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News Archive

News items remain posted for one year.

News in Public Health - News Archive


Year 2008: September August July June May April March February January
Year 2007: December November October


September 2008

  • Online Resources for Hurricanes, Floods, and Disaster Preparedness and Recovery - 15-SEP-2008 With hurricane season here, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) wants people to know the federal government has numerous online resources to keep the public safe and prepared. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) leads federal efforts to provide online health and safety information for people in the path of a hurricane or tropical storm. Comprehensive guidance for the public, first responders, and health professionals can be found at the HHS hurricane homepage, http://www.hhs.gov/hurricane. Additionally, the National Library of Medicine has numerous Web sites that provide information for the general public, emergency planners, and public health professionals.
  • CDC Steps Up Efforts to Fight Drug-Resistant Germ - 11-SEP-2008 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a national campaign to teach parents how to keep their children safe from skin infections caused by the potentially dangerous bacteria methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
  • APHA Get Ready Day Aims to Help Communities to Be Prepared - 11-SEP-2008 Hurricanes Gustav and Ike and menacing tropical storms Hannah remind us of the importance of ensuring that we and our loved ones are prepared for any possible public health emergencies. With this in mind, the American Public Health Association (APHA) will host Get Ready Day events across the nation on Sept. 16 to encourage Americans to be prepared.
  • Mr. Pestronk Appointed New NACCHO Executive Director - 11-SEP-2008 Mr. Robert M. Pestronk has recently accepted the appointment of National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Executive Director. Mr. Pestronk is the immediate past president of the NACCHO. As Health Officer for Genesee County, Michigan, Mr. Pestronk has enabled Genesee County's 430,000 citizens to protect, promote, and improve their quality of life in partnership with community resources. As the director of the Genesee County Health Department he has administered clinical, regulatory, and other human service programs in the areas of personal, community, behavioral and environmental health.
  • Request for Information (RFI): AHRQ Requests Input to Develop an Innovations Research Portfolio - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)) - 02-SEP-2008 The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is establishing a new research portfolio, the Innovations Portfolio. The Portfolio goal is to identify and support research that has the potential to accelerate improvements in the organization, delivery, and management of health care. AHRQ has issued a Request for Information (RFI), "AHRQ Requests Input to Develop an Innovations Research Portfolio," to seek ideas on priority topics and activities that should be addressed as components of the Innovations Portfolio.


August 2008

  • Inequities are Killing People on a Grand Scale, Reports WHO's Commission - 28-AUG-2008 Social determinants of health have been the focus of a three-year investigation by an eminent group of policy makers, academics, former heads of state, and former ministers of health. The World Health Organization's Commission on the Social Determinants of Health has released a new report, "Closing the Gap in a Generation: Health Equity through Action on the Social Determinants of Health".
  • Public Health Programs Responsible for Dip in Uninsured Rate Says APHA, Urges Strengthening Medicaid and Medicare - 28-AUG-2008 New census data show that enrollment in the Medicaid and Medicare programs increased by more than 2 million while employer-based coverage stayed the same. Thanks to public health programs, tens of millions of Americans can access the care they would otherwise be denied. The American Public Health Association (APHA) urges Congress to protect the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and calls for increasing Medicaid funding to the states to protect vulnerable Americans.
  • TFAH Report: Adult Obesity Rates Rise in 37 States, Obesity Rates Now Exceed 25 Percent in More Than Half of States - 28-AUG-2008 Adult obesity rates increased in 37 states in the past year, according to the fifth annual "F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America, 2008" report from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). Rates rose for a second consecutive year in 24 states and for a third consecutive year in 19 states. No state saw a decrease. Though many promising policies have emerged to promote physical activity and good nutrition in communities, the report concludes that they are not being adopted or implemented at levels needed to turn around this health crisis.
  • CDC Reports Most U.S. Measles Cases Reported Since 1996 - 21-AUG-2008 More measles cases have been reported in the United States since Jan. 1, 2008 than during the same period in any year since 1996, according to a report released by he Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although immunization coverage rates for measles vaccine remain high, unvaccinated persons are at risk for measles, and sizeable measles outbreaks can occur in communities with a high number of unvaccinated persons.
  • New AHRQ Tool Helps Hospitals Evaluate Disaster Drills - 21-AUG-2008 Hospitals can now identify the most important strengths and weaknesses in their disaster response plans using a new tool from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
  • NIH Study Shows Bacterial Pneumonia Caused Most Deaths in 1918 Influenza Pandemic - 21-AUG-2008 The majority of deaths during the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 were not caused by the influenza virus acting alone, report researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Instead, most victims succumbed to bacterial pneumonia following influenza virus infection. The authors conclude that pandemic preparations should include provisions to stockpile antibiotics and bacterial vaccines.
  • New AHRQ Study Finds Surgical Errors Cost Nearly $1.5 Billion Annually - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)) - 07-AUG-2008 Potentially preventable medical errors that occur during or after surgery may cost employers nearly $1.5 billion a year, according to new estimates by the Department of Health & Human Services' (HHS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).


July 2008

  • APHA Commends House Passage of Tobacco Legislation - 31-JUL-2008 The American Public Health Association (APHA) applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Family Smoking and Tobacco Control Act with an overwhelming bipartisan majority. The legislation aims to protect the health of Americans, particularly children, by giving the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate tobacco products.
  • HHS and DHS Announce Guidance on Pandemic Vaccination Allocation - 31-JUL-2008 The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Homeland Security (DHS) have released guidance on allocating and targeting pandemic influenza vaccine. The guidance provides a planning framework to help state, tribal, local and community leaders ensure that vaccine allocation and use will reduce the impact of a pandemic on public health and minimize disruption to society and the economy.
  • SOPHE Opposes Changes to Standard Occupational Category (SOC) for Health Educators - 31-JUL-2008 The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) strongly opposes expanding the occupational classification of Health Educators to include Community Health Workers because the type of work performed by these two occupations as well as the skills, education and/or training needed to perform the work at a competent level are sufficiently distinct to warrant independent classifications/ categories.
  • NACCHO Launches 2008 National Profile of Local Health Departments - 22-JUL-2008 The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is conducting a National Profile of Local Health Departments Study during the summer of 2008 to develop a comprehensive and accurate description of local health department infrastructure and practice.
  • Latest CDC Data Show More Americans Report Being Obese - 22-JUL-2008 The proportion of U.S. adults who self report they are obese increased nearly 2 percent between 2005 and 2007, according to a report in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). An estimated 25.6 percent of U.S. adults reported being obese in 2007 compared to 23.9 percent in 2005, an increase of 1.7 percent. The report also finds that none of the 50 states or the District of Columbia has achieved the Healthy People 2010 goal to reduce obesity prevalence to 15 percent or less.
  • Report Shows Investment in Disease Prevention Could Save America More than $16 Billion in Five Years - 22-JUL-2008 A small strategic investment in disease prevention could result in significant savings in U.S. health care costs, according to a new report released by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH). In its report, entitled Prevention for a Healthier America: Investments in Disease Prevention Yield Significant Savings, Stronger Communities, TFAH finds that an investment of $10 per person per year in proven community-based programs to increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and prevent smoking and other tobacco use could save the country more than $16 billion annually within five years.
  • APHA Applauds New Report on Health Impacts of Climate Change - 22-JUL-2008 In support of continued efforts to research and analyze the health impacts of climate change, the American Public Health Association (APHA) applauds the recent release by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of a report that discusses the potential impacts of climate change on human health, human welfare and communities in the United States.
  • National Scorecard on U.S. Health Care System Finds No Overall Improvement - 22-JUL-2008 A new national scorecard from The Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System finds that the U.S. health care system has failed to improve overall and that scores on access have declined significantly since the first national scorecard in 2006. Despite spending more on health care than any other industrialized nation, the U.S. continues to fall far short on key indicators of health outcomes and quality, with particularly low scores on efficiency.
  • Children's Physical Activity Drops From Age 9 to 15 - (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH (NICHD)) - 16-JUL-2008 The activity level of a large group of American children dropped sharply between age 9 and age 15, when most failed to reach the daily recommended activity level, according to the latest findings from a long-term study by the National Institutes of Health.
  • New Topic Page on Workforce Development Now Available on PHPartners.org - 16-JUL-2008 The Workforce Development topic page on PHPartners.org includes links to education and training opportunities and meetings and conferences related to workforce development; workforce projects and research; legislative action related to workforce development; new workers development programs; and tools and resources to assist with workforce development.
  • Nutrition - (Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce (PIAPHW)) - 09-JUL-2008 The Nutrition topic page on PHPartners.org includes links to government, professional and research organizations that focus nutrition issues; grants and funding opportunities; legislation and health policy issues related to nutrition; published literature and research reports; and nutrition promotion, education and information resources.
  • Council on Linkages Releases New Draft of Core Competencies for Public Comment - 09-JUL-2008 The Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice has refined and updated the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals, based on recommendations from Council members and the public. The new draft includes changes in both content and phrasing and aims to address issues raised in the seven years since the Core Competencies were first released. The Council welcomes public comments on the updated Core Competencies.
  • AHRQ Report Offers Resources for Home Health Care Response During a Flu Pandemic - 09-JUL-2008 A new report, Home Health Care During an Influenza Pandemic: Issues and Resources, has been released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in collaboration with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). The report identifies home health care as a critical component in providing care during a pandemic influenza event and offers resources to home health care providers and community planners to prepare for such an event.
  • CDC Joins EPA in Partnership to Protect Nation's Water Supply - 02-JUL-2008 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently became the first federal agency to join the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) WaterSense campaign to protect the future of the nation's water supply by promoting and enhancing the market for water-efficient products and services.
  • Broad Differences in Alcohol, Tobacco and Illegal Drug Use Across Countries - 02-JUL-2008 A survey conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) research consortium found that the United States had among the highest lifetime rates of tobacco and alcohol use and led in the proportion of participants reporting cannabis (marijuana) or cocaine use at least once during their lifetime.


June 2008

  • Number of People with Diabetes Increases to 24 Million - 25-JUN-2008 Diabetes now affects nearly 24 million people in the United States, an increase of more than 3 million in approximately two years, according to new 2007 prevalence data estimates released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This means that nearly 8 percent of the U.S. population has diabetes.
  • New HRSA Report Illustrates Success of Health Centers - 25-JUN-2008 A new report released by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) describes how HRSA-funded health centers improve the lives of the more than 16 million people they treat each year. Health centers provide the only available preventive care and treatment for many disadvantaged people across the country, who otherwise would seek care in overcrowded emergency rooms or go untreated.
  • New NLM Web Page on Disaster Recovery and Environmental Health - 25-JUN-2008 The National Library of Medicine (NLM) Specialized Information Services Division has released an Enviro-Health Links page on Disaster Recovery and Environmental Health. The web page provides information about recovering from natural and man-made disasters. It includes guides for state and local officials, links to state emergency management offices, information for emergency responders, guidelines for workers involved in environmental cleanup, and handling hazardous chemicals.
  • CDC Reports More than 350 Sickened by Salmonella Outbreak - 19-JUN-2008 The Centers for Disease Control and Preveion (CDC) is collaborating with public health officials in many states, the Indian Health Service, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate an ongoing multi-state outbreak of human Salmonella serotype Saintpaul infections. An epidemiologic investigation comparing foods eaten by ill and well persons has identified consumption of raw tomatoes as the likely source of the illnesses. Since April, 383 persons infected with Salmonella Saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint have been identified in 30 states and the District of Columbia.
  • FDA Warns Individuals and Firms to Stop Selling Fake Cancer 'Cures' - 19-JUN-2008 Warning Letters have been sent to 23 U.S. companies and two foreign individuals marketing a wide range of products fraudulently claiming to prevent and cure cancer, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA also warns North American consumers against using or purchasing the products, which include tablets, teas, tonics, black salves, and creams, and are sold under various names on the Internet.
  • Federal Agencies to Launch $8 Million Effort to Study Libby, Montana Asbestos Exposure - 12-JUN-2008 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announce the Libby Amphibole Health Risk Initiative, a series of projects totaling $8 million designed to understand the health effects of exposure to lower levels of Libby, Montana asbestos (i.e., Libby amphibole). It is currently known that long-term exposure to high levels of asbestos is associated with lung cancer, serious lung disease and upper respiratory health conditions.
  • Nation's High School Students Showing Overall Improvements in Health-Related Behaviors - 05-JUN-2008 Today's high school students are less likely to engage in many health risk behaviors than high school students in the early 1990s, according to the 2007 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although the study documents substantial improvements over time in many health risk behaviors among all high school students, Hispanic students remain at greater risk for certain health related behaviors and have not matched the progress made over time by black students and white students in reducing some sexual risk behaviors.
  • HHS Provides more than $1 Billion to Improve All Hazards Public Health - 05-JUN-2008 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has made available nearly $1.1 billion to continue assisting public health departments, hospitals and other health care organizations to strengthen their ability to respond to public health and medical emergencies as a result of a terrorism attack or naturally occurring event.
  • AHRQ Seeks Nominations for Members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force - 02-JUN-2008 The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) invites nominations of individuals qualified for open positions to serve as members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Nominees are sought with expertise in prevention, research methodology, and experience in clinical primary care. Nomination of individuals with specific expertise in family medicine, behavioral medicine, and obstetrics/gynecology are encouraged. Nominations must be submitted by June 20, 2008.


May 2008

  • CDC Reports More U.S. Nonsmokers are Protected by Smoke-Free Laws - 29-MAY-2008 The number of states with laws prohibiting smoking in private sector worksites, restaurants, and/or bars in the United States tripled and the number with no such laws was halved between 2005 and 2007, according to a report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
  • Cases of Recreational Water Illnesses on the Rise - 29-MAY-2008 More recreational water illnesses outbreaks were reported in 2007 than ever before, and the numbers could increase in the coming years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
  • Shortage of U.S. Public Health Workers Projected to Worsen: About 250,000 New Workers Needed - 29-MAY-2008 New findings show that the U.S. shortage will grow increasingly worse over the next four years, but that few Americans are aware that a crisis exists. According to a report by the Association of Schools of Public Health, at least 23 percent of the current public health work force — nearly 110,000 workers — will be eligible to retire during the next presidential term. By 2020, an additional 250,000 public health workers are needed to dodge a work force shortage that would leave the nation vulnerable to a range of pending threats, including infectious diseases such as pandemic flu, bioterrorism and natural disasters. (The Nations's Health)
  • WHO Reports Noncommunicable Diseases Now Biggest Killers - (World Health Organization (WHO)) - 22-MAY-2008 The global burden of disease is shifting from infectious diseases to noncommunicable diseases, with chronic conditions such as heart disease and stroke now being the chief causes of death globally, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report. The shifting health trends indicate that leading infectious diseases – diarrhea, HIV, tuberculosis, neonatal infections and malaria – will become less important causes of death globally over the next 20 years.
  • CDC Recommends Shingles Vaccine - 22-MAY-2008 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people age 60 and older should be vaccinated against shingles, or herpes zoster, a condition often marked by debilitating chronic pain. CDC recommends a single dose of the zoster vaccine, Zostavax, for adults 60 years of age and older even if they have had a prior episode of shingles.
  • Genomics Heralded As New Tool For Improving Public Health - 22-MAY-2008 With the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, public health professionals were handed a tool that holds promise for improving lives and preventing common chronic diseases. Today, advances are taking place rapidly in the field of genomic medicine, but a host of hurdles must be overcome before it can be fully integrated into public health practice. (The Nation's Health)
  • Join the “This is Public Health” Campaign! - 13-MAY-2008 The "This Is Public Health" campaign was designed by Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) to raise awareness of public health and to let people know that public health affects them on a daily basis. Everyone interested is invited to join this national effort to promote public health awareness in communities.
  • MedlinePlus Debuts Health Information in Multiple Languages - 13-MAY-2008 MedlinePlus has introduced a multilingual feature, providing access to high quality health information in languages other than English and Spanish. This new service benefits people who prefer to read health information in their native language. It also helps the information professionals and health care providers who serve them. The collection contains over 2,500 links to information in more than 40 languages and covers nearly 250 Health Topics.
  • EPA Seeks Comments on Access to Environmental Information - 13-MAY-2008 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking comments through June 2008 to help improve access to environmental information. Through its National Dialogue on Access to Environmental Information Initiative, EPA is looking for what kind of environmental information users need, and the ways they want to access it.
  • NLM Aids Federal Effort to Distribute Revised Hazmat Guidebooks to Emergency First Responders - 13-MAY-2008 The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that it is granting emergency responders electronic access to the Emergency Response Guidebook 2008 (ERG2008), through laptops and personal digital assistants (PDAs), under a joint effort between DOT's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the National Library of Medicine (NLM). This new hazmat safety guide for police, fire and other emergency response organizations is designed to aid emergency response personnel who may be the first to arrive at the scene of a transportation incident involving hazardous materials.
  • New Evidence Provides Clinicians with Better Tools To Help Smokers Quit - 07-MAY-2008 An updated clinical practice guideline released by the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) has identified new counseling and medication treatments that are effective for helping people quit smoking. The 2008 PHS guideline update was developed by a panel of leading national tobacco treatment experts that reviewed more than 8,700 research articles published between 1975 and 2007. The review found that there are now seven medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration as smoking cessation treatments that dramatically increase the success of quitting. The 2008 PHS guideline update also found evidence that counseling by itself or especially in conjunction with medication can greatly increase a person's success in quitting.
  • National Women's Health Week May 11-17 - 07-MAY-2008 National Women's Health Week empowers women across the country to get healthy by taking action. The nationwide initiative, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health (OWH), encourages women to make their health a top priority and take simple steps for a longer, healthier and happier life.
  • Report Finds Food Safety System in Crisis - 07-MAY-2008 Trust for America's Health (TFAH) has released a new report that identifies major gaps in the nation's food safety system, including obsolete laws, misallocation of resources, and inconsistencies among major food safety agencies.


April 2008

  • CDC Launches Study to Uncover the Mysteries of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - 29-APR-2008 Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta recently launched the most comprehensive population-based clinical study to date of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The study includes about 90 patients from Atlanta who will participate in the three-day in-patient clinical trial. Researchers hope results from the study will help them better understand how the syndrome affects people and lead to more successful treatment.
  • Cover the Uninsured Week: April 27 - May 3 - 28-APR-2008 Cover the Uninsured, a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is a national effort to highlight the fact that too many Americans are living without health insurance and to demand solutions from our nation's leaders. Cover the Uninsured Week 2008 is April 27 through May 3, 2008.
  • AHRQ and Ad Council Encourage Men to Take Preventive Steps in Their Health Care - 24-APR-2008 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) joined with The Advertising Council to launch a national public service campaign designed to raise awareness among middle-aged men about the importance of preventive medical testing. The new campaign encourages men over 40 to learn which preventive screening tests they need to get and when they need to get them.
  • FDA Strengthens Safeguards for Consumers of Beef - 24-APR-2008 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final regulation barring certain cattle materials from all animal feed, including pet food. The final rule further protects animals and consumers against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, also known as "mad cow disease"). Materials that can no longer be used in animal feed are the brains and spinal cords from cattle 30 months of age and older.
  • CDC Report: Pregnancy Rate Drops for U.S. Women Under Age 25 - 16-APR-2008 Pregnancy rates for females under age 25, including teenagers, in the United States declined in 2004 compared to 1990, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report says nearly 38 percent of pregnancies in 2004 were to women under age 25, down from nearly 43 percent in 1990. The proportion of pregnancies among teens under age 20 dropped from 15 percent in 1990 to 12 percent in 2004.
  • AHRQ Web Resource Features 100 Examples of Health Care Innovations and Tools - 16-APR-2008 A new Web resource that allows users to learn, share, and adopt innovations in the delivery of health services has been launched by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The resource—called the Health Care Innovations Exchange—is available at www.innovations.ahrq.gov. AHRQ's Health Care Innovations Exchange is the federal government's repository for successful health care innovations. It also includes useful descriptions of attempts at innovation that failed. The Web site is a tool for health care leaders, physicians, nurses, and other health professionals who seek to reduce health care disparities and improve health care overall.
  • NLM Exhibition: Against the Odds: Making a Difference in Global Health Opens April 17, 2008 - 09-APR-2008 Against the Odds: Making a Difference in Global Health, a new exhibition at the National Library of Medicine (NLM), looks at the revolution in global health that is taking place in towns and cities around the world. Communities, in collaboration with scientists, advocates, governments, and international organizations, are taking up the challenge to prevent disease and improve quality of life. Recognizing the many factors that cause illness, people are working on a wide range of issues—from community health to conflict, disease to discrimination. This exhibition will introduce you to some of individuals who have made a difference—working together, against the odds, for the benefit of all.
  • CDC Study: Smoking Early in Pregnancy Raises Risks of Heart Defects in Newborns - 09-APR-2008 Mothers who smoke early in pregnancy are more likely to give birth to infants with heart defects, according to a study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study, published in the April issue of Pediatrics, shows that women who smoked anytime during the month before pregnancy to the end of the first trimester were more likely to give birth to infants with certain congenital heart defects compared to women who did not smoke during this time period.
  • ASPH Launches "This is Public Health" Web Site - 09-APR-2008 The Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) has launched a micro-web site, www.thisispublichealth.org, on its "What is Public Health?" web site to help celebrate National Public Health Week. The "This Is Public Health" campaign is a way for public health students to demonstrate all the ways in which public health improves our lives.
  • CDC Health Advisory: Measles Outbreaks in the United States - 09-APR-2008 A measles outbreak linked to an importation from Switzerland currently is ongoing in Arizona. Because of the severity of the disease, people with measles pose a risk of transmission to other patients and healthcare personnel in physician's offices, emergency rooms, and inpatient hospital settings. Healthcare providers should remain aware that measles cases may occur in their facility and that transmission risks can be minimized by ensuring that all healthcare personnel have evidence of measles immunity and that appropriate infection control practices are followed.
  • APHA Unveils Blueprint for Tackling Climate Change - 03-APR-2008 The American Public Health Association (APHA) has unveiled its first-ever blueprint for combating the health impacts of climate change, representing the culmination of a process involving some of the nation's leading public health and climate change experts.


March 2008

  • AHRQ'S 2007 State Snapshots Provide Broader Portraits of State-by-State Health Care Performance - 26-MAR-2008 An annual analysis to help health leaders identify areas of health care delivery that need quality improvement now includes important information such as each State's rate of obesity, health insurance coverage, mental illness and the number of specialist doctors. The measures, called State contextual factors, are part of the 2007 State Snapshots released by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The updated State Snapshots Web tool also tracks States' progress toward reaching government-set health goals for 2010. State Snapshots are available on PHPartners.org: Health Data Tools and Statistics.
  • NLM Announces New Web Resource for its Disaster Information Management Research Center - 26-MAR-2008 The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is pleased to announce a new web resource for its Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC) disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov. The aim of the DIMRC web site is to provide access to quality disaster health information to the nation at all stages of preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery. The initial phase of this web site focuses on NLM and NLM-supported resources and activities. The web site will expand to include other sources of authoritative disaster health information.
  • WISER 4.0 Now Available for Download - 24-MAR-2008 The 4.0 version of WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders) is now available for download or via WebWISER. WISER is a system designed to assist first responders in hazardous material incidents. New features in this release include biological substances (category A), radiation unit converter, WMD Response Guidebook, automatic update check capability, a refresh/update of the data, and many more miscellaneous fixes and improvements.
  • HRSA Launches Digital Campaign to Promote Poison Awareness and Prevention - 19-MAR-2008 The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced a new poison prevention campaign. The Poison Help Campaign addresses the alarming statistics on poisonings in the United States. This past year, more than 2.4 million poison exposures were reported to the nation's network of Poison Control Centers (PCCs). Unintentional poisoning deaths are the second leading cause of injury death for U.S. adults.
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration - 19-MAR-2008 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has unveiled its new Home Page. It was redesigned to help users get to the information they are looking for more quickly. Future changes for the rest of FDA's web pages will take place by late 2008.
  • NIH Launches Center to Study Genomics and Health Disparities - 19-MAR-2008 The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced the establishment of the NIH Intramural Center for Genomics and Health Disparities (NICGHD), a new venue for research about the way populations are impacted by diseases, including obesity, diabetes and hypertension.
  • AHRQ and Ad Council Encourage Hispanics to Become More Involved in Their Health Care - 12-MAR-2008 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has joined with the Advertising Council to launch a Spanish-language national public service campaign designed to encourage Hispanics to become more involved in their health care. The campaign urges Hispanics to stay healthy for their loved ones by visiting their doctor for regular screenings.
  • NLM and ORWH Announce New NIH Web Site Source for Women's Health Research Information - 12-MAR-2008 A new Web resource providing consumers with the latest information on significant topics in women's health research from scientific journals and other peer-reviewed sources is now available through the National Library of Medicine (NLM). The NLM, of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has partnered with the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) to create this one-stop resource.
  • Annual APHA Public Health Materials Contest - 06-MAR-2008 The APHA Public Health Education Health Promotion Section is soliciting health education, promotion and communication materials for their 18th annual competition. The contest provides a forum to showcase public health materials during the APHA Annual Meeting and recognizes professionals for their hard work. Entries for the contest are due by March 21, 2008.
  • New CDC Study Underscores Impact of Older Adult Falls - 06-MAR-2008 An estimated 5.8 million adults over age 65 reported they fell at least once in the previous three months, and 1.8 million of them sought medical help or restricted their activity for at least a day, said the study in the CDC′s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
  • ASPH Assessment: More than 250,000 Additional Public Health Workers Needed by 2020 to Avert Public Health Crisis - 06-MAR-2008 The Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) has released an assessment that found that more than 250,000 additional public health workers are needed by 2020 to avert a public health crisis. In order to address these significant shortages, ASPH is calling for an increased federal investment in public health education and training in addition to the coordination of a centralized enumeration effort to adequately understand current and future workforce needs.
  • Statement by HRSA on Autism and the Vaccine Injury Program - 06-MAR-2008 The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has reviewed the scientific information concerning the allegation that vaccines cause autism and has found no credible evidence to support the claim. Accordingly, in every claim submitted under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, HRSA has maintained and continues to maintain the position that vaccines do not cause autism, and has never concluded in any case that autism was caused by vaccination. HRSA and its partner Federal agencies are committed to continuing their efforts to support research that will enable them to understand, treat, and prevent autism and autism spectrum disorders.
  • AHRQ Announces New Members to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force - 06-MAR-2008 The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has announced new members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The Task Force consists of 16 health care experts in the specialties of family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, geriatrics, preventive medicine, public health, behavioral medicine, and nursing. The Task Force, which is supported by AHRQ, conducts rigorous, impartial assessments of the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of a broad range of clinical preventive services including screening, counseling, and preventive medications.


February 2008

  • CDC's Advisory Committee Recommends Influenza Vaccination for Children 6 Months through 18 years of Age - 28-FEB-2008 The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has voted to expand the recommended ages for annual influenza vaccination of children to include all children from 6 months through 18 years of age. The previous recommendation was for vaccination of children from 6 months to 59 months of age. The new recommendation increases the number of children recommended for vaccination by approximately 30 million.
  • CDC State Preparedness Report Highlights Progress and Challenges - 21-FEB-2008 An inaugural report on public health preparedness released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates states have made significant progress with respect to emergency preparedness, but that significant challenges remain. Designed to increase accountability regarding the country's investment in preparedness activities, the report presents national data as well as state-specific snapshots for all 50 states and four directly funded localities: Chicago; Los Angeles County; New York City; and Washington, DC. The report and other resources for public health preparedness can be accessed at PHPartners.org: Bioterrorism Preparedness.
  • Report Finds States Advancing Common Approaches to Protecting Electronic Health Information - 20-FEB-2008 Most states have made substantial progress in defining their privacy and security approaches for electronic health information exchange, according to a report released by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), both part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The report discusses the impact of work among and between participants in five key areas: legislation, executive orders, leadership and governance, stakeholder education and knowledge, and development of health information exchange networks.
  • CDC Study Warns of Deaths Due to the Choking Game - 20-FEB-2008 At least 82 youth have died as a result of playing what has been called “the choking game,” according to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The choking game involves intentionally trying to choke oneself or another in an effort to obtain a brief euphoric state or “high.” Death or serious injury can result if strangulation is prolonged.
  • NACCHO Soliciting Model and Promising Practices Used by LHDs - 11-FEB-2008 The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is soliciting model and promising practices used by local health departments (LHDs) to facilitate effective and innovative public health practice. To be eligible for the 2008 Model Practice Awards, submissions must be received by March 14, 2008.
  • HHS Announces Members of the Secretary's Advisory Committee On National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020 - 05-FEB-2008 The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt has announced the members of the advisory committee that will make recommendations for developing and implementing national health promotion and disease prevention objectives for Healthy People 2020. Healthy People sets and monitors national health objectives to meet a broad range of health needs, engage people across the nation to work together, guide individuals toward making informed health decisions, and measure the impact of prevention activity.
  • Heart Disease Deaths Continue to Decline in American Women - 05-FEB-2008 Heart disease deaths in American women continued to decline in 2005, and for the first time, have declined six years consecutively, covering the years 2000-2005, according to newly analyzed data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health.


January 2008

  • New CDC Study Shows Tobacco Control Programs Cut Adult Smoking Rates - 31-JAN-2008 Greater investments in state tobacco control programs are independently and significantly associated with larger and more rapid declines in adult smoking prevalence, according to a study by researchers at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and RTI International, an independent nonprofit research institute based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Researchers were able to quantify the link between comprehensive tobacco control programs and a decrease in adult smoking — observing a decline in prevalence from 29.5 percent in 1985 to 18.6 percent in 2003.
  • NACCHO Opposes ABC-TV Episode Linking Thimerosal and Autism - 31-JAN-2008 The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) recently sent a letter to ABC-TV requesting the episode of "Eli Stone" not be aired without correcting its false premise that childhood vaccines cause autism. "Childhood immunization has long been one of the most valuable strategies available globally for preventing unnecessary childhood disability and death. This episode of Eli Stone has great potential to lead parents of young children to conclude erroneously that childhood vaccines are unsafe," the letter states.
  • CDC Study Estimates 7,000 Pediatric Emergency Departments Visits Linked to Cough and Cold Medication - 31-JAN-2008 An estimated 7,000 children ages 11 and younger are treated in hospital emergency departments each year because of cough and cold medications, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Approximately two-thirds of those incidents were due to unsupervised ingestion (i.e., children taking the medication without a parent's knowledge). The study was published in the American Academy of Pediatrics journal, Pediatrics.
  • Free Online CDC Environmental Health Courses Available - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)) - 31-JAN-2008 CDC's Environmental Health Services Branch, in collaboration with the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), is providing three free online training courses for EH practitioners and students: Environmental Health Training in Emergency Response, National Environmental Public Health Performance Standards (NEPHPS), and Biology and Control of Insects and Rodents. NEHA is providing automatic continuing education credit to NEHA-credentialed individuals for those successful passing each of the courses and course completion certificates for all others. Additional continuing education courses for EH practitioners are available at PHPartners.org: Environmental Health.
  • AMIA 10x10: Public Health Informatics Training - (American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA)) - 28-JAN-2008 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently launched a 5-year cooperative agreement with the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) funded by the Office of the National Center for Public Health Informatics (NCPHI) and the Office of the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ODCDC). The purpose of the program is to strengthen the breadth and depth of the public health workforce by providing training in public health informatics. AMIA will be accepting applications from leaders in national, state or local public health agencies interested in participating in informatics training. The applications will be available in early February.
  • 18th Annual APHA Public Health Materials Contest—Deadline March 21, 2008 - 24-JAN-2008 The American Public Health Association (APHA) Public Health Education Health Promotion section is soliciting health education, promotion and communication materials for the 18th annual competition. The contest provides a forum to showcase public health materials during the APHA Annual Meeting and recognizes professionals for their hard work.
  • Health Department Warns Parents to Keep Camphor Products Away from Children - 24-JAN-2008 The New York Health Department warned New York City parents and caregivers to keep products containing camphor away from children. Some camphor products can be toxic to children when accidentally ingested or excessively applied to skin. Three recent cases of seizures associated with camphor have been confirmed in the Bronx. All three children have recovered. The Health Department is investigating seven additional cases suspected to be associated with camphor.
  • FDA Warns Public of Possible Botulism Risk - 24-JAN-2008 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that New Era Canning Company is expanding its product recall because of potential Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) contamination to all canned green beans and garbanzo beans distributed by the company nationwide over the last five years. C. botulinum can cause botulism, a serious and sometimes life-threatening condition. The affected cans are large institutional-sized containers, weighing approximately six and a half pounds.
  • CDC to Launch Study on Unexplained Illness - 17-JAN-2008 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in conjunction with Kaiser Permanente's Northern California Division of Research launched a study to learn about an unexplained skin condition known as Morgellons. Persons who suffer from this condition report a range of symptoms including non-healing skin lesions associated with the emergence of fibers or solid material from the skin, abnormal skin sensations (such as stinging and biting or pins and needles) and non-cutaneous symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and short-term memory loss. Researchers hope to learn more about who might be affected, what symptoms they experience, and factors that may contribute to their illness.
  • FDA Releases Recommendations Regarding Use of Over-the-Counter Cough and Cold Products - 17-JAN-2008 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Public Health Advisory for parents and caregivers, recommending that over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold products should not be used to treat infants and children less than 2 years of age because serious and potentially life-threatening side effects can occur from such use. OTC cough and cold products include decongestants, expectorants, antihistamines, and antitussives (cough suppressants) for the treatment of colds.
  • New International Health Regulations Now in Force - 09-JAN-2008 New International Health Regulations (IHR) designed to halt the international spread of dangerous diseases and other threats-are now in force, with the chief aim of reducing the time it takes to identify an illness or other public health threat-including chemical and radiological hazards-that could have an international impact, in order to mobilize a more timely and effective response.
  • New Council on Linkages Website Includes Information on Updating the Core Competencies and Mapping - 09-JAN-2008 For 16 years the Council Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice, a coalition of representatives from 17 national organizations, has worked to further academic/practice collaboration to assure a well-trained, competent workforce and a strong, evidence-based public health infrastructure. After a one year hiatus, the Council is back with new funding provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New projects include working to update the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals and mapping the public health workforce pipeline.


December 2007

  • Public Access to NIH Funded Research Made Law - 31-DEC-2007 President Bush has signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2007 (H.R. 2764), which includes a provision directing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide the public with open online access to findings from its funded research. This is the first time the U.S. government has mandated public access to research funded by a major agency. Researchers will now be required to deposit electronic copies of their peer-reviewed manuscripts into the National Library of Medicine's online archive, PubMed Central.
  • APHA Calls for Abstracts to 2008 Annual Meeting - 19-DEC-2007 The American Public Health Association (APHA) is now accepting contributed abstracts for the 136th APHA Annual Meeting & Exposition (October 25-29, 2008), San Diego, CA. The theme of the meeting is: Public Health Without Borders. The deadline for submission of abstracts is February 4-8, 2008.
  • CDC To Begin Testing Trailers For Formaldehyde - 19-DEC-2007 The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announce that testing for formaldehyde levels in trailers and mobile homes will begin Friday, December 21, 2007. Testing will take place in Mississippi and Louisiana. The testing comes in response to a request from FEMA for assistance in answering questions related to indoor air quality and health in order to answer concerns raised by residents and community members.
  • APHA Dismayed by Bush Second Veto of CHIP - 13-DEC-2007 Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, the Executive Director of the American Public Health Association (APHA) says that APHA is incredibly dismayed and disappointed that the president has once again ignored the health of millions of children in need by vetoing the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for the second time.
  • New Software To Aid Early Detection of Infectious Disease Outbreaks - 11-DEC-2007 A newly released software program will let health authorities at the site of an infectious disease outbreak quickly analyze data, speeding the detection of new cases and the implementation of effective interventions. The program, called TranStat, was developed by a team of epidemiologists and computer scientists from the Models of Infectious Disease Agent Study (MIDAS), an international program supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to build computational models for studying disease spread. TranStat and other tools for data collection can be accessed at PHPartners.org: Tools for Data Collection and Planning.
  • AHRQ Releases Toolkits to Help Providers and Patients Implement Safer Health Care Practices - 11-DEC-2007 An array of toolkits designed to help doctors, nurses, hospital managers, patients and others reduce medical errors have been released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The 17 toolkits, developed by AHRQ-funded experts who specialize in patient safety research, are free, publicly available, and can be adapted to most health care settings. The toolkits range from checklists to help reconcile medications when patients are discharged from the hospital to processes to enhance effective communication among caregivers and with patients to toolkits to help patients taking medications.
  • NACCHO and California Newsreel Collaborate on Healthy Equity Campaign - 05-DEC-2007 The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is collaborating with California Newsreel on its four hour documentary series for PBS titled, “Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?” on the root causes of health inequity, scheduled for broadcast in Winter 2008.