Archive for the ‘Public Health’ Category

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a coalition of US-based non-profit health and environmental groups just released a report regarding contamination of Halloween face paints by heavy metals. Although the CDC recommends against using cosmetics which contain lead on children, there’s no way of telling whether the paints contain toxic metals since they are not required to be listed on product labels (there is no legal requirement to list them because they’re considered contaminants, not  ingredients). The group looked at 10 children’s face paint brands and found:

• 10 out of 10 children’s face paints contained lead at levels between 0.05 and 0.65 parts per million (ppm).
• 6 out of 10 children’s face paints contained nickel, cobalt and/or chromium at levels between 1.6 to 120 ppm (this is much higher than the industry safety standard of 1 ppm said the report). These metals can be allergens in children.
• Snazaroo Face Paint contained some of the highest levels of lead, nickel and cobalt found in the study. This product carries the words “non-toxic” and “hypoallergenic” on its label.

Continue reading at Medical News Today.

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Last month researchers from the US Army and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced the successful trial of a new HIV vaccine. However, because the study was based on very few cases, skeptics argued whether the vaccine had any effect after all. Fast forward to this week’s AIDS Vaccine 2009 meeting in Paris where researchers reviewed more data from the trial and found the claims in which the vaccine reduced HIV infection rates by 31% were sound. Additionally, it appears that the vaccine actually was even more effective during the first year of immunization, reducing infection rates by as high as 60%. “It looked like there’s an early effect that wanes with time,” said Seth Berkley, chief executive of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. “It may be that the vaccine generates only weak antibodies against HIV, and these are only effective early on.” Although this vaccine isn’t ready for public use, the knowledge we gained from this research will certainly help in the production of new and improved HIV vaccines. [NEJM via New Scientist]

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Poor education predisposes one to poorer health. Study after study has confirmed this link, and now experts are honing in on the reasons for it and what can be done.  “Persons with a higher education tend to have better jobs, and better income, better benefits,” said David R. Williams, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and staff director for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Commission to Build a Healthier America. These “better benefits” not only include more accessible healthcare but can include factors such as the ability to take time away from work to see the doctor. As well, people with higher levels of education tend to have more resources to cope with stress and life, such as access to a health club to exercise during periods of stress. Being more educated also means that a person can better understand the complexities that go along with modern medicine. In fact, a report from May, 2009 found that adults who did not graduate from high school were 2.5 times more likely to be in less than very good health, compared with counterparts who have a college degree. Williams is advocating that health promotion should be taught earlier in schools and that improvement in literacy rates could better the health of people as they become adults. [via Businessweek]

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Here’s an interesting correlation: reduction in air pollution leads to fewer ear infections in children. A study, presented at the 2009 meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, analyzed U.S. data on 126,060 children from 1997 to 2007 and found that frequent otitis media (three or more ear infections in a 12-month period) decreased as air quality improved, as measured by the Environmental Protection Agency. The researchers noted that previous smaller studies have linked cleaner air with reductions in incidence of ear infections, but this was the first large study to look at this correlation. They also believe that continued efforts to reduce air pollution will continue to further reduce ear infection rates. [via CBS News]

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According to the World Health Organization the number of reported cases of H1N1 influenza has increased by at least 24,000 in just the past two weeks. And with the new H1N1 vaccine just recently being distributed to the public the CDC is reaffirming the current vaccination guidelines. The groups most at risk, and therefore should be vaccinated are:

Please note that the  H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine. The seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines may be administered on the same day.  [via CDC]

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An article in the September 17th issue of the New England Journal of Medicine proposes that a national “soda tax” of 1 cent per ounce of soda and other sugar-laden drinks could curb the United State’s obesity epidemic while generating funds to promote obesity prevention programs. While this tax strategy has reduced cigarette and alcohol use, will it would work with food? That remains to be seen. “There are certain products which make a strong contribution to the obesity epidemic while, conversely, there is no plausible public health benefit [from them],” noted Dr. David Ludwig, senior author of the paper and associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Opponents of such an idea say that singling out a specific food type sends the wrong public health message. Rather, they say, the government should promote proper nutrition education. Would a heftier price stem your appetite for soda? [via BusinessWeek]

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Historically, pregnant women have been one of the groups least likely to get the flu vaccine for a variety of reasons. Not surprisingly, their reluctance to take any medication during pregnancy is one of the reasons for the low vaccination rates. Additionally, the majority of obstetricians do not routinely vaccinate their patients due to costs involved and that it’s not part of routine obstetrician training. Therefore, the CDC and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology are urging obstetricians to partner with hospitals or drugstores to guarantee their patients a place to get the flu shot. A vaccine is a two-for-one deal during pregnancy. It can protect both mom and baby because the flu-fighting antibodies made by mom will cross the placenta to the fetus and can help protect the baby during its first few months of life. This is why health officials are working on increasing the number of vaccinated pregnant women this year, especially since pregnant women make up 6% of H1N1-confirmed deaths even though they account for only 1% of the population. [via NBC News]

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This is going to be a busy flu season, especially considering that there will be two different flu vaccines available – one for the seasonal flu and the other for H1N1 (swine) flu. There are different recommendations for both vaccines, but only the seasonal flu vaccine is currently available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends any adult who wants to reduce their risk of becoming ill with influenza to get the vaccine. However, if you are on the fence about the decision here is an up-to-date list from the CDC of high risk groups that should not think twice about getting the vaccine:

• persons aged 50 years and older;
• women who will be pregnant during the influenza season;
• persons who have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, cognitive, neurologic/neuromuscular, hematological or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus);
• persons who have immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by human immunodeficiency virus;
• residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities;
• health-care personnel;
• household contacts and caregivers of children aged <5 years and adults aged 50 years and older, with particular emphasis on vaccinating contacts of children aged <6 months; and
• household contacts and caregivers of persons with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for severe complications from influenza.

*If you have concerns about thimerosal or other vaccine preservatives, this year’s flu vaccine only comes in two flavors – latex-containing and latex-free. Neither contains thimerosal.

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If you still have doubts about the perils of smoking, a new report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association should clarify any suspicion. After looking at 13 major studies which evaluated the number of heart attacks after smoking bans were instituted in the US, Canada and Europe, researchers found that the total number of heart attacks dropped almost immediately – 17% within one year – and nearly 36% over a three-year period. This dramatic decline in heart attack rate is not only due to less smokers having heart attacks, but passive or secondhand smokers are spared as well. “This study adds to the already strong evidence that secondhand smoke causes heart attacks, and that passing 100 percent smoke-free laws in all workplaces and public places is something we can do to protect the public,” said study author James Lightwood, assistant adjunct professor in the department of clinical pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco. [Circulation via Medical News Today]

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If you have doubts that lack of health insurance can have deadly consequences, consider these new findings from the American Journal of Public Health: Americans without health insurance are 40% more likely to die than those with private insurance. The Harvard study reiterates a 1993 Institute of Medicine study, which found a 25% higher death risk among those without insurance compared with privately insured adults. Why does the uninsured face this greater risk? The Institute of Medicine identifies three factors that influence health outcomes: not getting care when needed, not having a regular source of care, and not getting continuity of coverage – all of these are difficult goals to accomplish for the uninsured. Approximately 45,000 Americans of working age die each year because they lack health insurance. [via Yahoo! News]

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