel, and maybe provide maps. Or, simply walk to a room on a higher floor, and you won't need to reserve a stair climber in the gym.
FAQ of the day:
Do children need whole milk?
Children only need whole milk until age 2. Up to that age, infants and toddlers need more fat, from a variety of sources, than the rest of us. One reason is that their brains are rapidly developing, and brains are made up mostly from fat. Let your infants and toddlers enjoy their whole milk, whole yogurt and other high-fat dairy foods, as well as plenty of other "good" fats in tofu, fish, nuts and seeds, for example, up to age 2. After that, gradually switch to dairy foods that reduce saturated fat.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Health Headlines - June 23
Many U.S. Men Have Had 15 or More Sex Partners
A new U.S. government survey found that 29 percent of American men and nine percent of women reported they've had sex with at least 15 partners in their lifetime.
The average number of sexual partners was 6.8 for men and 3.7 for women, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey released Friday. It included 6,237 people, ages 20 to 59, who were asked about their sexual habits and drug use. The data was collected from 1999 to 2002, Bloomberg news reported.
Among the other survey findings:
- Only four percent of adults ages 20 and older have never had sex.
- About one in seven respondents (16 percent) said they first had sex before age 15.
- More than one in five adults ages 20 to 49 have tried cocaine or other street drugs at some point in their life, and five percent said they had used such drugs within the previous year.
The findings about Americans' sexual habits suggest that the Bush administration's emphasis on promoting abstinence among unmarried people as a way of preventing sexually transmitted diseases is inadequate, said one expert.
"To rely on just one strategy for something is just bad; the more options you have, the more likely people are to use one of them," Bean Robinson, a psychologist and sexual behavior researcher at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis, told Bloomberg.
-----
Mexicans in U.S. Rural Areas Lack Good Medical Care
Working-age Mexicans in rural areas of the United States are about one-third less likely than rural whites to have a usual source of medical care, while Mexicans in urban areas are one-quarter less likely than whites to have a usual source of medical care, according to a study led by researchers from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The study authors noted that not having a usual source of medical care -- such as a regular doctor or community health clinics -- limits a person's access to primary care, which is the front line for preventing and managing health problems.
The analysis of 2002-2003 data also found that Mexicans living in U.S. cities were no more likely than those in rural areas to have visited a doctor at least once within the previous year -- even though medical care is more readily available in cities.
Urban-dwelling Mexicans were 21 percent less likely than rural whites and 26 percent less likely than urban whites to have seen a doctor within the previous year.
Few studies have examined whether living in rural areas worsens the health care access disparity between Hispanics and whites, even though U.S. census data shows that the Hispanic population in small towns and rural areas has more than doubled in recent decades, the study authors said.
-----
WHO Wants $2 Billion to Fight Drug-Resistant TB
The World Health Organization (WHO) is asking for $2.15 billion to battle drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis in order to prevent a possible future epidemic.
At a meeting in Geneva with journalists, WHO tuberculosis expert Paul Nunn said that between 400,000 and 450,000 people worldwide have multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) and 25,000 to 30,000 have the more severe extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB), Agence France-Presse reported.
The WHO wants the funding for a program that seeks to improve diagnosis and treatment of "basic" TB before drug resistance occurs and to develop treatments for drug-resistant TB strains. This approach could prevent 134,000 MDR-TB- and XDR-TB-related deaths over the next two years.
If action isn't taken, Nunn warned that there could eventually be millions of drug-resistant TB cases worldwide each year, which would represent a "return to the pre-antibiotic era," AFP reported.
-----
Many Parents Can't Leave Work to Care for Sick Child
Greater access to federal and employer-provided job leave can help working American parents better care for chronically ill children, says a RAND Corporation study in the journal Pediatrics.
Researchers surveyed 574 full-time parents of chronically ill children in order to examine the availability of paid and unpaid work leaves, how often parents missed work to care for ill children, and the length of time the parents were away from work. The survey was conducted between November 2003 and January 2004.
Less than half the parents qualified for benefits under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which provides eligible workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year to care for ill family members without the risk of being fired.
The study also found:
- Only 30 percent of parents reported having employer-provided leave that could be used to care for ill family members, and only 15 percent said they had access to paid leave.
- Most of the parents reported missing some work in the past year to care for their ill children. Of those, 40 percent said they returned to work before their child's health improved. Of that group, 60 percent said they returned to work because they needed the pay.
- Nearly half the parents said that at least once in the previous year they could not take time off work even though their children needed them. Of those, 70 percent said they would have taken time off work if they would have received at least some pay during the time off.
- Parents were more likely to miss work to care for their children if they were aware of their eligibility for Family and Medical Leave benefits; had access to employer-provided leave; or had access to paid leave.
Among the study authors' recommendations:
- Evaluate the potential impact of expanding eligibility for the Family and Medical Leave Act and educate more employees about these benefits.
- Examine the likely effects on families and businesses when access to employer-provided or government-provided leave benefits is increased.
RAND is a nonprofit research organization.
-----
FDA Approves 'Computerized Medication Box'
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a programmable medication box that stores and dispenses prescription drugs for patients in their homes.
The Electronic Medication Management Assistant (EMMA), which is designed to be used under the supervision of a licensed health care provider, can reduce drug dosing and identification errors and help health care professionals monitor whether patients are adhering to medication regimens, said manufacturer INRange Systems of Altoona, Pa.
The company said EMMA may prove especially useful for older patients and for others, such as HIV/AIDS patients, with complex medication regimens.
EMMA includes a medication storage/delivery unit that's about the size of a bread box. Two-way communication software enables health care professionals to remotely schedule or adjust medication use. The unit emits an audible alert when it's time for a patient to take medications.
-----
EPA Misled New York City Residents on WTC Dust Contamination
In the years after the collapse of the World Trade Center, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency misled thousands of New York City residents about the amount of dust contamination in their apartments and condominiums, says a Government Accountability Office (GAO) preliminary report released Wednesday at a Senate subcommittee hearing.
GAO investigators found that the EPA did not accurately report the results of a residential cleanup program conducted in more than 4,000 Lower Manhattan residences in 2002 and 2003, The New York Times reported.
The EPA said that unsafe levels of asbestos were detected in only a "very small" number of air samples taken in the residences. But the agency didn't reveal that 80 percent of those air samples were collected after the residences were cleaned, the GAO report said.
As a result of the misleading information, many residents did not have a true understanding of their risk, the GAO said. Because of that, only 295 apartment building owners and residents signed up for a new residential cleanup program, which halted enrollment in March. More than 20,000 apartments had been eligible to take part in the program, The Times reported.
Health Tips for June 23
Health Tip: Numbness in Diabetics
Diabetic neuropathies are nerve disorders caused by diabetes. The conditions lead to numbness and sometimes pain and weakness, commonly in the hands, arms, feet, and legs.
The U.S. National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse says the longer a person has diabetes, the greater his or her risk of developing a form of neuropathy.
Doctors can use a number of tests to diagnose diabetic neuropathies, including a comprehensive foot exam, a nerve conduction study, or a nerve or skin biopsy.
The best way to prevent this form of nerve damage is to keep blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible with a healthy diet, exercise, and medication, the agency says.
Health Tip: Preventing Illness at Day Care
Day care centers harbor germs that can be difficult to contain.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine suggests these ways to reduce the spread of illness at day care centers:
* Teach your child, if old enough, to wash his hands after using the bathroom.
* Keep your child home if he is sick.
* Breastfeeding your baby can help strengthen her immune system, which could lower her chances of getting sick.
* The day care center should have strict policies and employee training on ways to reduce germs.
* Diaper changing or disposal should never occur near food preparation.
* All employees and children should be required to have regular immunizations.
Diabetic neuropathies are nerve disorders caused by diabetes. The conditions lead to numbness and sometimes pain and weakness, commonly in the hands, arms, feet, and legs.
The U.S. National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse says the longer a person has diabetes, the greater his or her risk of developing a form of neuropathy.
Doctors can use a number of tests to diagnose diabetic neuropathies, including a comprehensive foot exam, a nerve conduction study, or a nerve or skin biopsy.
The best way to prevent this form of nerve damage is to keep blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible with a healthy diet, exercise, and medication, the agency says.
Health Tip: Preventing Illness at Day Care
Day care centers harbor germs that can be difficult to contain.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine suggests these ways to reduce the spread of illness at day care centers:
* Teach your child, if old enough, to wash his hands after using the bathroom.
* Keep your child home if he is sick.
* Breastfeeding your baby can help strengthen her immune system, which could lower her chances of getting sick.
* The day care center should have strict policies and employee training on ways to reduce germs.
* Diaper changing or disposal should never occur near food preparation.
* All employees and children should be required to have regular immunizations.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Health Headlines - June 22
Many Parents Can't Leave Work to Care for Sick Child
Greater access to federal and employer-provided job leave can help working American parents better care for chronically ill children, says a RAND Corporation study in the journal Pediatrics.
Researchers surveyed 574 full-time parents of chronically ill children in order to examine the availability of paid and unpaid work leaves, how often parents missed work to care for ill children, and the length of time the parents were away from work. The survey was conducted between November 2003 and January 2004.
Less than half the parents qualified for benefits under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which provides eligible workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year to care for ill family members without the risk of being fired.
The study also found:
* Only 30 percent of parents reported having employer-provided leave that could be used to care for ill family members, and only 15 percent said they had access to paid leave.
* Most of the parents reported missing some work in the past year to care for their ill children. Of those, 40 percent said they returned to work before their child's health improved. Of that group, 60 percent said they returned to work because they needed the pay.
* Nearly half the parents said that at least once in the previous year they could not take time off work even though their children needed them. Of those, 70 percent said they would have taken time off work if they would have received at least some pay during the time off.
* Parents were more likely to miss work to care for their children if they were aware of their eligibility for Family and Medical Leave benefits; had access to employer-provided leave; or had access to paid leave.
Among the study authors' recommendations:
* Evaluate the potential impact of expanding eligibility for the Family and Medical Leave Act and educate more employees about these benefits.
* Examine the likely effects on families and businesses when access to employer-provided or government-provided leave benefits is increased.
RAND is a nonprofit research organization.
-----
FDA Approves 'Computerized Medication Box'
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a programmable medication box that stores and dispenses prescription drugs for patients in their homes.
The Electronic Medication Management Assistant (EMMA), which is designed to be used under the supervision of a licensed health care provider, can reduce drug dosing and identification errors and help health care professionals monitor whether patients are adhering to medication regimens, said manufacturer INRange Systems of Altoona, Pa.
The company said EMMA may prove especially useful for older patients and for others, such as HIV/AIDS patients, with complex medication regimens.
EMMA includes a medication storage/delivery unit that's about the size of a bread box. Two-way communication software enables health care professionals to remotely schedule or adjust medication use. The unit emits an audible alert when it's time for a patient to take medications.
-----
EPA Misled New York City Residents on WTC Dust Contamination
In the years after the collapse of the World Trade Center, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency misled thousands of New York City residents about the amount of dust contamination in their apartments and condominiums, says a Government Accountability Office (GAO) preliminary report released Wednesday at a Senate subcommittee hearing.
GAO investigators found that the EPA did not accurately report the results of a residential cleanup program conducted in more than 4,000 Lower Manhattan residences in 2002 and 2003, The New York Times reported.
The EPA said that unsafe levels of asbestos were detected in only a "very small" number of air samples taken in the residences. But the agency didn't reveal that 80 percent of those air samples were collected after the residences were cleaned, the GAO report said.
As a result of the misleading information, many residents did not have a true understanding of their risk, the GAO said. Because of that, only 295 apartment building owners and residents signed up for a new residential cleanup program, which halted enrollment in March. More than 20,000 apartments had been eligible to take part in the program, The Times reported.
-----
Large Decrease in New York City's Smoking Rate
New York City's smoking rate was 20 percent lower in 2006 than in 2002, after the city launched a major anti-smoking campaign that included a hike in the tobacco tax, a ban on smoking in most workplaces, and hard-hitting ads about the health effects of smoking.
The 20 percent decrease represents 240,000 fewer smokers, according to a study released Thursday in this week's issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Among the study's findings:
* There was a larger decline in smoking among women (23 percent) than among men (15 percent).
* Male smoking rates decreased from 22.5 percent to 19.9 percent.
* Smoking rates among young adults (ages 18-24) have declined twice as much as rates among other age groups.
* Among ethnic groups in New York, Asians had the largest declines in smoking rates (30 percent). But Asian males still have a smoking rate of 16.4 percent. Among Hispanics, smoking rates decreased from 20.2 percent to 17.1 percent).
New York City's overall smoking rate for 2006 was the lowest on record (17.5 percent) and lower than smoking rates in all but five states (California, Washington, Idaho, Utah and Connecticut).
"In spite of great progress, we have much farther to go," New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden said in a prepared statement. "More than 1 million New Yorkers are still smoking, and nearly 9,000 are dying from smoking-related diseases every year."
-----
EPA Proposes Tougher Smog Standards
New smog standards based on recent scientific evidence about ground-level ozone are being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ozone -- the primary component of smog -- can damage lungs. People with asthma and other lung diseases are especially at risk from ozone exposure.
The EPA proposal recommends a ground-level ozone standard within a range of 0.070 to 0.075 parts per million (ppm). Ground-level ozone is created through a reaction of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compound emissions in the presence of sunlight.
Emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents are major sources of the pollutants that create ground-level ozone, according to an agency statement.
The new standard could save billions of dollars in health care costs, said the EPA, which is also proposing a standard to reduce ozone damage to crops, plants and trees.
There's a 90-day period for public comment on the proposal and the EPA will hold public hearings in Los Angeles and Philadelphia on Aug. 30 and in Chicago and Houston on Sept. 5.
Reacting to the announcement, Dr. David Ingbar, president of the American Thoracic Society, said in a statement that the newly proposed standards "fall short of providing the protection needed to keep Americans safe from ozone air pollution."
His group believes the proposed change, if adopted, would still not approach the 0.060 ppm ground-level ozone standard supported by the society. "In issuing the standard today, EPA is ignoring the advice of their own staff, the advice of EPA advisory committees, the opinion of the medical and scientific community," Ingbar said.
-----
1 in 8 U.S. Vets Have No Health Coverage
About 1.8 million American veterans under age 65 do not have basic health insurance or access to care at Veterans Affairs hospitals, says a study presented Wednesday to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, the Washington Post reported.
About 12.7 percent of veterans under age 65 -- about one in eight -- lacked health coverage in 2004, compared with 9.9 percent in 2000, Harvard Medical School professor Stephanie J. Woolhandler told the committee.
That means that the number of veterans without health coverage increased by 290,000 from 2000 to 2004, the most recent year for which figures are available, the Post reported.
Veterans over age 65 are eligible for Medicare.
"The data is showing that many veterans have no coverage and they're sick and need care and can't get it," Woolhandler told the committee.
Greater access to federal and employer-provided job leave can help working American parents better care for chronically ill children, says a RAND Corporation study in the journal Pediatrics.
Researchers surveyed 574 full-time parents of chronically ill children in order to examine the availability of paid and unpaid work leaves, how often parents missed work to care for ill children, and the length of time the parents were away from work. The survey was conducted between November 2003 and January 2004.
Less than half the parents qualified for benefits under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which provides eligible workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year to care for ill family members without the risk of being fired.
The study also found:
* Only 30 percent of parents reported having employer-provided leave that could be used to care for ill family members, and only 15 percent said they had access to paid leave.
* Most of the parents reported missing some work in the past year to care for their ill children. Of those, 40 percent said they returned to work before their child's health improved. Of that group, 60 percent said they returned to work because they needed the pay.
* Nearly half the parents said that at least once in the previous year they could not take time off work even though their children needed them. Of those, 70 percent said they would have taken time off work if they would have received at least some pay during the time off.
* Parents were more likely to miss work to care for their children if they were aware of their eligibility for Family and Medical Leave benefits; had access to employer-provided leave; or had access to paid leave.
Among the study authors' recommendations:
* Evaluate the potential impact of expanding eligibility for the Family and Medical Leave Act and educate more employees about these benefits.
* Examine the likely effects on families and businesses when access to employer-provided or government-provided leave benefits is increased.
RAND is a nonprofit research organization.
-----
FDA Approves 'Computerized Medication Box'
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a programmable medication box that stores and dispenses prescription drugs for patients in their homes.
The Electronic Medication Management Assistant (EMMA), which is designed to be used under the supervision of a licensed health care provider, can reduce drug dosing and identification errors and help health care professionals monitor whether patients are adhering to medication regimens, said manufacturer INRange Systems of Altoona, Pa.
The company said EMMA may prove especially useful for older patients and for others, such as HIV/AIDS patients, with complex medication regimens.
EMMA includes a medication storage/delivery unit that's about the size of a bread box. Two-way communication software enables health care professionals to remotely schedule or adjust medication use. The unit emits an audible alert when it's time for a patient to take medications.
-----
EPA Misled New York City Residents on WTC Dust Contamination
In the years after the collapse of the World Trade Center, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency misled thousands of New York City residents about the amount of dust contamination in their apartments and condominiums, says a Government Accountability Office (GAO) preliminary report released Wednesday at a Senate subcommittee hearing.
GAO investigators found that the EPA did not accurately report the results of a residential cleanup program conducted in more than 4,000 Lower Manhattan residences in 2002 and 2003, The New York Times reported.
The EPA said that unsafe levels of asbestos were detected in only a "very small" number of air samples taken in the residences. But the agency didn't reveal that 80 percent of those air samples were collected after the residences were cleaned, the GAO report said.
As a result of the misleading information, many residents did not have a true understanding of their risk, the GAO said. Because of that, only 295 apartment building owners and residents signed up for a new residential cleanup program, which halted enrollment in March. More than 20,000 apartments had been eligible to take part in the program, The Times reported.
-----
Large Decrease in New York City's Smoking Rate
New York City's smoking rate was 20 percent lower in 2006 than in 2002, after the city launched a major anti-smoking campaign that included a hike in the tobacco tax, a ban on smoking in most workplaces, and hard-hitting ads about the health effects of smoking.
The 20 percent decrease represents 240,000 fewer smokers, according to a study released Thursday in this week's issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Among the study's findings:
* There was a larger decline in smoking among women (23 percent) than among men (15 percent).
* Male smoking rates decreased from 22.5 percent to 19.9 percent.
* Smoking rates among young adults (ages 18-24) have declined twice as much as rates among other age groups.
* Among ethnic groups in New York, Asians had the largest declines in smoking rates (30 percent). But Asian males still have a smoking rate of 16.4 percent. Among Hispanics, smoking rates decreased from 20.2 percent to 17.1 percent).
New York City's overall smoking rate for 2006 was the lowest on record (17.5 percent) and lower than smoking rates in all but five states (California, Washington, Idaho, Utah and Connecticut).
"In spite of great progress, we have much farther to go," New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden said in a prepared statement. "More than 1 million New Yorkers are still smoking, and nearly 9,000 are dying from smoking-related diseases every year."
-----
EPA Proposes Tougher Smog Standards
New smog standards based on recent scientific evidence about ground-level ozone are being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ozone -- the primary component of smog -- can damage lungs. People with asthma and other lung diseases are especially at risk from ozone exposure.
The EPA proposal recommends a ground-level ozone standard within a range of 0.070 to 0.075 parts per million (ppm). Ground-level ozone is created through a reaction of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compound emissions in the presence of sunlight.
Emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents are major sources of the pollutants that create ground-level ozone, according to an agency statement.
The new standard could save billions of dollars in health care costs, said the EPA, which is also proposing a standard to reduce ozone damage to crops, plants and trees.
There's a 90-day period for public comment on the proposal and the EPA will hold public hearings in Los Angeles and Philadelphia on Aug. 30 and in Chicago and Houston on Sept. 5.
Reacting to the announcement, Dr. David Ingbar, president of the American Thoracic Society, said in a statement that the newly proposed standards "fall short of providing the protection needed to keep Americans safe from ozone air pollution."
His group believes the proposed change, if adopted, would still not approach the 0.060 ppm ground-level ozone standard supported by the society. "In issuing the standard today, EPA is ignoring the advice of their own staff, the advice of EPA advisory committees, the opinion of the medical and scientific community," Ingbar said.
-----
1 in 8 U.S. Vets Have No Health Coverage
About 1.8 million American veterans under age 65 do not have basic health insurance or access to care at Veterans Affairs hospitals, says a study presented Wednesday to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, the Washington Post reported.
About 12.7 percent of veterans under age 65 -- about one in eight -- lacked health coverage in 2004, compared with 9.9 percent in 2000, Harvard Medical School professor Stephanie J. Woolhandler told the committee.
That means that the number of veterans without health coverage increased by 290,000 from 2000 to 2004, the most recent year for which figures are available, the Post reported.
Veterans over age 65 are eligible for Medicare.
"The data is showing that many veterans have no coverage and they're sick and need care and can't get it," Woolhandler told the committee.
Health Tips for June 22
Health Tip: Responsibilities of Caregivers
Caregiving for a family member or close friend can become a full-time job, so candidates should carefully consider how much time and effort they have to offer.
Here are common responsibilities of caregivers, courtesy of Caring Connections:
* Driving the person to doctor appointments and other outings.
* Cooking meals.
* Housekeeping, grocery shopping, yardwork, and other household chores.
* Calling and stopping by frequently to check in.
* Providing personal care, like help with bathing and toilet use.
* Assisting in making medical decisions.
* Paying bills and managing finances.
Health Tip: Helping Your Child Through Puberty
In girls, puberty typically happens somewhere around age 11; for boys, somewhere around age 12. Puberty causes various hormonal changes in youngsters that can be difficult for them to deal with.
Here are suggestions to help your child through puberty, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:
* Try to help your child improve self-esteem. Mention that everyone's body is different and changes differently, and that you love him or her just the way they are.
* Explain to your child that what is happening is normal.
* Tell your child that you will help with any physical or emotional problem.
* Set up an appointment with a family doctor or counselor if you think your child is having a difficult time adjusting, either emotionally or physically.
Caregiving for a family member or close friend can become a full-time job, so candidates should carefully consider how much time and effort they have to offer.
Here are common responsibilities of caregivers, courtesy of Caring Connections:
* Driving the person to doctor appointments and other outings.
* Cooking meals.
* Housekeeping, grocery shopping, yardwork, and other household chores.
* Calling and stopping by frequently to check in.
* Providing personal care, like help with bathing and toilet use.
* Assisting in making medical decisions.
* Paying bills and managing finances.
Health Tip: Helping Your Child Through Puberty
In girls, puberty typically happens somewhere around age 11; for boys, somewhere around age 12. Puberty causes various hormonal changes in youngsters that can be difficult for them to deal with.
Here are suggestions to help your child through puberty, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:
* Try to help your child improve self-esteem. Mention that everyone's body is different and changes differently, and that you love him or her just the way they are.
* Explain to your child that what is happening is normal.
* Tell your child that you will help with any physical or emotional problem.
* Set up an appointment with a family doctor or counselor if you think your child is having a difficult time adjusting, either emotionally or physically.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Health Headlines - June 21
Bush Vetoes Stem Cell Bill
President Bush on Wednesday vetoed a bill that sought to ease restrictions on federally funded embryonic stem cell research, the Associated Press reported.
U.S. government funding is now limited to research using embryonic stem cells that had been harvested as of Aug. 9, 2001. The bill from the Democratic-led Congress sought to lift that restriction. News sources report that the Democrats do not have enough votes to override a veto.
Last year, Bush vetoed a similar bill.
In a counter move, Bush issued an executive order instructing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to promote research on other kinds of stem cells, the AP reported.
Scientists believe that stem cells have the potential to treat a range of health problems, including spinal cord injury, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, burns, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis.
The American Diabetes Association issued a statement condemning Bush's action:
"By vetoing this legislation, President Bush has again stood in the way of progress toward a cure for diabetes and other devastating diseases. The world's leading scientists, Republicans and Democrats in Congress, and millions of Americans urged the President to support legislation to expand the promising field of embryonic stem cell research, while maintaining clear and ethical standards. The President chose not to listen," the ADA said.
A statement from the Society for Women's Health Research was similarly critical of the veto:
"There should be no ethical debate between throwing away embryos that already exist and using them in the scientific quest for treatments and cures of fatal and life-threatening diseases. It is a tragedy to allow embryos to be wasted and discarded, when we could be exploring their unique potential to alleviate human suffering," the statement said.
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Most Sunscreens Fail Safety Test: Report
Eighty-four percent of name-brand sunscreens tested offered inadequate protection from the sun or contained at least one ingredient with "significant safety concerns," the Environmental Working Group (EWG) said in releasing results on 783 products evaluated.
"Only 16 percent of the products on the market are both safe and effective, blocking both UVA and UVB radiation, remaining stable in sunlight, and containing few if any ingredients with significant known or suspected health hazards," the Wasington, D.C.-based group said in an analysis posted on its Web site.
At least 48 percent of products evaluated had unacceptable or misleading marketing claims, including terms like "all day protection," "mild as water," and "blocks all harmful rays," the EWG said.
Ingredients contained in some of the sunscreens "release skin damaging free radicals in sunlight, some act like estrogen and could disrupt hormone systems, several are strongly linked to allergic reactions, and still others may build up in the body or the environment," the group warned.
The EWG criticized the U.S. government for not approving mandatory safety standards for sunscreens, leaving manufacturers to "make their own decisions on everything from advertising claims to product quality."
The group's Web site, http://cosmeticdatabase.com/special/sunscreens/summary.php, offers a list of recommended sunscreens, and companion lists of products to be used with caution, and those to avoid entirely.
-----
Tyson Drops Antibiotics in Fresh Chicken
Tyson Foods, among the largest U.S. poultry producers, says it will no longer use antibiotics in its chickens sold as fresh.
"According to our research, 91 percent of consumers agree it's important to have fresh chicken produced and labeled 'raised without antibiotics,'" Tyson president Richard Bond said in a statement.
The company said it has already begun shipping the antibiotic-free chicken to stores nationwide.
Tyson said it hoped to convert other forms of chicken -- including quick frozen, marinated, and breaded items -- by late August.
The company statement said its no-antibiotic chicken would cost more, but didn't specify how much. The New York Times, citing a Tyson senior vice president, reported the increase would be less than $1 per pound.
-----
NCI Cancels Major Breast Cancer Study
Citing concerns about its safety and usefulness, the U.S. National Cancer Institute has canceled a $100 million study to test whether a new generation of drugs called aromatase inhibitors could prevent breast cancer in high-risk women, the Washington Post reported.
The study would have included 12,800 women at 500 sites across the United States and Canada. The women would have received either the aromatase inhibitor letrozole or the estrogen-blocking drug raloxifene, then would have been monitored for five years.
But the NCI decided that there were too many questions about the safety and the usefulness of the study, the Post reported.
While the study may have helped identify new options for women at risk for breast cancer, "the dangers of introducing these drugs, with their many known side effects, outweighs their potential until we are better able to determine who will benefit from these interventions and what the longer term effect may be," the agency said in a statement.
One of the risks associated with aromatase inhibitors is brittle bones, the Post reported.
Breast cancer researchers and patient advocates had mixed opinions about the cancellation. While some felt it was a scientifically valid study that could potentially help thousands of women, others opposed the idea of giving powerful drugs to healthy women, the Post reported.
Currently, there are two large studies underway in the United States and England comparing aromatase inhibitors with a placebo. That was another factor in the NCI decision to cancel its study, the newspaper said.
-----
Breastfeeding Decline Linked Annually to 160,000 Deaths
A decline in breastfeeding is associated with the deaths of 160,000 infants each year in the Asia-Pacific region, UNICEF regional advisor Stephen Atwood said Wednesday at a breastfeeding conference in the Philippines.
UNICEF told delegates that just 35 percent of infants in the Asia-Pacific region are exclusively breastfed in the first four months of life, Agence France-Presse reported.
Infants less than five months old who aren't exclusively breastfed are much more likely to develop diarrhea and pneumonia, conditions that can be deadly in developing nations.
UNICEF and the World Health Organization told delegates that the low prevalence of breastfeeding poses "an alarming threat to child survival" and urged Asia-Pacific leaders to do more to promote breastfeeding and to warn their citizens about "the dangers of breast milk substitutes," AFP reported.
-----
U.S. Parents Concerned About Media Violence, Sex: Survey
A new survey released Tuesday found that two-thirds of American parents are very concerned about their children's exposure to sex and violence through media such as television, the Internet, and computer games.
The Kaiser Family Foundation survey of 1,008 parents of children, ages 2 to 17, also found that about 66 percent of parents said they already closely monitor their children's use of media, 18 percent said they should do a better job in that area, and 16 percent said such monitoring isn't necessary, Associated Press reported.
The survey also found that about one in four parents feels that media are mainly a negative influence on their children, about one-third said media are mainly positive, and slightly more than a third said media have little impact on children.
About four in 10 parents who have televisions with V-chips that can block children from viewing certain shows knew they had the technology. Of those four in 10 parents, about half said they've used the technology, the AP reported.
Health Tips for June 21
Health Tip: Creating a Healthy Body Image
Eating disorders can lead to unhealthy eating habits, and in extreme, can trigger a dangerous drop in weight.
Cultivating a healthy body image in your teen can be key to preventing an eating disorder. Here are some suggestions:
* Teach your child to respect herself -- both her physical and non-physical attributes.
* Talk to your child about the importance of being herself, and why it's unrealistic to look like models pictured in magazines.
* Don't focus on food, calories and weight. Make sure your child doesn't obsess over it either.
* Try to teach her the importance of a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition, not dieting.
* Make meals a positive experience, and focus on the physical and mental benefits of a healthy diet.
* Teach your child not to deal with stress or emotions by using food.
Health Tip: Feeding Picky Eaters
Many children are finicky about what they'll eat. If you're attempting to coax a picky eater to try more foods, follow these suggestions:
* Give your child a variety of foods to choose from, including a fruit, vegetable, protein and starch. Don't only offer foods you know your child will eat.
* Don't give your child too many high-calorie drinks, which could fill her up and keep her from wanting to eat.
* Stick to a meal schedule, so that your child will be hungry at mealtime.
* Keep meals pleasant, in an environment free of TV, argument or stressful conversation.
* If your child won't eat, don't prepare a different meal just to satisfy her. She'll have another opportunity to eat at her next meal in a few hours.
* Continue offering your child foods that she has once refused. Her eating habits may change.
Eating disorders can lead to unhealthy eating habits, and in extreme, can trigger a dangerous drop in weight.
Cultivating a healthy body image in your teen can be key to preventing an eating disorder. Here are some suggestions:
* Teach your child to respect herself -- both her physical and non-physical attributes.
* Talk to your child about the importance of being herself, and why it's unrealistic to look like models pictured in magazines.
* Don't focus on food, calories and weight. Make sure your child doesn't obsess over it either.
* Try to teach her the importance of a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition, not dieting.
* Make meals a positive experience, and focus on the physical and mental benefits of a healthy diet.
* Teach your child not to deal with stress or emotions by using food.
Health Tip: Feeding Picky Eaters
Many children are finicky about what they'll eat. If you're attempting to coax a picky eater to try more foods, follow these suggestions:
* Give your child a variety of foods to choose from, including a fruit, vegetable, protein and starch. Don't only offer foods you know your child will eat.
* Don't give your child too many high-calorie drinks, which could fill her up and keep her from wanting to eat.
* Stick to a meal schedule, so that your child will be hungry at mealtime.
* Keep meals pleasant, in an environment free of TV, argument or stressful conversation.
* If your child won't eat, don't prepare a different meal just to satisfy her. She'll have another opportunity to eat at her next meal in a few hours.
* Continue offering your child foods that she has once refused. Her eating habits may change.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Health Headlines - June 20
U.S. Parents Concerned About Media Violence, Sex: Survey
A new survey released Tuesday found that two-thirds of American parents are very concerned about their children's exposure to sex and violence through media such as television, the Internet, and computer games.
The Kaiser Family Foundation survey of 1,008 parents of children, ages 2 to 17, also found that about 66 percent of parents said they already closely monitor their children's use of media, 18 percent said they should do a better job in that area, and 16 percent said such monitoring isn't necessary, Associated Press reported.
The survey also found that about one in four parents feels that media are mainly a negative influence on their children, about one-third said media are mainly positive, and slightly more than a third said media have little impact on children.
About four in 10 parents who have televisions with V-chips that can block children from viewing certain shows knew they had the technology. Of those four in 10 parents, about half said they've used the technology, the AP reported.
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U.S. Judge Upholds Blood Thinner's Patent
A U.S. judge on Tuesday upheld the patent for the popular blood thinner drug Plavix and permanently blocked Canadian drug maker Apotex Inc. from selling its generic version of the drug in the United States, Agence France-Presse reported.
The Plavix patent is held by French drug company Sanofi-Aventis and its U.S. partner Bristol-Myers Squibb. The drug, prescribed to thin blood to prevent heart attacks, is believed to be the second-best selling medication in the world.
In Tuesday's ruling, U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein said Apotex failed to prove that the patent on Plavix was invalid. The decision, which is likely to be appealed, also clears the way for damages to be assessed against Apotex, AFP reported.
Apotex started selling its generic version in the United States in August 2006.
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Extending Maternity Leave Increases Breastfeeding Duration
Giving women longer maternity leave increases the likelihood that they'll meet the recommended six-month breastfeeding target, says a Canadian study that examined the impact of lengthening maternity leave entitlements from six months to one year.
The study was published Tuesday by the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research, CBC News reported.
In most of Canada's provinces, job-protected maternity leave entitlements were increased from six months to one year, as of Jan. 1, 2001.
The study found that the proportion of eligible mothers who breastfed their children for at least six months increased from 20 percent to 28 percent, and breastfeeding was prolonged by an average of one month, CBC News reported.
Both Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommend that mothers breastfeed their babies for six months.
"For public health officials aiming to increase breastfeeding duration, it appears the labor market policy may prove an effective way of achieving breastfeeding goals," concluded the University of Toronto and University of British Columbia researchers.
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Train Sets Latest Chinese-Made Toys to be Recalled in U.S.
The recall last week of 1.5 million Thomas & Friends wooden train sets is the latest in a long list of Chinese-made toys recalled in the United States.
All 24 types of toys recalled for safety reasons in the United States so far this year were made in China, The New York Times reported. That's causing concern among parents, consumer advocates and regulators.
The recalled Thomas & Friends train sets are coated with leaded paint, which can damage brain cells, especially in children. The sets were made for RC2 Corporation of Oak Brook, Ill. at one of its company-controlled plants in China.
A spokeswoman for RC2 declined to comment on safety control measures at the company's factories in China, the Times reported.
About 70 percent to 80 percent of toys sold in the United States are made in China, according to the Toy Industry Association, which represents most American toy companies and importers.
The recalls of toys and a wide range of other products made in China have prompted demands for increased enforcement of safety standards by U.S. regulators and importers.
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Vaccine for Lung Infection in CF Patients Shows Promise
While it shows promise, more development is required on a vaccine designed to prevent a dangerous lung infection that's common among people with cystic fibrosis (CF), according to a German study published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The vaccine against infection with the Pseudomonas aeruginosa microbe was tested in 189 CF patients. Over 14 months, 37 of the patients developed Pseudomonas infection, compared with 59 of 192 patients who received a placebo, the Associated Press reported.
"This is the first demonstration that in CF, vaccination against life-threatening Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection is successful," but "further development of the vaccine formulation is needed," said study team leader Gerd Doering of the University of Tuebingen.
The study showed that the vaccine does reduce the onset of new infections in CF patients, cystic fibrosis expert Gerald B. Pier, of Harvard Medical School, told the AP.
"The longer you can delay the onset of lung infection, particularly with Pseudomonas aerrginosa, in CF the better the patients do," Pier said. "Showing that vaccination can at least partly meet this goal is a very encouraging finding for management of the lung disease that plagues CF patients."
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Foie Gras Linked to Dangerous Disease Process
Foie gras -- goose liver pate -- contains a protein that can accelerate a dangerous disease process called amyloidosis in some people with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease, says a study by American and Swedish researchers.
Amyloidosis, in which misfolded proteins are deposited in vital organs, can lead to organ failure and death. The study appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The findings from experiments with laboratory mice are the first to suggest that amyloidosis, like made cow disease, may be transmissible, Agence France-Presse reported.
However, the researchers said that even if the findings from their tests on mice hold true in humans, only people at high risk for diseases involving amyloidosis would be at risk.
"Eating foie gras probably won't cause a disease in someone who isn't genetically predisposed to it," lead author Alan Solomon, a specialist in amyloid-related diseases at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine in Knoxville, told AFP.
However, people with a family history of amyloid-related disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis should not eat foie gras, Solomon said.
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