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Australian public health on the brink of collapse and in need of urgent treatment

With nurses in far north Queensland walking off the job and now New South Wales Nurses Association (NSWNA) also confessing to wanting to do the same, it is clear that all is not well with some public health systems in Australia.

31 Mar 2008

New poll debates quality U.S. health care system

A recent survey by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Harris Interactive, as part of their ongoing series, Debating Health: Election 2008, finds that Americans are generally split on the issue of whether the United States has the best health care system in the world (45% believe the U.S. has the best system; 39% believe other countries have better systems; 15% don't know or refused to answer) and that there is a significant divide along party lines.

24 Mar 2008

Robot fetches objects with just a point and a click

Robots are fluent in their native language of 1 and 0 absolutes but struggle to grasp the nuances and imprecise nature of human language.

20 Mar 2008

Global health worker crisis - world needs over 4 million additional health workers

The first Global Forum on Human Resources for Health called for immediate and sustained action to resolve the critical shortage of health workers around the world, setting out the essential steps that need to be taken over the next decade to turn the crisis around.

10 Mar 2008

Hydroxyurea for sickle cell patients

An independent panel convened this week by the NIH concluded that the use of hydroxyurea for sickle cell patients should be increased in adolescents and adults.

28 Feb 2008

RFID technology to secure donor blood supply

Radio frequency identification technology, or RFID, has inspired many novel applications of late, including efforts to study magazine reader patterns, access restricted areas, locate stolen vehicles and track luggage at major airports.

27 Feb 2008

Chronic disease as great a threat as terrorists

According to international experts the global threat from chronic disease is as great as the threat of terrorism and too little is being done to fight it.

25 Feb 2008

CDC report highlights progress and challenges in emergency disease preparedness

Improvements noted in disease detection, investigation, and laboratory response

21 Feb 2008

Most maternal deaths worldwide are preventable

A study published in PLoS Medicine this week suggests that of women who die during pregnancy and childbirth in sub-Saharan Africa, more may die from treatable infectious diseases than from conditions directly linked to pregnancy.

20 Feb 2008

Allergic-like reactions occur in premedicated patients

Allergic-like reactions can occur in patients (both children and adults) when given gadolinium containing contrast agents, even if they have been pre-medicated with corticosteroids and antihistamines, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan Health Systems in Ann Arbor.

11 Feb 2008

Faith-based health program expands, adds Latino classes

A nationally-recognized, faith-based physical activity and health promotion program that helps individuals adopt healthy lifestyles and manage chronic diseases is re-launching and extending its services to the African American and Latino communities in Monroe County.

8 Feb 2008

Lack of equity in health care for minority children in America

The UT Southwestern analysis, available online and published as an abstract in the February issue of the journal Pediatrics, suggests certain disparities are particularly pronounced for specific racial and ethnic groups.

6 Feb 2008

New international task force to address health workforce financing

A new international task force was launched today to address how to finance the scaling up of the health workforce in the developing world.

31 Jan 2008

France, Japan and Australia top in dealing with preventable deaths...U.S. bottom!

When it comes to dealing with preventable deaths researchers have found that the French, Japanese and Australians are at the top of the league and the Americans at the bottom.

9 Jan 2008

A look at China's most innovative health biotechnology companies

Government funds innovation but venture capital needed; Wary investors 'need to be shown the exits'; Returning 'sea turtles' bring expertise, international credibility

8 Jan 2008

Treating children with severe pneumonia at home is just as effective as treating them in hospitals

The study results could significantly change the way the illness is managed in developing countries, saving a significant number of lives every year and taking pressure off health systems.

7 Jan 2008

Experts say children with severe pneumonia are better off being treated at home

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says children with severe pneumonia are better off being treated at home instead of sending them to hospital.

6 Jan 2008

Growing burden of arthritis in the U.S.

Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United States. Over the next 25 years as the Baby Boom generation continues to age, the toll of this disease will escalate.

3 Jan 2008

Allergic reactions to gadolinium-containing contrast injections - study

Allergic-like reactions to gadolinium-containing contrast injections in adults and pediatric patients (those younger than 19 years of age) are rare, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan Health Systems in Ann Arbor.

2 Jan 2008