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News outlets examine global response to HIV/AIDS ahead of World AIDS Day

The Associated Press explores how PEPFAR funds are being used to help connect patients living with the disease to treatment, provide support for families and educate the public about the disease in Vietnam.

1 Dec 2009

Low-income women experience significantly greater gaps in access to health care

Low-income women are four times more likely than higher-income women to report fair or poor health and nearly twice as likely to report a health condition that limits their basic physical activities, according to a new policy brief from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

1 Dec 2009

New study reveals childhood lead exposure can cause permanent brain injury

A study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to evaluate brain function revealed that adults who were exposed to lead as children incur permanent brain injury. The results were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

1 Dec 2009

Senate health reform players prepare policy positions

With debate scheduled to begin as early as Monday, senators are preparing their arguments for or against health care reform, Bloomberg reports. "All 58 Senate Democrats and the two independents who caucus with them backed [Senate Majority Leader Harry] Reid's bid to start debate this week.

1 Dec 2009

Purple Hoot supports Cancer Research UK

Visitors to www.purplehoot.com can choose from a wide range of cards, including traditional, contemporary, humorous and an exclusive Edward Monkton Xmas range, helping to raise funds to beat cancer at the same time. They also have the option to personalise cards by uploading their own images and add from a selection of seasonal clip art.

1 Dec 2009

Neurotoxic heavy metal can slow the progression of Lou Gehrig's disease

New discoveries have been made about how an elevated level of lead, which is a neurotoxic heavy metal, can slow the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease - findings that could point the way to a new type of therapy.

1 Dec 2009

Home visits to educate children with asthma can lead to fewer flare-ups and less frequent trips to ER

A few home visits by a health care specialist to educate children with asthma about basic strategies for earlier symptom recognition and improving medication use can lead to fewer flare-ups and less frequent trips to the ER, according to research from Johns Hopkins Children's Center published in the December issue of Pediatrics.

1 Dec 2009

New research suggests people cannot survive cardiac arrest without oxygen during CPR

People can survive cardiac arrest if they receive only chest compressions during attempts to revive them - as advised by the current American Heart Association guidelines. But they cannot survive without access to oxygen sometime during the resuscitation effort, research suggests.

1 Dec 2009

Reductionist model provides new insights on HIV infection

A major obstacle to HIV research is the virus's exquisite specialisation for its human host - meaning that scientists' traditional tools, like the humble lab mouse, can deliver only limited information. Now, a team of researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access Journal of Biology have made an ingenious assault on this problem by creating a mouse that has key features of HIV infection without being infected with HIV.

1 Dec 2009

Americans living in the Southern region may have elevated risk of dying from stroke

The "stroke belt" has a tight hold. People born in the Southern stroke belt have a higher risk of dying from stroke as adults, even if they later move away, compared to people who were born in other parts of the country.

1 Dec 2009

News outlets examine cholera in Zimbabwe, Kenya

TIME examines growing concerns about increasing risks of a cholera outbreak among the people of Zimbabwe, after an outbreak last year claimed "close to 5,000 lives in the country of 12 million."

1 Dec 2009

Centura Health establishes comprehensive trauma system across its regional facilities

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, trauma is the leading cause of death for Coloradans ages one to 44. Studies indicate that 30 to 40 percent of all trauma deaths occur within one hour of injury, and that 30 to 40 percent of these deaths are preventable if timely, appropriate care is received.

1 Dec 2009

Commonwealth leaders' meeting concludes; includes discussion about health

Leaders issued a statement covering a variety of topics, including health, after a three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting concluded Sunday in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, Xinhua reports (Manda, 11/30).

30 Nov 2009

Clinical interventions may help cocaine abusers from using drugs and prevent relapse

When asked to inhibit their response to a "cocaine-cues" video, active cocaine abusers were, on average, able to suppress activity in brain regions linked to drug craving, according to a new study at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory. The results, to be published in an upcoming issue of NeuroImage, suggest that clinical interventions designed to strengthen these inhibitory responses could help cocaine abusers stop using drugs and avoid relapse.

30 Nov 2009

Senate health debate begins, Reid warns of weekend work

The Associated Press: The Senate opened debate Monday on landmark health care legislation that would extend coverage to millions of uninsured and ban onerous insurance practices, with Democrats vowing to work weekends to deliver on President Barack Obama's domestic initiative by year's end.

30 Nov 2009

World AIDS Day observance to be held at National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park

The 16th annual World AIDS Day observance will be held on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park. “Renewing Our Commitment” is the theme of this year’s commemoration. The observance will be held, rain or shine, under the tent in The Meadow of the National AIDS Memorial.

30 Nov 2009

CBO report: Senate health proposal would raise some premium costs

Reuters: "The U.S. Senate's healthcare bill would raise insurance premiums by at least 10 percent by 2016 for those independently buying coverage, but subsidies would reduce the actual costs for half of that group, the Congressional Budget Office said on Monday."

30 Nov 2009

British First Lady highlights maternal mortality worldwide

Sarah Brown, wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and head of the Maternal Mortality Campaign, highlighted global maternal mortality at the Royal College of Midwives annual conference on Friday, the U.K. Press Association reports.

30 Nov 2009

AP examines implementation of China's plan to rebuild health system

The Associated Press tracks the progress in rebuilding the health system in China, eight months after the government launched a three-year $124-billion health care program.

30 Nov 2009

Economists have mixed views on Senate health bill's cost controls

With the public fretting about rising health costs and deepening federal budget deficits, White House officials, including budget director Peter Orszag, were quick last week to trumpet the optimism of some economists who said the Senate's version of health reform would help control costs, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

30 Nov 2009