Public Health & Prevention http://www.npr.org Public Health & Prevention en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:01:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Public Health & Prevention http://www.npr.org Binge Drinking Sticks Wisconsin With A Hefty Tab Wisconsin has the highest number of binge drinkers in the nation, and they cost the state $6.8 billion in 2012. Most of that economic burden is from lost productivity — missing work, premature mortality, incarceration, and absenteeism. Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/14/174325255/binge-drinking-sticks-wisconsin-with-a-hefty-tab?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/14/174325255/binge-drinking-sticks-wisconsin-with-a-hefty-tab?ft=1&f=126567402 Wisconsin has the highest number of binge drinkers in the nation, and they cost the state $6.8 billion in 2012. Most of that economic burden is from lost productivity — missing work, premature mortality, incarceration, and absenteeism.

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]]> Colleges Try To Curtail Flu Risk For Students As students return to class from winter break, campus health official are trying to avert an outbreak. Colleges in Boston are especially worried after the mayor's declaration last week of a public health emergency in the city. Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:30:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/01/15/169419886/colleges-try-to-curtail-flu-risk-for-students?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/01/15/169419886/colleges-try-to-curtail-flu-risk-for-students?ft=1&f=126567402 As students return to class from winter break, campus health official are trying to avert an outbreak. Colleges in Boston are especially worried after the mayor's declaration last week of a public health emergency in the city.

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]]> Museum Teaches Anatomy And Disease With Ghoulish Body Part Bake-Off Get an anatomical education through cakes, cookies, and cocktails. A British museum is hosting an anatomy-themed bake sale this weekend. Sun, 28 Oct 2012 13:21:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/10/28/163726711/museum-teaches-anatomy-with-body-part-bakeoff?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/10/28/163726711/museum-teaches-anatomy-with-body-part-bakeoff?ft=1&f=126567402 Get an anatomical education through cakes, cookies, and cocktails. A British museum is hosting an anatomy-themed bake sale this weekend.

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]]> As Cheerleading Injuries Rise, Doctors Call For Stricter Safety Rules The flips, pyramids, and tosses that make modern-day cheerleading so eye-popping make it far more risky than the splits-on-the-sidelines version that parent remember. Mon, 22 Oct 2012 15:21:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/10/22/163408123/as-cheerleading-injuries-rise-doctors-call-for-stricter-safety-rules?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/10/22/163408123/as-cheerleading-injuries-rise-doctors-call-for-stricter-safety-rules?ft=1&f=126567402 The flips, pyramids, and tosses that make modern-day cheerleading so eye-popping make it far more risky than the splits-on-the-sidelines version that parent remember.

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]]> Dr. Seuss On Malaria: 'This Is Ann ... She Drinks Blood' As a captain in the U.S. Army during World War II, Theodor Geisel created a booklet warning troops against the dangers of malaria and how to avoid contracting it. Mon, 20 Aug 2012 17:30:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/08/20/159382005/dr-seuss-on-malaria-this-is-ann-she-drinks-blood?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/08/20/159382005/dr-seuss-on-malaria-this-is-ann-she-drinks-blood?ft=1&f=126567402 As a captain in the U.S. Army during World War II, Theodor Geisel created a booklet warning troops against the dangers of malaria and how to avoid contracting it.

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]]> Should Lack Of Exercise Be Considered A Medical Condition? To help fight rising rates of inactivity, a physiologist argues that doctors should write prescriptions for exercise for inactive patients. Thu, 16 Aug 2012 09:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/08/15/158831652/should-lack-of-exercise-be-considered-a-medical-condition?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/08/15/158831652/should-lack-of-exercise-be-considered-a-medical-condition?ft=1&f=126567402 To help fight rising rates of inactivity, a physiologist argues that doctors should write prescriptions for exercise for inactive patients.

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]]> Amid An AIDS Epidemic, South Africa Battles Another Foe: Tuberculosis Some parts of the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa have HIV rates that are more than twice the national average. And clinics in the region are seeing another major problem: thousands of cases yearly of multi-drug-resistant TB. Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:36:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/07/26/157434988/amid-an-aids-epidemic-south-africa-battles-another-foe-tuberculosis?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/07/26/157434988/amid-an-aids-epidemic-south-africa-battles-another-foe-tuberculosis?ft=1&f=126567402 Some parts of the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa have HIV rates that are more than twice the national average. And clinics in the region are seeing another major problem: thousands of cases yearly of multi-drug-resistant TB.

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]]> As Pain Pills Change, Abusers Move To New Drugs Prescription drug abuse has soared in the past decade, leading pharmaceutical companies to alter the recipes for their painkillers to thwart misuse. But communities fighting the growing problem see drug users switching to new medicines to get around the changes. Wed, 25 Jul 2012 15:58:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/07/25/157359488/as-pain-pills-change-abusers-move-to-new-drugs?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/07/25/157359488/as-pain-pills-change-abusers-move-to-new-drugs?ft=1&f=126567402 Prescription drug abuse has soared in the past decade, leading pharmaceutical companies to alter the recipes for their painkillers to thwart misuse. But communities fighting the growing problem see drug users switching to new medicines to get around the changes.

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]]> Prevention Programs Curb New HIV Infections In South Africa More than half a million South Africans were infected with HIV in 2000. Efforts to stem the virus since then have produced marked results in the number of new infections. But the total number of people with HIV in South Africa still isn't going down. Wed, 25 Jul 2012 07:54:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/07/25/157297530/prevention-programs-curb-new-hiv-infections-in-south-africa?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/07/25/157297530/prevention-programs-curb-new-hiv-infections-in-south-africa?ft=1&f=126567402 More than half a million South Africans were infected with HIV in 2000. Efforts to stem the virus since then have produced marked results in the number of new infections. But the total number of people with HIV in South Africa still isn't going down.

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]]> San Francisco Thwarts HIV With Wide Testing, Universal Treatment A new approach in San Francisco provides HIV testing and treatment for patients with the virus who didn't know they were at risk. "Test and treat" requires long-term vigilance by doctors and patients, but early evidence suggests that it is reducing HIV in the city. Mon, 23 Jul 2012 15:25:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/07/23/157224605/san-francisco-thwarts-hiv-with-wide-testing-universal-treatment?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/07/23/157224605/san-francisco-thwarts-hiv-with-wide-testing-universal-treatment?ft=1&f=126567402 A new approach in San Francisco provides HIV testing and treatment for patients with the virus who didn't know they were at risk. "Test and treat" requires long-term vigilance by doctors and patients, but early evidence suggests that it is reducing HIV in the city.

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]]> Electric Fans May Do More Harm Than Good In A Heat Wave Researchers say there's no evidence electric fans actually provide relief in a heat wave. So they're calling for more research, even though heat waves are hard to predict and even harder to study once they hit. Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:32:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/07/12/156694483/electric-fans-may-do-more-harm-than-good-in-a-heat-wave?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/07/12/156694483/electric-fans-may-do-more-harm-than-good-in-a-heat-wave?ft=1&f=126567402 Researchers say there's no evidence electric fans actually provide relief in a heat wave. So they're calling for more research, even though heat waves are hard to predict and even harder to study once they hit.

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]]> A Few Drinks While Pregnant May Be OK A Danish study suggest that light and moderate drinking during pregnancy may not be hazardous for the fetus. But the researchers advise that to be absolutely safe, women should refrain from drinking while pregnant. Wed, 20 Jun 2012 12:39:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/06/18/155297280/a-few-drinks-while-pregnant-may-be-ok?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/06/18/155297280/a-few-drinks-while-pregnant-may-be-ok?ft=1&f=126567402 A Danish study suggest that light and moderate drinking during pregnancy may not be hazardous for the fetus. But the researchers advise that to be absolutely safe, women should refrain from drinking while pregnant.

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]]> Scientists Tackle The Geography Of Nature Vs. Nurture In Maps Of U.K. Genes and the environment both shape health and development. But their effects are not always equal. Researchers in the U.K. say they've mapped hotspots where nature has a stronger influence, and others where nurture dominates. Thu, 14 Jun 2012 10:05:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/06/13/154945173/scientists-tackle-the-geography-of-nature-vs-nurture-in-maps-of-u-k?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/06/13/154945173/scientists-tackle-the-geography-of-nature-vs-nurture-in-maps-of-u-k?ft=1&f=126567402 Genes and the environment both shape health and development. But their effects are not always equal. Researchers in the U.K. say they've mapped hotspots where nature has a stronger influence, and others where nurture dominates.

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]]> Panel Questions Benefits Of Vitamin D Supplements The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force concluded in draft recommendations released Tuesday that taking vitamin D and 1,000 milligrams of calcium every day doesn't reduce the risk for bone fractures among postmenopausal women. So the group is taking steps to recommend that women refrain from taking the supplements for those purposes. Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:38:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/06/12/154840966/panel-questions-benefits-of-vitamin-d-supplements?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/06/12/154840966/panel-questions-benefits-of-vitamin-d-supplements?ft=1&f=126567402 The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force concluded in draft recommendations released Tuesday that taking vitamin D and 1,000 milligrams of calcium every day doesn't reduce the risk for bone fractures among postmenopausal women. So the group is taking steps to recommend that women refrain from taking the supplements for those purposes.

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]]> Potty Talk For The Greater Good Among advocates for improving sanitation through better toilet access, the only question is whether to play it straight or joke about the john. Pretty much everyone seems to give in to humor. Mon, 04 Jun 2012 15:48:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/06/04/154294000/potty-talk-for-the-greater-good?ft=1&f=126567402 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/06/04/154294000/potty-talk-for-the-greater-good?ft=1&f=126567402 Among advocates for improving sanitation through better toilet access, the only question is whether to play it straight or joke about the john. Pretty much everyone seems to give in to humor.

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