Health and Medical News and Resources

General interest items edited by Janice Flahiff

National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS)

NISVS report cover

 

From the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site

On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States, based on a survey conducted in 2010. Over the course of a year, that equals more than 12 million women and men. Those numbers only tell part of the story—more than 1 million women are raped in a year and over 6 million women and men are victims of stalking in a year. These findings emphasize that sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence are important and widespread public health problems in the United States.

Sexual Violence Victimization

Graph showing the age at time of first completed rape victimization in lifetime among females, NISVS 2010More than three-quarters of female victims of completed rape (79.6%) were first raped before their 25th birthday, with 42.2% experiencing their first completed rape before the age of 18 (29.9% between 11–17 years old and 12.3% at or before age 10) (Figure 2.2).

More than one-quarter of male victims of completed rape (27.8%) were first raped when they were 10 years old or younger (data not shown).

December 27, 2011 Posted by | Public Health | , , , , | Leave a comment

Second-Trimester Abortions Concentrated Among Certain Groups of Women from Full Text Reports…


Go to http://prolife2011.wordpress.com/category/facts/ for larger image

Second-Trimester Abortions Concentrated Among Certain Groups of Women from Full Text Reports….

From the Full Text Reports Web page

December 23, 2011

Source:  Guttmacher Institute

In the United States, nearly nine in 10 abortions occur in the first trimester, but, until now, little was known about the 10% of women who have abortions at 13 weeks’ gestation or later. According to “Who Has Second-Trimester Abortions in the United States?,” by Rachel K. Jones and Lawrence B. Finer of the Guttmacher Institute, certain groups of women are overrepresented among second-trimester abortion patients. These groups include women with lower educational levels, black women and women who have experienced multiple disruptive events in the last year, such as unemployment or separating from a partner.

This first-ever comprehensive profile of second-trimester abortion patients in the United States relies on data from a nationally representative sample of more than 9,400 women obtaining abortions in 2008. The authors first compared first-trimester abortion patients with those obtaining abortions at 13 weeks or later to see if there were differences in characteristics between the groups; next, among second-trimester abortion patients, they compared early second-trimester abortion patients (13–15 weeks’ gestation) with those having abortions at 16 weeks or later.

Certain groups of women were more likely than others to obtain abortions at 13 weeks or later. For example, teens were more likely than older women to obtain an abortion in the second trimester—accounting for 14% of abortions among teens, compared with 9% among women aged 30 and older. Similarly, the proportion of abortions that occurred in the second trimester was 13% among black women, compared with 9% among non-Hispanic whites; 13% among women who had not graduated from high school, compared with 6% among college graduates; 14% among those using health insurance to pay for the procedure, compared with 8% among those who paid out of pocket; and 15% among those who had experienced three or more disruptive events in the past year, compared with 9% among women experiencing no disruptive events.

Full Report (PDF)

December 27, 2011 Posted by | Consumer Health | , , | Leave a comment

The French Unhappiness Puzzle: The Cultural Dimension of Happiness from Full Text Reports…

 

English: (Green) MogoliË. (Light-green) The Eu...

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The French Unhappiness Puzzle: The Cultural Dimension of Happiness  from Full Text Reports….

From the Full Text Reports Summary

December 23, 2011

Source:  Research Papers in Economics

This article sheds light on the important differences in self-declared happiness across countries of equivalent affluence. It hinges on the different happiness statements of natives and immigrants in a set of European countries to disentangle the influence of objective circumstances versus psychological and cultural factors. The latter turns out to be of non-negligible importance in explaining international heterogeneity in happiness. In some countries, such as France, they are responsible for 80% of the country’s unobserved idiosyncratic source of (un-)happiness.

December 27, 2011 Posted by | Psychology, Uncategorized | , , , | Leave a comment

Do You Really Need a Yearly Checkup? | Yahoo! Health

Do You Really Need a Yearly Checkup? | Yahoo! Health By Lisa Collier Cool

Excerpt

Typically, a routine visit with your primary care doctor involves a slew of tests and screenings. While patients are often told that all this poking and prodding is crucial to protect their health, is there any scientific evidence to support that? A decade ago, the US Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), an independent group of medical experts appointed by Congress, concluded that yearly physicals are unnecessary for healthy, symptom-free adults.

What’s more, a new study published in Archives of Internal Medicine*** reports that primary care doctors often order unnecessary and inappropriate tests, screenings and treatments, costing the healthcare system—and patients—$6.8 billion in 2009. The annual checkup is a prime culprit in needlessly driving up medical bills, the researchers found, with dubious or worthless tests ordered in up to 56 percent of these exams.

Find out how to save big on rising healthcare costs.

Instead of a yearly checkup, the new thinking is that healthy patients should “check in” with their doctors periodically, on a schedule tailored to their individual needs, to discuss any medical concerns and which tests truly are appropriate for their age, gender, and family history. Here’s a look at routine screenings that primary care doctors are most likely to use needlessly, according to analysis by the National Physicians Alliance (NPA)—and when these tests are worthwhile….

Read the article (it includes comments about specific tests)

***The article, “Top 5” Lists Top $5 Billion, is available online only through paid subscription.
Click here for suggestions on how to get this article (and other science/medicine articles) for free or at low cost 

Here are the first 150 words of the Top 5 article from the Archives of Internal Medicine Web page

Minal S. Kale, MD; Tara F. Bishop, MD, MPH; Alex D. Federman, MD, MPH; Salomeh Keyhani, MD, MPH 

Arch Intern Med. 2011;171(20):1856-1858. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.501

Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

The Good Stewardship Working Group presented the top 5 overused clinical activities across 3 primary care specialties (pediatrics, internal medicine, and family medicine), as chosen by physician panel consensus.1 All activities were believed to be common in primary care but of little benefit to patients. We examined the frequency and associated costs of these activities using a national sample of ambulatory care visits.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional analysis using data from the 2009 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). The NAMCS and NHAMCS survey patient visits to physicians in non–federally funded, non–hospital-based offices and non–federally funded hospital outpatient departments, respectively.2

We limited our sample to visits by patients to their primary care physicians. Visits for each “top 5” primary care activity were identified . . . [Full Text of this Article]


December 27, 2011 Posted by | health care | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Top 10 Youth Health 2.0 articles of 2011

Top 10 Youth Health 2.0 articles of 2011

From the 26 December Youth Health post by Dr. Kishan Kariippanon (@yhpo)

1. #9 cool public health and social media articles

2. Is technology to blame in cybersafety?

3. Stanford Medicine 2.0 Conference 2011 – The Report Card (Guest blog by Prajesh C)

4. iPhone Apps for STI/HIV Prevention

5. Mark Scott (ABC) on social media leadership

6. Social media and Indigenous culture

7. Youth Health 2011 Sydney conference presentation

8. Sexual health iPhone Apps

9. Wanted: a Social Media Expert?! (Guest Blog by Kate Nelson)

10. A simple QR code evaluation

December 27, 2011 Posted by | health | , , , , | Leave a comment

Search the Office of Minority Health’s Library Catalog Online | Health Information Literacy – for health and well being

OMH LogoUS Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health

 

Search the Office of Minority Health’s Library Catalog Online | Health Information Literacy – for health and well being

The catalog can be searched to find free online material related to the health status of racial and ethnic minority populations. including

  • Books
  • Reports
  • Journals
  • Media
  • Organizations

 

The latest acquisitions include (click here to view the list with the hyperlinks)


1. Access to Care [Infopak, 2010].   Chicago, IL: American Dental Association (ADA, 2010. 8 p.

MH11D10736

  Available online at

http://www.ada.org/sections/educationAndCareers/pdfs/access to care infopak-2010.pdf   [PDF

| 205.99KB]

2. Collecting and Using Race, Ethnicity and Language Data in Ambulatory Settings: A White 

Paper with Recommendations from the Commission to End Health Care Disparities.

Chicago, IL: American Medical Association (AMA), 2011. 26 p.   MH11D10737

  Available online at http://www.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/public-health/cehcd-redata.pdf

[PDF | 299.14KB]

3. Combating the Silent Epidemic of Viral Hepatitis: Action Plan for the Prevention, Care & 

Treatment of Viral Hepatitis.   Washington, D.C. US Department of Health and Human Services

(HHS), 2011. vi, 76 p.   MH11D10748

  Available online at http://www.hhs.gov/ash/initiatives/hepatitis/actionplan viralhepatitis2011.pdf

[PDF | 672.06KB]

4. Developing Health Literacy Older Adults: Expert Panel Report.   Washington, D.C. US

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 2009. iv, 48 p.   MH11D10753

  Available online at http://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/Learn/pdf/olderadults.pdf  [PDF | 2.37MB]

5. Do Baby Products Prevent SIDS? FDA Says No.   Rockville, MD: Food and Drug

Administration (FDA), 2011. 2 p.   MH11D10756

  Available online at

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/UCM275852.pdf  [PDF |

568.43KB]

6. Dream Baskets: Focusing On your Future [Las Canastas de Suenos: Enfocandote en Tu 

Futuro]: Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention [Prevencion del Embarazo en Adolescentes].

Sarasota, FL: Oasis Publications, Inc., 2012. 48 p.   MH11D10740

7. Ending the Tobacco Epidemic: A Tobacco Control Strategic Action Plan for the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services.   Washington, D.C. US Department of Health and

Human Services (HHS), 2010. 62 p.   MH11D10750

  Available online at http://www.hhs.gov/ash/initiatives/tobacco/tobaccostrategicplan2010.pdf

[PDF | 2.24MB]

8. Expert Panel on Integrated Guidelines for Cardiovascular Health Risk Reduction in 

Children and Adolescents: Summary Report.   Bethesda, MD: National Heart Lung and Blood

Institute, 2011. 125 p.   MH11D10757

  Available online at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cvd ped/peds guidelines sum.pdf  [PDF

| 1.24MB]

9. First Nations Traditional Models of Wellness [Traditional Medicines and Practices]: 

Environmental Scan in British Colombia.  West Vancouver, BC: First Nations Health Society,

2010. 51 p.   MH11D10781

  Available online at

http://www.fnhc.ca/pdf/Traditional Models of Wellness Report FIN- 2010.pdf  [PDF | 1.69MB]

10. Giving 2.0: Transform your Giving and Our World.   San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, A Wiley

Imprint, 2012. vii, 312 p.   MH11D10791

11. Healthy People 2010 Final Review.   Hyattsville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics, 2011.

662 p.   MH11D10755

  Available online at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hpdata2010/hp2010final review.pdf  [PDF |

12.10MB]

12. HIV in Communities of Color: The Compendium of Culturally Competent Promising 

Practices: The Role of Traditional Healing in HIV Clinical Management.   Washington, DC:

AIDS Education and Training Center, National Multicultural Center, Howard University Medical

School, 2011. 64 p.   MH11D10747

  Available online at http://www.aetcnmc.org/CompendiumBook Traditional Healing.pdf  [PDF |

2.51MB]

13. Language Access & Interpretation: Resources for Policy, Research, Services and 

Advocacy.   San Francisco, CA: Asian and Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence,

2011. 16 p.   MH11D10785

  Available online at

Click to access Language.Access.Interpretation-Resource.List-APIIDV-5.2011.pdf

[PDF | 299.09KB]

14. The Measure of America 2010-2011: Mapping Risks and Resilience.   Brooklyn, NY:

American Human Development Project, 2010. 317 p.   MH11D10795

  Available online at http://www.measureofamerica.org/the-measure-of-america-2010-2011-book/

15. Medicaid: A Lifeline for Blacks and Latinos with Serious Health Care Needs.   Washington,

D.C. Families USA, 2011. 25 p.   MH11D10788

Available online at http://familiesusa2.org/assets/pdfs/medicaid/Lifeline-Blacks-and-Latinos.pdf

[PDF | 499.89KB]

16. Multiple Chronic Conditions: A Strategic Framework: Optimum Health and Quality of Life 

for Individuals with Multiple Chronic Conditions.   Washington, D.C. US Department of

Health and Human Services (HHS), 2010. 103 p.   MH11D10751

  Available online at http://www.hhs.gov/ash/initiatives/mcc/mcc framework.pdf  [PDF |

234.43KB]

17. Plan EJ 2014.   Washington, D.C. United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2011.

vi, 185 p.   MH11D10759

  Available online at

http://www.epa.gov/compliance/ej/resources/policy/plan-ej-2014/plan-ej-2011-09.pdf  [PDF |

2.32MB]

18. Plan for a New Future: Impact of Social Security Reform on People of Color.   Oakland, CA:

Insight Center for Community Economic Development and Global Policy Solutions, 2011. 48 p.

MH11D10784

  Available online at

http://www.insightcced.org/NewFuture Social Security Commission Report Final.pdf  [PDF |

910.01KB]

19. Portrayal and Perception: Two Audits of News Media Reporting on African American Men 

and Boys.   Pittsburgh, PA: The Heinz Endowment, 2011. 66 p.   MH11D10789

  Available online at

http://www.soros.org/initiatives/usprograms/focus/cbma/articles publications/publications/portrayal

-and-perception-20111101/portrayal-and-perception-20111101.pdf  [PDF | 766.18KB]

20. Priority Areas for Improvement of Quality in Public Health.   Washington, D.C. US

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 2010. xiv, 91 p.   MH11D10752

  Available online at http://www.hhs.gov/ash/initiatives/quality/quality/improvequality2010.pdf

[PDF | 5.65MB]

21. Promising Pregnancies [=Embarazos Prometedores].   Sarasota, FL: Oasis Publications,

Inc., 2012. 38p.   MH11D10741

22. Report of the Comprehensive Review of the Issues Associated with a Repeal of “Don’t Ask, 

Don’t Tell”.   Washington, D.C. Department of Defense, 2010. iv, 257 p.   MH11D10738

  Available online at

http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2010/0610 dadt/DADTReport FINAL20101130(secure-hi

res).pdf  [PDF | 7.22MB]

23. Sexual Orientation and U.S. Military Personnel: An Update on Rand’s 1993.   Santa Monica,

CA: RAND Corporation, 2010. xxxiv, 410 p.   MH11D10739

  Available online at

http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monographs/2010/RANDMG1056.pdf  [PDF |

2.49MB]

24. Shattered Lives: Homicides, Domestic Violence and Asian Families.   San Francisco, CA:

Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence (APIIDV), 2010. 74 p.   MH11D10790

  Available online at http://www.apiidv.org/files/Homicides.DV.AsianFamilies-APIIDV-2010.pdf

[PDF | 7.52MB]

25. Social Determinants Approaches to Public Health: From Concept to Practice.   Geneva,

Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO), 2010. 209 p.   MH11D10796

  Available online at http://www.who.int/social determinants/en/

26. Status Report on the Implementation of the Viral Hepatitis Action Plan.   Washington, D.C.

US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 2011. 21 p.   MH11D10749

  Available online at http://www.aids.gov/pdf/status-report-on-implementation-of-vhap.pdf  [PDF |

652.91KB]

27. Taking the First Steps: Experiences of Six Community/State Teams Addressing Racism’s 

Impacts on Infant Mortality : Team Profiles from the Infant Mortality and Racism Action 

Learning Collaborative, a project of the Partnership to Eliminate Disparities in Infant 

Mortality .   Omaha, NE: CityMatch, 2011. 81 p.   MH11D10780

  Available online at http://www.citymatch.org/downloads/TakingFirstStepBooklet.pdf  [PDF |

8.93MB]

28. Trends in U.S. Public Awareness of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (1999-2010): Study 

Brief.   Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health

(OMH), 2010. 9 p.   MH11D10744

  Available online at http://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/assets/pdf/checked/1/2010StudyBrief.pdf

[PDF | 112.70KB]

29. Trends in U.S. Public Awareness of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (1999-2010): 2010 

General Population Toplines.   Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,

Office of Minority Health (OMH), 2010. 15 p.   MH11D10745

  Available online at http://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/assets/pdf/checked/1/HHToplines2010.pdf

[PDF | 257.47KB]

30. Violence against Asian and Pacific Islander Women.   San Francisco, CA: Asian and Pacific

Islander Institute on Domestic Violence, 2011. 2 p.   MH11D10786

  Available online at

http://www.apiidv.org/files/Violence.against.API.Women-FactSheet-APIIDV-2.2011.pdf  [PDF |

138.63KB]

Highlights of New Journal Articles Added to the Knowledge Center: 

 

1. Acculturation: State of the Science of Nursing.  Journal of Cultural Diversity, v. 18, #2 (Summer), p. 39-42, 

2011.  #31515 

Buscemi, C. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21744672

2. Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Patients: Journal of 

General Internal Medicine, v. 26, #8 (August), p. 930-933, 2011.  #31486 

Ard, K. L. Makadon, H. J. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21448753

3. Addressing Racial Healthcare Disparities: How Can We Shift the Focus from Patients to Providers?.

Journal of General Internal Medicine, v. 26, #8 (August), p. 828-830, 2011.   #31482 

Burgess, D. J 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21647749

4. Affordable Care Act Reforms Could Reduce the Number of Underinsured US Adults By 70 Percent: Health 

Affairs, v. 30, #9 (September), p. 1762-1771, 2011.  #31525 

Schoen, C. Doty, M. M. Robertson, R. H. Collins, S. R. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21900668

5. The Case for Research Justice: Inclusion of Patients With Limited English Proficiency in Clinical Research.

Academic Medicine, v. 86, #3 (March), p. 389-393, 2011.  #31420 

Glickman, S. W. Ndubuizu, A. Weinfurt, K. P. Hamilton, C. D., Glickman, L. T., et al. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21248607

6. Contributors of Black Men’s Success in Admission to and Graduation from Medical School: Academic 

Medicine, v. 86, 7 (July), p. 892-900, 2011.  #31406 

Thomas, B. Manusov, E. G. Wang, A. Livingston, H. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21617511

7. Disparities in Enrollment and Use of an Electronic Patient Portal: Journal of General Internal Medicine, v. 

26, #10 (October), p. 1105-1111, 2011.  #31472 

Goei, M. S. Brown, T. L. Williams, A. Hasnain-wynia, R., et al. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21509604

8. Enhancing Measurement of Primary Health Care Indicators Using an Equity Lens: An Ethnographic Study.

International Journal for Equity in Health, v. 10, #38 (September 11), 12 p., 2011.  

Wong, S. T. Browne, A. J. Varcoe, C. Lavoie, J. Smye, V., et al. #31492 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21892956

9. Health Information Technology and Disparities in Quality of Care: Journal of General Internal Medicine, v. 

26, #10 (October), p. 1084-1085, 2011.  #31469 

Sequist, T. D. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21809173

10. The Meaning of Numbers in Health: Exploring Health Numeracy in a Mexican-American Population.

Journal of General Internal Medicine, v. 26, #7 (July), p. 705-711, 2011. #31488 

Schapira, M. M. Fletcher, K. E. Ganschow, P. S. Walker, C. M. Tyler, B., et al. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21336671

11. Overcoming Health Literacy Barriers: A Model for Action.  Journal of Cultural Diversity, v. 18, #2 

(Summer), p. 60-67, 2011.  #31513 

Mancuso, L. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21744676


December 27, 2011 Posted by | Finding Aids/Directories | | Leave a comment

Think Cultural Health – An Informative Web Site from the US Office of Minority Health

 

Think Cultural Health is “dedicated to advancing health equity at every point of contact. With growing concerns about health inequities and the need for health care systems to reach increasingly diverse patient populations, cultural competence has become more and more a matter of national concern.”

Highlights from the site

Related Resources

December 27, 2011 Posted by | health care, Public Health | , , , , | Leave a comment

Experts eye link between student health troubles, lower performing schools | charterstarter

Experts eye link between student health troubles, lower performing schools | charterstarter

Excerpt from the  blog item

By Pat Tarantino at the Dorchester Reporter

About 250 people gathered Tuesday morning at the Boston Public Library’s central branch in Copley Square to discuss a new report that details the health of students in the city’s public school system. Boston Public School representatives and public health researchers hope that a new approach to the well-being of students can help even the academic playing field and give struggling learners the boost they need to close achievement gaps.

The annual Healthy Connections report, released this week, indicates students living in Boston experience significantly less physical activity, more incidents of violence, and higher rates of sexually transmitted illnesses than statewide averages. The conversation was made more urgent because a $2 million federal grant for health and wellness programs will conclude at the end of the current school year….

December 27, 2011 Posted by | Public Health | , | Leave a comment

NIH Radio – National Institutes of Health (NIH) – good info when on the go or in a waiting room

Something to consider when waiting in the doctor’s office or elsewhere, or just in the mood to listen to health news at home or on the go…..

NIH Radio – National Institutes of Health (NIH)

From the description

NIH radio is a 24-hour audio news service designed to provide broadcast radio stations and networks, as well as podcasters and the public with the latest information about NIH research findings, highlights of press conferences, and health campaigns.

NIH Radio has three distinct audio programs, each with different formats and styles for various audiences and uses. They are available in script and MP3 audio format online, and can be heard via telephone.

[NIH Radio is also on Facebook , Twitter, and also through a listing of all NIH newsletters and feeds 

Need RealPlayer? It’s here and free]

“NIH Research Radio” Podcasts

Listen to “NIH Research Radio” Podcasts online
or dial 301-276-3384 and press 3 for the most recent podcast.

Posted on our site and on iTunes every other Friday, each “NIH Research Radio” podcast contains a news summary, two or three audio reports, plus an extra, in-depth interview. Each episode is designed for a general audience and is exactly 25 minutes long, making it “broadcast ready” for radio or streaming.

NIH Audio Reports

Listen to NIH Audio Reports online
or dial 301-276-3384 and press 2 for the latest Audio Report.

NIH audio reports are short-form, news stories posted roughly twice a week. Each report is usually based on a current press release and typically contains a selection of soundbites from NIH experts. They are one to four minutes long and health-related. They can be broadcast as is, or can be used as source material for journalistic purposes.

NIH “Health Matters” 60-Second Spots

Listen to this month’s series of NIH “Health Matters”
or dial 301-276-3384 and press 1 for today’s feature.

Once a month a series of generic, consumer-oriented stories are posted; one 60-seccond feature, complete with expert soundbite, for every weekday of the month. Each report is “broadcast ready” for radio outlets across the country to use in their local news and information programming. The NIH Radio phone line is updated each weekday with a current “Health Matters” feature.

NIH Radio is a reliable, trusted radio news service that produces hundreds of audio reports, has been posting podcasts since 2006, has distributed broadcast edits to thousands of radio outlets and has an estimated audience of more than 78 million listeners per year.

Recent podcasts include

Episode #0149 (MP3 – 00:24:59, 23.4 MB)
December 16, 2011 

  • News Update
  • NIH study finds broad spectrum of cancer risk for organ transplant recipients in US
  • Intestinal stem cells respond to food by supersizing the gut
  • Discussing your family health history during family holiday gatherings
  • Women in Science

Transcript - Episode #0148

Recent Audio Reports include

Recent 60 second spots include

December 27, 2011 Posted by | Health Education (General Public) | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

As Facebook Aims at Millions of Users, Some Are Content to Sit Out – NYTimes.com

 

Česky: Logo Facebooku English: Facebook logo E...

Image via Wikipedia

As Facebook Aims at Millions of Users, Some Are Content to Sit Out – NYTimes.com

From the New York Times article

Tyson Balcomb quit Facebook after a chance encounter on an elevator. He found himself standing next to a woman he had never met — yet through Facebook he knew what her older brother looked like, that she was from a tiny island off the coast of Washington and that she had recently visited the Space Needle in Seattle.

“I knew all these things about her, but I’d never even talked to her,” said Mr. Balcomb, a pre-med student in Oregon who had some real-life friends in common with the woman. “At that point I thought, maybe this is a little unhealthy.”

As Facebook prepares for a much-anticipated public offering, the company is eager to show off its momentum by building on its huge membership: more than 800 million active users around the world, Facebook says, and roughly 200 million in the United States, or two-thirds of the population.

But the company is running into a roadblock in this country. Some people, even on the younger end of the age spectrum, just refuse to participate, including people who have given it a try….

Read the entire New York Times article

December 27, 2011 Posted by | Psychology | , , | Leave a comment

The Lost Joy of Cooking (from the blog article at Science Is Everyone’s Story)

WPV 19th Century cooking

Image via Wikipedia

The Lost Joy of Cooking 

From the blog post

The art of cooking can be learned – and lost – in a generation. When I talked with a public health advocate earlier this year, she told me that some immigrants from the Caribbean can lose the ability to cook from scratch within a generation. In the opinion of a writer from the Havana Journal, after a generation of revolutionary rationing in which cooking slipped off the menu, Cuban cuisine has not recovered.

In the kitchen, if you don’t use a skill, you lose it. This makes the passionate statements of slow food advocates such as the two chefs interviewed in Grist this month even more poignant. One mentions the need for cooking classes. But if reintroducing cooking from scratch has as many environmental benefits as its advocates claim, community center classes and farmer’s market demonstrations should only be the beginning of a larger project.

I see this as a business opportunity for recent immigrants here in the United States. …

Read the entire blog posting here

December 27, 2011 Posted by | Nutrition | , , | Leave a comment

Why People Secretly Fear Creative Ideas – From the Blog ArtoftheSTEM

 

Why People Secretly Fear Creative Ideas 

From the 21 December 2011 posting at ArtoftheSTEM

Does society really value creativity? People say they want more creative people, more creative ideas and solutions, but do they really?

For one thing teachers don’t generally like creative students. Primary school teachers in one study liked the most creative kids the least (Westby & Dawson, 1995). This isn’t an isolated finding in education and probably a result of the fact that creative kids are generally more disruptive; naturally they don’t like to follow the rules.

For all the talk of creativity in business, industry and academia, there’s evidence that it’s implicitly discouraged in these areas as well. Although leaders of organisations say they want creative ideas, the evidence suggests creativity gets rejected in favour of conformity and uniformity (Staw, 1995 cited in Mueller et al., 2011).

An unconscious bias against creativity

A recent study has tested this idea that there’s a disconnect between what people say about creativity and what they unconsciously think (Mueller et al. 2011).

They used tests that typically assess implicit or unconscious racism. Racism is something that almost everyone knows is wrong, but psychologists have found we can still measure hidden or unconscious racism in some people using this test. Instead, though, it was used to measure a hidden or unconscious bias against creativity….

Read the entire blog article here

 

December 27, 2011 Posted by | Psychology | | Leave a comment

Five Things the Census Revealed About America in 2011

 

The United States is growing more slowly

From the Brookings report, Five Things the Census Revealed About America in 2011

 

Nearly all these 5 (of many) findings from the Brookings  State of Metropolitan America analyses over the past year have major public health implications, especially

  • Americans are increasingly stuck at home
    “Americans move around more than their counterparts in other developed countries, but a lot less than they used to. Some fear that in the short run, homeowners are stuck in places with too few jobs, and not able or willing to move to places with healthier labor markets. Longer run, and perhaps more importantly, states and metro areas that relied too heavily on in-migration for growth must re-calibrate their economies to create better, more diverse job opportunities for current and future residents.”
  • Minorities are driving growth, replenishing America’s youth
    “Large metro areas, and increasingly their suburbs, stand at the forefront of America’s transformation into a multiethnic society. How they respond to and manage that shift, especially the social and economic opportunities they provide to a highly diverse population of families with children, will establish the course for our nation’s well-being over the coming decades. Rapid growth in the immigrant population in some parts of the country produced late-decade policy backlashes that could threaten these places’ longer-run economic well-being.”
  • Boomers continue to age, transforming America’s households
    “The older population is growing everywhere, and a host of public and private services will be adapted to an aging population in the decades to come. Areas that are also gaining younger populations may have a resource advantage in responding to those changes, compared to rapidly aging northern states and metro areas. Yet because the former areas have more racially and ethnically diverse young people, they too may face challenges in managing competition for scarce public resources between predominantly white seniors and minority families with children.”
  • America lost ground in income and poverty in the 2000’s
    “Census 2000 captured American households at a high-water mark economically, a far different situation than they faced in 2010. Economic growth strategies for the coming decade must place greater emphasis on achieving shared prosperity that lifts incomes for a broad segment of households. With unemployment projected to remain high for some time, many parts of the country will confront higher fiscal and social burdens associated with poverty, including concentrated poverty, for the foreseeable future. All metro areas, meanwhile, must continue to adapt a traditionally city-focused social services infrastructure for helping the poor to the reality of region-wide needs.”

 

Related Resources
                    Great places to start searching for statistics about
    • People and Households (age, children, community, health insurance, housing, income, school enrollement, and much more)
    • Data Access Tools –  links to interactive internet tools (as online mapping tools) and free downloadable software

December 27, 2011 Posted by | Public Health, statistics, Tutorials/Finding aids | , , , | Leave a comment

SAMHSA Announces A Working Definition Of “Recovery” From Mental Disorders And Substance Use Disorders

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

From the December 2011 news release

Date: 12/22/2011 10:00 AM
Media Contact: SAMHSA Press Office
Telephone: 240-276-2130

SAMHSA announces a working definition of “recovery” from mental disorders and substance use disorders

A new working definition of recovery from mental disorders and substance use disorders is being announced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The definition is the product of a year-long effort by SAMHSA and a wide range of partners in the behavioral health care community and other fields to develop a working definition of recovery that captures the essential, common experiences of those recovering from mental disorders and substance use disorders, along with major guiding principles that support the recovery definition. SAMHSA led this effort as part of its Recovery Support Strategic Initiative.

The new working definition of Recovery from Mental Disorders and Substance Use Disorders is as follows:

A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.

“Over the years it has become increasingly apparent that a practical, comprehensive working definition of recovery would enable policy makers, providers, and others to better design, deliver, and measure integrated and holistic services to those in need,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. “By working with all elements of the behavioral health community and others to develop this definition, I believe SAMHSA has achieved a significant milestone in promoting greater public awareness and appreciation for the importance of recovery, and widespread support for the services that can make it a reality for millions of Americans.”…

Through the Recovery Support Strategic Initiative, SAMHSA has also delineated four major dimensions that support a life in recovery:

  • Health : overcoming or managing one’s disease(s) as well as living in a physically and emotionally healthy way;
  • Home:  a stable and safe place to live;
  • Purpose:  meaningful daily activities, such as a job, school, volunteerism, family caretaking, or creative endeavors, and the independence, income and resources to participate in society; and
  • Community : relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope.

 

Guiding Principles of Recovery

 

Recovery emerges from hope:  The belief that recovery is real provides the essential and motivating message of a better future – that people can and do overcome the internal and external challenges, barriers, and obstacles that confront them.

 

Recovery is person-driven:  Self-determination and self-direction are the foundations for recovery as individuals define their own life goals and design their unique path(s).

 

Recovery occurs via many pathways:  Individuals are unique with distinct needs, strengths, preferences, goals, culture, and backgrounds ? including trauma experiences ? that affect and determine their pathway(s) to recovery. Abstinence is the safest approach for those with substance use disorders.

 

Recovery is holistic:  Recovery encompasses an individual’s whole life, including mind, body, spirit, and community. The array of services and supports available should be integrated and coordinated.

 

Recovery is supported by peers and allies: Mutual support and mutual aid groups, including the sharing of experiential knowledge and skills, as well as social learning, play an invaluable role in recovery

 

Recovery is supported through relationship and social networks:  An important factor in the recovery process is the presence and involvement of people who believe in the person’s ability to recover; who offer hope, support, and encouragement; and who also suggest strategies and resources for change.

 

Recovery is culturally-based and influenced : Culture and cultural background in all of its diverse representations ? including values, traditions, and beliefs ? are keys in determining a person’s journey and unique pathway to recovery.

 

Recovery is supported by addressing trauma : Services and supports should be trauma-informed to foster safety (physical and emotional) and trust, as well as promote choice, empowerment, and collaboration.

 

Recovery involves individual, family, and community strengths and responsibility:  Individuals, families, and communities have strengths and resources that serve as a foundation for recovery.

 

Recovery is based on respect  Community, systems, and societal acceptance and appreciation for people affected by mental health and substance use problems – including protecting their rights and eliminating discrimination – are crucial in achieving recovery.

For further detailed information about the new working recovery definition or the guiding principles of recovery please visit:  http://www.samhsa.gov/recovery/


SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

December 27, 2011 Posted by | Psychology | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dentists Could Screen 20 Million Americans For Chronic Physical Illnesses

NYU Study Concludes That Dentists Could Screen 20 Million Americans for Chronic Physical Illnesses

 

From a December 2011 press release of New York University

An Opportunity to Identify Diabetes, Hypertension, and Other Chronic Diseases

Nearly 20 million Americans annually visit a dentist but not a general healthcare provider, according to an NYU study published today in the American Journal of Public Health.

The study, conducted by a nursing-dental research team at NYU, is the first of its kind to determine the proportion of Americans who are seen annually by a dentist but not by a general healthcare provider.

This finding suggests dentists can play a crucial role as health care practitioners in the front-line defense of identifying systemic disease which would otherwise go undetected in a significant portion of the population, say the researchers.

“For these and other individuals, dental professionals are in a key position to assess and detect oral signs and symptoms of systemic health disorders that may otherwise go unnoticed, and to refer patients for follow-up care,” said Dr. Shiela Strauss, an associate professor of nursing at the NYU College of Nursing and co-director of the statistics and data management core for NYU’s Colleges of Nursing and Dentistry.

During the course of a routine dental examination, dentists and dental hygienists, as trained healthcare providers, can take a patient’s health history, check blood pressure, and use direct clinical observation and X-rays to detect risk for systemic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. ……

Read the entire news article

December 27, 2011 Posted by | health care | , , , , , | Leave a comment

   

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