Epidemiology News and Research

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Anti-estrogen drug therapy reduces risk of invasive breast cancer in older women

New analysis of a drug approved for osteoporosis prevention and treatment has provided definitive evidence that the medication is also effective as a breast cancer preventative for certain cancers.

11 Jun 2008

Women who gain excessive weight during pregnancy more likely to have overweight children

Children of mothers who gain more than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy are more likely to be overweight at age seven, say researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, in a study published today in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Children of mothers who are obese prior to pregnancy and gain excessive weight are at the greatest risk for overweight.

9 Jun 2008

Long-term pesticide exposure may increase diabetes risk

Licensed pesticide applicators who used chlorinated pesticides on more than 100 days in their lifetime were at greater risk of diabetes, according to researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The associations between specific pesticides and incident diabetes ranged from a 20 percent to a 200 percent increase in risk, said the scientists with the NIH's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

4 Jun 2008

New grant to enable University of Rochester to increase HIV research by 25 percent

The University of Rochester today announced that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a team of more than 50 researchers a five-year, $3.2 million grant.

4 Jun 2008

One million people gained access to antiretrovirals in 2007

About one million people in developing countries gained access to antiretroviral drugs in 2007, according to a report released on Monday by UNAIDS, UNICEF and the World Health Organization, the New York Times reports (Dugger, New York Times, 6/3).

3 Jun 2008

How and where fat is stored predicts disease risk better than weight

Young adults who abuse amphetamines may be at greater risk of suffering a heart attack, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.

3 Jun 2008

Premature and low weight babies more likely to be autistic

According to new research children born prematurely and children born with a low-birth weight are more likely to develop autism.

3 Jun 2008

Prevalence of pre-cancerous masses in the colon same in patients in their 40s and 50s

The prevalence of pre-cancerous masses in the colon is the same for average-risk patients who are 40 to 49 years of age and those who are 50 to 59 years of age, reports a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.

2 Jun 2008

Male circumcision in Kenya following political violence

The AP/International Herald Tribune on Friday examined male circumcision in Kenya in the wake of the disputed December 2007 presidential election that resulted in political violence.

28 May 2008

Children should drink milk to help prevent osteoporosis

For generations children have been urged to drink milk for strong. healthy bones and teeth. New research from Southampton, UK, announced today (26 May) is taking this a step further, showing the link between drinking mild and reducing the risk of osteoporosis in later life.

26 May 2008

Americans believe wounded Iraq war veterans generally neglected

As part of the ongoing poll series, Debating Health: Election 2008, a recent survey by the Harvard Opinion Research Program at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Harris Interactive finds that a majority of Americans (62%) believe that wounded Iraq war veterans do not receive high quality care in military and Veteran's Administration (VA) hospitals once they return to the U.S. Similar majorities feel that veterans requiring rehabilitation care and mental health care do not receive high quality care (62% and 65% respectively).

26 May 2008

Miami Herald examines spread of HIV among IDUs in Florida

The Miami Herald on Thursday examined the spread of HIV among injection drug users in Florida. According to the Herald, needle-exchange programs are banned in the state, so some health workers distribute sterilization equipment in an effort to curb the spread of HIV and other bloodborne diseases.

25 May 2008

Link between HPV and cervical cancer

Scientists in the United States have carried out a review of research to determine the link between persistent HPV (human papillomavirus) infection and cervical cancer.

25 May 2008

Summit to tackle African-American HIV/STD crisis

Black state board of education leaders from across the nation will meet to strategize about ways in which public schools can help address the HIV and STD crises among African-Americans and to highlight the clear link between risky sexual behaviors and academic performance on May 28-30, 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia.

22 May 2008

Latest research into common eye problem, nystagmus to be presented at University of Leicester

As part of the University of Leicester's 50th Anniversary celebrations, a world leader in eye disorders is to give a talk on 'Dancing Eyes' on Monday 30th June 2008 at 5.30pm.

22 May 2008

Body mass index in adolescence in relation to cause-specific mortality

People who were already overweight in adolescence (14-19 years old) have an increased mortality rate from a range of chronic diseases as adults; endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, colon cancer and respiratory diseases. There were also many cases of sudden death in this group. This comes from a new study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH).

20 May 2008

Rifampin provides new way to treat latent tuberculosis

A new way to treat patients with latent tuberculosis (TB), who are infected with TB but without symptoms, can effectively treat it in less than half the time and at a lower cost than the current standard treatment, according to researchers who conducted a multi-center, randomized controlled trial. The results will be presented at the American Thoracic Society's 2008 International Conference in Toronto on Tuesday, May 20.

20 May 2008

Blood-free monitoring as good as blood tests in predicting the course of AIDS

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have shown that monitoring treatment adherence to AIDS therapy is a simple blood-free way to monitor risk of disease progression. The international study was published in the May issue of the journal PLoS Medicine.

20 May 2008

Radiofrequency ablation is an effective treatment for dysplasia in people with Barrett's esophagus

Interim results from a nationwide clinical trial led by a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researcher suggest that radiofrequency ablation is an effective treatment for dysplasia in people with Barrett's esophagus, a condition that can lead to deadly gastrointestinal cancer.

19 May 2008

Mobile phone use during pregnancy may increase child's risk of behavioural problems

Danish and American scientists suggest that using mobile phones while pregnant may increase the risk of the child developing problems such as hyperactivity.

19 May 2008