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Zinc deficiency mechanism associated with many health problems, aging

A new study has outlined for the first time a biological mechanism by which zinc deficiency can develop with age, leading to a decline of the immune system and increased inflammation associated with many health problems, including cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disease and diabetes.

2 Oct 2012

Maternal deaths among marginalized women could be prevented with access to care, information

"While reports from the United Nations as well as the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) indicate that maternal deaths are declining around the world, far too many women continue to die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth," Ana Langer, director of the Women and Health Initiative at the Harvard School of Public Health, writes in the Huffington Post's "Global Motherhood" blog.

2 Oct 2012

Artificially sweet success at curbing childhood weight gain

Substituting sugar-sweetened drinks with artificially sweetened alternatives could help reduce weight gain in schoolchildren, research suggests.

1 Oct 2012

Regional, seasonal variation in US antibiotic use highlights persisting issue

US study results reveal “substantial” quarterly and regional variation in outpatient antibiotic use among older adults, indicating the possible need for targeted programs to reduce unnecessary prescriptions.

1 Oct 2012

Five prominent surgeons receive Honorary Fellowship from ACS

Last night Honorary Fellowship in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) was awarded to five prominent surgeons from Japan, the Philippines, Mexico, England, and Belgium during Convocation ceremonies that preceded the official opening of the 2012 ACS Annual Clinical Congress.

1 Oct 2012

Serious physical abuse on the rise among children

A new Yale School of Medicine study shows that cases of serious physical abuse in children, such as head injuries, burns, and fractures, increased slightly by about 5% in the last 12 years. This is in sharp contrast to data from child protective services agencies, which show a 55% decrease in physical abuse cases from 1997 to 2009.

1 Oct 2012

CSIS report examines New Approaches to Global Health Cooperation

The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) on Thursday released a report, titled "New Approaches to Global Health Cooperation," that "summarizes key observations and conclusions that emerged" from a November 2011 meeting co-hosted by CSIS and the Fiocruz Center for Global Health (CRIS) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the CSIS website reports.

29 Sep 2012

Atrazine may increase risk of choanal atresia

A common herbicide used in the United States may be linked to an increased risk of a congenital abnormality of the nasal cavity known as choanal atresia, say researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and other Texas institutions.

29 Sep 2012

Kenyan government releases new guidelines for treatment, prevention of visceral leishmaniasis

"The Kenyan government has launched guidelines for the treatment and prevention of visceral leishmaniasis, also known as kala azar or black fever, in a move government officials say is meant to contain the parasitic disease, which is endemic in the northern region of the country," IRIN reports.

29 Sep 2012

State highlights: Free Calif. health care clinic a big draw; New Calif. law could mean mammogram alternatives

Many of the 4,800 people seeking care at the annual massive free clinic this weekend will become eligible for health insurance in 2014 when the national law takes effect. Organizers said raising awareness about the health care changes is crucial.

29 Sep 2012

FDA launches campaign to raise public awareness on prevalence of fraudulent Internet pharmacies

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today launched a national campaign to raise public awareness about the prevalence of fraudulent Internet pharmacies, which can be dangerous to patient health, and to help consumers make safe purchases.

29 Sep 2012

Wage disparities could limit success of health-care reform

A national study has found that earnings over the course of the careers of primary-care physicians averaged as much as $2.8 million less than the earnings of their specialist colleagues, potentially making primary care a less attractive choice for medical school graduates and exacerbating the already significant shortage of medical generalists.

29 Sep 2012

More onscreen tobacco use in movies aimed at young viewers

Top box office films last year showed more onscreen smoking than the prior year, reversing five years of steady progress in reducing tobacco imagery in movies, according to a new UCSF study.

28 Sep 2012

Most Canadians view financial incentives for deceased kidney donation to be acceptable

Most Canadians view financial incentives for deceased kidney donation to be acceptable, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).

28 Sep 2012

New report: African-American youth see more alcohol ads in magazines and TV

African-American youth ages 12-20 are seeing more advertisements for alcohol in magazines and on TV compared with all youth ages 12-20, according to a new report from the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

28 Sep 2012

Link between work-family conflict and musculoskeletal pain among nurses

Nurses and other hospital workers, especially those who work long hours or the night shift, often report trying to juggle the demands of the job and family obligations. A study out today by The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) suggests that the higher the work-family conflict the greater the risk that health care workers will suffer from neck and other types of musculoskeletal pain.

28 Sep 2012

Care Harbor to provide free medical, dental and vision services in L.A.

Today marked the start of the largest free healthcare clinic in the United States, organized by Care Harbor. In collaboration with L.A. Care Health Plan and Dignity Health, Care Harbor will provide free medical, dental and vision services to those in need beginning today through September 30.

28 Sep 2012

Incarcerated patients with chronic HCV likely to achieve sustained viral response

Incarcerated patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are just as likely to respond to treatment for the disease as patients in the community, according to findings published in the October issue of Hepatology, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

28 Sep 2012

Cherry intake reduces risk of gout attacks

A new study found that patients with gout who consumed cherries over a two-day period showed a 35% lower risk of gout attacks compared to those who did not eat the fruit.

28 Sep 2012

Roundup: Md. Blues chief pans hospital costs shift plan; Pharmacies struggle with new drug controls

Negotiations to avert a breakdown in Maryland's unique system of regulating hospital prices have deteriorated into a stalemate between the state's largest insurer and the Maryland Hospital Association. CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield CEO Chet Burrell, speaking out for the first time about the talks, blames hospitals for their proposal to shift hundreds of millions in costs to CareFirst and other private insurers in an attempt to control rising Medicare spending.

28 Sep 2012

Public Health News and Research

Zinc deficiency mechanism associated with many health problems, aging

Maternal deaths among marginalized women could be prevented with access to care, information

Artificially sweet success at curbing childhood weight gain

Regional, seasonal variation in US antibiotic use highlights persisting issue

Five prominent surgeons receive Honorary Fellowship from ACS

Serious physical abuse on the rise among children

CSIS report examines New Approaches to Global Health Cooperation

Atrazine may increase risk of choanal atresia

Kenyan government releases new guidelines for treatment, prevention of visceral leishmaniasis

State highlights: Free Calif. health care clinic a big draw; New Calif. law could mean mammogram alternatives

FDA launches campaign to raise public awareness on prevalence of fraudulent Internet pharmacies

Wage disparities could limit success of health-care reform

More onscreen tobacco use in movies aimed at young viewers

Most Canadians view financial incentives for deceased kidney donation to be acceptable

New report: African-American youth see more alcohol ads in magazines and TV

Link between work-family conflict and musculoskeletal pain among nurses

Care Harbor to provide free medical, dental and vision services in L.A.

Incarcerated patients with chronic HCV likely to achieve sustained viral response

Cherry intake reduces risk of gout attacks

Roundup: Md. Blues chief pans hospital costs shift plan; Pharmacies struggle with new drug controls

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