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Acute alcohol intoxication increases risk of suicide in American Indians

American Indians are at much greater risk of suicide after acute alcohol intoxication, according to a study led by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

6 Feb 2013

Patients with MS more likely to develop MI and stroke, regardless of migration background

A new study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) run a high risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure, regardless of migration background. According to Dr Tahereh Moradi, principal investigator, the study is the first in the world to examine the risk of cardiovascular diseases in male and female MS patients with both non-immigrant and immigrant backgrounds.

5 Feb 2013

Oregon Health Insurance Experiment wins HSR Impact Award from AcademyHealth

AcademyHealth today awarded its Health Services Research (HSR) Impact Award to work that used for the first time a randomized, controlled study design to answer questions about how access to public insurance affects health, health care use, and other outcomes.

5 Feb 2013

Direct link between exposure to pesticides in food, air and water and prevalence of type 2 diabetes

A study led by the University of Granada reveals that there is a direct relationship between the presence of Persistent Organic Pollutants in the body and the development of type 2 diabetes, regardless of the patient's age, gender or body mass index.

5 Feb 2013

Researchers investigate e-cigarettes awareness, use and perceptions among smokers

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), or e-cigarettes, debuted in China in 2003 and have since become available globally, particularly through the Internet. While they resemble traditional tobacco cigarettes, they produce fewer toxins in the vapor for the smoker. Still, these novel products have unknown long-term health and addiction consequences, are of varying nicotine content and delivery, and may appeal to nonusers and youth. ENDS have been banned by health authorities in Canada and Australia.

5 Feb 2013

Combined strategy needed to combat TB in Nunavut

A combined strategy is needed to combat tuberculosis in Nunavut where the rate is 66 times higher than in the general Canadian population, states a commentary in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

5 Feb 2013

Adequate vitamin D levels during young adulthood may reduce risk of type 1 diabetes

Having adequate levels of vitamin D during young adulthood may reduce the risk of adult-onset type 1 diabetes by as much as 50%, according to researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH).

5 Feb 2013

Exercise in pregnancy reduces adverse effects of gestational diabetes

Regular moderate-intensity exercise during the second half of pregnancy can improve fetal and maternal outcomes for women who develop gestational diabetes mellitus, show study findings, although the team notes that regular exercise did not significantly reduce the risk for developing GDM per se.

4 Feb 2013

Gum infections may increase risk for community-acquired pneumonia

People with moderate-to-severe periodontitis are at increased risk for community-acquired pneumonia compared with those with healthy gums, show study findings.

4 Feb 2013

Epidemiology model supports 20:80 transmission rule in HCV

A new hepatitis C virus transmission model combining genetic and epidemiologic data reveals that the majority of transmission of the virus is by a minority of intravenous drug users.

4 Feb 2013

Eating brightly colored fruit and veg may help prevent ALS

Having a high intake of carotenoids, compounds that give certain fruits and vegetables their distinctive coloring, can reduce a person’s risk for developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or motor neurone disease, suggest study findings.

4 Feb 2013

Scientists track evolution of antibiotic resistance using automated device

With the discovery of antibiotics, medicine acquired power on a scale never before possible to protect health, save lives, and reduce suffering caused by certain bacteria. But the power of antibiotics is now under siege because some virulent infections no longer respond to antibiotic drugs.

4 Feb 2013

WHO issues new guidance on sodium intake

"The World Health Organization (WHO) has for the first time recommended limits on children's daily consumption of sodium which it hoped would help in the global fight against diet-related diseases becoming chronic among all populations," Reuters reports, adding, "The guidelines vary depending on the child's size, age and energy needs, and apply to children over the age of two."

3 Feb 2013

Mental health efforts in gun debate are raising concerns

Some advocates worry that a new focus on mental health issues could lead to unfair assumptions about patients and could keep them from seeking help.

3 Feb 2013

Study examines mental health of 376 Ugandan workers at 21 humanitarian aid agencies

Latest research points to the high risk for mental health problems among staff working in humanitarian organizations in northern Uganda, due in large part to their work environment.

3 Feb 2013

Study: OEND effectively addresses epidemic of fatal opioid overdose

In a study of communities in Massachusetts with high numbers of opioid overdose deaths, the implementation of overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) was associated with a significant reduction in opioid overdose death rates.

2 Feb 2013

FDA announces federal judge approval of Ben Venue consent decree

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that a federal judge has approved a consent decree of permanent injunction against Ben Venue Laboratories, Inc., and three of its corporate officers for failing to comply with current good manufacturing practice requirements as required by federal law.

2 Feb 2013

Inadequate health literacy among Latinos linked with poor understanding of antibiotic use

In the first study of its kind, researchers at the Columbia University School of Nursing have established that poor health literacy among Latino parents is associated with a poor understanding of the proper use antibiotics, particularly for upper respiratory infections (URIs), which can lead to an increase in antimicrobial resistance.

2 Feb 2013

Dairy intake may increase risk of bone mineral density in the hip

A study by researchers at the Institute for Aging Research (IFAR) at Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School (HMS), has found that dairy intake -specifically milk and yogurt -is associated with higher bone mineral density (BMD) in the hip, but not the spine.

1 Feb 2013

State roundup: Texas lawmakers ready health budget

Texas budget writers got a briefing on the state's health care programs Wednesday, and many of the biggest questions focused on how the state can reduce fraud and what to do about ever-increasing health care costs.

1 Feb 2013