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Traumatic brain injury haunts children for years

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the single most common cause of death and disability in children and adolescents, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Now, according to a new study by UCLA researchers, the effects of a blow to the head, whether it's mild or a concussion, can linger for years.

13 May 2009

Diuretic drug works best at reducing risk of heart failure in hypertension

New research supports the findings of a landmark drug comparison study published in 2002 in which a diuretic drug or "water pill" outperformed other medications for high blood pressure. A scientific team including investigators from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston reports the findings in the May 11 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

13 May 2009

Influenza pandemic planning needed to ensure that pregnant women and newborns receive priority treatment

Pregnant women and newborns are at greatest risk in a flu epidemic, but more planning must be done to ensure that they receive priority treatment should an outbreak occur, according to a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and University of Pittsburgh study.

13 May 2009

Bacteria create aquatic superbugs in waste treatment plants

For bacteria in wastewater treatment plants, the stars align perfectly to create a hedonistic mating ground for antibiotic-resistant superbugs eventually discharged into streams and lakes.

13 May 2009

Few dentists in Wisconsin accept patients enrolled in BadgerCare Plus

Few dentists in Wisconsin are accepting patients insured by BadgerCare Plus, and children in particular are affected, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

12 May 2009

Blue Dog Coalition criticizes house health care leaders for developing legislation in secret

Members of the fiscally conservative, Democratic Blue Dog Coalition on Monday sent a letter to the chairs of three House committees who have been tasked with drafting health care legislation, saying they are "increasingly troubled" by the exclusivity of the process, the New York Times reports.

12 May 2009

Health industry groups pledge to reduce spending; some health advocates express skepticism about plan

As President Obama on Monday met with health care industry groups regarding their pledge to reduce $2 trillion in expected health care spending increases over the next 10 years, many health care advocates expressed skepticism about the promise, the Hartford Courant reports (Levick, Hartford Courant, 5/12).

12 May 2009

New York Legislature should approve legislation requiring health workers to offer HIV testing, editorial says

The New York state Legislature "should make it mandatory for health care workers to offer [HIV] testing" as proposed in a New York state bill (A 7757), a Long Island Newsday editorial says (Long Island Newsday, 5/11).

12 May 2009

HIV cases among young people in Iowa increasing

Health officials announced recently that the number of newly recorded HIV cases among Iowans ages 15 to 24 increased by 45% in 2008 to 16, despite the widespread availability of condoms and other prevention methods, the Iowa Press-Citizen reports.

12 May 2009

Discovery of pathway that reactivate myelin repair

UMDNJ researchers have identified a key pathway that could lead to new therapies to repair nerve cells' protective coating stripped away as a result of autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). An article reporting their findings will appear in the May 13 online edition of the Journal of Neuroscience.

12 May 2009

Early Alzheimer's diagnosis could reduce fiscal burden

Early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease could save millions or even billions of dollars while simultaneously improving care, according to new work by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers.

12 May 2009

Research looks at the human factor in spread of pandemic illness

Industrial engineers Sandra Garrett of Clemson University and Barrett Caldwell of Purdue University have proposed a new system to warn of an impending pandemic by monitoring signals in human behavior. The system could result in using a simple icon on a television screen to warn of future phases of an outbreak of an illness such as the flu

12 May 2009

CDC to review vaccine policies; immigrant, women's rights advocates anticipating repeal of HPV vaccine requirement

A coalition of more than 100 groups representing women, immigrants, and public health and reproductive rights advocates are hoping CDC will repeal its rule requiring female immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship to receive the human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil, the AP/Newark Star-Ledger reports (Garay, AP/Newark Star-Ledger, 5/7).

12 May 2009

Obama ensures Hispanic community they will be included in H1N1 flu outbreak efforts

In a town hall-style meeting at the White House on Friday, President Obama ensured Hispanic community leaders and advocates that the U.S. will not alienate the group as a result of the recent H1N1 flu outbreak believed to have started in Mexico, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports. Obama also assured the group that they will receive treatment related to the virus regardless of legal status.

12 May 2009

Job losses have negative effect on health, study finds

Workers who lost their job through no fault of their own were twice as likely as continuously employed workers to report over the next 18 months that they developed a new illness, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease, according to a study released last week, the New York Times reports.

12 May 2009

Lawmakers considering changing tax rules to allow employers to encourage wellness, prevention among workers

A plan being developed by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) would give tax credits to employers offering wellness programs, such as periodic screenings for health problems and counseling, to encourage workers to adopt healthier lifestyles, the New York Times reports.

12 May 2009

Botswana announce HIV-prevention project to circumcise 80% of eligible men over five years

Botswana's Ministry of Health is launching a project that aims to circumcise nearly 500,000 men over the next five years in an effort to prevent the spread of HIV, the AFP/Daily Telegraph reports.

12 May 2009

Researchers screen the smallpox proteome

University of Florida researchers have learned more about how smallpox conducts its deadly business - discoveries that may reveal as much about the human immune system as they do about one of the world's most feared pathogens.

12 May 2009

New Centre to target health and well being of children and young people

Children and young people in the UK are set to benefit from a new centre of excellence focused on tackling health issues of most concern to them.

12 May 2009

New genetic clues to treatment of hypertension

An international research team has identified a number of unsuspected genetic variants associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and hypertension (high blood pressure), suggesting potential avenues of investigation for the prevention or treatment of hypertension.

12 May 2009

Public Health News and Research

Traumatic brain injury haunts children for years

Diuretic drug works best at reducing risk of heart failure in hypertension

Influenza pandemic planning needed to ensure that pregnant women and newborns receive priority treatment

Bacteria create aquatic superbugs in waste treatment plants

Few dentists in Wisconsin accept patients enrolled in BadgerCare Plus

Blue Dog Coalition criticizes house health care leaders for developing legislation in secret

Health industry groups pledge to reduce spending; some health advocates express skepticism about plan

New York Legislature should approve legislation requiring health workers to offer HIV testing, editorial says

HIV cases among young people in Iowa increasing

Discovery of pathway that reactivate myelin repair

Early Alzheimer's diagnosis could reduce fiscal burden

Research looks at the human factor in spread of pandemic illness

CDC to review vaccine policies; immigrant, women's rights advocates anticipating repeal of HPV vaccine requirement

Obama ensures Hispanic community they will be included in H1N1 flu outbreak efforts

Job losses have negative effect on health, study finds

Lawmakers considering changing tax rules to allow employers to encourage wellness, prevention among workers

Botswana announce HIV-prevention project to circumcise 80% of eligible men over five years

Researchers screen the smallpox proteome

New Centre to target health and well being of children and young people

New genetic clues to treatment of hypertension

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