Public Health News and Research

RSS

Odors in womb sensitize fetus to smells, alters brain development

A major new study shows that a pregnant mother's diet not only sensitizes the fetus to those smells and flavors, but physically changes the brain directly impacting what the infant eats and drinks in the future.

1 Dec 2010

AHRQ selects Outcome to develop new Registry of Patient Registries database

Outcome Sciences, Inc. (OUTCOME), the leading provider of patient registries, studies, and technologies for evaluating real-world outcomes, today announced that the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has awarded Outcome a task order to design and develop a new Registry of Patient Registries (RoPR) database.

1 Dec 2010

Research could lead to new drug treatment for metabolic diseases

A team of Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) scientists report finding a molecular "switch" that can "turn off" some cellular processes that are protective against aging and metabolic diseases. While more research is needed, the findings may open doors for new drug treatments to halt or slow development of metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes or heart disease. The research findings appear in the December 1, 2010 issue of Cell Metabolism.

1 Dec 2010

High levels of variability, inconsistencies found in children's medication labeling and measuring devices

An examination of 200 of the top-selling cough/cold, allergy, analgesic and gastrointestinal over-the-counter liquid medications for children finds that there have been high levels of variability and inconsistencies regarding medication labeling and measuring devices, according to a study that will appear in the December 15 issue of JAMA. The study is being released early online because of its public health importance.

1 Dec 2010

Research reveals tricyclic anti-depressants increase risk of CVD

Research that followed nearly 15,000 people in Scotland has shown that a class of older generation anti-depressant is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The study showed that tricyclic anti-depressants were associated with a 35% increased risk of CVD, but that there was no increased risk with the newer anti-depressants such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

1 Dec 2010

Age-related hearing loss associated with low serum levels of folic acid in the elderly

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL), one of the four most prevalent chronic conditions in the elderly, is associated with low serum levels of folic acid, according to new research published in the December 2010 issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.

1 Dec 2010

Quality issues persist at hospitals, plastic surgery centers; use of CT scans in ER increases

Despite intensive efforts to improve patient safety, a six-year study at 10 North Carolina hospitals showed no decline in so-called patient harms, which included medical errors and unavoidable mistakes.

1 Dec 2010

Medical records and medical device interests gain attention from big names, congressional delegation

The Hill: "The new lobby shop of former Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.) and his son Tom has registered its first client. The San Francisco-based tech company Resilient Networks Systems has hired Tauzin Consultants to help lobby on the deployment of electronic medical records under the healthcare reform law among other issues, according to lobbying disclosure records.

30 Nov 2010

American Journal of Preventive Medicine delineates public health problem about caffeinated alcoholic beverages

In the wake of multiple state bans on caffeinated alcoholic beverages (CABs) and an FDA warning to four companies to remove their products from the marketplace, an article published online today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine delineates the scope of the public health problem and suggests areas of research that might help address it.

30 Nov 2010

Group drumming can improve social, emotional behavior in low-income children: NAMM Foundation

The NAMM Foundation today announced the findings of a recent study that shows how group drumming can improve social and emotional behavior in low-income children.

30 Nov 2010

Super-sized World conference to address national health crisis of obesity

A conference at the New York Academy of Sciences on December 9 will convene leading obesity researchers to explore the latest science and policy initiatives addressing the global and national health crisis of obesity.

30 Nov 2010

Emergency artesunate suppositories are cost-effective intervention for children with suspected severe malaria

Giving emergency artesunate suppositories to children with suspected severe malaria before referring them for treatment is a cost-effective intervention that can substantially improve the management of childhood malaria in remote African settings, according to a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health [BUSPH] researcher Yesim Tozan, PhD.

30 Nov 2010

HP, Clinton Health Access Initiative collaborate to improve HIV testing and treatment of infants in Kenya

HP today announced an alliance with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) that will provide structural and systemic improvements in testing and treating more than 120,000 infants exposed to HIV in Kenya each year.

30 Nov 2010

Heart disease risk factors in childhood predicts likelihood of atherosclerosis as adults

Measuring heart disease risk factors in children at or after age 9 helped predict the likelihood of atherosclerosis in adulthood, according to a study in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

30 Nov 2010

Nine out of ten of all primary care centers in Sweden prescribe physical activity

Prescribing physical activity for the purpose of preventing and treating various conditions can now become a reality for healthcare professionals all over the world.

30 Nov 2010

International Harm Reduction Conference to focus on HIV/AIDS epidemic

Injecting drug use and growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in Middle East and North Africa region to be focus of the International Harm Reduction conference taking place in Beirut, Lebanon April 3-7 2011

30 Nov 2010

Texas gives disability oversight to quasi-government authorities; Colorado rural ambulance services face crisis

Texas Tribune: "For years, the state paid private providers who care for people with disabilities to help the clients decide how many services they need and how intensive they should be. But an 11th-hour change state lawmakers inserted into the budget last session stripped the private providers of this case management responsibility, giving it instead to local, quasi-governmental Mental Retardation Authorities, who administer publicly funded services to people with disabilities.

30 Nov 2010

African Ministerial Conference concludes with health priority commitment

Health and environment ministers from at least 46 African countries concluded the Second Inter-Ministerial Conference on Health and Environment in Africa in Luanda, Angola on Friday, "with the adoption of the 'Luanda Commitment,' which lists the continent's health and environment top priorities in the years ahead," PANA/Afrique en ligne reports.

30 Nov 2010

Study finds abdominal fat as a risk factor for osteoporosis, bone loss in women

For years, it was believed that obese women were at lower risk for developing osteoporosis, and that excess body fat actually protected against bone loss. However, a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) found that having too much internal abdominal fat may, in fact, have a damaging effect on bone health.

30 Nov 2010

To reduce spread of HIV/AIDS, IFRC calls for more focus on IDU programs

Ahead of World AIDS Day, the International Federation of the Red Cross on Friday released a report (.pdf) calling for governments around the world to do more to help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS among populations of injecting drug users (IDUs), the Associated Press reports (Heilprin, 11/25).

30 Nov 2010

Public Health News and Research

Odors in womb sensitize fetus to smells, alters brain development

AHRQ selects Outcome to develop new Registry of Patient Registries database

Research could lead to new drug treatment for metabolic diseases

High levels of variability, inconsistencies found in children's medication labeling and measuring devices

Research reveals tricyclic anti-depressants increase risk of CVD

Age-related hearing loss associated with low serum levels of folic acid in the elderly

Quality issues persist at hospitals, plastic surgery centers; use of CT scans in ER increases

Medical records and medical device interests gain attention from big names, congressional delegation

American Journal of Preventive Medicine delineates public health problem about caffeinated alcoholic beverages

Group drumming can improve social, emotional behavior in low-income children: NAMM Foundation

Super-sized World conference to address national health crisis of obesity

Emergency artesunate suppositories are cost-effective intervention for children with suspected severe malaria

HP, Clinton Health Access Initiative collaborate to improve HIV testing and treatment of infants in Kenya

Heart disease risk factors in childhood predicts likelihood of atherosclerosis as adults

Nine out of ten of all primary care centers in Sweden prescribe physical activity

International Harm Reduction Conference to focus on HIV/AIDS epidemic

Texas gives disability oversight to quasi-government authorities; Colorado rural ambulance services face crisis

African Ministerial Conference concludes with health priority commitment

Study finds abdominal fat as a risk factor for osteoporosis, bone loss in women

To reduce spread of HIV/AIDS, IFRC calls for more focus on IDU programs

News Medical 2025: Healthcare Shifts That Mattered Most eBook

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

Applications Engineer

Latest News