Public Health News and Research

RSS

Conservative Indiana adopted needle exchanges but still faces local resistance

Back when Cody Gabbard was shooting heroin, his only significant human contact was with others in the throes of addiction, who only cared to see him when he had drugs.

12 Feb 2020

Vapers exhibit similar chemical changes in their genome as smokers

Biologically important changes in DNA seen in smokers are also being found in people who vape, according to a new study published in the journal Epigenetics.

12 Feb 2020

The U.S. can erase cervical cancer in two decades

Cervical cancer is preventable, thanks to the development of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Various strains of HPV, a sexually transmitted infection, play a significant role in the event of cervical cancer. Now, the U.S. can eradicate cervical cancer within the next 20 years, according to a new study.

11 Feb 2020

Studies analyze impact of soft drink taxation, marketing and labeling laws

Laws affecting the labeling, marketing and taxation of sugary soft drinks impact the behavior of both consumers and manufacturers, according to two studies published this week in PLOS Medicine.

11 Feb 2020

Young sexual minority men do not fully understand their risk for HPV infection

Young sexual minority men -- including those who are gay, bisexual, queer or straight-identified men who have sex with men -- do not fully understand their risk for human papillomavirus due to a lack of information from health care providers, according to Rutgers researchers.

11 Feb 2020

New germ-killing fabric could help stop the spread of communicable diseases

UMass Lowell researchers have created germ-killing fabric that could help stop the spread of communicable diseases.

11 Feb 2020

New study confirms link between type 2 diabetes drug and increased risk of heart problems

A new study published by The BMJ adds to evidence that rosiglitazone - a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes - is associated with increased risk of heart problems, especially heart failure.

11 Feb 2020

App-based digital intervention alleviates depressive symptoms in people living with HIV

Globally more than 36 million people are living with HIV (PLWH), and a third of them have elevated depressive symptoms. Most PLWH live in developing countries with limited access to mental health services due to HIV-related stigma and a shortage of mental health professionals. Widely accessible smart phones offer a promising intervention delivery mode to address this gap.

11 Feb 2020

Taller body height in young men linked to lower risk of dementia in old age

Men who are taller in young adulthood, as an indicator of early-life circumstances, may have a lower risk of dementia in old age, suggests a study published today in eLife.

11 Feb 2020

Non-invasive method for early identification of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia

Information gathered from routine visits to the doctor is enough to accurately predict a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, according to new research led by scientists from Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University and Merck.

11 Feb 2020

Australian scientists grow live coronavirus virus

The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is rapidly spreading across the globe, with the highest magnitude taking a toll on mainland China. Scientists are racing to find a vaccine or a treatment to help contain the virus spread. Now, a team of scientists and health experts in Australia may have found a breakthrough to fight the deadly virus.

11 Feb 2020

Most vulnerable patients are not reimbursed fairly by Medicare, research finds

Hospitals, doctors and Medicare Advantage insurance plans that care for some of the most vulnerable patients are not reimbursed fairly by Medicare, according to recent findings in JAMA.

10 Feb 2020

Foundation awards $1.35 million grant to expand mental health programming in western Kenya

The Astellas Global Health Foundation and the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare, under the direction of the Indiana University Center for Global Health, announced today that the Foundation has awarded a $1.35 million grant over three years to AMPATH to provide 400,000 people with access to mental health programming in western Kenya.

10 Feb 2020

When it comes to the new coronavirus, just who is a ‘close contact’?

Even as U.S. authorities have taken the drastic steps of quarantining residents returning from China, and temporarily banning foreign visitors who recently traveled to affected Chinese regions, they have urged the vast majority of U.S. residents to go about their regular activities.

10 Feb 2020

Study finds increase in teens identifying as LGBQ, but suicide attempts remain high

A new Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) study finds that the proportion of high school students identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning (LGBQ) doubled from 2009 to 2017, while the LGBQ teen rate of attempted suicide went from five times the rate for their straight peers to nearly four times the rate.

10 Feb 2020

Increases in minimum wages primarily have no effect on health, study finds

In the decade-long absence of federal action, many states, counties and cities have increased minimum wages to help improve the lives of workers. While political debate over these efforts has long been contentious, scientific research on the health effects of raising the minimum wage is relatively new.

10 Feb 2020

Columbia researcher aims to uncover reasons behind health inequities in children after heart surgery

An MBA is a popular degree for people who want to run businesses, but for pediatric cardiologist Brett Anderson, MD, MBA, MS, assistant professor of pediatrics at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, the degree helps her focus on improving health quality and outcomes for underserved patients.

10 Feb 2020

Geographer produces new interactive map to show worldwide spread of coronavirus

As scientists pin down the origin, governments enact prevention measures and labs look for a cure, news about the outbreak of the novel coronavirus often comes down to two questions: where and how many people are infected?

10 Feb 2020

Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy can influence the development of ADHD

According to a study conducted in Finland, the risk of ADHD was 34 percent higher in children whose mother had a vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy than in those children whose mother’s vitamin D level was sufficient during the first and second trimesters.

10 Feb 2020

WHO and FIND formalize strategic collaboration to close major diagnostic gaps

The World Health Organization and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics announced today that a memorandum of understanding has been signed by the two organizations to formalize a strategic collaboration that will strengthen diagnosis in resource-poor countries by closing major diagnostic gaps at country level and bolstering disease surveillance that will inform public health initiatives and enhance outbreak preparedness and response.

10 Feb 2020