Child Health News and Research

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Air pollution from lead-contaminated soil a cause for concern

Research suggests that air pollution from lead-contaminated soil may explain the seasonal variation in blood lead levels observed in children, particularly those living in urban areas.

27 Feb 2013

Airborne dust exposure leads to seasonal fluctuation in blood lead levels among children

A new nine-year study of more than 367,000 children in Detroit supports the idea that a mysterious seasonal fluctuation in blood lead levels - observed in urban areas throughout the United States and elsewhere in the northern hemisphere - results from resuspended dust contaminated with lead.

26 Feb 2013

Childhood cancer on the rise across the developing world

Across the developing world, childhood cancer is on the rise, and mortality is high. Once thought of as a rich world disease, cancer is a growing health threat across low-income and middle-income countries (LMCs). A major new Lancet Oncology Series by some of the world’s most eminent cancer experts outlines the biggest challenges to treating childhood cancer in developing nations and proposes strategies to improve care for children and young people.

20 Feb 2013

Child cancer survival rate progress threatened by lack of new drug development

Remarkable improvements in survival from childhood cancer have taken place in high- income countries over the past 50 years, but further progress is being threatened by increasingly strict research regulations and insufficient development of new drugs, according to a major new Lancet Oncology Series on improving cancer care for children and young people.

20 Feb 2013

Elsevier receives three American Journal of Nursing 2012 Book of the Year awards

Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, was recognized with three American Journal of Nursing (AJN) 2012 Book of the Year awards, including two for first place. Elsevier's books were honored in the Gerontologic Nursing, Maternal and Child Health, and Critical Care-Emergency Nursing categories.

19 Feb 2013

Opinion pieces, editorial address new report on effects of various policies on child, maternal health

The World Policy Analysis Centre recently released a report examining the effects of policies in a number of areas -- including health, education, discrimination, and labor laws -- on maternal and child health.

16 Feb 2013

Dentists concerned about gaps in health law coverage; Mass. effort for small business insurance hampered by federal law

The federal overhaul requires dental care for children but advocates say the mechanism for that will often be complicated. Meanwhile, in a different article about the complications of implementing the health law, the Boston Globe examines efforts by small businesses to buy insurance.

16 Feb 2013

First Edition: February 15, 2013

Today's headlines include news about how the health law's insurance exchanges are taking shape.

15 Feb 2013

Public health, social policies can positively affect children's lives

"Specific calls for global action on health and other social issues can have a major effect on children's life chances, concludes a report that compared data on laws and public policies affecting children in 191 countries," BMJ reports.

15 Feb 2013

India announces plans to improve adolescent health, evaluate progress on child survival

"India's health ministry has announced plans to improve the health of adolescents and also to evaluate progress of states and districts on child survival under a fresh package of initiatives to reduce mortality among children under five years old," BMJ reports.

15 Feb 2013

Blogs address IHME report on global health funding

"Last week, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) released 'Financing for Global Health: The End of the Golden Era?,' its fourth annual report analyzing trends in Development Assistance for Health (DAH) from 1990 through 2009, with estimates through 2011," the Maternal Health Task Force blog reports, noting, "One of the areas where there has been an increase in spending is the overall area of maternal, newborn and child health, including family planning." The blog outlines sections of the report that discuss MNCH funding.

14 Feb 2013

Racial and ethnic disparities exist for adverse obstetric outcomes

In a study to be presented on February 14 between 1:15 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. PST, at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting -, in San Francisco, California, researchers will present data showing racial and ethnic disparities exist for adverse obstetric outcomes.

13 Feb 2013

Risk of preterm birth associated with intra-amniotic debris and shortened cervix

In a study to be presented on February 14 between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. PST, at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting -, in San Francisco, California, researchers will report findings suggesting an increased risk of early (less than 35 weeks) preterm birth when intra-amniotic debris is present in nulliparous women with a short cervix.

13 Feb 2013

India holds national summit on child survival, development

"[M]ore than 200 delegates ranging from policymakers and representatives of development agencies to global health practitioners and civil society members" are gathering in India this week for a national summit on the "Call to Action for Child Survival and Development," IIP Digital reports.

10 Feb 2013

AHRQ, CMS announce new children's EHR format

The benefits of electronic health records (EHRs) may become more widely available to children through an EHR format for children's health care announced today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

10 Feb 2013

Basis of antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive therapy found

Through a series of investigations in mice and humans, Johns Hopkins researchers have identified a protein that appears to be the target of both antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive therapy. Results of their experiments explain how these therapies likely work to relieve depression by stimulating stem cells in the brain to grow and mature.

7 Feb 2013

'Impatient Optimists' blog reflects on recent Global Maternal Health Conference

In this post in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's "Impatient Optimists" blog, Mariam Claeson, deputy director of maternal, newborn, and child health at the foundation; France Donnay, senior program officer for maternal, neonatal and child health at the foundation; and Melanie Walker, deputy director of global development special initiatives at the foundation, reflect on the Global Maternal Health Conference 2013, which took place recently in Arusha, Tanzania.

2 Feb 2013

House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health gains 7 new members

"The subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee that oversees international health issues, including infectious disease, maternal and child health and global health programs, and population programs, as well as human rights issues and agencies, has seven new members," the Center for Global Health Policy's "Science Speaks" reports and "profiles the four new Republicans to join the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations."

30 Jan 2013

Nigerian President, Norwegian Prime Minister release report on saving lives of women, children

Nigerian "President Goodluck Jonathan and the Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg, have said this year will be 'a tipping point for change' and global awareness for saving more lives, especially those of women and children."

25 Jan 2013

Setting research priorities for adolescent sexual and reproductive health

Quality sexual and reproductive health care is an essential component of public health. However, there are insufficient evidence-based policies related to adolescent sexual and reproductive health in low- and middle-income countries.

24 Jan 2013