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Household food insecurity contributes to overweight in children

Both household food insecurity (HFInsec) and childhood overweight are significant problems in the United States. Paradoxically, being food-insecure may be an underlying contributor to being overweight. A study of almost 8,500 low-income children ages 1 month to 5 years, published in the October 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, suggests an association between household food insecurity and overweight prevalence in this low-income population.

3 Oct 2009

University of Florida to study whether exercise can prevent disability in older people

The University of Florida will receive $29.5 million in federal stimulus funds over the next two years from the National Institute on Aging to begin a six-year study on whether a program of structured physical activity can prevent or delay major movement disability in older adults.

3 Oct 2009

Study points to subtle differences between boys and girls' attitudes to multiple drugs

New research by Weill Cornell Medical College researchers looks at the specific ways parents and peers influence teenagers to smoke, drink and use marijuana in combination.

3 Oct 2009

Surgical masks nearly as effective as N95 respirators in protecting health care workers against influenza

Surgical masks appear to be no worse than, and nearly as effective as N95 respirators in preventing influenza in health care workers, according to a study released early online today by JAMA. The study was posted online ahead of print because of its public health implications. It will be published in the November 4 issue of JAMA.

3 Oct 2009

American Lung Association launches new smoking cessation campaign

The American Lung Association is launching a new smoking cessation campaign, "Quitter in You," designed to highlight the need to change the way Americans look at quitting.

3 Oct 2009

HHS distribute new flu-response guide for community and faith-based organizations

Officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the White House Office for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships began distributing a new flu-response guide for community and faith-based organizations this week in an effort to reach out and educate Americans about the dangers of the new H1N1 and seasonal flu, and to reach populations who may not have access to this public health information in other ways.

3 Oct 2009

90% of public support H1N1 vaccination for health care workers

As H1N1 influenza vaccine begins to be shipped across the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasize getting the first doses to high-priority groups. One such group is health care workers.

3 Oct 2009

Data for end-stage kidney disease in the United States available online

Incidence and prevalence data for end-stage kidney disease in the United States will be available online from the U.S. Renal Data System a year earlier than usual, announces the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. In addition, the data will be updated online every three months and will show quarterly counts of patients at www.usrds.org/qtr/qrt_report_table_new.html.

3 Oct 2009

Recent releases in health policy research

"Emergency Department Visits in Massachusetts" - This policy brief examines why the number of people in Massachusetts who seek care in emergency rooms has remained high even though "health reform in Massachusetts has succeeded in increasing health insurance coverage and access to care."

3 Oct 2009

Report highlights rural health care challenges

"Rural residents have even more cause to support a public health insurance plan than those living in cities, advocates of such a plan said Thursday," The Omaha World-Herald reports. "The Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons, Neb., and the Center for Community Change issued a joint report highlighting the particular health care challenges faced by those living in rural parts of the country."

3 Oct 2009

New (and old) ideas for health care show possibility of savings, improvements

The search for reform models continues, with news reports exploring the Veterans Administration's "government-run health care," Washington State's "reputation for lower-cost, higher-quality health care," and Kaiser Permanente's new money-saving approach to heart attack treatment.

3 Oct 2009

Interim results of Sanofi Pasteur's Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine clinical trials announced

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group, announced today an interim analysis of data from clinical trials of the U.S. licensed Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine in adults 18 years through 64 years of age and over the age of 65 years.

3 Oct 2009

Democratic leaders shift on public plan, but push ahead despite setbacks

Despite recent setbacks, congressional Democratic leaders have continued pushing for a new government-run insurer as part of health reform. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warmed this week to a more moderate approach to the health insurance plan proposed by centrist Democrats, The Hill reports.

3 Oct 2009

61 institutions awarded grants for cancer research from American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society, the largest non-government, not-for-profit funding source of cancer research in the United States, has awarded 94 new national research and training grants totaling $45,097,000 to 61 institutions nationwide in the second of two grants cycles for 2009. The grants go into effect beginning January 1, 2010.

3 Oct 2009

Aspirin use in seniors study

Researchers at Monash University and the United States-based Berman Center for Outcomes & Clinical Research will lead an international clinical trial to test whether taking aspirin contributes to good health in the elderly.

1 Oct 2009

House Democratic leaders work to bridge divisions in ranks

Although much of the attention in the health care debate seems be on the Democratic divisions in the Senate, Democrats in the House are also split on what the next steps are.

1 Oct 2009

For American majority - those confused about health reform - a fresh wave of primers

For those still confused about the various health reform bills - six in ten are confused, and half say they don't know enough to form an opinion, the New York Times reports - news organizations offer a series of primers on key bills and provisions today.

1 Oct 2009

CVRx commences enrollment in study evaluating the Rheos System to treat heart failure

CVRx, Inc. reported the first enrollment of a patient in the HOPE4HF Trial, a study that is evaluating the Rheos System to treat heart failure. The Rheos System uses Baroreflex Activation Therapy® technology, an entirely new non-pharmaceutical approach designed to treat cardiovascular disease. The HOPE4HF Trial is being conducted under an approved investigational device exemption (IDE) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

1 Oct 2009

Majority of people don't feel they have a voice in debate over health care: Poll results

The Senate Finance Committee handed a major victory to the health care industry Tuesday by voting down two proposals that would have created a "public option" to compete against private health insurance providers as part of an overhaul of the nation's health care system. The industry has fought the public option with lobbying expenses and campaign contributions since the beginning of the year, fearing that the proposed policy would cut into their record profits.

1 Oct 2009

Social shame works better than Government subsidies: Study

Government subsidies persuade some people to change habits, but social shame works even better, suggests a recent study of efforts to reduce elevated childhood death and disease rates blamed on the microbial pathogens that cause diarrhea in rural India.

1 Oct 2009

Public Health News and Research

Household food insecurity contributes to overweight in children

University of Florida to study whether exercise can prevent disability in older people

Study points to subtle differences between boys and girls' attitudes to multiple drugs

Surgical masks nearly as effective as N95 respirators in protecting health care workers against influenza

American Lung Association launches new smoking cessation campaign

HHS distribute new flu-response guide for community and faith-based organizations

90% of public support H1N1 vaccination for health care workers

Data for end-stage kidney disease in the United States available online

Recent releases in health policy research

Report highlights rural health care challenges

New (and old) ideas for health care show possibility of savings, improvements

Interim results of Sanofi Pasteur's Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine clinical trials announced

Democratic leaders shift on public plan, but push ahead despite setbacks

61 institutions awarded grants for cancer research from American Cancer Society

Aspirin use in seniors study

House Democratic leaders work to bridge divisions in ranks

For American majority - those confused about health reform - a fresh wave of primers

CVRx commences enrollment in study evaluating the Rheos System to treat heart failure

Majority of people don't feel they have a voice in debate over health care: Poll results

Social shame works better than Government subsidies: Study

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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