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Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves Executive Director responds to Washington Post article on clean cookstove research

In a statement published on the website of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, Executive Director Radha Muthiah responds to an article published in the Washington Post on Monday, which highlighted the results of a recent MIT/Harvard study on the public health benefits of clean cookstoves.

21 Apr 2012

Primary seat belt laws mean even high-risk teens stay buckled up into adulthood

While most teens do buckle up when driving, new research shows that novice teen drivers who live in states with so-called "secondary enforcement" seat belt laws are less likely to use the life-saving devices than those in "primary enforcement" states.

20 Apr 2012

Study supports previously reported positive links between vitamin D and testosterone

A new study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, released in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology, suggests that maintaining a high level of vitamin D supplementation increases the level of testosterone in men.

20 Apr 2012

Continuity of care in doctor's surgery reduces non-emergency hospital admissions

Continuity of care in doctor's surgery is key to reducing non-emergency hospital admissions says new research - letting patients see their doctor of choice would cut costs for the NHS.

20 Apr 2012

Safe, separate sleep environments for infants are critical to preventing SUIDs

Since 1992, the government's Back-to-Sleep Campaign has encouraged parents to place infants on their backs to sleep. Still, more than 4,500 infants die unexpectedly during sleep each year in the United States. Now, a University of Missouri injury prevention researcher says that safe, separate sleep environments for infants are critical to preventing sudden unexpected infant deaths.

20 Apr 2012

Studies suggesting limited impact of clean cookstoves demonstrate need for more research

In this post in the Center for Global Development's "Views from the Center" blog, Charles Kenny, a senior fellow at the Center, responds to an article published in the Washington Post on Monday, which highlighted the results of a recent MIT/Harvard study on the public health benefits of clean cookstoves.

20 Apr 2012

WHO releases guidance on couples testing, counseling, including ART for discordant couples

The WHO on Wednesday released its new 54-page "Guidance on couples HIV testing and counselling, including antiretroviral therapy (ART) for treatment and prevention in serodiscordant couples: Recommendations for a public health approach," according to the Center for Global Health Policy's "Science Speaks" blog.

20 Apr 2012

Roundup: State spending drops $290 billion in 5 years; Emory hospital loses data on 315,000 patients

News outlets examine a variety of state health policy issues, including articles from California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Oregon.

20 Apr 2012

N.Y. Medicaid audit finds $42M in improper payments; Minn. commissioner to testify before congressional committee

Auditors in New York have found $42 million in improper payments were doled out to Medicaid providers. In the meantime, Minnesota's human services commissioner will testify before a congressional committee next week about financing and a payment made to the state by a managed care plan with Medicaid contract.

20 Apr 2012

Anti-tobacco television advertising helps reduce adult smoking

Anti-tobacco television advertising helps reduce adult smoking, according to a study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago's Institute for Health Research and Policy -- but some ads may be more effective than others.

20 Apr 2012

UH to conduct research on causes and treatment of learning disabilities

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a five-year, $9 million grant to the University of Houston's Texas Center for Learning Disabilities to conduct research on the causes and treatment of learning disabilities in children and adolescents. UH is one of four universities nationally to receive funding from the NIH for a learning disability research center.

20 Apr 2012

Optimism could benefit the heart: A review of studies

A Harvard School of Public Health review of more than 200 studies suggests that optimism is good for the heart. The researchers looked at studies that had recorded psychological well-being and cardiovascular health. This revealed that factors such as optimism, life satisfaction, and happiness appeared to be linked associated with a reduced risk of heart and circulatory diseases, regardless of a person's age, socio-economic status, smoking status or body weight. Disease risk was 50% lower among the most optimistic individuals.

19 Apr 2012

Even a little physical activity a day keeps Alzheimer’s away

It is estimated that by 2030, the number of people with Alzheimer's disease worldwide is expected to double to 80 million. A new study shows a ray of hope. It found that daily physical activity might provide a person's best chances of staving off the degenerative brain disorder - even if they're over 80 years old.Additionally exercise does not have to be strenuous. Activities such as cooking and cleaning also led to a protective benefit.

19 Apr 2012

Study demonstrates far-reaching impact of voice disorders

Patients with voice problems have nearly as many days of short-term disability claim and work productivity losses as those with chronic conditions like asthma, heart disease and depression, according to new findings from Duke University Medical Center researchers. Per claim, voice disorders account for up to 40 lost workdays and about $3,400 in short-term disability payments annually.

19 Apr 2012

Blog posts respond to selection of Jim Yong Kim to lead World Bank

The World Bank on Monday selected U.S.-nominated Jim Yong Kim, a Korean-American physician and anthropologist, as its new president. The following is a summary of blog posts and commentary published in response to his election.

19 Apr 2012

U.S. Marshals seize contaminated ultrasound gel of Pharmaceutical Innovations

U.S. Marshals, acting at the request of the Food and Drug Administration, have seized Other-Sonic Generic Ultrasound Transmission Gel located at Pharmaceutical Innovations Inc. in Newark, N.J., after an FDA analysis found that product samples contained dangerous bacteria. The seizure included all lots of the gel product manufactured between June 2011 and December 2011.

19 Apr 2012

Study finds lack of cervical screening in non-Caucasian, young and socioeconomically deprived women

New research published today in the Journal of Public Health has found that cervical screening participation is significantly lower in general practices that look after a high percentage of younger-aged women, non-Caucasian women and those living in areas of socioeconomic deprivation. The authors, Ji Young Bang, Ghasem Yadegarfar, Michael Soljak and Azeem Majeed, suggest that this disparity needs to be addressed by developing and implementing strategies to improve cervical screening attendance in these women.

19 Apr 2012

CDC lays out perspective on role of public health institutions in global health systems strengthening

In this article in PLoS Medicine's "Policy Forum," Peter Bloland of the Division of Public Health Systems and Workforce Development at the CDC Center for Global Health, and colleagues "set out the U.S. CDC's perspective on the role of public health institutions in global health system strengthening efforts," according to the article summary.

19 Apr 2012

Regular physical activity may decrease risk of AD even in very old adults

Daily physical activity may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline, even in people over the age of 80, according to a new study by neurological researchers from Rush University Medical Center that will be published in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology on April 18.

19 Apr 2012

Ecstasy and speed-using grade ten students more likely to develop depression

A five year study conducted with thousands of local teenagers by University of Montreal researchers reveals that those who used speed (meth/ampthetamine) or ecstasy (MDMA) at fifteen or sixteen years of age were significantly more likely to suffer elevated depressive symptoms the following year. "Our findings are consistent with other human and animal studies that suggest long-term negative influences of synthetic drug use," said co-author Fr-d-ric N. Bri-re of the School Environment Research Group at the University of Montreal.

19 Apr 2012

Public Health News and Research

Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves Executive Director responds to Washington Post article on clean cookstove research

Primary seat belt laws mean even high-risk teens stay buckled up into adulthood

Study supports previously reported positive links between vitamin D and testosterone

Continuity of care in doctor's surgery reduces non-emergency hospital admissions

Safe, separate sleep environments for infants are critical to preventing SUIDs

Studies suggesting limited impact of clean cookstoves demonstrate need for more research

WHO releases guidance on couples testing, counseling, including ART for discordant couples

Roundup: State spending drops $290 billion in 5 years; Emory hospital loses data on 315,000 patients

N.Y. Medicaid audit finds $42M in improper payments; Minn. commissioner to testify before congressional committee

Anti-tobacco television advertising helps reduce adult smoking

UH to conduct research on causes and treatment of learning disabilities

Optimism could benefit the heart: A review of studies

Even a little physical activity a day keeps Alzheimer’s away

Study demonstrates far-reaching impact of voice disorders

Blog posts respond to selection of Jim Yong Kim to lead World Bank

U.S. Marshals seize contaminated ultrasound gel of Pharmaceutical Innovations

Study finds lack of cervical screening in non-Caucasian, young and socioeconomically deprived women

CDC lays out perspective on role of public health institutions in global health systems strengthening

Regular physical activity may decrease risk of AD even in very old adults

Ecstasy and speed-using grade ten students more likely to develop depression

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