FDA Acts to Limit Use of Antibiotics in Animals

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is calling on food producers, drug companies and veterinarians to help limit the use of antibiotics in farm animals. The FDA issued three documents to these three groups to encourage them to use medically-important antibiotics wisely by limiting their use only to fight diseases in animals. Other uses for antibiotics for animals can include preventing disease and making animals fatter.

Most Assisted-Living Residents are White Women

White women accounted for the majority of the 733,000 people in the United States who lived in assisted living facilities in 2010 according to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics.

Half of those residents were 85 and older, nearly 20 percent were on Medicaid and more than 75 percent had at least two of the 10 most common health conditions, such as high blood pressure and Alzheimer's disease

Novel Idea at the DMV May Increase Number of Organ Donors

An organ donation video people can watch on an iPod while they wait on line at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) may encourage more people to become donors, according to a new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Among people who watched the video in line, 84 percent signed on to be a donor versus 72 percent of those who had not seen the video.

Late last year, NewPublicHealth spoke with Marc Freedman, MBA, CEO and Founder of Civic Ventures, about the “encore career movement”—a new stage of life and work that combines necessary continued income with new meaning and a chance to create social change. “One of the real challenges from people moving into this period is how you get from what’s last to what’s next. A lot of people are being discouraged, especially in this economy, when they are spending time and money to find themselves in these do-it-yourself ventures,” said Freedman. “We’re interested in trying to create better pathways for people in something that’s really distinct from retirement and the stage of work.”

To that end, Civic Ventures partnered with Intel to pilot the Encore Fellowship program, which provides paid, part-time, yearlong assignments working at local nonprofits, and is open to all Intel employees who are eligible for retirement. NewPublicHealth recently spoke with Amber Wiseley, U.S. Retirement Benefits Program Manager, and Julee Weller, U.S. Health Benefits Program Manager, both at Intel, to find out more about the Encore program, as well as the company’s broader approach to employee health and wellness.

NewPublicHealth: What is Intel’s overall approach to health and wellness for employees?

Julee Weller: Intel is strongly committed to developing a culture where employees and their families are healthy, productive, and engaged in living wellness-oriented lifestyles every day.

Intel has developed a portfolio of health benefit plans and wellness programs designed to encourage employees to evaluate, improve, and maintain their health and the health of their families. Intel’s award-winning wellness program, Health for Life, is designed to inspire and motivate employees to take action toward achieving their best possible health and quality of life. The program includes onsite primary care (providing employees convenient access to quality care at low cost), onsite biometrics, annual health assessments, fitness programs, wellness seminars, flu prevention, and personalized wellness coaching.

NPH: Have you seen increased productivity or other business or economic benefits from your wellness efforts?

A survey completed by close to 200 universities across the U.S. finds many academic institutions are not well positioned to help academic staff with aging and retirement issues, even though most of the schools reported that they have many staff members who retire well after the traditional retirement age of 65. The survey was coordinated by the University of Iowa Center on Aging and the TIAA-CREF Institute.

According to the survey, the most popular retirement counseling programs dealt with the financial aspects of retirement and much less effort was made on non-financial issues, such as family, social and psychological dimensions of retirement planning. And while some schools provided wellness programs, they were less likely to provide workplace accommodations such as ergonomic workplace adjustments or flexible scheduling.

The survey also found that efforts were often developed in response to an immediate demand rather than in having a strategic plan in place.

The report identified two distinguishing features at universities with expanded retirement and aging assistance—campus leadership committed to addressing an aging workforce and allocation of staff and funds to develop and coordinate successful workplace options for aging employees.

Read the survey results.

U.S. Emergency Rooms Treat Kids for Stair-Related Injuries Every Six Minutes

Falling down stairs is a common source of injury for kids, according to a new study in Pediatrics. Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System found that 931,886 children younger than five years old were treated in the ER for a stair-related injury from 1999 to 2008.

Suggestions from the study authors for making stairs safer include installing stair gates at the top and bottom of stairs, keeping stairs clutter-free and in good repair, and installing and using stair railings. The authors say increased prevention efforts, including improved stairway design, are needed to minimize stair-related injuries. Read more safety news.

Circumcision May Help Protect Against Prostate Cancer

A new study published in the journal Cancer has found that circumcision before a male's first sexual intercourse may help protect against prostate cancer. According to the study, sexually transmitted infections may contribute to the development of prostate cancer. Investigators analyzed information from 3,399 men; 1,754 with prostate cancer and 1,645 without. Men who had been circumcised before their first sexual intercourse were 15 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than uncircumcised men. Read more on sexual health.

Cold Air Raises Heart Attack Risk for People with Heart Disease

People with heart disease may not be able to compensate for their bodies' higher demand for oxygen when inhaling cold air, according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, from researchers at Penn State University. That means that heart disease patients are at risk for attacks when doing activities in the cold such as shoveling or running. Read more on heart health.

Few Americans Practicing Good Health Habits

An American Heart Association survey released yesterday finds that only 12 percent of American adults regularly get good nutrition, exercise and oral care. The most common reason for ignoring a good habit was lack of time. Among the survey results:

• 80 percent of respondents say eating at least nine servings of fruit and vegetables daily is a struggle.
• 25 percent aren’t brushing and rinsing their teeth twice daily and flossing at least once daily.
• About 60 percent say it is difficult to get the American Heart Association’s recommended levels of exercise—at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity every week.

Health often starts in our communities, where we live, learn, work and play. Read more on healthy community efforts to make healthy choices more accessible to everyone.

Kids' Concussion Symptoms Can Last a Year

Some children who suffer a concussion have continued difficulties, such as attention and memory problems, for three to twelve months, according to a new study in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. Read more on concussions and public health.

Hearing Loss May Be a Risk Factor for Falls

Hearing loss may be a risk factor for falls, according to a new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers, including Frank Lin, MD, PHD, of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, looked at data from the National Health Examination Survey and found that for about 2,000 participants ages 40 to 69, those with a 25-decibel (mild) hearing loss were nearly three times more likely than those without hearing loss to have a history of falling. The researchers found that for every additional 10-decibels of hearing loss, the chances of falling rose by 1.4 fold.

And research published earlier this month by Dr. Lin found that although an estimated 26.7 million Americans age 50 and older have hearing loss, only about one in seven uses a hearing aid. Read more on the health of older adults.

Pediatrics Update: Sports Injury Prevention, HPV and Active Video Games

The current issue of Pediatrics looks at three important issues:

• A revised policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends prevention of baseball and softball throwing injuries by instructing kids on proper throwing mechanics, training and conditioning, and encouraging kids to stop playing and seek treatment when signs of overuse injuries arise.
• A second revised policy statement on HPV Vaccine Recommendations recommends use of the HPV vaccine in both males and females at 11 to 12 years of age.
• Children who were given active video games were not more physically active than those given inactive games, according to a new study in Pediatrics. Providing explicit instructions to use the active games did seem to lead to increased physical activity, however.

Read more children's health news.

New Flu Virus Discovered in Guatemalan Bats

A new influenza A virus discovered in fruit bats in Guatemala doesn't appear to pose a current threat to humans, but should be studied as a potential source for human influenza, according to a study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences from scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Catch up on this year's flu news.

HUD Releases Charges on Discrimination Against Home Buyers With Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it is charging Bank of America with discriminating against home buyers with disabilities. HUD alleges that Bank of America imposed unnecessary and burdensome requirements on borrowers who relied on disability income to qualify for their home loans and required some disabled borrowers to provide physician statements to qualify for home mortgage loans. Read more on disability.

NewPublicHealth writers are on the road a lot, so we appreciated a recent column in The New York Times, that offered helpful ideas for older flyers. Truth is, many of the tips—carts to speed you to your gate, ordering a wheel chair from an airline, small fees for early boarding and storage room—are available to anyone who flies, and may also be beneficial to disabled travelers.

Bonus Travel Tips:

• Many more airports than listed in the article have golf carts to get you to the gate; stay to the side of the corridors and flag one down. You’ll need to show a ticket for a flight that day.
• No mobility problems? For some extra physical activity, skip the tram or train and walk to the gate. At some airports, that can get you a walk of a quarter mile or more.

The startling new National Association of Area Agencies on Aging report, "The Maturing of America," concludes that many communities are unprepared for their quickly aging populations, with "nowhere near the level of progress that has to be made to ensure that communities are livable for people of all ages." Last week at the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference, a panel discussed the challenges our nation will face as it ages and how we can better design communities to be healthier and more accessible for all age groups.

Rebecca Hunter, MEd, of the University of North Carolina Institute on Aging and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Healthy Aging Research Network, said we’re currently facing a "perfect storm" when it comes to aging:

• Baby boomers are starting to reach “older adult” status
• There is a vast increase in the “oldest old,” or age 85 and above
• The economic downturn means we are less and less prepared for the health and social consequences of this trend

We are moving into an era when at least one in five Americans will be age 65 and older, said Hunter. "We need to ensure our communities are livable for all people."

American Heart Association: Bystanders Can Help Boost Heart Attack Survival Rates

A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association says that more people will survive sudden cardiac arrest if 9-1-1 dispatchers help bystanders assess victims and begin CPR immediately. Read more heart health news.

Reuse of Municipal Wastewater Has Significant Potential to Augment Future U.S. Drinking Water Supplies

Treating municipal wastewater and reusing it for drinking water, irrigation, industry, and other applications could significantly increase the nation's total available water resources, particularly in coastal areas facing water shortages, according to a new report from the National Research Council. Get moreenvironmental health news.

Vitamin D Can Help Counteract Side Effect of HIV Drug

Vitamin D may help prevent hormonal changes that can lead to bone loss among those being treated for HIV with the drug tenofovir, according to the results of a National Institutes of Health-funded study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. Get more HIV news.

Height Loss May Increase Risk for Bone Fractures in Women

Older women who have lost more than two inches in height face an increased risk of breaking bones and dying, according to a new study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. Read more on the health of older adults.

A new blog post from the Network for Public Health Law presents the dual public health challenges of seniors driving past the time they should be and the hardships posed when seniors need to get around without their cars. The concern is significant. Studies show that seniors are involved in more fatal car accidents than any other driving age group, and many of the accidents are the results of age-related impairments such as declines in vision and cognition abilities, and increased use of medications.

Because state laws vary, the Network offers legislative proposals for states to consider—as well as the pros and cons for each—such as physician reporting on a senior’s eligibility to drive and restricting driving based solely on age.

The Network’s post offers a link to a helpful AARP article with suggestions for transportation alternatives for seniors who may not be able to drive a car of their own. Here are some others from Peter Notarstefano, director of home and community-based services at Leading Age, formerly the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.

• Most states have a dial-in service, usually through the area's Agency on Aging or Department of Social Services; most states also have a dial-in service to connect senior Medicaid recipients with a ride to a Medicaid appointment. There may be limitations on times and days.
• Social Service Block grants and Older Americans Act funding through the local area Agency on Aging will provide transportation to grocery shopping and medical appointments for seniors for free or at a low cost.
• Local municipalities at times have transportation programs for older adults. Check here to find out a source of transportation for seniors in your area.

The website of the Rural Assistance Center provides a variety of resources for seniors living in rural areas.

>>Read the post from the Network for Public Health Law.

Weigh In: Does your community have an effective system to help seniors get around without driving their own cars?