Epidemiology News and Research

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Stark warning about HIV in Australia

A new study has a stark warning about HIV numbers in Australia. According to recent research, if current trends continue, parts of Australia could be facing a surge of HIV infection rates in the next 7 years.

5 Mar 2008

Working at a nuclear site may be bad for the heart

In a study of workers at four British nuclear sites, scientists have discovered a potential connection between exposure to radiation and heart disease.

5 Mar 2008

Simple screening questionnaire for kidney disease outperforms current clinical practice guidelines

The general public is not sufficiently aware that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious and progressive medical condition.

1 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

Smoking's effects on genes may play a role in lung cancer development and survival

Smoking plays a role in lung cancer development, and now scientists have shown that smoking also affects the way genes are expressed, leading to alterations in cell division and regulation of immune response.

21 Feb 2008

Ebola outbreak in Uganda now over

The Ministry of Health, Uganda has declared the end of the Ebola epidemic in Bundibugyo.

21 Feb 2008

Paraguay confirms 5 cases of yellow fever

Health authorities in Paraguay have confirmed 5 cases of yellow fever in the Department of San Pedro.

20 Feb 2008

Poor women more likely to suffer from postpartum depression

Poor women in Iowa are much more likely to suffer from postpartum depression than their wealthier counterparts, a new University of Iowa study shows.

20 Feb 2008

Study finds increase in thyroid diseases risk from radiation exposure at Chernobyl

Persons exposed to radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl accident as children and adolescents have an increased risk of follicular adenoma or benign tumor of the thyroid gland, according to researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

20 Feb 2008

Heart-healthy diet may also be good for the prostate

Men who eat a diet low in fat and red meat but high in vegetables and lean protein and who drink alcohol in moderation may not just be doing their hearts a favor.

14 Feb 2008

Stomach flu vaccine possibility

Every year, millions of people are infected with noroviruses - commonly called "stomach flu" - often resulting in up to 72 hours of vomiting and diarrhea.

14 Feb 2008

Physical jobs decrease risk of prostate cancer

Men with jobs that require them to be physically active may be getting benefits beyond salary and health insurance - they may be at a decreased risk of developing prostate cancer, according to a study at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center.

13 Feb 2008

Night-time noise from aircraft or traffic can increase a person's blood pressure

Scientists from Imperial College London and other European institutions monitored 140 sleeping volunteers in their homes near London Heathrow and three other major European airports.

13 Feb 2008

Coronary disease may be on the rise

A Mayo Clinic analysis of two decades of autopsy results shows a long-term decline in the prevalence of coronary disease has ended and the disease may be on the upswing.

12 Feb 2008

Penn childhood obesity researchers panelists at AAAS event

Shiriki Kumanyika, PhD, MPH, Professor of Epidemiology and Associate Dean for Health Promotion and Health Prevention, at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and Virginia A. Stallings, MD, PhD, the Jean A. Cortner Endowed Chair in Pediatric Gastroenterology at Penn and Professor of Pediatrics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, will be part of a panel at a special public session, Understanding Obesity and Childhood at the 2008 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in Boston.

12 Feb 2008

Public smoking ban decreases acute coronary events in Italy

The number of acute coronary events such as heart attack in adults dropped significantly after a smoking ban in public places in Italy, researchers reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

12 Feb 2008

Seven new prostate cancer genetic risk factors identified

Cancer Research UK funded scientists have found seven new sites in the human genome that are linked to men's risk of developing prostate cancer. Their findings are published in Nature Genetics today.

11 Feb 2008

Scientists reveal a new target to fight bad cholesterol

Scientists have uncovered a new region in the genome that is responsible for the body's ability to regulate bad cholesterol which is linked to heart attack and stroke.

8 Feb 2008

Children who live in poor neighborhoods may be at increased risk of verbal and behavioral problems

A new study suggests that for some of their parents, living in poor neighborhoods is associated with poorer mental health, poorer family relations, and less consistent and more punitive parenting.

8 Feb 2008

Ischaemic heart disease in Europe

New figures show there are still large variations between and within European countries in the numbers of stroke and heart disease-related deaths. Several countries, particularly in northern and eastern Europe, have rates of death that are as much as 7-14 times higher than other countries, while countries such as Poland, Spain, Portugal, Germany and the UK have large regional variations.

7 Feb 2008