Poverty News and Research

RSS

Health disparities in access to healthcare

Minority individuals are much more likely to develop and die from cancer than the general U.S. population.

16 Apr 2007

Asthma can lead to psychosocial disadvantages for children in our society

Much of the research surrounding childhood asthma has sought new approaches to managing the disease.

15 Apr 2007

More guns more suicides!

In the first nationally representative study to examine the relationship between survey measures of household firearm ownership and state level rates of suicide in the U.S., researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) found that suicide rates among children, women and men of all ages are higher in states where more households have guns.

11 Apr 2007

Calories from fat, carbohydrate, and protein may interact with genes

We observed an interaction between APOA5 and dietary fat intake, but we did not see an interaction between APOA5 and carbohydrate or protein intake for any genetic variants of APOA5,” says Ordovas, who is corresponding author of the study.

10 Apr 2007

India is poised to revolutionize biotechnology

India's health biotech firms are emerging as a major global player, with growing means and know-how to produce innovative as well as generic drugs and vaccines at costs small relative to those of giant Western firms, according to ground-breaking Canadian research.

10 Apr 2007

Positive impact of parents as teachers

Today, new research was unveiled on the outcomes of Parents as Teachers participation on children's school readiness and how these effects are sustained through third grade.

5 Apr 2007

Obstetric fistula, impact on women

Reuters on Friday examined obstetric fistula and its impact on women living with the condition (Ringler, Reuters, 3/30). Obstetric fistulas develop when a fetus becomes lodged during labor in the narrow birth canal of a girl or young woman, causing pressure that blocks the flow of blood to vital tissues and tearing holes in the bowel, urethra or both, causing incontinence.

3 Apr 2007

International community should focus on 'critical' health conditions, including HIV/AIDS epidemic, of Myanmar's population

The international community "needs an approach that focuses not on fostering democratic governance" in Myanmar "but on the critical health and education needs," including curbing the spread of HIV, among the country's "long suffering" population.

3 Apr 2007

New Rhode Island rules require hospitals to provide no-cost care to low-income residents

New Rhode Island regulations that took effect on Sunday require state hospitals to provide no-cost care to any uninsured resident whose income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, the Providence Journal reports.

3 Apr 2007

Self-regulation plays major role in early child achievement

Although intelligence is generally thought to play a key role in children's early academic achievement, aspects of children's self-regulation abilities, including the ability to alternately shift and focus attention and to inhibit impulsive responding--are uniquely related to early academic success and account for greater variation in early academic progress than do measures of intelligence.

3 Apr 2007

Policies aimed at increasing preschool teacher education alone are unlikely to improve quality or children's learning

Policymakers are increasingly requiring that public preschool teachers have at least a bachelor's degree, preferably in early childhood education.

3 Apr 2007

Community-based measures fail to reduce HIV levels

Interventions that target individuals with a high risk of contracting HIV have a negligible impact on HIV transmission in the general population, according to a new study of communities in Zimbabwe, published today.

2 Apr 2007

Stark introduces universal health insurance bill

House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chair Pete Stark (D-Calif.) on Thursday introduced a bill that would seek to provide health insurance to all U.S. residents through Medicare and employer-sponsored coverage, the Oakland Tribune reports.

2 Apr 2007

SCHIP program needs substantial work

When given health insurance through the state children's health insurance program (SCHIP), teens see their doctors more often, racial disparities are eliminated and more preventive care is received.

2 Apr 2007

Breastfeeding significantly reduces risk of HIV transmission from mother to child

A study by scientists at the Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, South Africa, has shown that exclusive breastfeeding can significantly reduce the risk of HIV transmission from mother to child in infants aged under six months when compared to those also given solid foods or replacement feed (i.e. formula milk).

2 Apr 2007

World moves closer to eradicating ancient worm disease

A neglected tropical disease that has afflicted people since ancient times has moved a step closer towards eradication. In early March, twelve more countries were declared Guinea Worm Free by the International Commission for the Certification of Dracunculiasis (Guinea Worm Disease) Eradication.

27 Mar 2007

WHO Director-General discusses effect of HIV/AIDS on women on International Women's Day

World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan in a statement released in recognition of International Women's Day, which is scheduled for Thursday, discussed the effects of HIV/AIDS on women in sub-Saharan Africa, Xinhua News Agency reports.

11 Mar 2007

Fishing communities in some developing countries highly affected by HIV/AIDS

Fishing communities in some developing countries have higher HIV prevalences, as well as AIDS-related illnesses and mortality rates, than other populations, primarily because of travel and a custom of trading sex for fish, according to a report released on Monday by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the SAPA/Cape Argus reports.

8 Mar 2007

Response to opinion piece saying global maternal health programs deserve more support

The New York Times on Sunday published several letters to the editor in response to a Feb. 25 Times column by Nicholas Kristof. According to Kristof, maternal health programs should receive support from the U.S. in part because the country knows how to lower maternal mortality and morbidity.

8 Mar 2007

PAHO, Canada sign agreement to advance health programs

The Pan American Health Organization and the Government of Canada today signed a four-year agreement to support international health work in the Americas.

8 Mar 2007