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News digest

This frequently updated news digest on the subject of Public Health highlights key articles from major journals and news publications. The digest is a free service of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, by The Advisory Board Company. © 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved. Sign up to receive the digest free via e-mail.

Nov 19, 2009 Southern States Request Additional Funding for HIV/AIDS Programs
Health care advocates and providers are calling for additional federal and state funding to administer outreach programs for individuals with HIV/AIDS living in Southern states, the Associated Press reports.
Nov 19, 2009 Report Suggests U.S. Obesity Rate to Rise to 43 Percent By 2018
A new study released by America's Health Rankings calls obesity the "fastest growing public health challenge the nation has ever faced," and suggests that, if current trends continue, 103 million Americans, or approximately 43 percent of the U.S. population, will be considered obese by 2018, the New York Times reports.
Nov 18, 2009 Report Suggests Diabetes Rates Increasing in New York City
A new report from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene suggests that 9.1 percent of city residents have diabetes, outpacing the national average of 7.5 percent, WABC reports.
Nov 17, 2009 CDC Report Suggests Nearly 4,000 Dead, 22 Million Infected by H1N1
New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics suggest that between April and mid-October, approximately 4,000 Americans died from H1N1 influenza-related illnesses, marking a sharp increase to the previous official count of 1,200, the Associated Press reports.
Nov 17, 2009 Wisconsin Receives Federal Funding for Smoking Cessation
Wisconsin health officials have received $9 million in federal funding from the National Institutes of Health to launch a new smoking cessation study, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Nov 16, 2009 CDC Report Finds U.S. Adult Smoking Rate Stagnating
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that the U.S. adult smoking rate remained relatively unchanged in 2008, with approximately one in five adults reporting that they currently smoke, AHA News Now reports.
Nov 16, 2009 NIH Partners with Washington, D.C., Health Department on Study Designed to Eliminate AIDS
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has partnered with the Washington, D.C., Department of Health to launch a study that seeks to determine whether aggressive treatment for HIV could eradicate AIDS, the Washington Post reports.
Nov 13, 2009 North Carolina Officials Debate How to Implement Smoking Ban
As North Carolina prepares to implement a statewide smoking ban, local health officials are determining what, if any, additional restrictions they should impose, the Star News Online reports.
Nov 13, 2009 HHS Pairs with Google to Identify H1N1, Seasonal Flu Vaccine Distributors
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has partnered with Google to develop an interactive map that depicts where individuals can go to obtain an H1N1 influenza or seasonal flu vaccine, Time reports.
Nov 12, 2009 Purdue University Opens Center Designed to Enhance Disaster Response
Indiana-based Purdue University is now home to a new facility established to enhance emergency disaster response, the Lafayette Journal and Courier reports.
Nov 12, 2009 Group Suggests Federal Government Should Lead Pedestrian Safety Efforts
Transportation for America, a group that advocates for safe, sustainable transportation, is calling for the federal government to enhance efforts to improve pedestrian safety throughout the country, the Columbus Dispatch reports.
Nov 11, 2009 Rapid Flu Tests Overlook One-Third of H1N1 Cases, Study Suggests
A study published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests that rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) may not detect the H1N1 influenza virus as effectively as other tests, reinforcing initial concerns from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA Today reports.
Nov 10, 2009 Lawmakers Introduce Diabetes Prevention Legislation
Minnesota Sen. Al Franken (D) has introduced legislation aimed at reducing diabetes rates, the Minnesota Post reports.
Nov 10, 2009 New Map Tool Shows Where AIDS Treatment is Lacking
The San Francisco Health Department has developed a map designed to highlight where treatment and care for city residents with HIV/AIDS is particularly lacking, the New York Times reports.
Nov 9, 2009 ACEP Releases Guidelines to Help H1N1 Patients Determine Necessity of ED Care
The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) has released guidelines to help the public determine whether their H1N1 symptoms warrant a trip to the emergency department (ED), Health Leaders reports.
Nov 6, 2009 Report Ranks U.S. 30th in Infant Mortality in the World
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics suggests that the nation's high rates of premature births has caused the United States to rank 30th in the world in infant mortality in 2005, the latest year for which international rankings are available, Reuters reports.
Nov 6, 2009 Data Suggests Kentucky Women Continue to Smoke at High Rates
Despite numerous campaigns and public health initiatives aimed at reducing smoking in Kentucky, new data suggests that women in the state continue to smoke at above-average rates, the Bowling Green Daily News reports.
Nov 5, 2009 Researchers Retract Finding that N95 Respirators Provide Better H1N1 Defense
In a surprising development that further clouds how health care workers can best guard against infection from the H1N1 influenza virus, the authors of a study that found N95 respirators were more effective than surgical masks at preventing the spread of H1N1 retracted their findings at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), MedPage Today reports.
Nov 5, 2009 Soft Drink Manufacturers Lobby Against Soda Tax
Soft drink manufacturers have been spending millions of dollars to lobby against a national excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, including soda, juice drinks and flavored milk, that has been proposed to help offset the costs associated with sweeping health reform, the Huffington Post reports.
Nov 4, 2009 Chicago-Area Residents Participate in Wellness Initiative
Residents of the Chicago neighborhood, Austin, are participating in a program designed to share healthy lifestyle and preventive health tips, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Nov 4, 2009 NIH Awards Funding for Obesity Prevention, Treatment Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded more than $12 million to the Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center to support various obesity prevention and treatment projects, The Medical News reports.
Nov 3, 2009 U.S. Cities Make Efforts to Increase Availability of Nutritious Foods
Several U.S. cities are participating in efforts aimed at improving the nutritional content of foods sold in convenience stores, the New York Times reports.
Nov 3, 2009 CDC Selects GE Healthcare to Track H1N1, Seasonal Flu Data
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has selected GE Healthcare's electronic medical records network to monitor the spread of the H1N1 influenza and seasonal flu virus, Health Leaders reports.
Nov 2, 2009 Oklahoma Lawmakers Consider More Comprehensive Smoking Ban
Officials from the American Heart Association and the Oklahoma Department of Health are urging state lawmakers to pursue a more comprehensive statewide smoking ban, the Associated Press reports.
Nov 2, 2009 Minnesota Legislature Awards Funding to Create Healthier Environments
Bloomington Public Health in Minnesota has received a $1.6 million appropriation from the state legislature to support efforts to promote healthier environments, the MN Sun reports.
Oct 30, 2009 Children Targeted to Reduce Risk of H1N1 Transmission
In an effort to limit the spread of the H1N1 virus, health experts are calling for children as young as age 2 to be taught strategies to prevent infection transmission, with day cares and schools at the center of the effort, the Associated Press reports.
Oct 30, 2009 Diet, Exercise Can Delay, Prevent Diabetes Onset
A study published online in the Lancet suggests that diet and exercise can significantly delay or even prevent the onset of diabetes, HealthDay reports.
Oct 29, 2009 Federal Officials Test New Strategy to Improve HIV Testing, Treatment
Federal health officials will soon launch a study of strategies aimed at curbing the spread of HIV in high-incidence communities, the New York Times reports.
Oct 28, 2009 Report Suggests New York City Nutrition Labeling Law is Effective at Promoting Health Changes
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has released a report suggesting that a menu-labeling law has helped city residents make more healthful food choices, Reuters reports.
Oct 27, 2009 Obama Declares H1N1 Outbreak a National Emergency
President Barack Obama has declared the H1N1 flu outbreak a national emergency, giving the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the authority to "waive or modify certain federal requirements involving Medicaid, Medicare, and health privacy rules to speed treatment," the Wall Street Journal reports.
Oct 27, 2009 Rhode Island Taps E-Prescribing Data to Track H1N1 Outbreak
Rhode Island health officials have tapped electronic pharmacy prescription data to monitor the spread of the H1N1 influenza virus, the Associated Press reports.
Oct 26, 2009 Groups Launch Effort to Promote Smoking Cessation Among American Indians
The University of Kansas Medical Center has helped develop a program aimed at reducing smoking rates among residents of Native American Indian reservations, Indian Country Today reports.
Oct 26, 2009 Congress Approves Measure to Extend Ryan White HIV/AIDS Funding
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a measure that will extend for four years funding for the Ryan White Program, which provides primary care and other assistance to individuals with HIV/AIDS, AHA News Now reports.
Oct 23, 2009 CDC Leverages Technology to Prepare for H1N1 Pandemic
In anticipation of an H1N1 influenza pandemic, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials are leveraging technology to improve the speed and efficiency with which data regarding the virus is collected, Federal Computer Week reports.
Oct 23, 2009 Joint Commission Identifies Top 10 Smoking Cessation Programs
The Joint Commission has identified the top 10 smoking cessation programs in the United States, the Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum reports.
Oct 22, 2009 California and Nevada RNs Plan Strike Over H1N1 Precautions
Saying that hospitals are not providing workers with adequate protection against the H1N1 virus, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC) has announced plans for a major strike involving as many as 16,000 nurses at 39 hospitals in California and Nevada, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Oct 22, 2009 FDA Launches Investigation Into Food Packaging Nutrition Claims
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced it will launch an investigation into whether the nutrition claims posted on food packaging violate federal food labeling laws, Reuters reports.
Oct 21, 2009 Study Suggests Smoking Bans Reduce Heart Attacks
A new report released by the National Institutes of Health's Institute of Medicine (IOM) suggests that comprehensive public smoking bans reduce heart attacks associated with secondhand smoke, HealthDay News reports.
Oct 21, 2009 Virginia Tech Receives Funding for Disease Tracking Database
Blacksburg-based Virginia Tech's Virginia Bioinformatics Institute has received a $27.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to establish an infectious disease database, the Roanoke Times reports.
Oct 20, 2009 Minnesota City Residents Gain Longevity As a Result of Diet, Exercise Changes
A 10-month-old effort to improve the dietary, exercise and lifestyle habits among residents of Albert Lea, Minn., has resulted in participating individuals gaining an average of 3.1 years of longevity, the Associated Press reports.
Oct 20, 2009 Oregon Launches Statewide Campaign to Counter Junk Food Advertising
The Nutrition Council of Oregon—a coalition of nutrition professionals representing public health, academic settings, nutrition and food programs, and nonprofit organizations—has launched a statewide campaign aimed at countering junk food advertising, the Associated Press reports.
Oct 19, 2009 CDC Updates Guidance for H1N1 Infection Control in Health Care Settings
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidance on infection control measures for the H1N1 influenza virus in health care facilities, revising recommendations for the use of N95 respirators and the recommended time that health care personnel who develop fever and respiratory symptoms should be excluded from work, AHA News Now reports.
Oct 19, 2009 Connecticut Attorney General Begins Investigation of Nutritional Labeling Campaign
The Connecticut attorney general is beginning an investigation into a national labeling campaign that promotes certain foods as nutritional choices, according to the New York Times.
Oct 16, 2009 Study Finds Phone Counseling Program Can Reduce Teen Smoking Rates
A study published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that personalized, proactive telephone counseling can significantly improve tobacco cessation rates among adolescent smokers, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports.
Oct 15, 2009 Pharmacist Group Launches Effort to Immunize Health Workers Against Seasonal Flu
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists has launched a Web site designed to help pharmacists improve immunization rates for the seasonal flu among health care workers, HealthLeaders reports.
Oct 14, 2009 Los Angeles Officials Consider Limit on New Convenience Stores in Region
Spurred by results from a recent Health Affairs study suggesting that foods sold in convenience stores were largely responsible for the obesity epidemic among residents in South Los Angeles, city health officials are considering a plan that would prohibit the establishment of any new convenience stories in the region, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Oct 14, 2009 H1N1 Leading to Increased Flu Rates, More Pediatric Deaths
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported "higher than expected" influenza hospitalization rates throughout the country in September and October, noting that 37 states are reporting widespread influenza activity, up from 27 states the previous week, and that nearly all cases are confirmed as H1N1, Modern Healthcare reports.
Oct 13, 2009 Mississippi City Mayor Ushers in Obesity Prevention Efforts
Hernando, Miss., Mayor Chip Johnson recently spoke at the 2009 Southern Obesity Conference regarding efforts in his city to reduce obesity, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports.
Oct 12, 2009 U.S. House Approves Spending Bill for Nutrition Programs
The U.S. House has approved a measure that would provide $82.8 billion for several federal nutrition programs, Reuters reports.
Oct 12, 2009 AAFP, Coca-Cola Partner on Beverage, Sweetener Public Education Campaign
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has announced a corporate partnership with The Coca-Cola Co., under which the two will seek to educate the public about the role that consumer products play in a healthy lifestyle, the Kansas City Business Journal reports.
Oct 9, 2009 Study Suggests Year-Long Ban on Fast Food in Los Angeles Falls Flat
A study published in a recent issue of Health Affairs suggests that the year-long ordinance to restrict the construction of stand-alone fast-food restaurants in South Los Angeles has done little to curb obesity rates, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Oct 9, 2009 Hospital Workers Increasingly Object to H1N1 Vaccine Mandates
As many states focus the start of H1N1 influenza virus vaccination efforts on health care workers, those workers are increasingly mounting objections to vaccine mandates in a growing number of facilities, as well as in New York State, ABC News reports.
Oct 8, 2009 Groups Launch New Foundation Devoted to Reducing Obesity Rates
A coalition of more than 40 retailers, food and beverage manufacturers and nongovernmental organizations teamed up to launch the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF), which aims to reduce obesity rates by 2015, particularly among children, the El Dorado Times reports.
Oct 8, 2009 Study Suggests New York City Calorie Labeling Has Not Yet Produced Substantive Changes
A study published Tuesday in Health Affairs suggests that a law requiring New York City restaurant chains to post calorie information has not resulted in an overall decrease in the amount of calories purchased among lower-income city residents, Reuters reports.
Oct 7, 2009 Nation's H1N1 Vaccination Effort Under Way
As U.S. government officials roll out what may be the nation's "largest-ever mass vaccination effort" for the H1N1 virus, beginning this week with the expected arrival of between 6 million and 7 million doses, state and local budget constraints and limits on who can administer the vaccines may make the process "bumpy" at first, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Oct 7, 2009 Web Tool to Help H1N1 Patients Decide When to Seek Medical Assistance
Microsoft Corp. has launched a new Web site designed to help patients with suspected H1N1 decide when to seek medical attention, the Associated Press reports.
Oct 6, 2009 AHRQ Releases Tool to Aid Alternate Care Site Selection
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released two new tools designed to help emergency planners prepare alternate care sites in the event of a public health emergency, AHA News Now reports.
Oct 5, 2009 JMU Receives Grant to Design Nutrition Web Site
Harrisonburg, Va.-based James Madison University (JMU) has received a three-year, $3.4 million grant from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to produce content and design an interactive Web site featuring nutritional information for children and their families, the Staunton News Leader reports.
Oct 5, 2009 'Second Wave' of H1N1 May Lead to Hospital Bed Shortage in 15 States
A new report from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) asserts that hospitals in 15 states may run out of beds and hospitals in 12 more states may reach or exceed 75 percent bed capacity if 35 percent of Americans become ill from H1N1 in the coming weeks, AHA News reports.
Oct 2, 2009 HHS Provides Grants for Prevention and Wellness Programs
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $120 million for states to implement a prevention and wellness program, AHA News Now reports.
Oct 2, 2009 Washington, D.C. Considers Expanding Smoking Laws
The D.C. Council is considering a proposal that would allow business owners to ban smoking within 25 feet of the front door of their establishment, the Washington Post reports.
Oct 1, 2009 CDC Report Finds Americans Fall Short on Fruit, Vegetable Consumption
A new state-by-state report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that the majority of Americans fail to consume the recommend amount of fruits and vegetables, HealthDay News reports.
Oct 1, 2009 H1N1 Patients Flood Hospitals, Clinics Across the Nation
Hospitals, physicians and health clinics across the United States are seeing rapidly increasing numbers of patients with the H1N1 virus, marking a seasonally unprecedented volume of patients seeking flu treatment and prompting some facilities to erect triage tents to cope with the onslaught, the Washington Post reports.
Sep 30, 2009 Ochsner Health System Partners with Louisiana Grocery Chain to Promote Wellness
Louisiana-based Ochsner Health System has partnered with a local grocery chain on an initiative aimed at promoting health and wellness education, Health Leaders reports.
Sep 30, 2009 Minnesota Health Department Receives Funding for Environmental Health Tracking Web Site
The Minnesota Department of Health has received a federal grant that will annually provide $875,000 for five years to design a Web site to track public health and environmental health data, the Minnesota Daily reports.
Sep 29, 2009 CDC Awards Funding for Four New Centers of Excellence in Public Health Informatics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $4.37 million to create new Centers of Excellence in Public Health Informatics at four U.S. institutions, AHA News Now reports.
Sep 28, 2009 New York City Plan Seeks to Add More Full-Service Grocery Stores
The New York City Planning Commission has unanimously approved a measure that would provide zoning and tax incentives to full-service grocery stores that establish outlets in locations throughout the city known as food deserts, the New York Times reports.
Sep 28, 2009 Texas A&M Launches Effort to Improve Health Preparedness
The Texas A&M Health Science Center has launched a new system aimed at improving response to infectious disease, environmental threats and natural disasters in the Rio Grande Valley, the San Antonio Business Journal reports.
Sep 25, 2009 UCLA Relocation May Serve as Model for Surge Capacity Planning
A study published in the September issue of the Archives of Surgery suggests that a three-part patient-census management strategy implemented in June 2008 during Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center's move to a new facility may serve as a model for large-scale disaster inpatient surge capacity planning, MedPage Today reports.
Sep 25, 2009 Roswell Park Cancer Institute Receives Federal Grant to Study Tobacco-Control Policies
Buffalo, N.Y.-based Roswell Park Cancer Institute has received a five-year, $11.5 million federal grant to study the effectiveness of tobacco-control policies, the Business First of Buffalo reports.
Sep 24, 2009 FDA Bans Sale of Sweet, Clove-Flavored Cigarettes
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the sale of sweet flavored cigarettes as part of an effort to reduce the number of children and teenagers who start smoking, the Washington Post reports.
Sep 24, 2009 Report Suggests States Lack Adequate Medical Surge Systems for Managing a Large-Scale Disaster
Two new reports from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office of the Inspector General suggest that several states have failed to make appropriate medical surge preparations for a large-scale disaster, Modern Healthcare reports.
Sep 23, 2009 One H1N1 Vaccine Dose Should Offer Protection in Most Children
Federal health officials have stated that children between age 10 and age 17 will likely need only one dose of a vaccine for protection against H1N1, although younger children will likely need two doses, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Sep 23, 2009 TFAH Report Identifies Programs That Reduce Disease, Improve Health
A new report from Trust for America's Health (TFAH) outlines a compendium of community-based programs that have demonstrated success in preventing disease and improving community health, AHA News Now reports.
Sep 22, 2009 New Jersey, New York Lawmakers Propose Smoking Bans at Beaches, Parks
New Jersey and New York lawmakers have separately proposed measures that would ban smoking at public beaches and parks, the Associated Press reports.
Sep 22, 2009 San Francisco Mayor Proposes Measure to Charge Soda Retailers
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (D) is planning to introduce legislation that would assess a surcharge to retailers that sell soda and sugar-sweetened beverages in an effort to help reduce obesity and diabetes among city residents, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

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