The Nation's Health back issues from August 2008:
Report: U.S. industrial farming endangers health, environment: practices promote disease, contamination.(Report)
Aug 01, 2008; ... They supply much of the foods people worldwide eat every day, but industrial animal farms are also home to dangerous public health and environmental threats, says a new report that describes such risks as "unacceptable" and charts a path toward sustainable farming. Far from ...
Massachusetts health reform celebrates success, faces costs: state cuts adult uninsurance rates in half.
Aug 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Just two short years after sweeping health care reforms took root in Massachusetts, the numbers of uninsured, working-age adults have been cut nearly in half. The dramatic change is one of many successful notches on the New England state's road to ...
Health care expected to play key role in presidential elections: elections 2008.
Aug 01, 2008; ... When Americans turn to their TVs or computers in coming months to watch the presidential debates, one of the most important issues they want to hear the candidates discuss is health care. Concerned by their ability to pay for health services for themselves and their families, ...
APHA lauds San Diego fluoridation decision.(APHA ADVOCATES: Recent actions on public health by APHA)
Aug 01, 2008 ... In a win for public health, the San Diego City Council voted unanimously in June to fluoridate the city's water supply. In May, APHA's Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E), wrote to city Mayor Jerry Sanders and urged city officials to "move ahead speedily" ...
APHA: no levels of asbestos are safe.(APHA Advocates: Recent actions on public health by APHA)
Aug 01, 2008 ... With thousands of Americans dying every year due to asbestos exposure, APHA called on federal policy-makers to ban the deadly substance and support research into treating people living with asbestos-related illnesses. Already, more than 40 countries have banned asbestos, and ...
'Light' cigarette labels a fraud, APHA says.(APHA Advocates: Recent actions on public health by APHA)
Aug 01, 2008 ... Tobacco company Philip Morris committed fraud by misleading the American public to believe that "light" cigarettes are less of a health risk than regular cigarettes, APHA said in a friend-of-the-court brief submitted in June in a U.S. Supreme Court case. Along with fellow ...
Correction.(APHA Advocates: Recent actions on public health by APHA)(Correction notice)
Aug 01, 2008 ... A report released in April by the Intercultural Cancer Council Caucus, "From Awareness to Action: ...
APHA opposes recent Supreme Court decision on handguns.
Aug 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The June U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Washington, D.C.'s long-held ban on handguns is "gravely disappointing," according to APHA, which was one of many health groups fighting to uphold the city's law. "With the ruling against the ...
War and public health: our responsibility to those who serve.(VITAL SIGNS: Perspectives of the president of APHA)
Aug 01, 2008; ... As the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan continues, the casualties of war grow. Yet fewer resources are available to take care of U.S. troops who are suffering physically or mentally because of the conflict. Since the war began, more than 4,000 U.S. troops have died and more than ...
APHA president, Executive Board candidates named: Governing Council to vote at APHA's 136th Annual Meeting.
Aug 01, 2008 ... APHA has announced the 2008 candidates for its top elected membership positions, as selected by the Association's Nominating Committee. Two APHA members are vying for the position of Association president-elect, while six candidates are up for slots on the Executive Board. In ...
APHA Executive Board approves new aging forum: mentoring award created, Governing Council amends Bylaws.(American Public Health Association)
Aug 01, 2008 ... APHA members who have an interest in the way community design can improve the lives of older Americans can become part of a new Association Forum on the issue. In May, APHA's Executive Board approved a proposal to create the new Healthy Communities for Healthy Aging Forum. The ...
The Nation's Health wins two national awards.(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2008 ... The Nation's Health has been honored for its outstanding editorial content with two national awards. An article published in the June/July 2007 issue of The Nation's Health, "Public health program bringing infant eye care into better focus," earned a 2008 Excel Award in June ...
Win an APHA membership renewal through Each One, Reach One.(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2008 ... Want to win a free APHA membership renewal? How about a free APHA membership for a colleague? An annual APHA campaign gives you a chance to make those both happen. Through the APHA Each One, Reach One campaign, members can win an APHA membership renewal for themselves as well as ...
Contact your legislators now and advocate for public health: free state fact sheets available online.
Aug 01, 2008 ... With presidential and congressional elections just around the corner, APHA is calling on members and Affiliates to keep critical public health issues at the forefront of discussions. And like previous years, APHA's Public Health Action--or PHACT--campaign is providing the advocacy tools to ...
Sir Michael Marmot to keynote APHA Annual Meeting: access Annual Meeting online program now and plan ahead.
Aug 01, 2008 ... Sir Michael Marmot, an internationally recognized leader on health inequalities, will be the keynote speaker at APHA's 136th Annual Meeting in San Diego, the Association announced in June. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Marmot, PhD, MPH, MBBS, FRCP, FFPHM, FMedSci, will speak ...
Blueprint takes on preparedness among minority communities.(THE NATION: Health news at the national and federal levels)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Driven by the legacy of Hurricane Katrina and the looming possibility of an influenza pandemic or terror attack, a national group of public and private public health leaders released a detailed blueprint for disaster preparedness in U.S. minority communities. The National ...
Health insurance lacking for more U.S. young adults.
Aug 01, 2008 ... The number of uninsured U.S. young adults rose again in 2006, with Hispanic and black Americans at greatest risk for lacking coverage. A Commonwealth Fund issue brief released in May found the number of uninsured adults ages 19-29 rose to 13.7 million in 2006. Adults in that age ...
Employers, employees seeing eye-to-eye on obesity strategies.
Aug 01, 2008; ... A majority of employees and employers believe healthy lifestyle and weight management programs belong in the workplace, with many employers saying they should do more to help shrink the nation's waistline, according to a recent survey. With adult obesity rates more than doubling ...
Guideline urges U.S. clinicians to use more anti-smoking tools.
Aug 01, 2008 ... An updated clinical practice guideline on treating tobacco use and prevention identifies new counseling and medication treatments that can effectively help people quit smoking. Released by the U.S. Public Health Service in May, the guideline was developed by a 24-member, ...
New almanac confronts the high costs of chronic disease.
Aug 01, 2008; ... Today, more than 130 million Americans are living with one or more chronic diseases, with more than 75 cents of every health care dollar going toward treating such conditions, most of which are preventable. But current chronic disease costs are little when compared to the price the nation ...
Progress made against MRSA, but more measures needed.
Aug 01, 2008; ... Following up recent findings that a common antibiotic-resistant skin infection is much more prevalent than thought, a new survey has found that health professionals nationwide are making progress in preventing the disease in health care settings. Released in June by the ...
Breastfeeding support falling short at U.S. hospitals, birthing centers.
Aug 01, 2008 ... U.S. hospitals and birth centers are lagging in promoting supportive breastfeeding practices, with southern states faring more poorly than other regions. Published in the June 13 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a survey of breastfeeding support at hospitals and birth ...
Guidance issued, money awarded to support pandemic flu preparedness.
Aug 01, 2008 ... As the possibility of an influenza pandemic continues to rank as a top public health concern, federal health officials have released three draft guidelines on the use of masks, respirators and antiviral medications. The guidelines, published in the June 3 Federal Register, ...
Mothers' health taking toll on infant health, mortality rates.
Aug 01, 2008 ... Women's deteriorating health is a leading reason infant mortality rates have stalled in the United States since 2000, according to a June report from Trust for America's Health. After 40 years of declines, infant mortality rates have remained relatively stable since 2000, and at ...
Alzheimer's sixth leading death cause.(NATION IN BRIEF)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Alzheimer's disease is now the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, ending about 72,900 American lives in 2006, according to recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics. As many as 5.2 million Americans are living with the disease, with a report from ...
Death rates high for Hispanic workers.(NATION IN BRIEF)
Aug 01, 2008; ... While the death rate for Hispanic workers in the United States has decreased in recent years, such workers are still at higher risk than other U.S. workers, according to a recent study. The study in the June 6 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report also found the proportion of ...
Food safety advocates call for food dye ban.(NATION IN BRIEF)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Eight widely used artificial colorings that have been linked to hyperactivity and behavior problems in children should be banned from use in food in the United States, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Washington, ...
New U.S. genetic nondiscrimination law named a 'tremendous victory'.(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2008 ... Americans who have been afraid to take genetic tests for fear the information could be used against them by health insurers or employers have a new federal statute to protect them. After more than a decade of work, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act became law in May ....
Proposed standards for accrediting health departments open for comment.
Aug 01, 2008 ... Comments are now being sought on a set of proposed standards that will be used as part of an accrediting program for health departments. On Aug. 1, the Public Health Accreditation Board released preliminary standards, domains and measures for its voluntary national accreditation ...
Sacramento food program lauded for its community protection efforts.
Aug 01, 2008 ... A California environmental Health department has been chosen the winner of this year's Crumbine award, which recognizes superior local food safety protection. In recognition of its comprehensive Retail Food Program, the Sacramento County Environmental Management Department was ...
Malinoski, retired corps commander.(In memoriam)(Obituary)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2008 ... Victoria F. Malinoski, MPH, RN, died April 26 at the Lehigh Valley Hospice in Allentown, Pa., at age 89. During her career in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Malinoski rose to the rank of commander and in 1966 was recognized by "Who's Who of American Women" ...
Bayer, West Virginia affiliate president.(In memoriam)(Obituary)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2008 ... Steven Robert Bayer, president of the West Virginia Public Health Association, died May 13 in Washington, W. Va., at age 52. Bayer was director of environmental health and threat preparedness programs and served as public information officer at the Mid-Ohio Valley Health ...
Action guides provide blueprints for healthy community programs.
Aug 01, 2008 ... In an effort to put research into practice, a set of five new action guides is now available to public health practitioners and others interested in promoting healthy activities in their communities. Developed by the Partnership for Prevention and Centers for Disease Control and ...
APHA institute has more Ohio teens buckling up: high school teams use creative tactics to increase seatbelt use.
Aug 01, 2008; ... The sound of seatbelts clicking shut is becoming more commonplace among students at two high schools in Franklin County, Ohio. Working in conjunction with APHA's Public Health Traffic Safety Institute, community health leaders engaged students at Franklin Heights and Canal Winchester high ...
Iowa tops nation in child health care performance, report finds.(STATE & LOCAL: Issues at the state and community levels)
Aug 01, 2008; ... If every state's health system performed in the top tier, more than 4 million additional children would have health insurance, about 750,000 more children would be receiving five key vaccines, and nearly 11 million more children would have a medical home, according to a new report. ...
Colorado welcomes historic public health reform: new legislation brings comprehensive services to entire state.
Aug 01, 2008; ... Public health in Colorado took a huge leap toward the future in May with the passage of landmark legislation that will restructure and revitalize the state's public health infrastructure. The Colorado Public Health Reauthorization Act, signed into law June 3 by Colorado Gov ....
Thirteen state Affiliates receive APHA capacity-boosting grants.(The AFFILIATES: State, regional public health associations)
Aug 01, 2008 ... More APHA Affiliates will be able to strengthen their ability to improve the health of the public, thanks to new funding from APHA. In June, APHA awarded mini-grants to 13 affiliated state public health associations. The mini-grants are part of the APHA Affiliate Capacity-Building ...
Affiliates take part in technical assistance workshops: Phoenix, Atlanta workshops focus on marketing, management.
Aug 01, 2008; ... APHA's Affiliate Capacity-Building Initiative continued its forward momentum this spring, holding in-person technical assistance workshops in Atlanta and Phoenix. In addition to providing direct capacity-building grants, the initiative provides for technical assistance to all 53 APHA state ...
New York Affiliate works to advance prevention agenda.
Aug 01, 2008; ... Across the public health landscape, it is often said that health care reform usually happens in small steps. But since New York state chose to roll out its new statewide prevention agenda during APHA's National Public Health Week in April, the New York State Public Health Association has ...
Affiliate leaders meet in D.C.
Aug 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The work of APHA's affiliated state and regional public health associations was on the agenda in June, as incoming Affiliate presidents-elect as well as ...
Parents: help kids live at a healthy weight.(Healthy You)(Report)
Aug 01, 2008; ... It's everywhere in the news these days: Today's kids are suffering from overweight and obesity, and it is affecting their health and their future. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Diseases previously associated with overweight adults, such as type 2 diabetes, are increasingly ...
Better outreach for gay Hispanics needed.(JOURNAL WATCH: Highlights from June, July issues of the American Journal of Public Health)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Public health workers fighting HIV rates in Hispanic communities might need to tweak their education tactics to reach gay and bisexual men and transgender people, according to a study published in the June issue of APHA's American Journal of Public Health. In a study of more ...
Tai chi helps prevent injuries from falls.(JOURNAL WATCH: Highlights from June, July issues of the American Journal of Public Health)
Aug 01, 2008; ... To fend off injuries related to falling, older adults should take up a balanced-based exercise known as tai chi, health researchers wrote in July's AJPH. Conducted in Oregon senior centers, researchers found that after 12 weeks of twice-weekly tai chi classes, participants ...
Preparedness lacking at nursing homes.(JOURNAL WATCH: Highlights from June, July issues of the American Journal of Public Health)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Despite caring for some of the nation's most vulnerable residents, many nursing homes are unprepared to face a disaster, a study published in July's AJPH found. Using data collected between 1997 and 2005, the study examined four emergency preparedness components at nursing ...
Chemicals a risk to health, says world public health federation.(The GLOBE: Public health news from around the world)
Aug 01, 2008 ... The World Federation of Public Health Associations has joined with global leaders in calling for the safe management of chemicals that may pose a risk to human health and the environment. During its 42nd Annual Meeting in Geneva in May, federation members passed a resolution in ...
World health leaders take aim at chronic disease: climate change an issue at World Health Assembly meeting.
Aug 01, 2008; ... Global leaders have endorsed a six-year action plan to tackle noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, heart disease, diabetes and cancer, which are now the leading threats to human health worldwide. Such diseases caused 60 percent of all deaths in 2005, killing ...
Great strides made in universal access to HIV/AIDS treatments.
Aug 01, 2008; ... With 3 million people living with HIV/AIDS in developing countries now receiving antiretroviral therapy, a new universal goal has been devised to provide treatment to every person who needs it, according to a new report. In May, the World Health Organization, Joint United ...
WHO calls for banning all tobacco advertising, promotion.
Aug 01, 2008 ... The World Health Organization has called for a ban on all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship in an effort to protect the world's 1.8 billion young people. The call to action, issued on the eve of World No Tobacco Day in May, is part of a 2008 campaign focusing on the ...
Public health without borders.(Company overview)
Aug 01, 2008 ... The APHA Annual Meeting & Exposition is the place to experience cutting edge public health educational and networking opportunities! Learn from experts in the field, hear about the latest research and exceptional best practices. Discover the latest public health products and services and ...
MRSA led to cases of pneumonia, deaths.(HEALTH FINDINGS: The latest public health studies and research)
Aug 01, 2008; ... A high number of pneumonia cases caused by staph infections killed young, otherwise healthy patients during the 2006-2007 flu season, with more than three-quarters caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. According to a study published online June 3 in the ...
Snowboarding tops outdoor injury list.(HEALTH FINDINGS: The latest public health studies and research)
Aug 01, 2008; ... The first widespread study to estimate national outdoor recreational injuries puts snowboarding at the top of the U.S. list. The study, published in June in Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, found nearly 213,000 people are treated in emergency departments each year for ...
Fish, omega-3 fatty acids good for eyes.(HEALTH FINDINGS: The latest public health studies and research)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Eating fish and other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids may cut the risk of age-related macular degeneration, according to a study in the June Archives of Ophthalmology. Study authors cautioned that the analysis of nine previously published studies is based on few clinical ...
Pesticide exposures tied to diabetes risk.(HEALTH FINDINGS: The latest public health studies and research)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Workers who use chemical pesticides on more than 100 days during their lifetimes are at greater risk for diabetes, according to a National Institutes of Health study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology. Researchers found the association between ...
HIV-positive moms should breastfeed.(HEALTH FINDINGS: The latest public health studies and research)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Exclusive breastfeeding, even for mothers living with HIV, appears to confer the greatest benefits to infant health and survival in poorer countries, according to two recent studies published online June 4 in the New England Journal of Medicine. One study found no benefit from ...
Cases of Clostridium difficile on the rise.(HEALTH FINDINGS: The latest public health studies and research)(Report)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Severe cases and deaths from Clostridium difficile, an intestinal bug, have risen steeply in the United States in recent years, with adult hospitalizations increasing from 5.5 cases per 10,000 population in 2000 to 11.2 in 2005. A study in the June issue of Emerging Infectious ...
Worker passes pertussis to infants, underscoring immunization needs.
Aug 01, 2008; ... Eleven infants born at a Texas hospital in 2004 contracted pertussis from a health care worker, according to a recent study, underscoring the importance of immunizations not only for infants and young children but also for those who care for patients. The study, published in the ...
Climate change funds needed, says APHA.(APHA Advocates: Recent actions on public health by APHA)
Aug 01, 2008 ... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requires more support to confront the critical public health issues arising from climate change, according to APHA. In a May 29 letter to Reps. David Obey, D-Wis., and James Walsh, R-N.Y., APHA and fellow public health advocates ...
APHA calls for robust work force programs.(APHA Advocates: Recent actions on public health by APHA)
Aug 01, 2008 ... As worker shortages threaten public health's ability to take on growing threats to the nation's health, it is more important than ever that national policy-makers move quickly to ensure a robust public health work force, APHA and fellow advocates told members of Congress in May. ...
APHA advocates on Zimbabwe, budget.(APHA Advocates: Recent actions on public health by APHA)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2008 ... In other APHA advocacy news, the Association: * sent a May letter to U.N. Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and African Union Chair Alpha Oumar Konare urging the leaders to condemn ongoing violence in Zimbabwe and protect the health and humanitarian needs of its residents; and ...