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Special issue of Medical Care presents updates from Safety Net Medical Home Initiative

A recently concluded demonstration project made meaningful progress toward introducing a "patient-centered medical home" approach at "safety net" practices serving vulnerable and underserved populations.

17 Oct 2014

Females' natural resistance to bacterial pneumonia is linked to NOS3 enzyme

Researchers have linked increased resistance to bacterial pneumonia in female mice to an enzyme activated by the female sex hormone estrogen.

17 Oct 2014

Practical indicators encourage habit changes more than calorific value

The Affordable Care Act includes laws to help the public know the nutritional value of the food they buy. Consequently, larger chain restaurants will be required to indicate the calories count next to items on their menus. However, a study published yesterday suggests that this may not be the best way to encourage healthier eating habits.

17 Oct 2014

Statistical analysis shows stage of breast cancer predicts treatment choice

Why did 43 percent of South Dakota women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer surveyed choose mastectomy rather than lumpectomy?

17 Oct 2014

Key experts to discuss Ebola response plan at one-day workshop

At the request of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council will host a one-day workshop on Nov. 3 to examine the areas of biomedical and public health research that should be conducted to best prepare the United States to safeguard the public as a result of the emergence of Ebola Virus Disease.

17 Oct 2014

A low-cost way to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages

Adolescents who saw printed signs explaining the number of miles they would need to walk to burn off the calories in a sugary drink were more likely to leave the store with a lower calorie beverage, a healthier beverage or a smaller size beverage, according to new Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health research.

17 Oct 2014

Ebola worries focus attention on public health leaders; administration bolsters its response

With questions emerging about the handling of Ebola patients, a House subcommittee is holding a hearing that will feature testimony from CDC Director Tom Frieden and Dr. Daniel Varga, chief clinical officer and senior executive vice president at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.

17 Oct 2014

CHLA pediatric specialist discusses how parents can help children prevent Ebola outbreak

For many months, the world has witnessed the Ebola virus spread and claim more than 4,400 lives in West African countries. On Oct. 8, the first confirmed adult Ebola patient identified in the United States died. The constant news coverage has heightened concern among parents who fear their children will become infected. Jill Hoffman, MD, a pediatric Infectious diseases specialist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, discusses the facts about Ebola, how parents can help their children prevent further outbreak by teaching them good hygiene, and how CHLA is prepared to identify and treat suspected Ebola patients.

16 Oct 2014

UWM study supports the hypothesis that links autism to air pollutants

A researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has added to a growing body of evidence that links autism to air pollutants such as those generated by cars and trucks.

16 Oct 2014

Foreign-born residents with low vaccination rates face greater risk of exposure to diseases

Foreign-born residents with low vaccination rates and their relatives in the U.S. are at greater risk of exposure to several vaccine-preventable diseases, e.g. influenza; pneumococcal diseases; tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis; hepatitis A; hepatitis B; shingles; and HPV, the human papilloma virus, which can lead to some types of cancer.

16 Oct 2014

New study suggests that 21-day quarantine period not enough to completely prevent Ebola

As medical personnel and public health officials are responding to the first reported cases of Ebola Virus in the United States, many of the safety and treatment procedures for treating the virus and preventing its spread are being reexamined. One of the tenets for minimizing the risk of spreading the disease has been a 21-day quarantine period for individuals who might have been exposed to the virus. But a new study by Charles Haas, PhD, a professor in Drexel's College of Engineering, suggests that 21 days might not be enough to completely prevent spread of the virus.

16 Oct 2014

Statement on Ebola epidemic

The Ebola virus is spreading rapidly and to an unexpected extent. The outbreak does not follow the patterns experienced in the past and the virus shows a new disease dynamic in regions, where it has never been recorded before. For this reason, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, acatech – the German Academy of Science and Engineering, and the Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities have presented a statement on the Ebola epidemic today.

16 Oct 2014

New study reveals ways to reduce HIV rates in Mexico

To address the HIV epidemic in Mexico is to address it among men who have sex with men (MSM), because they account for a large percentage of the country's new infections, says Omar Galárraga, assistant professor of health services policy and practice in the Brown University School of Public Health.

16 Oct 2014

UCSF study: Smoking takes $18.1 billion toll in California

Smoking took an $18.1 billion toll in California – $487 for each resident – and was responsible for more than one in seven deaths in the state, more than from AIDS, influenza, diabetes or many other causes, according to the first comprehensive analysis in more than a decade on the financial and health impacts of tobacco.

16 Oct 2014

Views on Ebola: Try to keep 'an even keel'; who's in charge of fighting a pandemic?

Understandably, the specter of such a dangerous disease in the United States has bred fear. But it is remarkable how some public figures are inflaming that fear. Commentator Rush Limbaugh took flight on Tuesday, saying on the radio that "I don't think anybody involved with Ebola knows what they're doing. I don't care if it's the WHO or the Centers for Disease Control, I don't think anybody knows what they're doing." This was an unfounded rant that can only deepen public disquiet.

16 Oct 2014

Columbia University professor recommends vaccination for people travelling abroad

Planning to travel outside the U.S. this holiday season? Check with your primary care provider or travel clinic when you book your flight.

16 Oct 2014

Second Dallas health worker has Ebola; CDC announces 'more robust' response

Seventy-six health-care workers who helped treat Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan are now being monitored for potential Ebola exposure. Forty-eight others are being watched because they had contact with Duncan.

16 Oct 2014

Caregivers more aware of SUDEP than patients

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is concerning and many—even those with seizure disorders—may not be aware of this condition. New research published in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), reports that 76% of caregivers are more likely to have heard of SUDEP compared with 65% of patients with epilepsy.

16 Oct 2014

Risk factors for sexual assault need to be addressed when considering preventative measures: Study

Risk factors for sexual assault, including young age and alcohol consumption, must be addressed when considering preventative strategies, suggests a new study, published today (15 October) in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG).

16 Oct 2014

New study shows homebound status of older victims of 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake

A new study, published online in the journal Age and Ageing today, shows that the homebound status of adults over the age of 65 in the aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake is still a serious public health concern. Of 2,327 older adults surveyed, approximately 20% were found to be homebound.

15 Oct 2014

Public Health News and Research

Special issue of Medical Care presents updates from Safety Net Medical Home Initiative

Females' natural resistance to bacterial pneumonia is linked to NOS3 enzyme

Practical indicators encourage habit changes more than calorific value

Statistical analysis shows stage of breast cancer predicts treatment choice

Key experts to discuss Ebola response plan at one-day workshop

A low-cost way to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages

Ebola worries focus attention on public health leaders; administration bolsters its response

CHLA pediatric specialist discusses how parents can help children prevent Ebola outbreak

UWM study supports the hypothesis that links autism to air pollutants

Foreign-born residents with low vaccination rates face greater risk of exposure to diseases

New study suggests that 21-day quarantine period not enough to completely prevent Ebola

Statement on Ebola epidemic

New study reveals ways to reduce HIV rates in Mexico

UCSF study: Smoking takes $18.1 billion toll in California

Views on Ebola: Try to keep 'an even keel'; who's in charge of fighting a pandemic?

Columbia University professor recommends vaccination for people travelling abroad

Second Dallas health worker has Ebola; CDC announces 'more robust' response

Caregivers more aware of SUDEP than patients

Risk factors for sexual assault need to be addressed when considering preventative measures: Study

New study shows homebound status of older victims of 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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