Chronic Disease News and Research

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Quit smoking one week at a time

Even though millions of smokers will resolve to 'butt out' on January 1st, experts say many will be still be smoking on Valentine's Day. They have some tips to help quitters retain their resolve and strengthen their commitment to quitting which apply even to the likes of President-elect Barack Obama.

29 Dec 2008

Partnerships take aim at improving children's asthma

Asthma is one the main causes of pediatric hospital admissions, both nationally and locally. Last year, there were 900 asthma-related visits to the Pediatric Emergency Department at Golisano Children's Hospital. Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong is working to lower that number.

29 Dec 2008

Remote sensing helps tackle tropical disease schistosomiasis in southern China

Scientists are looking to outer space for help in their attempt to prevent new outbreaks of the tropical disease schistosomiasis in southern China.

18 Dec 2008

Policymakers, the media and the public should use 20 specific health indicators

Policymakers, the media, and the public should focus on 20 specific health indicators as "yardsticks" to measure the overall health and well-being of Americans, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

17 Dec 2008

Dieting may help reduce the risk of gum disease, mostly in men

For men, especially older men, dieting may help reduce the risk of gum disease more than for women, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and other institutions.

17 Dec 2008

11 new genes linked to LDL, HDL cholesterols and triglycerides

A new study uncovers 11 gene variants associated with three blood lipids measured to determine cardiovascular disease risk: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides.

15 Dec 2008

Home-based pulmonary rehabilitation

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada.

15 Dec 2008

Calls for a change in alcohol culture and promotion

According to a new report from the University of Wollongong in New South Wales, 90% of 12 to 17-year-olds in the state have used alcohol; the report also reveals that the level of risky drinking by adults has decreased from 50% to 30% in men and 37 to 27% in women.

14 Dec 2008

Link between childhood obesity and asthma

A Kansas State University graduate student has found a correlation between childhood obesity and asthma.

12 Dec 2008

Surge in older cancer survivors expected as baby boomers age

The United States could be faced with a national health care crisis in the coming decades as the country's baby boomer population ages and a growing number of older adults find themselves diagnosed with and living longer with cancer.

10 Dec 2008

Rituxan in combination with chemo improves survival in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Genentech, Inc. and Biogen Idec have announced that two global Phase III studies in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), CLL8 and REACH, showed Rituxan (rituximab) plus chemotherapy significantly increased the time patients lived without their disease advancing, as defined by the primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS), when compared to chemotherapy alone.

8 Dec 2008

MedImmune starts phase 2 trial of antibody targeting IL-5 receptor

MedImmune has announced that it has initiated a Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with chronic asthma to determine the safety of subcutaneous dosing of a humanized monoclonal antibody (MAb) that targets the interleukin-5 receptor (IL-5R).

8 Dec 2008

Stereotypical imperfections offer health benefits when it comes to bodies

Having an imperfect body may come with some substantial benefits for some women, according to a new article in the December issue of Current Anthropology.

3 Dec 2008

School-based asthma education program helps children and adolescents to better manage condition

A new study has found that a school-based asthma education program conducted in the Oakland, California school district was shown to reduce symptoms and increase the number of days that children who suffered from asthma were able to go to school..

3 Dec 2008

Researchers study newborns' umbilical cord blood to better understand fetal health risks from smoking mothers

Despite the well-known dangers of first- and secondhand smoke, an estimated ten percent of pregnant women in the U.S. are smokers.

3 Dec 2008

Should the private sector play a greater role in delivering health care in low-income countries?

A provocative debate in this week's PLoS Medicine examines whether the private sector should step up its involvement in delivering health care in low-income countries.

24 Nov 2008

NJISA experts available for interviews on Alzheimer's disease

An estimated five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's, a disease that affects parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language and is the most common form of dementia among older people.

21 Nov 2008

How is a shortage of primary care physicians affecting the quality and cost of medical care?

A white paper, How is a Shortage of Primary Care Physicians Affecting the Quality and Cost of Medical Care? , released today by the American College of Physicians (ACP) documents the value of primary care by reviewing 20 years of research.

19 Nov 2008

Governments urged to take broader perspective when considering whether to fund vaccines

Including quality-of-life impacts in assessments of national vaccination programs would lead to many benefits, including improved productivity and less sick leave for parents, according to an editorial co-authored by a University of New South Wales (UNSW) researcher, that has appeared in the Lancet Infectious Diseases.

17 Nov 2008