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British summer of sport starts to tackle obesity

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell MP today launched her Summer of Sport campaign to underline the government's commitment to sport in the UK.

29 Apr 2004

Britain's unemployed people will get the chance to work in the NHS as part of a new initiative

A pilot programme for the 'Ambition: Health' scheme is targeting areas of high unemployment that also have NHS skills shortages. It will also offer in-work support to encourage career progression.

29 Apr 2004

British health care workers soon to tap into on-line learning material

Health care professionals preparing patients for operations will soon be able to use award-winning on-line learning material prepared at the Health Care Innovation Unit at the University of Southampton.

29 Apr 2004

People infected with anthrax continued to report health problems, poor life adjustment, and psychological distress

In 2001, bioterrorist activities involving the U.S. Postal Service infected 22 individuals with Bacillus anthracis (anthrax), according to background information in the article. Six survivors had inhalational anthrax and 11 cutaneous anthrax disease. Little is known about potential long-term health effects of bioterrorism-related anthrax infection.

29 Apr 2004

British government warns couch potatoes

The warning came as the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, published a new landmark report on physical activity and health - At Least Five A Week. Smoking and unhealthy diet have long been established as major causal factors for chronic disease but the report says that inactive living is equally important.

29 Apr 2004

Could Britain follow California and New York by going smoke free

Since the Royal Medical Colleges widely-publicised call last November for smoke-free public places, there have been many developments in this area.

29 Apr 2004

Quarter of hospitals unlikely to comply safely with European Working Time Directive

The latest survey of acute hospitals in England and Wales shows that 23% will probably or definitely be unable to comply with the European Working Time Directive in August 2004. The Directive rules that junior doctors must not work more than 56 hours per week; must not work more than 13 hours in any 24; and must have an 11-hour break before and after a similar shift.

29 Apr 2004

Actress Teri Garr named as multiple sclerosis national chair women

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has announced that the esteemed actor and comedienne Teri Garr has been named the first National Chair of their Women Against MS (WAMS) program.

29 Apr 2004

Food Standards Agency Wales is developing a nutrition network

Food Standards Agency Wales is developing a nutrition network to provide key players, such as health professionals, teachers, and voluntary organisations, with information and a platform to share experiences.

29 Apr 2004

Body repositioning is highly effective in resolving dizziness

Dizziness is one of the most common medical complaints affecting older adults, with 10-20 percent of such complaints resulting from Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Many research studies have stated that without medical treatment, some 30 percent of BPPV patients will recover on their own. Now, a new evidence-based review has found that a single ten minute in-office treatment, based on a series of head and body turns, is highly effective in resolving this disorder, with an overall effectiveness of 70-80 percent.

29 Apr 2004

Vocal surgery is now available to maintain performance level of the singing voice

Tissue in the vocal cords and the female reproductive system react similarly to the hormonal changes present during a woman’s menstrual cycle. In some women, the change in vocal cord tissue is pronounced, resulting in what researchers call “premenstrual voice syndrome” (PMVS).

29 Apr 2004

Lean beef good for teenagers

Diets rich in lean beef can help teenagers maintain their levels of useable iron, teach important balanced eating habits and dispel rumors that all healthy diets are challenging and lack taste, according to a researcher in the University of Iowa College of Public Health.

28 Apr 2004

Canada kicks off National Immunization Awareness Week

Marking National Immunization Awareness Week, Canada's health ministers today encouraged parents and care givers across the country to have their children immunized.

28 Apr 2004

Study finds America’s hospital emergency rooms are overcrowded with patients

America’s hospital emergency rooms are overcrowded with patients who may be better served in doctors’ offices or other clinic settings, according to a national study of insured emergency patients conducted by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation on Health Care and the Schneider Institute for Health Policy at Brandeis University.

28 Apr 2004

Measles and malnutrition increasing in Sudan

Because of the lack of appropriate, urgently needed aid, the health of displaced people in Sudan’s Darfur region – particularly children – is radically worsening, according to the international medical aid organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

28 Apr 2004

McMaster’s is helping raise awareness of the importance of regular blood pressure monitoring.

A recently launched "Community Hypertension Awareness Program" (CHAP) is 'closing the loop' between health promotion activities in the community, and clinical care by family doctors.

28 Apr 2004

Medicare triples customer phone support

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson and CMS Administrator Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D. today announced that Medicare has more than tripled the number of customer service representatives available through its toll-free information line, 1-800-MEDICARE, which also received a record number of calls on Monday.

28 Apr 2004