Taking socioeconomic and personal factors into consideration seem to be the more practical approach in preventing heart disease in women, according to the updated 2011 guidelines. More women outside clinical research studies often have varying backgrounds such as: older patients, bad vision, psychiatric illness, communication and receptive barriers, and poverty.
In clinical research, volunteers are recruited but often have to meet certain criteria in order to participate. Generally, real patients with different mental, physical and social backgrounds might have adverse outcomes or experience more side effects in comparison to the participants in the studies.
In patient risk evaluation, the guidelines include illnesses linked to higher risk of heart disease such as:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Lupus
- Pregnancy complications
- Racial and ethical diversity
Bottom Line- clinical research is a good baseline but now that the new guidelines are taking ÔÇ£real-worldÔÇØ issues into consideration, hopefully heart disease will decline.
For more information, please visit:
http://newsroom.heart.org/pr/aha/1239.aspx
What is a health indicator?
Health indicators are measurable characteristics that describe the health of a population (e.g., life expectancy, mortality, disease incidence or prevalence, or other health states), determinants of health (e.g., health behaviors, health risk factors, physical environments, and socioeconomic environments); and health care access, cost, quality, and use.
What is the Health Indicators Warehouse?
The Health Indicators Warehouse is a new data hub from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Browse or search health indicators by topic, region or health initiative (like Healthy People 2020). Easily visualize data through tables, maps or graphs.
User guide
The latest issue of the LibraryÔÇÖs Newsletter has been released. Archives of the newsletter are also available from 1998 to the present.
On January 31st, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released and their main focus is to emphasize that reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity will lead to better health. Currently, more than two-thirds of adults and one-third of children are overweight or obese and ultimately the new guidelines will help to prevent diet-related chronic disease. Tips that are emphasized to incorporate in our everyday lives are:
- Avoiding oversized portions
- Drinking water instead of other beverages
- Consuming foods with less sodium
- Reducing caloric intake
- Increasing fresh fruits and vegetables
Be on the lookout for more consumer-friendly tools and advice which will be released within the next few months.
For more information please visit:
www.dietaryguidelines.gov
www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines
www.healthfinder.gov/prevention
www.mypyramid.gov
Last week, the US Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin released a Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding. This call to action was aimed at families, communities, employers and health care professionals to improve breastfeeding rates and increase support for breastfeeding. Download the complete report and the fact sheet.
An advance online publication from Molecular Therapy reports on a possible vaccine for cocaine addiction.
Based on the concept that anticocaine antibodies could prevent inhaled cocaine from reaching its target receptors in the brain, an effective anticocaine vaccine could help reverse cocaine addiction.
The website io9 reports “By combining a cocaine-like molecule with part of the common cold virus, you get a vaccine that turns the immune system against cocaine, keeping it away from the brain.”
Allegedly, this is the first ever vaccine for drug addiction. However, at this point it’s only worked on mice.
Full citation
Cocaine Analog Coupled to Disrupted Adenovirus: A Vaccine Strategy to Evoke High-titer Immunity Against Addictive Drugs Cocaine Analog Coupled to Disrupted Adenovirus: A Vaccine Strategy to Evoke High-titer Immunity Against Addictive Drugs
Hicks JH, et al.
Molecular Therapy (2010); doi:10.1038/mt.2010.280
http://www.nature.com/mt/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/mt2010280a.html
America’s Health Rankings?« has been tracking the state of our nation’s health for over 20 years. This analysis provides a comprehensive perspective on our national health issues, state by state.
America’s Health Rankings?«-2010 Edition shows Vermont at the top of the list of healthiest states again this year. Massachusetts is ranked second this year, an improvement from ranking third last year. New Hampshire is number three, followed by Connecticut and Hawaii. However, although Mississippi is 50th and the least healthy state, Louisiana is 49th. Arkansas, Nevada and Oklahoma complete the bottom five states.
Louisiana dropped two spots from last year due to several factors including a high rate of obesity and smoking. On the positive side, Louisiana has a high ranking for access to prenatal care and childhood immunizations. Stay Healthy, Louisiana has a great summary of the state’s ranking.
Healthy People provides science-based, 10-year national objectives for improving the health of all Americans. For 3 decades, Healthy People has established benchmarks and monitored progress over time in order to encourage collaborations across sectors, guide individuals toward making informed health decisions, and measure the impact of prevention activities.
Healthy People 2020 continues in this tradition with the launch on December 2, 2010 of its ambitious, yet achievable, 10-year agenda for improving the NationÔÇÖs health. Healthy People 2020 is the result of a multiyear process that reflects input from a diverse group of individuals and organizations.
New topic areas for 2020 include:
Adolescent Health
Blood Disorders and Blood Safety
Dementias, Including AlzheimerÔÇÖs Disease
Early and Middle Childhood
Genomics
Global Health
Healthcare-Associated Infections
Health-Related Quality of Life and Well-Being
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health
Older Adults
Preparedness
Sleep Health
Social Determinants of Health
Stay connected to Healthy People 2020 by signing up for e-mail, following on Twitter, connecting on LinkedIn, or joining the Consortium to stay up-to-date with the latest Healthy People information and events.
Allied Health, Dentistry, Medicine, Multicultural Health, Nursing, Public Health, Publication Alert, Women's Health | Permalink | Comments Off on Healthy People 2020 Launched | Posted Friday, December 3, 2010 by Schiavo, Julie
Money Magazine came out with it’s list The 50 Best Jobs in America in the November issue. LSUHSC New Orleans is preparing its students for many of these.
#4 Physical Therapist
#12 Dentist
#13 Nurse Anesthetist
#19 Occupational Therapist
#25 Emergency Room Physician
#27 Director of Nursing
#29 Psychiatrist
#34 Primary Care Physician
#44 Speech-Language Pathologist
#46 Physical Therapy Director
African American surgeons, nurses and hospital staff have often been slighted in recognition of providing care for soldiers and civilians during the Civil War. Despite the challenges they faced due to race and gender, they simply downplayed the prejudices?áand carried out their duties as healers and caregivers.?á?áIn hopes to change that, a 6-banner traveling exhibit is making its way around different cities in the U.S. The fight for freedom seemed to be a family affair as some nurses served alongside their relatives. While the war showed opportunity for some, those who received a stipend, others were sent into the field by their owners who kept the money for themselves. One notable mention in the exhibit is Susie King Taylor, who served as a caregiver on the battlefield, yet didnÔÇÖt receive any compensation for her work.
To find a location near you, check out the traveling exhibition. If none are offered locally explore the exhibition online through the educational resources.
Have you ever wondered what it was like to sail the Seven Seas as a medical professional with the navy of the British Empire??á Thanks to the National Archives (UK) you can now get first hand information on the health issues experienced by British sailors as recorded in the journals and diaries of the Royal Navy Medical Officers.
In June 2008, the National Archives won a grant from the Wellcome Trust Research Resources in Medical History program to digitize the records of Royal Navy surgeons and assistant surgeons.?á These journals date from 1793 to 1880 and document the experiences of surgeons serving on Her MajestyÔÇÖs ships and in British naval hospitals, as well as on emigrant and convict ships.
The records, ÔÇ£which include a variety of colourful talesÔÇØ, can be easily searched by diseases, ailments, or names of medical officers or patients (HIPPA does not apply).?á They offer a wonderful insight into the medical practices and challenges faced by medical professionals of a bygone era.
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) recently launched a new digital repository that is entitled Digital Collections. This free online database provides access to biomedical books and videos, which are an important part of the NLMÔÇÖs interesting history.
The content in Digital Collection is in the public domain and is available worldwide. You can also find a link to this database through the libraryÔÇÖs Online Resources. Enjoy!
Bed bugs have been all over the National news and now they are making their way to Louisiana. The LSU Ag Center has published information on bed bugs; the Louisiana State Epidemiologist office has created a 12 page document on the “Control and Prevention of Bed Bugs.”
Since the safety of Louisiana seafood has been a big topic in the news lately, I was pleased to discover that the Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals, along with the departments of Wildlife and Fisheries, Environmental Quality, and Agriculture and Forestry have been issuing weekly Seafood Safety Surveillance Reports since July. The latest report was issued today.
Attention medical geeks and gamers: American Medical news reports on a new role-playing game that teaches infectious diseases.
“Developed by two physician/gamers, Francis Kong and Arun Mathews, Healing Blade plunges the player into a world of sorcery and creatures, where real-world knowledge of infectious diseases and therapeutics play a pivotal role in the winning strategy.”
The print edition, which resembles Magic: the Gathering or Pokemon in game play, retails for $24.99 but is currently sold out at Amazon.com. According to the product’s website, a second printing is underway. Of course, an iPhone application is also in development.
As far as we know, the item will not be available for checkout in the library. However, the library commons is open 24 hours for anyone wanting to start a medical gamer night.
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