Reused Syringes Put 40,000 at Risk A Las Vegas clinic was found to have reused syringes and medical vials, putting 40,000 patients at risk for hepatitis and HIV, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports.
February 28, 2008
Donate Bone Marrow With Hip-Hop Star DMC Only one in four leukemia patients finds a bone marrow match, but for patients of color the success rate is even lower.
If You Were Having a Heart Attack, Would You Know? A new report conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that a majority of Americans wouldn’t recognize that they were having a heart attack.
New Recommendation: All Kids Should Get the Flu Vaccine The Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices is recommending that all children—except infants under 6 months and those with serious allergies—should receive annual flu shots.
February 25, 2008
How Older Diabetics Can Keep Mobile
Elderly people living with diabetes may be more likely to develop problems walking or performing daily tasks that can limit their independence, according to a recent study.
Can Cats Help Your Heart? Some good news for cat lovers: Owning a cat might reduce your risk of dying from heart attacks, according to a new study.
Caring for a Man With Prostate Cancer?
Individuals who care for men with prostate cancer may be at risk for anxiety, fatigue and other factors that may take a toll on their quality of life, according to a new study.
February 21, 2008
Do Whole Grains = a Flatter Midsection? We already know that whole grains are a great source of fiber and that they cut cholesterol. Now a study suggests they can help shrink your midsection too.
Stroke Survivors: Heal Your Mind With Music What’s your favorite type of music? Classical? Hip-hop? Jazz? Researchers from the University of Helsinki found that listening to tunes helped stroke patients recover their mental functions and lessened their confusion and depression.
Fat-Free Milk and Women’s Hearts Hypertension—high blood pressure—is a serious health concern in the African American community, especially among black women (an estimated 35 percent suffer from it). A new study published in The Hypertension Journal from the American Heart Association suggests one way to fight this epidemic—drinking fat-free milk and other fat-free dairy product
February 19, 2008
Lose Weight, Lower Cancer Risk Losing weight might help decrease your risk for developing a variety of cancers, according to new research by doctors in England.
Medicare vs. Hospital Errors In a new push for patient safety, Medicare will no longer allow hospitals to bill it (or patients) for extra-care costs involved in hospital errors.
Berry Good for the Heart Eating a moderate amount of berries may help increase HDL (or “good”) cholesterol and reduce blood pressure, providing healthy heart benefits, according to a new study.
February 14, 2008
The Heart-Mind Connection Black Americans are disproportionately affected by cardiovascular disease and dementia. Now a survey conducted by Alzheimer’s Association and the American Heart Association found that a vast majority of the African-American respondents realized that the two conditions are linked.
Sippy Cups May Cause Lisps Those little cups that your toddles drink their juice out of may cause speech impediments such as lisps, says expert speech pathologist Sandra Holtzman, MS.
February 12, 2008
Black Women Unite Against AIDS A group of all-women community leaders, politicians and health care professionals in Macon, Georgia, announced February 7 that they had formed a new organization aiming to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, particularly among black women in the area.
February 11, 2008
Surviving Domestic Violence According to recent figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about a quarter of U.S. women, and more than 10 percent of men, have suffered from intimate-partner violence in their lifetimes.
Lowering Stress and Blood Pressure Can Help Newborns Pregnant women who have high stress levels and high blood pressure may have a greater risk of giving birth to an underweight baby, according to a new study in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.
Making Noise About Kids’ Hearing Loss About 5 million U.S. children—approximately one in eight—suffer from noise-induced hearing loss. However, this condition is preventable, according to the American Academy of Audiology.
February 07, 2008
HPV’s New Target: Men In the past two years, researchers and prevention experts have emphasized how the sexually transmitted disease human papillomavirus (HPV) affects women, most typically causing cervical cancer. But now studies show that the virus is affecting oral cancer rates among men.
Black Advocacy Groups Fight Needle-Exchange Ban On National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, February 7, the NAACP, the National Urban League and other black advocacy groups convened to rally for an end to the 20-year ban on federally funded needle-exchange programs, reports The Seattle Times.
February 04, 2008
Should You Use Asthma Meds While Pregnant? Worried about using asthma medications while you’re pregnant? The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now advises pregnant women with asthma to keep using their asthma medication during pregnancy if necessary—but in the lowest possible dose.
Stay Active, Stay Younger A new study from Kings College London shows that consistent physical activity can take ten years off your actual age.
U.S. Diabetes Rates Are Rising: Reduce Your Risk A new study has shown that the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is sharply increasing in aging and younger populations in the United States, the Washington Post reports.
Tackling Obesity in Poor Children A new study has challenged common theories for why poor children are more likely to be overweight than children from wealthier families.
