Epidemiology News and Research

RSS

Nutrition and exercise program for children

While research shows many American children become more sedentary in adolescence, a nationwide program - Triple Play - is reversing the trend by motivating them to be more physically active, according to a report released today.

16 Sep 2009

New mobile phone software helps remote analysis of data and map findings

New mobile phone software will help epidemiologists and ecologists working in the field to analyse their data remotely and map findings across the world, without having to return to the lab, according to research published in PLoS One today. The authors of the study, from Imperial College London, say the software will also enable members of the public to act as 'citizen scientists' and help collect data for community projects.

16 Sep 2009

Research study investigates survival rates of prostate cancer patients across time periods

New research to be published in tomorrow's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) (Vol. 302, No. 11), by a team at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ), shows that men diagnosed with prostate cancer beginning in the early 1990's had significantly improved survival outcomes compared with patients whose cancers were diagnosed in prior decades.

16 Sep 2009

New book on human genetics helps to unravel complex human diseases

Many human diseases-including Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, cancer, and cardiovascular disease-are caused by multiple genetic variants and the interaction of those variants with the environment. Because such diseases lack a clear-cut inheritance pattern, sophisticated technological approaches and statistical analyses are required to determine their underlying cause.

15 Sep 2009

RI-MUHC recommends WHO to revise tuberculosis treatment guidelines

Tuberculosis is a global threat that affects more than 10 million people each year. Working with colleagues in the United States and France, Dr. Dick Menzies of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) has placed current tuberculosis treatment guidelines under the microscope in a new study.

15 Sep 2009

Limited health literacy linked with poorer access to health information

People who struggle with poor reading and math skills experience problems understanding instructions from health care providers and adhering to treatment, according to a new research review.

15 Sep 2009

Report on the epidemiology, cause and risk factors of asthma

An article on the epidemiology, cause and risk factors of asthma is the first in a special report on asthma in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) designed for clinical practitioners. This review looks at risk factors for persistent asthma at different ages, including prenatal, infancy, childhood and adulthood.

15 Sep 2009

Mandatory alcohol testing programs minimize alcohol involvement in fatal crashes

Mandatory alcohol testing programs for truck and bus drivers have contributed to a significant reduction in alcohol involvement in fatal crashes, according to a new study by researchers at the Mailman School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Based on a study sample of nearly 70,000 motor carrier (heavy trucks and buses) drivers and over 83,000 non-motor-carrier (car) drivers, the estimated net effect attributed to the mandatory alcohol testing programs for drivers of heavy trucks and buses was a 23% reduced risk of alcohol involvement in fatal crashes.

14 Sep 2009

HRSA receives funds to train health care professionals

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced awards totaling $33 million to expand the training of health care professionals. The funds are part of the $500 million allotted to HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to address workforce shortages under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

14 Sep 2009

Body mass in younger and older adulthood linked to prostate cancer risks

A team of scientists led by researcher Brenda Hernandez, Ph.D., M.P.H.-an assistant professor at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i-has reported that body mass in younger and older adulthood, and weight gain between these life periods, may influence a man's risk for prostate cancer. This risk varies among different ethnic groups, according to findings reported in a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

14 Sep 2009

Practical tips for parents on H1N1 and seasonal flu infections

With the early onset of flu season coinciding with the start of school this year, concern about the flu, and in particular the H1N1 strain of the flu, is growing among parents. Experts from The Children’s Hospital in Denver, Colo., can offer a pediatric perspective on all types of flu, including H1N1, also known as swine flu.

14 Sep 2009

No change in students' drinking habits: Study

U.S. colleges with the biggest student drinking problems have so far failed to turn the tide, according to a new study.

11 Sep 2009

Half of six million major depressive disorder with comorbid panic attack cases go untreated

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that in the U.S., out of six million cases of major depressive disorder with comorbid panic attack, three million are untreated. Comorbid mental disorders are influential factors impacting the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.

10 Sep 2009

Varying physical activity for optimal health benefits

How hard and for how long should you exercise in order to shed excess abdominal fat and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease?

10 Sep 2009

Lead exposure may result in cardiovascular mortality

Growing evidence shows that exposure to lead in the environment is associated with cardiovascular disease, including increased risk of hypertension. However, those studies have looked at lead concentrations in blood, not bone lead, a better indicator of cumulative lead exposure over time.

10 Sep 2009

E.V-Trax Employee Vaccination Tracking System helps eliminate manual data entry

General Data Company, Inc., which specializes in barcode-based error-proofing and tracking system solutions, is offering a new mobile application to help healthcare organizations administer employee vaccinations and track the immunization status of their personnel for H1N1, influenza, and other vaccinations.

10 Sep 2009

Three genes linked to Lou Gehrig's disease

Michigan Technological University researchers have linked three genes to the most common type of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), generally known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

10 Sep 2009

Consortium awarded $3.75M to set up an AIDS research center in Chicago

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a consortium of Chicago-based institutions, led by Rush University Medical Center, a five-year, $3.75-million grant to establish a Developmental Center for AIDS Research, creating a comprehensive research infrastructure to spur basic science, clinical studies and translational research in the prevention, detection and treatment of HIV infection and AIDS.

9 Sep 2009

Chronic periodontitis linked to head and neck cancer

Chronic periodontitis, a form of gum disease, is an independent risk factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. This suggests the need for increased efforts to prevent and treat periodontitis as a possible means to reduce the risk of this form of cancer.

8 Sep 2009

Screening rates for colorectal cancer are lower in safety net health system, study reveals

Colorectal cancer screening rates are much lower among those in a safety net health system compared to the national average, and the number one predictor of screening is a combination of regular visits and insurance access.

8 Sep 2009