Public Health News and Research

RSS

Slower care for heart attack patients treated after hours and on weekends

Heart attack patients treated with primary percutaneous intervention (PCI) at hospitals after hours and on weekends wait longer to receive clot busters and other treatments and have a higher risk of death than those treated during regular hospital hours

18 Aug 2005

Separate studies produce conflicting results on race and gender disparities in U.S. health system

Two newly released studies in the U.S. have to some extent come to conflicting results. According to one study, by researchers at Emory University, attempts over the last decade to address race and gender disparities in the treatment of U.S. patients hospitalized for heart attacks, still in some respects raise cause for concern.

18 Aug 2005

Treatment of U.S. patients hospitalized for heart attacks continues to vary according to sex and race

Despite a decade of initiatives to remedy health disparities in cardiovascular medicine, at least some aspects of the treatment of U.S. patients hospitalized for heart attacks continues to vary according to sex and race, according to a study by researchers at Emory University in collaboration with Yale University and other centers.

17 Aug 2005

Common non-aspirin painkillers linked to high blood pressure in women

Women who consume higher doses of non-aspirin painkillers are much more likely to develop high blood pressure than women who do not use them, according to research reported in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.

17 Aug 2005

Brightly-coloured fruit and veg, may act as antioxidants - protect against rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis currently affects around 1% adults in the UK. Previous studies have suggested that vitamin C and the pigment beta-cryptoxanthin, both of which are found in brightly-coloured fruit and veg, may act as antioxidants, and protect the body against the oxidative damage which can cause inflammation.

From The University of Manchester 17 Aug 2005

Study shows more obesity-related arthritis among baby boomers

Baby-boomers have spent more years living with more obesity than the previous generation, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) have found. Although it may be too early to tell whether this will lead to a rise in arthritis rates, the study shows more obesity-related arthritis among baby boomers compared to the previous generation.

17 Aug 2005

Tobacco control and healthier diets are key to cutting heart deaths

Encouraging everyone to stop smoking and eat healthier is four times more effective at reducing heart deaths than current government initiatives that target patients who already have heart problems, finds a study published online by the BMJ today

16 Aug 2005

Walking to school encourages more physical activity

Adolescents who walk to and from school have higher overall physical activity levels throughout the day compared with those who travel by car, bus, or train.

16 Aug 2005

Discovery of gene that controls the speed at which patients develop tuberculosis

Scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) have discovered a gene that controls the speed at which patients develop tuberculosis--the first time such a gene has been discovered for this disease.

16 Aug 2005

Researchers have discovered a gene linked to age-related maculopathy

University of Pittsburgh researchers have discovered a gene linked to age-related maculopathy (ARM), the leading cause of untreatable blindness in the elderly. Their discovery suggests a simple test might be able to identify those at risk for what is commonly known as macular degeneration (AMD) and may lead to the development of more effective preventive strategies.

16 Aug 2005

The use of salt fluoridation to prevent dental caries

A new book from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) shows how salt fluoridation has proven to be one of the most cost-effective public health interventions in history and shows countries how to implement programs of their own.

16 Aug 2005

Canary Database - animal diseases as early warning system for emerging human diseases

Yale School of Medicine has launched a state-of-the-art database funded in part by the National Library of Medicine, called the Canary Database, containing scientific evidence about how animal disease events can be an early warning system for emerging human diseases.

15 Aug 2005

People who drink alcohol have a lower risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

People who drink alcohol have a lower risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) than non-drinkers, researchers at Yale's Department of Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH) write in an article published in Lancet Oncology.

15 Aug 2005

Lyme disease prevention study in 21 Connecticut communities

Researchers at the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) at Yale School of Medicine in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have launched a Lyme disease prevention study in 21 Connecticut communities.

15 Aug 2005

Human superbug MRSA linked to pets

Scientists in the UK are investigating the possibility that there may be links between the hospital superbug MRSA in pets and humans.

15 Aug 2005

Even a couple of drinks could harm an unborn baby

A new study is suggesting that mothers who drink even low levels of alcohol during pregnancy could permanently damage their children's intelligence.

15 Aug 2005

Early menstruation is not by itself a risk factor for later obesity

Although overweight girls are more likely to start their periods earlier than their peers who are at or below normal weight, early menstruation is not by itself a risk factor for later obesity, according to a long-term study released this week.

13 Aug 2005

Young people in the UK report little difficulty in obtaining cigarettes, alcohol, and other drugs

Reviewing several recent surveys of young people, the authors note that underage smokers can acquire cigarettes easily, often from friends and relatives. Most regular smokers aged 12-15 also say they buy cigarettes from shops.

11 Aug 2005

Men and women receive remarkably similar outpatient care at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),

The study looked at nine measures of quality care that are equally appropriate for women and men, including pneumonia and influenza vaccinations; colorectal cancer screenings; and eye examinations for diabetics, to determine what percentage of VA patients received appropriate care for their gender.

11 Aug 2005

Study estimates Staphylococcus aureus infections cause 12,000 deaths, cost hospitals $9.5 billion

Staphylococcus aureus infections (S. aureus) create an enormous burden to hospitals by significantly increasing costs, length of patient stays and mortality rates, a Northwestern Memorial Hospital researcher found in the most comprehensive study to date, published today's Archives of Internal Medicine.

10 Aug 2005

Public Health News and Research

Slower care for heart attack patients treated after hours and on weekends

Separate studies produce conflicting results on race and gender disparities in U.S. health system

Treatment of U.S. patients hospitalized for heart attacks continues to vary according to sex and race

Common non-aspirin painkillers linked to high blood pressure in women

Brightly-coloured fruit and veg, may act as antioxidants - protect against rheumatoid arthritis

Study shows more obesity-related arthritis among baby boomers

Tobacco control and healthier diets are key to cutting heart deaths

Walking to school encourages more physical activity

Discovery of gene that controls the speed at which patients develop tuberculosis

Researchers have discovered a gene linked to age-related maculopathy

The use of salt fluoridation to prevent dental caries

Canary Database - animal diseases as early warning system for emerging human diseases

People who drink alcohol have a lower risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Lyme disease prevention study in 21 Connecticut communities

Human superbug MRSA linked to pets

Even a couple of drinks could harm an unborn baby

Early menstruation is not by itself a risk factor for later obesity

Young people in the UK report little difficulty in obtaining cigarettes, alcohol, and other drugs

Men and women receive remarkably similar outpatient care at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),

Study estimates Staphylococcus aureus infections cause 12,000 deaths, cost hospitals $9.5 billion

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

Global and Local Efforts to Take Action Against Hepatitis

Addressing Important Cardiac Biology Questions with Shotgun Top-Down Proteomics

Latest News