RWJF News Digest - Public Health via MedWorm.com MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'RWJF News Digest - Public Health' source. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 13:41:05 +0100 Kraft to Cut Salt Levels in Many Products; Company Is Latest to Act Voluntarily as US Rules Loom http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3379950&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.com%2Fbusiness%2Farticles%2F2010%2F03%2F18%2Fkraft_to_cut_salt_levels_in_many_products%2F%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Kraft Foods Inc. plans to reduce sodium by an average of 10 percent over the next two years for North American brands, including Oscar Mayer and Velveeta. Kraft's move follows similar efforts by Campbell Soup Co. and ConAgra Foods Inc. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3379950 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:41:31 +0100 3379950 FDA Cracks Down on Tobacco Marketing to Youths: The Agency Bans Free Samples of Cigarettes and the Use of Brand Names for Promotions http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3383892&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Farticles.latimes.com%2F2010%2Fmar%2F18%2Fnation%2Fla-na-cigarettes19-2010mar19%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Taking aim at the tobacco industry's youth marketing machinery, the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday outlawed free samples of cigarettes and banned the use of tobacco brand names on promotional gear and in the sponsorship of concerts and sporting events. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3383892 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0100 3383892 Health Habits in USA Leave a Lot to Be Desired http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3375372&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2FLIFE%2Fusaedition%2F2010-03-17-healthhabits17_ST_U.htm%3Fcsp%3D34%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd This is not a nation of teetotalers or regular exercisers, new government data show. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3375372 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:40:24 +0100 3375372 Obama's C.D.C. Director, Wielding a Big Broom http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3371266&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F03%2F16%2Fhealth%2F16prof.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd No federal health agency changed more during the Bush administration than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It got new buildings, new managers and an entirely new operating structure. A year into the Obama administration, only the new buildings remain. Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the agency's director since June, has quietly scrapped nearly all the administrative changes that the previous director, Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, spent much of her six-year tenure conceiving and carrying out. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3371266 Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:40:19 +0100 3371266 Health Departments Still Fighting H1N1 — and Apathy http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3379951&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fhealth%2Fct-x-n-h1n1-minorities-0317-20100317%2C0%2C419515.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd On a recent Sunday morning, the Rev. Angelo Kyle delivered his usual boisterously spiritual shot in the arm at St. Matthew Missionary Baptist Church in Waukegan, then many members of the small congregation chose to receive a literal one -- from three nurses who had come to vaccinate them. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3379951 Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0100 3379951 FDA Targets Processing of Spices in Bid to Make Supply Safer http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3366870&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F03%2F13%2FAR2010031301111.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The Food and Drug Administration is reexamining the safety of a culinary staple found in every restaurant, food manufacturing plant and home kitchen pantry: spices. In the middle of a nationwide outbreak of salmonella illness linked to black and red pepper -- and after 16 U.S. recalls since 2001 of tainted spices -- federal regulators met last week with the spice industry to figure out ways to make the supply safer. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3366870 Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:40:19 +0100 3366870 Tracking Recalled Food Items Can Be Daunting for Customers; Consuming Interests http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3371267&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Farticles.baltimoresun.com%2F2010-03-14%2Fbusiness%2Fbal-bz.consuminginterests14mar14_1_food-safety-jean-halloran-consumers-union%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The most useful tool to keep up with a dizzying array of food recalls might be in your wallet. Food safety advocates are urging retailers to use purchasing records culled from store loyalty cards to notify customers that they have bought a recalled product. But while they say that could be the best way to reach consumers and prevent illness, opponents raise privacy concerns. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3371267 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3371267 N.H. Teen Leads Push to Ban E-Cigarettes; Wants Lawmakers to Enact Law to Halt Sales to Minors http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3366871&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fnew_hampshire%2Farticles%2F2010%2F03%2F14%2Fnh_teen_leads_push_to_ban_e_cigarettes%2F%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Electronic cigarettes are readily available at mall kiosks and the Internet, come in flavors like tobacco, strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla, and replace smoking with “vaping.” And though they deliver a dose of nicotine steam, they can still be legally sold to and used by minors. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3366871 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3366871 Let’s Ensure the Safety of What We Eat http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3360207&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailycamera.com%2Fci_14635986%3Fsource%3Drss%23axzz0hzPd4Yhw%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The last mile of a race is always the longest. Years of work have culminated in the recent approval of sweeping food-safety legislation by the U.S. House of Representatives and by a key U.S. Senate committee, and now the finish line is in sight. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3360207 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:40:24 +0100 3360207 The Senate Should Act On a Sensible Food-Protection Bill (Editorial) http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3355456&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F03%2F10%2FAR2010031003437.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Thanks to federal regulations that took effect in September, a new salmonella contamination attributed to a flavor enhancer was caught and a recall begun. But inspection documents released by the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday showed that a Las Vegas company continued to distribute the ingredient even after samples came back tainted. Unfortunately, legislation that would have prevented contamination at the source and would further secure the nation's food supply languishes in the Senate. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3355456 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:40:12 +0100 3355456 Courtland Milloy: Got A Light, President Obama? I Hope Your Answer Is 'No.' http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3351413&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F03%2F09%2FAR2010030903890.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd May I bum a smoke, Mr. President? Just kidding. I quit a while back. Still, I'd like to know how you'd respond: "Sorry, it's my last one. . . . What do I look like, a cigarette machine? . . . Smoking is bad for you; that's why I'm trying to quit.” (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3351413 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:41:04 +0100 3351413 The Vital Role of Schools of Public Health http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3360208&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jsonline.com%2Fnews%2Fopinion%2F87395777.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd President Barack Obama recently hosted a televised White House health care summit where health care reformers agreed: It is time to get serious about the role of prevention in fixing America's health care crisis. Preventing illness and keeping people healthy (public health) is equally as important as treating ill people (health care). A healthy and prosperous nation depends upon attention to and investment in preventative public health. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3360208 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3360208 CDC Uses Shopper-Card Data to Trace Salmonella http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3355457&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessweek.com%2Fap%2Ffinancialnews%2FD9EC5QUG0.htm%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd As they scrambled recently to trace the source of a salmonella outbreak that has sickened hundreds around the country, investigators from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention successfully used a new tool for the first time -- the shopper cards that millions of Americans swipe every time they buy groceries. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3355457 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3355457 Study May Boost Stop-Smoking Efforts http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3347611&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.com%2Fnews%2Fnation%2Fwashington%2Farticles%2F2010%2F03%2F09%2Fstudy_may_boost_stop_smoking_efforts%2F%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Nicotine builds up gradually in smokers' brains rather than spiking after each puff, according to a study that might help point to new ways to help people quit smoking. Dr. Jed E. Rose of Duke University reports in the online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that nicotine buildup in the brain is gradual over several minutes. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3347611 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:40:20 +0100 3347611 Flu Shots in Children Can Help Community http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3351416&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F03%2F10%2Fhealth%2F10flu.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd An unusual study done in 49 remote Hutterite farming colonies in western Canada has provided the surest proof yet that giving flu shots to schoolchildren protects a whole community from the disease. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3351416 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3351416 S.F. Supervisors Vote to Get Tougher On Smoking http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3351415&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfgate.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Farticle.cgi%3Ff%3D%2Fc%2Fa%2F2010%2F03%2F10%2FBAHM1CDCAG.DTL%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Smoking soon will be snuffed out at sidewalk cafes, restaurant patios, movie and ATM lines, bingo halls and the common areas of housing complexes. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3351415 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3351415 Tracing Tainted Food Grueling http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3351414&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2FNEWS%2Fusaedition%2F2010-03-10-schoollunchrecall10_ST_U.htm%3Fcsp%3D34%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Food director Jackie Anderson didn't get word last month until it was too late — after students in the Arlington (Texas) Independent School District already had eaten tacos filled with beef that should have been destroyed. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3351414 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3351414 H1N1 Virus Appears to Have Ended in Anti-Climax http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3343360&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.baltimoresun.com%2Fhealth%2Fbal-md.hs.flu07mar07%2C0%2C7644641.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The nearly year-old H1N1 influenza pandemic that disproportionately affected children and mobilized millions to line up for vaccination seems to have finally abated, and officials estimate that it has killed fewer people than die even in a typical flu season. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3343360 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:40:09 +0100 3343360 Official Blows Whistle on Food-Safety Agency http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3336354&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F03%2F04%2FAR2010030405013.html%3Fhpid%3Dsec-politics%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A Food Safety and Inspection Service veterinarian blew the whistle on his agency Thursday, telling lawmakers that managers repeatedly failed to heed his warnings about unsafe slaughterhouse practices, claims supported by government auditors, who said the agency had failed to consistently enforce humane slaughtering standards. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3336354 Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:40:04 +0100 3336354 Healthcare Gap Persists for Minority Women http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3343362&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Farticles.latimes.com%2F2010%2Fmar%2F06%2Flocal%2Fla-me-health-report7-2010mar07%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Minority and low-income women in Los Angeles County are more likely to have limited access to healthcare and to struggle with chronic diseases, according to a new report by the county Department of Public Health. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3343362 Sat, 06 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3343362 Expansive Food Recall Leaves Consumers Asking: What Is HVP? http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3343361&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fhealth%2Fchi-salmonella-scare-what-is-hvp%2C0%2C3606037.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Before this week most Americans never gave much thought to hydrolyzed vegetable protein. But when the Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that certain lots of the common flavor enhancer were contaminated with salmonella, HVP suddenly popped on the food safety radar. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3343361 Sat, 06 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3343361 Public Health Funding Is Patchy http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3332357&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.omaha.com%2Farticle%2F20100304%2FLIVING01%2F703039977%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd When cases of swine flu began to show up in Maine last year, the state health department diverted three-quarters of its staff to an inoculation campaign and put other infectious disease prevention programs on a back burner. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3332357 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:39:43 +0100 3332357 Mass. to Consider a Limited BPA Ban http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3328283&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.com%2Fnews%2Fscience%2Farticles%2F2010%2F03%2F03%2Fmass_to_consider_a_limited_bpa_ban%2F%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Governor Deval Patrick has asked state health officials to look into placing a limited ban on bisphenol A, a chemical found in food and drink containers that the state last summer warned parents of young children to avoid. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3328283 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:40:20 +0100 3328283 Flavoring Ingredient Recalled; Risk of Illness Seen as Low http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3336355&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F03%2F05%2Fhealth%2F05food.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Thousands of processed foods -- from soups to hot dogs to dips -- contain a flavoring ingredient contaminated with salmonella, but government food safety officials say most affected products are safe because cooking, either before or after sale, eliminates the risk. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3336355 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3336355 The Flu Season That Fizzled http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323613&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052748703429304575095743102260012.html%3Fmod%3Drss_Today%2527s_Most_Popular%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd This has been a flu season like few others. Normally at this time of year, influenza is rampant in the U.S., prompting hundreds of thousands of people to stay home in the dead of winter with fever, aches and pains. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323613 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:39:49 +0100 3323613 USA Pays the Price for Food-Borne Illness: $152 Billion a Year http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3328284&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2F2010-03-03-food-borne-illness_N.htm%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Food-borne illnesses cost the United States $152 billion a year, a tab that works out to an average cost of $1,850 each time someone gets sick from food, a report by a former Food and Drug Administration economist says. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3328284 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3328284 H1N1 Vaccine Was Unevenly Distributed Across L.A. County, Figures Show http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3319139&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Ffeatures%2Fhealth%2Fla-me-h1n1-supply1-2010mar01%2C0%2C5487898.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Officials have distributed the H1N1 flu vaccine unevenly throughout Los Angeles County, with fewer doses going to medically underserved areas in the county's north and south, according to public health agency figures. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3319139 Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:40:51 +0100 3319139 Obama Still Lighting Up, But Anti-Smoking Groups Laud Effort To Quit http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3332358&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.csmonitor.com%2FUSA%2F2010%2F0301%2FObama-still-lighting-up-but-anti-smoking-groups-laud-effort-to-quit%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Despite President Obama's pledge to his wife and children to quit smoking, he apparently has yet to kick the habit. Doctors reported that finding Sunday as part of Mr. Obama's first checkup as commander in chief. Yet anti-smoking advocates view the president's cigarette struggles not so much as a setback, but rather as an opportunity to try to get more Americans to quit. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3332358 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3332358 Public Health Departments Shrinking, Survey Finds http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323615&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fprescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F03%2F01%2Fpublic-health-departments-shrinking-survey-finds%2F%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Public health workers are another casualty of recent budget cuts in cities and counties across the country. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323615 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3323615 Cutting Salt Could Prevent Almost 500,000 Heart Attacks http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323614&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessweek.com%2Flifestyle%2Fcontent%2Fhealthday%2F636451.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A combined government-industry initiative to reduce U.S. sodium consumption by as little as 10 percent would save thousands of lives and billions of dollars, according to new research. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323614 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3323614 OPINION: What H1N1 Taught Us http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3312619&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Ffeatures%2Fhealth%2Fla-oe-orent26-2010feb26%2C0%2C4424291.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd We learned from the swine flu that not all pandemics are particularly lethal. But we also found out that a safe, fast-track vaccine is possible. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3312619 Sat, 27 Feb 2010 13:40:17 +0100 3312619 Do Toxins Cause Autism? http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3308022&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F02%2F25%2Fopinion%2F25kristof.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Autism was first identified in 1943 in an obscure medical journal. Since then it has become a frighteningly common affliction, with the Centers for Disease Control reporting recently that autism disorders now affect almost 1 percent of children. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3308022 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:40:05 +0100 3308022 Alternatives to BPA Containers Not Easy for U.S. Foodmakers to Find http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3303563&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F02%2F22%2FAR2010022204830.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Major U.S. foodmakers are quietly investigating how to rid their containers of Bisphenol A, a chemical under scrutiny by federal regulators concerned about links to a range of health problems, including reproductive disorders and cancer. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3303563 Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:40:01 +0100 3303563 Swine Flu Wanes, But Experts Say Pandemic Strain Could Reemerge http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3299433&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F02%2F22%2FAR2010022203638.html%3Fhpid%3Dsec-health%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Even as officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are announcing that the epidemic of the H1N1 flu is no longer widespread in any state, no disease expert is willing to say there isn't a third -- or fourth -- wave of swine flu in the country's future. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3299433 Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:39:36 +0100 3299433 Where Are Illinois' Healthiest People? http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3295380&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fhealth%2Fct-met-healthy-county-illinois-20100220%2C0%2C3243572.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd It's no surprise that three affluent, suburban Chicago counties — Kendall, DuPage and McHenry — rank as some of the state's healthiest, according to a new study. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3295380 Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:40:01 +0100 3295380 Md. Among States Seeking to Limit BPA http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3303564&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Farticles.baltimoresun.com%2F2010-02-23%2Fhealth%2Fbal-md.hs.bpa23feb23_1_baby-bottles-bottles-and-sippy-cups-maryland-pirg%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd As scientific evidence mounts against bisphenol-A, a chemical used in plastic baby bottles, soup cans and other containers, many states - including Maryland - are starting to take action to limit the chemical ahead of any federal regulation. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3303564 Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3303564 When it Comes to Salt, No Rights or Wrongs. Yet. http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3312620&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F02%2F23%2Fscience%2F23tier.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Suppose, as some experts advise, that the new national dietary guidelines due this spring will lower the recommended level of salt. Suppose further that public health officials in New York and Washington succeed in forcing food companies to use less salt. What would be the effect? (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3312620 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3312620 Smoking Ban Has Cost $2 Million; Critics Call It Waste of Money; Backers See Value http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3303565&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dispatchpolitics.com%2Flive%2Fcontent%2Flocal_news%2Fstories%2F2010%2F02%2F22%2Fcopy%2Fstate-smoking-ban-has-cost-2-million.html%3Fsid%3D101%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Ohio taxpayers have paid more than $2 million to rid bars, restaurants and workplaces of tobacco smoke since the statewide smoking ban took effect in 2007, a sum that opponents say could be better used elsewhere. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3303565 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3303565 Dental Coverage Cuts Leave California's Poor in Pain http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3295382&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.npr.org%2Ftemplates%2Fstory%2Fstory.php%3FstoryId%3D123855834%26ps%3Dcprs%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd In California, it's been seven months since some 3 million poor and disabled adults lost their dental coverage to budget cuts. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3295382 Sun, 21 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3295382 State Smoking Ban Has Cost $2 Million http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3295381&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dispatch.com%2Flive%2Fcontent%2Flocal_news%2Fstories%2F2010%2F02%2F21%2Fstate-smoking-ban-has-cost-2-million.html%3Fsid%3D101%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Ohio taxpayers have paid more than $2 million to rid bars, restaurants and workplaces of tobacco smoke since the statewide smoking ban took effect in 2007, a sum that opponents say could be better used elsewhere. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3295381 Sun, 21 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3295381 Coded to Obey Law, Lights Become Marlboro Gold http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3289000&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F02%2F19%2Fbusiness%2F19smoke.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd When it comes to new rules for marketing so-called light cigarettes, tobacco companies plan to honor the letter of the law -- but to shade the truth, critics say. Come June, under the new federal tobacco law, cigarette companies will no longer be allowed to use words like ''light'' or ''mild'' on packages to imply that some cigarettes are safer than others. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3289000 Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:40:02 +0100 3289000 EDITORIAL: If Pepper's The Culprit, Who's To Blame? http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3295383&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oregonlive.com%2Fopinion%2Findex.ssf%2F2010%2F02%2Fif_peppers_the_culprit_whos_to.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd With the 230th illness from salmonella reported last week, nine of them in Oregon and 17 in Washington state, health investigators point to imported black pepper that found its way onto salami manufactured in Rhode Island and shipped just about everywhere. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3295383 Sat, 20 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3295383 H1N1 Flu Has Hit Kids With Neuromuscular Disorders Especially Hard http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3284990&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2F2010-02-18-flukids18_CV_N.htm%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Despite his cerebral palsy, Derek Collette never lagged very far behind. He rode the school bus with other special-needs children, hustled to class on crutches and got decent grades for a child with a learning disability, if not on par with those of an average 13-year-old. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3284990 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:40:11 +0100 3284990 WHO: Add Swine Flu to Regular Flu Vaccine http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3332359&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.com%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2Farticles%2F2010%2F02%2F18%2Fwho_add_swine_flu_to_regular_flu_vaccine%2F%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The World Health Organization is recommending that swine flu be added to regular flu vaccines next season. The swine flu pandemic virus, or H1N1, emerged too late last year to be added to the regular flu vaccine, and a separate vaccine was needed. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3332359 Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3332359 Fighting Swine Flu Fatigue with Clever Marketing http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3295384&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Faponline%2F2010%2F02%2F18%2Fhealth%2FAP-US-MED-Swine-Flu-Vaccine.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Marco Torres stood on a busy road and waved an oversized yellow arrow with an unconventional message for a street marketing campaign: ''FREE TODAY: H1N1 Flu Shots for All.'' (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3295384 Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3295384 Has The Swine Flu Pandemic Peaked? http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3289001&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.npr.org%2Ftemplates%2Fstory%2Fstory.php%3FstoryId%3D123838794%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The World Health Organization meets next Tuesday to decide if the H1N1 flu pandemic has officially peaked. Cases of pandemic flu have been decreasing. However, a third wave of the flu had been predicted. Thursday the WHO decided to include the pandemic virus in next fall's seasonal flu vaccine. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3289001 Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3289001 Public Health Departments to Test Accreditation Program http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3277020&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ama-assn.org%2Famednews%2F2010%2F02%2F15%2Fprse0216.htm%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A voluntary accreditation program for public health departments across the country is being tested by 30 departments before its national launch in 2011. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3277020 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:40:01 +0100 3277020 Report Compares Health County-By-County http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3284995&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2F2010-02-17-countyhealth17_ST_N.htm%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd For the first time, a new report reveals how counties across America stack up when it comes to health. Today, whether you live in Malibu or Atlanta, you can learn if your community is holding its own in health. "County Health Rankings: Mobilizing Action Toward Community Health," a health report card for almost every one of the nation's more than 3,000 counties, is being released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin's Population Health Institute. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3284995 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3284995 Health Report Card: How Does Your County Stack Up? http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3284994&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.startribune.com%2Flifestyle%2Fhealth%2F84533607.html%3Felr%3DKArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O%3ADW3ckUiD3aPc%3A_Yyc%3AaUUF%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Pat Stewart was overjoyed to find out the other day that her 33 years of working for public health have finally paid off. Her neighbors in the tiny, windswept farming communities of Jackson County are the healthiest people in Minnesota, according to an exhaustive county-by-county health ranking published Wednesday by researchers at the University of Wisconsin. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3284994 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3284994 Health Rankings Rate Central Florida Counties http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3284993&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.orlandosentinel.com%2Ffeatures%2Fos-county-health-rankings-20100217%2C0%2C2327193.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd If you want to live longer, Seminole County is the place to be. If you want to avoid bad air quality and unhealthy food, stay away from Orange County. A first-of-its-kind report released today by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute ranks the health of Florida's 67 counties. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3284993 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3284993 L.A. County Ranks 26th of 56 in New Health Study; Orange County in Top 10 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3284992&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Flatimesblogs.latimes.com%2Flanow%2F2010%2F02%2Fla-county-ranks-26-of-56-in-new-health-study-orange-county-in-top-10.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd New county health rankings for every state in the country were released Wednesday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3284992 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3284992 Metro Area Counties, Cities Receive High Health Ranking Despite Poor Air Quality http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3284991&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F02%2F16%2FAR2010021605643.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Fairfax, Arlington and Loudoun are the healthiest counties in Virginia, and Howard, Montgomery and Frederick top the list in Maryland, according to a set of reports to be released Wednesday. The reports rank U.S. counties and cities based on how long people live and how healthy they are. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3284991 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3284991 iPhone Applications Are a Helping Hand in Fighting Pandemics http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3277021&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.com%2Fnews%2Fnation%2Farticles%2F2010%2F02%2F16%2Fiphone_applications_are_a_helping_hand_in_fighting_pandemics%2F%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A tap on the HealthMap iPhone application brings up a cluster of red pins on a map, representing nearby cases of swine flu. Another tap brings up a form for ordinary Americans to add to the collection by reporting bouts they have or know about. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3277021 Tue, 16 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3277021 U.S. Meat Safety: How Well Done? http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3277022&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cleveland.com%2Fbusiness%2Findex.ssf%2F2010%2F02%2Fus_meat_safety_how_well_done.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Recent outbreaks of food-borne illnesses linked to contaminated meat -- followed by massive recalls and pledges of cleaner processing -- have proved eye-opening for many consumers. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3277022 Sun, 14 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3277022 FDA Budget Draws Cries of 'Not Enough' http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3267770&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fnews%2Fnation-and-world%2Fla-na-fda-budget11-2010feb11%2C0%2C2994009.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A coalition of interests will push for more money, saying chronic underfunding has led to failures at the agency and that society, not just companies, are affected. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3267770 Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:39:43 +0100 3267770 Number of Swine Flu Cases in the U.S. Reaches 57 Million http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3277023&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Farticles.latimes.com%2F2010%2Ffeb%2F13%2Fscience%2Fla-sci-swine-flu13-2010feb13%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd An estimated 57 million Americans have contracted pandemic H1N1 influenza since the outbreak began last April, about 257,000 have been hospitalized with complications from it, and nearly 12,000 have died, according to estimates released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3277023 Sat, 13 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3277023 H1N1 Vaccination Rates Don't Show Full Picture http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3263754&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dispatch.com%2Flive%2Fcontent%2Flocal_news%2Fstories%2F2010%2F02%2F10%2FFLUNUMBERS.ART_ART_02-10-10_B1_K2GI3MN.html%3Fsid%3D101%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Despite a requirement that vaccine providers report data within 24 hours, many are lagging significantly behind, meaning the state has an inaccurate, low count of who has been vaccinated for H1N1. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3263754 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:39:54 +0100 3263754 Residue From Cigarette Smoke May Pose Health Hazard, Study Says http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3260189&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sacbee.com%2Fcapitolandcalifornia%2Fstory%2F2525883.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The scent of cigarette smoke is stubborn, clinging to clothes, walls and hair. Now scientists are beginning to explore the health threats of "third-hand smoke," or the residue left behind after the smoke clears. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3260189 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:40:21 +0100 3260189 H1N1 Squelches Seasonal Flu in Minn. http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3267771&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.startribune.com%2Flifestyle%2Fhealth%2F84073977.html%3Felr%3DKArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O%3ADW3ckUiD3aPc%3A_Yyc%3AaUUsZ%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd In almost all ways it was a pretty typical January. There were sales, the usual thaw and the Vikings lost. But there was something missing -- the flu. On Wednesday the Minnesota Department of Health reported that for the fourth week in a row there were no deaths from H1N1, and no hospitalizations for the second straight week. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3267771 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3267771 Snuff Tax Changes Rejected http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3263755&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.courier-journal.com%2Farticle%2F20100209%2FBUSINESS%2F2090349%2FSnuff-tax-changes-rejected%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A bill that would have changed how tobacco companies are taxed on moist snuff died in committee Tuesday after a prolonged debate. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3263755 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3263755 Find Source of Contaminated Meat, Safety Experts Urge http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3260190&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fhealth%2Fct-nat-meat-inspection-20100209%2C0%2C6170766.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Thousands of times each year, government inspectors test the meat and trimmings that become ground beef for E. coli, a potentially deadly pathogen that has led to outbreaks of food-borne illnesses and massive product recalls. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3260190 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3260190 As Swine Flu Fades, Experts Ponder Next Season http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3245077&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessweek.com%2Flifestyle%2Fcontent%2Fhealthday%2F635720.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd After nearly a year of headlines, worry and confusion, the H1N1 swine flu virus is now out of the news. Is it out of circulation as well? The latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds no states reporting widespread influenza activity and only five reporting regional activity. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3245077 Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:40:23 +0100 3245077 Swine Flu Still Spreading, Though at a Reduced Rate http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3260191&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Farticles.latimes.com%2F2010%2Ffeb%2F06%2Fscience%2Fla-sci-swine-flu6-2010feb06%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The odds of a third wave of pandemic H1N1 influenza hitting this spring seem to be declining, but authorities are concerned that the virus is still spreading, though at a reduced rate from its peak, and is not disappearing as would be expected in a normal influenza outbreak, federal officials said Friday. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3260191 Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3260191 EDITORIAL: Fighting the Opiate Crisis in Mass. http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3240814&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.com%2Fbostonglobe%2Feditorial_opinion%2Foped%2Farticles%2F2010%2F02%2F04%2Ffighting_the_opiate_crisis_in_mass%2F%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A crisis in opiate abuse is affecting individuals and families across Massachusetts, with death rates exceeding those from traffic accidents and even the number of Massachusetts men and women who have lost their lives in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3240814 Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:40:19 +0100 3240814 USDA Boosts School Lunch Safety; Initiatives Include Greater Testing and Communication http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3245079&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fprintedition%2Fnews%2F20100205%2F1aschoollunch05_st.art.htm%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced sweeping steps Thursday to "assure the safety and quality of food" purchased for the National School Lunch Program. The measures include tightening requirements on companies that supply ground beef to schools, testing the beef more often and more thoroughly, and improving communications within the USDA to "identify potential food safety issues" before children get sick. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3245079 Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3245079 OPINION: Cigarette Tax Hike Would Help Us http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3245078&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ajc.com%2Fopinion%2Fcigarette-tax-hike-would-291523.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The American Lung Association in Georgia plays an active role in working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. As the organization's director of advocacy, I must again announce the unacceptable grades Georgia received on our national association's signature report, the State of Tobacco Control. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3245078 Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3245078 States Struggling With EPA Rules http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3236932&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fnews%2Fnation%2Fenvironment%2F2010-02-02-environment-states-epa_N.htm%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd States are slashing funds for environmental programs, threatening their ability to meet federal standards for clean air and water. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3236932 Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:39:56 +0100 3236932 EDITORIAL: Vital Signs; FDA’s Concern Over Potentially Harmful Plastic Ingredient Signals a Welcome Change http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3323616&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chron.com%2Fdisp%2Fstory.mpl%2Feditorial%2F6851984.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd For many years, the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) has been used in the making of hard plastic food containers, such as baby bottles and cups, as well as the lining of metal food and drink cans. Research has shown that BPA leaches, even at cold temperatures, into those foods and drinks, and is so commonly used that more than 90 percent of Americans have traces of it in their urine. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3323616 Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3323616 U.S. Adults Forgo Routine Immunization: Report http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3245081&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSTRE6133HO20100204%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Tens of thousands of American adults die each year from pneumonia, influenza and other infectious diseases that could be prevented by routine vaccinations, according to a report released Thursday. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3245081 Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3245081 Public Health Tab to Hit Milestone http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3245080&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052748703575004575043490639289022.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd For the first time, government programs next year will account for more than half of all U.S. health-care spending, federal actuaries predict, as the weak economy sends more people into Medicaid and slows growth of private insurance. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3245080 Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3245080 As Swine Flu Recedes, Health Officials Tally the Lessons It Taught http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232652&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tampabay.com%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2Farticle1069856.ece%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd More than a month has passed since swine flu was considered widespread anywhere in Florida. The H1N1 vaccine is widely available, but demand has fallen off along with the threat from the virus. Although they warn that H1N1 is still circulating and flu season is far from over, officials are starting to step back and reflect on the most extensive public health campaign in years. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232652 Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:40:41 +0100 3232652 Intestinal Bacteria Sickens 500,000 Americans Yearly http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3240816&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.suntimes.com%2Flifestyles%2Fhealth%2F2025191%2CFIT-News-senior03.article%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Seniors 65 and older who have been in the hospital or are on antibiotics are at risk to contract an intestinal bacteria, reports experts from the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3240816 Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3240816 More H1N1 Vaccines Recalled http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3240815&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.courant.com%2Fhealth%2Fhc-vaccine-0203.artfeb03%2C0%2C6284500.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd More than 11,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine distributed in Connecticut have been recalled because of decreased potency, the third such recall in two months. Like the two previous recalls, the latest one is not safety related, according to the state Department of Public Health. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3240815 Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3240815 Blakely Peanut Illness: Little Has Changed Since Scare; A Year After Outbreak, Holes Still Exist in Inspection Safety Net http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3228419&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ajc.com%2Fnews%2Fblakely-peanut-illness-little-286617.html%3Fcxtype%3Drss_news_128746%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A year after peanut butter crackers nearly killed him, Claude Ivester still has not fully recovered, and the food safety net remains largely unchanged. The 74-year-old feels weaker than he did before he contracted salmonella food poisoning. He forgets more. He has quit his job at a recycling plant. He can't look at a jar of peanut butter without getting angry. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3228419 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:40:21 +0100 3228419 Food Safety, Drug Access Top FDA Concerns http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3236933&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sltrib.com%2Ffood%2Fci_14318810%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Food safety and quicker access to low-cost medicines top the priorities in U.S. President Barack Obama's proposed budget for the Food and Drug Administration. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3236933 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3236933 $101 Million More for CDC for Programs; Plan Adds Training for Public Health Workers, Grants for Wellness http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232654&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ajc.com%2Fnews%2Fcdc-gets-boost-under-288111.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd President Barack Obama's proposed budget includes a $101 million boost in funding for the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that would help pay for new programs aimed at addressing obesity and diseases in big cities, a new training program for public health professionals and other agency expansions. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232654 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3232654 S.F. Considers Tightening Smoking Restrictions http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232653&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfgate.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Farticle.cgi%3Ff%3D%2Fc%2Fa%2F2010%2F02%2F01%2FBA9P1BR4Q9.DTL%26feed%3Drss.news%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A proposal to greatly expand San Francisco's smoking ban won high praise Monday from health professionals concerned about the dangers of secondhand smoke, but got a cool response from local bar and nightclub owners who fear the restrictions would drive away customers. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232653 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3232653 Heart Disease "Will Kill 400,000 Americans in 2010" http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3232655&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fs%2Fnm%2F20100201%2Fus_nm%2Fus_heart_disease_americans_2%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Decades of progress in the United States on cutting cholesterol, blood pressure and smoking are being stalled by rising obesity rates, and heart disease will kill around 400,000 Americans this year, experts said on Monday. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3232655 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3232655 Where There's No Smoke, Altria Hopes There's Fire http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3228420&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F01%2F31%2Fbusiness%2F31altria.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd For years, Altria, home to Philip Morris and its popular Marlboro cigarette brand, was a corporate pariah blamed for the deaths of millions of people and sued for hundreds of billions of dollars by attorneys general in every state. After eventually acknowledging, like others in its industry, that cigarette smoking was, indeed, addictive and caused disease, Altria went a step further. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3228420 Sun, 31 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3228420 State Siphons Tobacco-Settlement Funds; Shrinking Slice of Fund Goes to Prevention, Cessation http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3221575&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fwest%2Fct-met-0129-illinois-tobacco-funds-20100128%2C0%2C7127232.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd If you smoke and itch to quit, don't look to the state for help. Despite an annual infusion of about $300 million from the landmark tobacco settlement, Illinois continues to spend less than most others on programs designed to prevent people from lighting up, according to a national ranking. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3221575 Sat, 30 Jan 2010 13:39:46 +0100 3221575 Is Atlanta Prepared for a Disaster? http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3228421&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ajc.com%2Fnews%2Fatlanta%2Fis-atlanta-prepared-for-286817.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Bombs will go off in Atlanta next week --- on paper. But if the scenario were real, what would be the city's response? Coordinated or chaotic? About 200 leaders in government, business and the nonprofit community will gather Wednesday at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to discuss ways to strengthen Atlanta's response to a major crisis, whether it's a terrorist attack or a tornado. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3228421 Sat, 30 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3228421 Obama's Pick for Food Safety Chief Surprises Consumer Advocates http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3217637&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F01%2F27%2FAR2010012704801.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Soon after taking office, President Obama highlighted food safety as a domestic priority. A string of national outbreaks of food illnesses were a "troubling trend," the president said. He called the problems "critical" and said they presented a "risk to public health." (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3217637 Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:39:50 +0100 3217637 Rise Seen in Deaths From Pneumonia and Flu http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3228422&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F01%2F30%2Fhealth%2F30flu.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Deaths from pneumonia and influenza across the country rose sharply in the weekly flu report released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but a spokesman for the agency called it merely ''a blip we're checking out.'' It was premature to conclude that any third wave of swine flu was emerging, said the spokesman, Thomas Skinner. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3228422 Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3228422 U.S. Is Unprepared for Major Bioterrorism Attack, Commission Finds http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3213566&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F01%2F26%2FAR2010012601265.html%3Fhpid%3Dmoreheadlines%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd More than eight years after the deadly 2001 anthrax attacks, the United States is still unprepared to respond to a major biological terror attack, a congressionally appointed commission said yesterday. Overall, the panel's report gave the federal government mixed grades for protecting Americans from the threat of weapons of mass destruction. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3213566 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:40:43 +0100 3213566 New York City Residents Can Expect to Live Longer http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3209486&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fprod.newsday.com%2Fnews%2Fnew-york%2Flife-expectancy-increases-for-nyc-residents-1.1724350%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The life expectancy of New York City residents has continued to increase, hitting a record average of 79.4 years for a person born in 2007, city officials said yesterday. (registration required) (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3209486 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:39:37 +0100 3209486 Boost in Md. Cigarette Taxes a Boon for Smugglers http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3217638&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.baltimoresun.com%2Fbusiness%2Fbal-bz.hancock27jan27%2C0%2C5574031.column%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Gov. Martin O'Malley promotes entrepreneurship. Kyun Hong seems to have answered the call. According to comptroller's agents, he packed his Severna Park house with cigarettes and snuff bought across state lines and resold them to Baltimore retailers without paying Maryland's tobacco tax. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3217638 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3217638 Protecting Children From Harmful School Bus Diesel Emissions http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3205529&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F01%2F25%2FAR2010012500970.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Millions of school children across the nation ride on buses every day that use diesel fuel, exposing them to dangerous pollutants and serious health hazards. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3205529 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:40:04 +0100 3205529 Dental Foundation Takes Aim at Children's Poor Oral Health; Grant Money Will Be Used in Md.'s Lower-Income Areas http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3217639&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.baltimoresun.com%2Fhealth%2Fbal-md.hs.dental26jan26%2C0%2C6958278.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The DentaQuest Foundation said Monday that it will fund efforts to improve the oral health of the region's children, particularly those in lower-income areas. The foundation awarded a $331,343 grant to the University of Maryland to promote statewide oral health literacy and put up another $202,886 to support development of a Maryland Dental Action Coalition. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3217639 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3217639 Health Care Bills Do Promote Healthy Living http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3213569&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfgate.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Farticle.cgi%3Ff%3D%2Fc%2Fa%2F2010%2F01%2F25%2FEDG01BL6VK.DTL%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Everyone alienated by the compromises to extract health reform legislation out of Congress, take heart. There's a sleeper in both the House and Senate bills that could do more to promote health in the long run than any of the insurance we may - or may not - get. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3213569 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3213569 EPA Boss: Rule Cuts Health Risks; One-Hour Standard Targets Air Pollutant http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3213568&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nola.com%2Fnews%2Ft-p%2Fneworleans%2Findex.ssf%3F%2Fbase%2Fnews-12%2F1264488035132360.xml%26coll%3D1%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A new federal standard regulating short-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide will improve air quality, particularly in communities disproportionately impacted by environmental problems, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson said Monday at a conference on environmental justice being held in New Orleans. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3213568 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3213568 EDITORIAL: What's in a Smoke?; Finally, the FDA Goes After the Content of Cigarettes http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3213567&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcommunity.post-gazette.com%2Fblogs%2Ffinepoint%2Farchive%2F2010%2F01%2F26%2Fwhat-s-in-a-smoke-finally-the-fda-goes-after-the-content-of-cigarettes.aspx%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The more the government knows about what's in cigarettes, besides tobacco, the better it can assess their potential harm. In a progressive move to gain more information about tobacco product formulas, the Food and Drug Administration is requiring tobacco companies to tell the agency exactly what goes into their products by June. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3213567 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3213567 Obama Nominates Hagen as Food Safety Undersecretary http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3209487&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2F2010-01-26-nominees26_ST_N.htm%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The White House announced Monday a nominee for undersecretary for Food Safety at the Department of Agriculture. The position has been vacant for almost a year. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3209487 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3209487 A Mixed Report on American Health http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3217640&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F01%2F26%2Fhealth%2F26stat.html%3Fpartner%3Drss%26emc%3Drss%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd There is some good news in the numbers released last month by the National Center for Health Statistics on the health of Americans in the first half of 2009. But there is ample bad news, too, and a third of us are not feeling very well: the percentage of people who reported having excellent or very good health declined to 66.6 percent in the 2009 period, from 69.1 percent in 1998. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3217640 Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3217640 Menthol May Be Nicotine's Partner in Addiction http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3213570&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.npr.org%2Ftemplates%2Fstory%2Fstory.php%3FstoryId%3D122868470%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Nicotine is definitely addictive, but scientists have been debating for several decades the effect of menthol in hooking people on tobacco. Some researchers suspect that menthol allows smokers to take deeper drags or puffs on cigarettes, drawing in greater amounts of nicotine and its byproducts. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3213570 Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3213570 With Health Reform in Limbo, Groups Issue Call to Arms http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3209489&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.marketwatch.com%2Fhealthmatters%2F2010%2F01%2F25%2Fwith-health-reform-in-limbo-groups-issue-call-to-arms%2F%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Health-care reform hangs in the balance after last week’s Massachusetts special election changed the balance of power in Washington. Now many interest groups that spent much of the last year negotiating with lawmakers are in wait-and-see mode ahead of President Obama’s State of the Union address on Wednesday. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3209489 Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3209489 After Smoking and Fats, Focus Turns to Salt http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3209488&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F01%2F26%2Fhealth%2F26brod.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd In decades past, when companies wanted to test-market a product meant to enhance health and well-being, they often tried it first in California -- where people were reputed to be the most health-conscious in the country. But now companies might be wise to consider field-testing their wares in New York City. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3209488 Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3209488 EDITORIAL: Help in D.C.'S AIDS Crisis; With the NIH, a Promising Partnership to Combat an Epidemic http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3198852&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F01%2F21%2FAR2010012104504.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd THE DISTRICT is getting substantial help for the first time from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in its urgent battle against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. A two-year, $26.4 million partnership aims to improve the city's ability to get people tested and into treatment. It also will give the District the data needed to track the epidemic's advance. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3198852 Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:39:53 +0100 3198852 Iowa Lawmaker Wants More Information in Epidemics http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3194841&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fchi-ap-ia-iowa-diseaseoutbr%2C0%2C83028.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd An Iowa lawmaker wants public health officials to release more details about people who die in epidemics. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3194841 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:40:32 +0100 3194841 Meat Safety: How Well Done? http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3198854&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fhealth%2Fct-nat-meat-safety-20100121%2C0%2C288473.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Recent outbreaks of food-borne illnesses linked to contaminated meat -- followed by huge recalls and pledges of cleaner processing -- have proved eye-opening for many consumers. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3198854 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3198854 Half-Teaspoon Less Salt Daily Could Save Lives; Analysis Includes $24 Billion Saved http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3198853&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.com%2Fnews%2Fnation%2Fwashington%2Farticles%2F2010%2F01%2F22%2Fhalf_a_teaspoon_less_salt_daily_may_save_lives%2F%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Consuming just half a teaspoon less salt each day may save as many as 92,000 U.S. deaths and as much as $24 billion in medical costs a year, a study found. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3198853 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3198853 Pressure's on for Obama to Fill 'Food Czar' Job at USDA http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3190308&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fmoney%2Findustries%2Ffood%2F2010-01-18-food-safety-czar_N.htm%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Calls from consumer advocates and politicians are growing louder for the Obama administration to name an undersecretary for food safety at the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, a position unfilled for more than a year. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3190308 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:39:53 +0100 3190308 EDITORIAL: Don't Kill Off Anti-Smoking Agency http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3205530&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indystar.com%2Farticle%2F20100121%2FOPINION08%2F1210418%2F1291%2FOPINION08%2FDon-t-kill-off-anti-smoking-agency%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd As Gov. Mitch Daniels exhorts government to do more with less, the folks at Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation can justifiably hold themselves up as a model. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3205530 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3205530 FDA Looks to Shift Food-Safety Focus Upstream http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3205531&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oregonlive.com%2Fbusiness%2Findex.ssf%2F2010%2F01%2Ffda_looks_to_shift_food-safety.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd It's been a year since the country was hit with a peanut-related salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 700 in Oregon and across the country and killed nine people. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3205531 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3205531 Experts: Sitting Too Much Could Be Deadly http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3198855&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseattletimes.nwsource.com%2Fhtml%2Fnationworld%2F2010846067_sitting21.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Scientists are increasingly warning that sitting for prolonged periods even if you also exercise regularly could be bad for your health. And it doesn't matter where the sitting takes place at the office, at school, in the car or before a computer or TV just the overall number of hours it occurs. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3198855 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3198855 EDITORIAL: Heightened Concern Over BPA http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3194842&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F01%2F21%2Fopinion%2F21thur2.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The Food and Drug Administration has raised its level of concern over the safety of bisphenol-A, or BPA, an industrial chemical found in baby bottles and the linings of canned goods and other consumer products. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3194842 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3194842 What's in a Cigarette? FDA Will Soon Find Out http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3190310&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fs%2Fap%2F20100118%2Fap_on_bi_ge%2Fus_fda_tobacco_ingredients%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The Food and Drug Administration is working to lift the smokescreen clouding the ingredients used in cigarettes and other tobacco products. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3190310 Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3190310 Smokers Need Not Apply for a Job http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3190309&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesfreepress.com%2Fnews%2F2010%2Fjan%2F18%2Fsmokers-need-not-apply-job%2F%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd As if higher tobacco taxes, steeper health insurance premiums and smoke-free workplaces weren’t enough, tobacco users have one more financial incentive to kick the habit — missed job opportunities. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3190309 Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3190309 Editorial: A Ban With Health Benefits; Congress Moves to Stop Use of the Mail To Distribute Native American Cigarettes http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3190313&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.buffalonews.com%2F149%2Fstory%2F925615.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Congress may soon do for New York what the state's own Legislature has been unwilling to accomplish: putting an effective end to the problem -- some say the advantage -- of tax-free cigarette sales by the Seneca Nation of Indians. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3190313 Sun, 17 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3190313 Smoking, Obesity Top State Health Issues http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3190312&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ljworld.com%2Fnews%2F2010%2Fjan%2F17%2Fsmoking-obesity-top-state-health-issues%2F%3Fcity_local%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Smoking and obesity are the top health challenges facing Kansans. Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, director of health for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said they are costing lives and money. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3190312 Sun, 17 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3190312 Obesity Is a Growing National, State Problem http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3190311&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thestarpress.com%2Farticle%2F20100117%2FLIFESTYLE%2F1170324%2FObesity-is-a-growing-national-state-problem%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd As the national health care reform debate continues, the 20th anniversary edition of America's Health Rankings has reported that obesity has increased nearly 130 percent in the past 20 years. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3190311 Sun, 17 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3190311 Numerous Kids Overdue for Second H1N1 Booster http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3176927&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fprintedition%2Fnews%2F20100115%2F1ah1n1doses15_st.art.htm%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Hundreds of thousands of children are overdue for a second dose of H1N1 vaccine that's needed to fully protect them from swine flu, a USA TODAY review of data from 10 states shows. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3176927 Sat, 16 Jan 2010 13:39:38 +0100 3176927 Mass. Minorities Have Higher Rates of Swine Flu http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3190317&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.com%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2Farticles%2F2010%2F01%2F16%2Fmassachusetts_minorities_have_higher_rates_of_swine_flu%2F%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Racial and ethnic minorities in Massachusetts have been hospitalized and died of swine flu at an elevated rate, underscoring the need for people to continue be vaccinated since there is now ample supply of vaccine, state officials said yesterday. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3190317 Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3190317 FDA Issues BPA Guidelines http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3190316&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fnews%2Fnation-and-world%2Fla-na-fda-bpa16-2010jan16%2C0%2C3811446.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The Food and Drug Administration said Friday that the safety of a controversial chemical found in some baby bottles, children's drinking cups and other food containers merited further study but did not warrant immediate restrictions on its use. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3190316 Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3190316 One in Five Americans Got Swine Flu Vaccine, CDC Reports http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3190315&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2010%2F01%2F15%2FAR2010011503927.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd About one in five Americans has been vaccinated against swine flu, according to the government's first detailed estimates of vaccination rates against the pandemic. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3190315 Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3190315 Health Care Reform: Fulfilling the Promise of Public Health http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3190318&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.nj.com%2Fnjv_guest_blog%2F2010%2F01%2Fhealth_care_reform_fulfilling.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Every day, the headlines confirm what many of us have known for a long time: The nation’s health care system is in desperate need of repair. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3190318 Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3190318 H1N1 Death Rates Higher for Some Ethnic and Racial Groups in California http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3176928&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Ffeatures%2Fhealth%2Fla-me-h1n1-stats15-2010jan15%2C0%2C211614.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd California Latinos have been nearly twice as likely as whites to die of H1N1 flu since the pandemic began last spring, according to statewide figures released Thursday by the California Department of Public Health. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3176928 Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3176928 Md. Advocates Back Increase in Liquor Tax http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168387&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.baltimoresun.com%2Fnews%2Fmaryland%2Fbal-md.alcohol13jan13%2C0%2C4969405.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Public health advocates are rallying behind a 10 cents-per-drink increase in Maryland's alcohol tax to protect programs that could fall victim to the next round of state cuts needed to avoid a projected $2 billion budget shortfall. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168387 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:39:45 +0100 3168387 U.S. Obesity Rates Reaching a Resting Point, Studies Show http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3176931&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fnation%2Fla-sci-obesity14-2010jan14%2C0%2C6185851.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Americans may not be collectively doomed to die in their recliners after all, one hand in the chips bag, the other stretching for the remote. Obesity levels seem to be leveling off or slowing across most of the population, according to two new comprehensive studies of the nation's heft. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3176931 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3176931 Wis. Lawmakers Reject Proposal to Use Stimulus Money to Target Candy-Flavored Tobacco http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3176930&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fnationworld%2Fwire%2Fsns-ap-us-wisconsin-stimulus-plans%2C0%2C5247988.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Wisconsin lawmakers on Thursday rejected a health department proposal to use $3 million in stimulus funding to lobby for a statewide ban on candy- and fruit-flavored tobacco products. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3176930 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3176930 Judge Orders F.D.A. to Stop Blocking Imports of E-Cigarettes From China http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3176929&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F01%2F15%2Fbusiness%2F15smoke.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Food and Drug Administration to stop blocking the importation of electronic cigarettes from China and indicated that the devices should be regulated as tobacco products rather than drug or medical devices. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3176929 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3176929 New Official Named With Portfolio to Unite Agencies and Improve Food Safety http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3176932&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F01%2F14%2Fhealth%2Fpolicy%2F14fda.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The Obama administration, moving to address the nation's fractured food safety system, on Wednesday appointed Michael R. Taylor, a veteran food expert, as deputy commissioner for foods at the Food and Drug Administration. The newly created position is the first to oversee all the agency's many food and nutrition programs. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3176932 Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3176932 Richmond Gets Kudos on Anti-Smoking Effort http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168388&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfgate.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Farticle.cgi%3Ff%3D%2Fc%2Fa%2F2010%2F01%2F12%2FBA421BHAHA.DTL%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Richmond, not usually associated with stellar air quality, won praise Tuesday for protecting its residents' lungs by enacting some of the toughest anti-smoking laws in the country. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168388 Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168388 Editorial: Tobacco Regulations -- Too Much of a Good Thing http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168391&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fnews%2Fopinion%2Feditorials%2Fla-ed-tobacco12-2010jan12%2C0%2C7706923.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The federal government long maintained a love-hate relationship with tobacco, protecting the noxious weed's legal status -- and subsidizing its cultivation -- even as it required health warnings on packages. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168391 Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168391 Anti-Smoking Group Chastises Ohio http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168390&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dispatchpolitics.com%2Flive%2Fcontent%2Flocal_news%2Fstories%2F2010%2F01%2F12%2Fcopy%2Flungproblems.ART_ART_01-12-10_A1_V3G9APC.html%3Fadsec%3Dpolitics%26sid%3D101%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Even as they applauded the federal government's effort to boost tobacco regulation, leaders of the American Lung Association condemned many states, including Ohio, for doing little to prevent smoking and to help smokers quit. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168390 Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168390 Health Reform Revisionism http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168389&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsweek.com%2Fid%2F230466%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Could the proposed health-care bill have prevented some of America's biggest public health crises? (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168389 Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168389 American Indians Found at High Risk From Swine Flu http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168392&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sacbee.com%2Fourregion%2Fstory%2F2452035.html%3Fstorylink%3Domni_popular%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Swine flu disproportionately hits the young and the asthmatic, the pregnant and the diabetic. A federal study says American Indians also are at high risk. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168392 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168392 'GMA' Exclusive: New Surgeon General Takes on Critics http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168394&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fabcnews.go.com%2FGMA%2FOnCall%2Fgma-exclusive-surgeon-general-takes-critics%2Fstory%3Fid%3D9526632%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The new U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Regina Benjamin, speaks out for the first time about her appointment as the nation's top doctor and the personal criticisms that came with it. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168394 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168394 Citing Hazard, New York Says Hold the Salt http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168393&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F01%2F11%2Fbusiness%2F11salt.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd First New York City required restaurants to cut out trans fat. Then it made restaurant chains post calorie counts on their menus. Now it wants to protect people from another health scourge: salt. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168393 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168393 Protection of Food Supply Faces Problems http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168395&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fstories%2F2010%2F01%2F09%2Feveningnews%2Fmain6076565.shtml%3Ftag%3DcurrentVideoInfo%3BvideoMetaInfo%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd When it comes to agriculture, America is indeed the land of plenty. Foods raised here and imported from around the world provide greater abundance and choice than ever before. But while our foods are bountiful, they're also inconsistently regulated. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168395 Sat, 09 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168395 EPA's Tougher Proposed Smog Rules Will Affect California http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168396&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fresnobee.com%2F1148%2Fstory%2F1773606.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday proposed tougher controls on smog that are expected, over time, to improve air quality. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168396 Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168396 The Official Word to All, Get a Swine Flu Vaccination Now http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168399&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F01%2F08%2Fhealth%2Fpolicy%2F08flu.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Citing mistakes made in the 1957 flu pandemic, federal officials on Thursday urged hesitant Americans to get vaccinated now against swine flu to prevent any possibility of another wave of illness and deaths. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168399 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168399 Appeal To Ohio Supreme Court; Tobacco-Money Dispute Isn't Over http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168398&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dispatchpolitics.com%2Flive%2Fcontent%2Flocal_news%2Fstories%2F2010%2F01%2F07%2Fcopy%2Ftobacco_appeal.ART_ART_01-07-10_B3_3GG7MJS.html%3Fsid%3D101%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd An anti-smoking group is asking the Ohio Supreme Court to rule on a dispute about how the state can spend $258 million originally intended to prevent tobacco use. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168398 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168398 Swine Flu Hits Minorities Hard http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168397&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jsonline.com%2Ffeatures%2Fhealth%2F80971802.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Minorities in Milwaukee and the rest of Wisconsin were two to three times as likely as whites to be hospitalized for swine flu, a disparity that city and state health officials vowed to combat as the second wave of the pandemic diminishes and the possibility of a third wave looms on the horizon. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168397 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168397 Vaccine Gaps Cause Outbreaks; Missed Shots Weaken 'Herd Immunity,' and Other Children Can Get Sick and Even Die http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168401&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2F2010-01-06-childhoodvaccines06_CV_N.htm%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Brendalee Flint did everything she could to keep her baby safe. She nourished her with breast milk; she gave her all the routine vaccines. But Flint never realized how much her daughter's health would depend on the actions of her friends, neighbors and even strangers. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168401 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168401 Checking America's Pulse; Health Statistics Show Illinois Above Average in Key Goals http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168400&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fhealth%2Fchi-hhs-goals-jan06%2C0%2C7399778.story%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Like a zealous personal trainer, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services tries to psych us up each decade with a list of national health goals to meet over the next 10 years. Think of them as new-decade resolutions for the whole country. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168400 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168400 Judge Lifts Some Tobacco Ad Limits http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3168402&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F01%2F06%2Fbusiness%2Fmedia%2F06smoke.html%3Fcid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A federal judge in Kentucky issued a mixed ruling Tuesday in the first significant legal challenge to the new federal law regulating tobacco products. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3168402 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0100 3168402 Health Officials Call for More Americans to Receive H1N1 Vaccination http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3116239&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D27025%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Although the number of states reporting widespread flu activity dropped to 14 for the week ending December 5, down from 25 the week prior, federal health officials are urging all individuals to be vaccinated against H1N1 to prevent another potential wave of the virus from emerging across the holidays, the Wall Street Journal reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3116239 Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:39:42 +0100 3116239 New York City Health and Hospital Corporation Launches Web Site to Improve Diabetes Care http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3112266&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D26966%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation has launched a Web site designed to better engage its 58,000 diabetic patients in their own care, HealthLeaders reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3112266 Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:39:54 +0100 3112266 HHS Awards Funding for Chronic Disease Prevention Programs http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3116240&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D27026%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced plans to distribute $27 million in funding to help older Americans better manage chronic conditions, McKnight's Long-Term Care News reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3116240 Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:00:00 +0100 3116240 Survey Reveals Teenage Smoking Reached All-Time Low in 2009 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3108942&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D26806%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd An annual survey funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) finds that, in 2009, smoking rates among teenagers fell to the lowest level since 1975, the Wall Street Journal reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3108942 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:41:26 +0100 3108942 South Carolina Insurer Introduces Program to Prevent Diabetes, Reduce Childhood Obesity http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3112267&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D26967%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd BlueChoice Health Plan of South Carolina has announced plans to launch two initiatives aimed at promoting physical activity and healthful eating, HealthLeaders reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3112267 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:00:00 +0100 3112267 Nearly One Million Doses of H1N1 Pediatric Vaccine Recalled http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3102619&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D26805%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Officials from Sanofi Pasteur have announced plans to voluntarily recall 800,000 doses of the H1N1 influenza vaccine intended for use in children between age 6 months and 35 months because they no longer meet potency specifications, the New York Times reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3102619 Sat, 19 Dec 2009 13:39:38 +0100 3102619 CDC Estimates Suggest H1N1 Has Sickened 47 Million, Killed 10,000 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3093399&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D26685%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates suggest that the H1N1 influenza virus has infected approximately one in six Americans, or about 47 million, and killed approximately 10,000, the New York Times reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3093399 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:39:41 +0100 3093399 Report Suggests Serious Gaps in Preparedness Remain http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3102621&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D26766%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A new report prepared by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation suggests that the recent H1N1 influenza outbreak has highlighted several flaws in the nation's preparedness system, HealthDay reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3102621 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:00:00 +0100 3102621 Oklahoma Health Department Unveils Plan to Improve Resident's Health http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3102620&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D26765%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The Oklahoma State Department of Health has unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at improving children's health care and reducing obesity and tobacco use through 2015, the Associated Press reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3102620 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:00:00 +0100 3102620 H1N1 Pulls Resources, Staff, From Other Public Health Programs http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3090077&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D26608%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd Routine public health programs—including childhood immunization clinics, home health visits and chronic disease programs, among others—have "taken a back seat," as many public health clinics nationwide have been forced to divert staff and other resources to meet the needs of the H1N1 vaccination effort, the Wall Street Journal reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3090077 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:39:41 +0100 3090077 Budget Constraints Force States to Cut Back on Free Cancer Screening http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3093400&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D26686%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A new report from the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network suggests that states offered fewer no-cost cancer screenings to low-income women in 2008 and 2009, the Associated Press reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3093400 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:00:00 +0100 3093400 EPA Suggests Greenhouse Gases Could Pose Public Health Threat http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3085461&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D26546%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that greenhouse gases (GHGs) pose a threat to the American public's health and welfare, following a thorough review of scientific evidence and public comments, the Los Angeles Times reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3085461 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:40:00 +0100 3085461 NIH Launches Program to Develop Obesity Prevention Strategies http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3090078&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D26609%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced plans to launch a $37 million research effort that seeks to identify more effective strategies to reduce obesity, AHA News Now reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3090078 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:00:00 +0100 3090078 Report Says States Spending Less on Anti-Smoking Efforts http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3085462&cid=s_36556_4_f&fid=36556&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rwjf.org%2Fpublichealth%2Fdigest.jsp%3Fid%3D26547%26cid%3Dxrs_rss-nd A new report from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids suggests that, although states are receiving higher revenue from tobacco companies, they are spending less on smoking cessation campaigns and programs, the New York Times reports. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health) RWJF News Digest - Public Health news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3085462 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 05:00:00 +0100 3085462