Public Health News and Research

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Proportion of uninsured residents in North Carolina increases

The percentage of North Carolinians under the age of 65 who lacked health insurance for a year has risen from 15.3 percent in 2000 to 17.2 percent in 2005.

30 Apr 2007

Mail 'shot' helps reduce binge drinking

Mailing a simple information pamphlet to interested drinkers in the general population reduced binge drinking by 10 per cent, and is a promising public health approach to reduce the health and social problems associated with heavy drinking, shows a new study led by the University of Alberta.

30 Apr 2007

Feasible to create a stockpile of H5N1 vaccine

Countries and vaccine manufacturers agreed on Wednesday in a meeting at WHO that it may be feasible to create a stockpile of H5N1 vaccine, and to separately develop a mechanism to ensure broader access to pandemic influenza vaccine for developing countries in the advent of a pandemic.

30 Apr 2007

Heavy toll caused by indoor air pollution

In the 21 worst-affected countries, close to 5% of death and disease is caused by indoor air pollution, according to new estimates published by WHO.

30 Apr 2007

Processed snack foods and bottled water may be giving preschoolers rotten teeth

According to the latest figures from the National Center for Health Statistics as many as 28 percent of U.S. children ages 2 to 5 had a cavity in at least one baby tooth between 1999 and 2004.

30 Apr 2007

WHO targets workplace related lung cancer, mesothelioma and bladder cancer

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) more than 200,000 people die each year from cancers related to their workplaces, mainly from inhaling asbestos fibers and second-hand tobacco smoke.

29 Apr 2007

Sandia decon formulation, best known as an anthrax killer, takes on household mold

A product based on a technology originally developed at Sandia National Laboratories is now available on the shelves of hardware stores across the country.

27 Apr 2007

Ten genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes

Ten genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes, a disease which impacts more than 170 million people worldwide, have been identified or confirmed by a U.S.-Finnish team led by scientists at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

27 Apr 2007

Growing rates of syphilis among gay and bisexual men

Armed with more than a decade's worth of statistics, researchers are sounding a new alarm about growing rates of syphilis among gay and bisexual men.

27 Apr 2007

New genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes

In the most comprehensive look at genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes to date, a U.S.-Finnish team, working in close collaboration with two other groups, has identified at least four new genetic variants associated with increased risk of diabetes and confirmed existence of another six.

27 Apr 2007

More women developing multiple sclerosis than men

Over time, more women are developing multiple sclerosis (MS) than men, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 59th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 28 - May 5, 2007.

27 Apr 2007

Outdated policies are impediment for Americans with disabilities

Although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has helped increase awareness of barriers faced by people with disabilities, and advances in science and engineering have led to better assistive technologies that make it easier for individuals to lead productive, independent lives, outdated regulations too often impede access to health care coverage and assistive devices for many who need them, says a new report by the Institute of Medicine.

27 Apr 2007

Taking low dose aspirin does not protect older women against cognitive decline

Identifying ways to prevent dementia is a public health priority. Evidence suggests that aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs may protect against dementia, but data from randomised studies to date have been inconclusive.

27 Apr 2007

Study looks at reproductive health of girls who developed HIV at birth

A generation of children born with HIV are now coming of age and reaching sexual maturity. Girls in this group who are sexually active are experiencing a higher number than expected of cervical abnormalities, a new study finds.

27 Apr 2007

Food-associated cues linked to obesity

A unique pattern of gene expression observed in rats may be linked to a conditioned desire for food and excessive food intake, an article published in BMC Biology suggests.

27 Apr 2007

Frequent self-weighing is not associated with depression in women

A study being published in a recent issue of Preventive Medicine found no strong evidence linking frequent scale stepping and depression in women. In addition, self-weighing daily, rather than once every week or month, was associated with lower Body Mass Index (BMI) levels in women 40 years or older.

26 Apr 2007

Report identifies schizophrenia patients likely to receive depot medication

A report in the April 2007 issue of Psychiatric Services has identified a unique subgroup of schizophrenia patients in the United States who tend to receive depot antipsychotic medications.

26 Apr 2007

Menstrual link to obesity

Women who begin their menstrual periods before they are 11 years old are more likely to have children who also start puberty early and are more overweight than the children of mums who mature later.

26 Apr 2007

Babies are exposed to perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoate in the womb

An analysis of nearly 300 umbilical cord blood samples led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows that newborn babies are exposed to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) while in the womb.

25 Apr 2007

Pregnant U.S. women commonly smoke

While pregnancy may be considered an effective motivator for smoking cessation, results of a new study by researchers at the Mailman School of Public Health indicate that pregnant U.S. women commonly smoke, placing themselves and their unborn children at risk for health and developmental complications.

25 Apr 2007