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October 31, 2007Study Finds Alarming Rate of Drinking and Driving Among Rural Middle SchoolersFrom University of Georgia: Warnings that alcohol and driving don't mix are generally targeted at adults or high school students, but a new University of Georgia study finds that some middle schoolers in rural areas are drinking and driving as well. Researchers, whose results appear in the November issue of the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention, surveyed 290 middle school students in the Mississippi Delta and found that 17 percent had driven an automobile after drinking. The study was limited to one school so lead author Jessica Muilenburg, assistant professor in the UGA College of Public Health, cautions against drawing too broad a conclusion. Muilenburg said that early alcohol use and other risky behaviors, such as smoking, tend to be more prevalent in rural areas where there's simply not as much to do outside of school. She adds that rural youth tend to be more familiar with motorized vehicles such as ATVs and farm equipment and have the opportunity to drive cars or trucks on family farms or back roads where they're not likely to be noticed. The school Muilenburg studied had a high poverty rate and a low high school graduation rate typical of many poor rural communities. The 290 students in her study were seventh and eighth graders (mostly 13 or 14 years old) who had received parental permission to fill out an anonymous survey on risky behaviors. In addition to finding that 17 percent of students drove after drinking alcohol, the study also found that just under half -- 45 percent -- said that in the past 30 days they had ridden with a driver who had been drinking. Posted by Michael at 7:31 PM | TrackBack Government Restrictions on Weight Loss Surgeries Limit Access for Poor, Underinsured PatientsFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: Thresholds limiting bariatric surgeries to high-volume centers disproportionately restrict access for poor and underinsured patients, populations which are among the most in need of them, an analysis led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers shows. Government-imposed restrictions currently mandate a 125-case annual threshold for facilities permitted to perform bariatric surgeries under Medicare and Medicaid because some studies have identified better outcomes for centers performing large volumes of bariatric surgeries. "Restricting surgeries to high-volume centers has the effect of limiting bariatric surgery as an option for many poor and underinsured who rely on Medicare and Medicaid," said Dr. Edward Livingston, senior author of the study appearing in the October edition of Archives of Surgery. Nearly three quarters of hospitals offering bariatric surgery are considered low-volume facilities under the 125-case threshold, thereby leaving few centers available for impoverished populations. Such restrictions further limit medical expertise for morbidly obese patients by reducing the number of hospitals well-equipped and properly staffed to handle the special needs of these cases. Accounting for the specific health risks of patients, however, often eliminates the advantages seen for high-volume centers, the analysis showed. In either case, the overall risk was small, as the survival rate at low-income centers was 99.66 percent. That's important because studies indicate that non-surgical therapies for morbidly obese patients are uniformly unsuccessful for sustained weight loss. UT Southwestern's Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery is one of only seven facilities in North America, and the only one in Texas, to be accredited by the American College of Surgeons. Posted by Michael at 7:24 PM | TrackBack Katrina Victims Increasingly Depressed, Traumatized, and Suicidal as Relief Efforts Drag OnFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: According to the most comprehensive survey of people affected by Hurricane Katrina, results of which are being presented today to the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery, the percentage of pre-hurricane residents of the affected areas in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi who have mental disorders has increased significantly compared to the situation five to eight months after the hurricane. These findings counter a more typical pattern from previous disasters where prevalence of mental disorders decreases as time passes. These and other survey results come from follow-up interviews with the Hurricane Community Advisory Group, a statistically representative sample of hurricane survivors assembled to provide information in a series of ongoing tracking surveys about the pace of recovery efforts and the mental health effects of these efforts on hurricane survivors. The study is led by researchers from Harvard Medical School and is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, FEMA, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services for Planning and Evaluation. "It is important for mental health policy planners to have accurate information about the size of the problem they are trying to address among survivors of Hurricane Katrina," says Ronald Kessler, Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School and director of the study. The estimated prevalence of anxiety-mood disorders in the baseline survey was roughly twice as high as found three years earlier using the same measures in a survey of residents subsequently affected by Hurricane Katrina. This low prevalence of suicidality was traced to widespread feelings of optimism that the practical problems created by the hurricane would soon be resolved. Posted by Michael at 7:15 PM | TrackBack Study Links Hypertension in Obese Children to Television ViewingFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: Researchers from the University of California, San Diego; the Rady Children's Hospital -- San Diego; the University of California, San Francisco; and the University of South Alabama determined that television viewing is not only linked to childhood obesity, but also to hypertension in children, according to a study published in the December 2007 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Childhood obesity is a major health concern in the United States. As of 2004, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) estimated that 17% of children and adolescents were obese. Recent studies have shown that cardiovascular risk factors in childhood are significant predictors of preclinical atherosclerosis in adulthood. The height and weight of the children were measured to determine a Body Mass Index (BMI) and their blood pressures were recorded. After controlling for race, site, and BMI score, both the severity of obesity and daily TV time were significant independent predictors of the presence of hypertension. Writing in the article, Jeffrey B. Schwimmer, MD (Associate Professor of Pediatrics at University of California, San Diego and Director of Weight and Wellness at Rady Children's Hospital -- San Diego), states, "The current study illustrates the need for considerable physician and family involvement to decrease TV time among obese children. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children watch less than 2 hours of TV per day, but reports that only half (51%) of pediatricians make this recommendation to patients...TV viewing is an attractive target for intervention, particularly among obese children with hypertension. Posted by Michael at 7:06 PM | TrackBack Children's Gardens MushroomingFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: Researchers have discovered the secrets to enhancing youth participation in school and community-based garden programs. A three-year study entitled "Greener Voices" proves that children will engage in learning more readily when given responsibility for decision making and planning. Children's gardens have mushroomed during the past two decades. Gardens are popping up in schools, communities, public venues, and informal settings. Researchers set out to understand how children and youth engaged in project planning and to gain a better grasp of the constraints faced by adults who teach and design gardening programs. "We learned that ongoing efforts are needed to assist sites and the adult leaders who work there, including strategies to expand thinking about the capabilities of children and youth, to help children and youth adjust to new roles, and to identify ways for younger children to increase their participation", added Eames-Sheavly. The study will impact educators working with children, and ultimately impact the experience of children in garden settings, making those experiences more interesting, relevant, and compelling. Results of the three-year project are being disseminated through in-service trainings, conferences, colleagues, and web-based materials. Summarizing the project's impact, Eames-Sheavly enthused, "In an era in which there is grave concern over a lack of young peoples' engagement with nature, children's gardens offer a way in which children and youth can interact with the natural world." Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is the largest organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education and application. Posted by Michael at 7:05 PM | TrackBack Sound Training Rewires Dyslexic Children's Brains for Reading; Follow-Up Studies Will Seek to Remediate Dyslexia Even in Pre-ReadersFrom Ascribe Newsfeed: Some children with dyslexia struggle to read because their brains aren't properly wired to process fast-changing sounds, according to a brain-imaging study published this month in the journal Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience (online October 16). The study found that sound training via computer exercises can literally rewire children's brains, correcting the sound processing problem and improving reading. According to the study's first author, Nadine Gaab, PhD, of the Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience at Children's Hospital Boston, the finding may someday help clinicians diagnose dyslexia even before reading begins, and suggests new ways of treating dyslexia, such as musical training. Read more from this post. Posted by Michael at 7:04 PM | TrackBack National Center for Marriage Research to Be Located at Bowling Green State UniversityFrom Ascribe Newsfeed: Rapid changes in family structure in recent decades, including increases in the percentage of children born out of wedlock and the average age of first marriage, raise important questions about how these trends may impact the health and welfare of individuals, families and communities. Read more from this post. Posted by Michael at 7:04 PM | TrackBack October 30, 2007Education Department Announces Academic Competitiveness and National SMART Grants Data ResultsFrom Education Newsfeed: U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced the first year national data results from the Academic Competitiveness (AC) and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (National SMART) Grants. "Math, science and critical foreign language skills are the new currencies in our global economy, and we must continue to work hard to inform students about the money available for them if they take classes in these fields," said Secretary Spellings. President Bush signed into law the AC and National SMART Grant programs on Feb. 8, 2006, through the Deficit Reduction Act. The AC Grants provide additional aid to first- and second-year college students who complete rigorous high school coursework, are enrolled fulltime and maintain a 3.0 GPA. As new grant programs available to students, the Department has worked closely with financial aid advisors and admissions counselors across the U.S. to raise awareness about these grants, verify students' eligibility and award grant aid. With this strong foundation, the Department is confident that participation will continue to increase, and as a result, students will be better prepared for and have more resources to attend college. The Department of Education has set a goal to double the number of students receiving AC and National SMART grants by 2010-11 and will continue to work with States, colleges and high schools to raise awareness about AC and National SMART Grants. "The bottom line is that to ensure our nation's economic competitiveness, we must first expect high academic performance from our students. Rigorous coursework and an increased focus on math and science will prepare students to succeed in college and the workforce of the future," Spellings said. Posted by Michael at 11:17 PM | TrackBack New Celebrity Introduces Students to Need, Advantages of Health Care CareersFrom PR Newswire: Government and Policy: "We desperately need more young people to pursue health care occupations to meet the growing needs of Pennsylvanians," Governor Edward G. Rendell said. "These occupations not only promise the opportunity to save and improve lives, but they pay well and there are plenty of openings and chances to advance. Governor Rendell has designated Nov. 5 - 9 as Health Careers Week with the theme, "Become a Health Care Hero." Students will participate in local events highlighting the many career opportunities available in the heath care industry. This year's Health Careers Week focuses on 16 specific occupations in critical need of qualified workers statewide: behavioral health; clinical laboratory sciences; dental hygienists and assistants; emergency medical technicians and paramedics; direct care workers; health information systems; medical imaging; medical secretary; medical transcription; nursing; occupational therapy; pharmacy; physical therapy; respiratory therapy; social work and surgical technology. For a success story of a health care hero in your area, contact the Department of Labor & Industry at 717-787-7530. The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. EDITOR'S NOTE: Health Careers Week 2007 is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers and the Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board, in cooperation with dozens of public and private entities, including the state's 22 Local Workforce Investment Boards; the Departments of Labor & Industry, Health and Education; the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania; numerous health care, postsecondary and higher educational institutions and organized labor. Posted by Michael at 11:16 PM | TrackBack The Economic Power -- and Pitfalls -- of Positive ThinkingFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: People who are optimistic are more likely than others to display prudent financial behaviors, according to new research from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. But too much optimism can be a problem: people who are extremely optimistic tend to have short planning horizons and act in ways that are generally not considered wise. Manju Puri and David Robinson, professors of finance at Duke, report in the October 2007 issue of the Journal of Financial Economics that the differences between optimists and extreme optimists provide important insights into the interaction between psychology and economic and lifestyle choices. Puri and Robinson developed a novel method to assess individuals' levels of optimism, drawing on data from the Federal Reserve Board's Survey of Consumer Finance (SCF), a triennial assessment of U.S. families' financial and demographic information. Although the SCF does not ask about optimism directly, it does ask respondents how long they expect to live. It also collects demographics, and health-related information--the same sort of information that actuaries use to estimate life expectancy. The Duke researchers combined these data to determine participants' statistical life expectancies. Then they compared the statistical and self-reported life expectancies and categorized anyone who expected to live longer than the data predicted as an optimist. "The differences between optimists and extreme optimists are remarkable, and suggest that over-optimism, like overconfidence, may in fact lead to behaviors that are unwise," said Puri. Posted by Michael at 11:14 PM | TrackBack Low-Income Households Boost Florida's Consumer ConfidenceFrom Ascribe Newsfeed: Florida's consumer confidence rose three points to 80 in October largely due to optimism among low-income residents, a new University of Florida study finds. One possible explanation is that these consumers, having already experienced the worst of the housing crisis, now look forward to property tax reform, or it could be the result of some unknown factor, said Chris McCarty, director of the Survey Research Center at UF's Bureau of Economic and Business Research. "The source of the rise in Florida appears to be low-income households, those living off of less than $30,000 annually." "For these people, consumer confidence was already as low as it has been for a long time, so it's almost to the point where the only way it could go was up, whereas there was still room for confidence among middle- and upper-income households to decline, which turned out to be flat this month," he said. Last month's overall consumer confidence was revised downward two points to 77 after all completed surveys were included in the index. Perceptions of U.S. economic conditions over the next year rose six points to 75, perceptions of whether it is a good time to buy big-ticket items rose four points to 85 and expectations of personal finances a year from now rose four points to 90. On the positive side, gas prices declined briefly in October, but they are likely to go up as oil prices on the international market rise, he said. Posted by Michael at 11:01 PM | TrackBack October 29, 2007Dealing with Stress as a Treatment for Alcohol AbuseFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: A researcher at the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) is initiating a study of "mindfulness-based stress reduction," a technique often used in behavioral medicine for stress reduction but not before as an adjunct in the treatment of alcohol use disorders. Connors is a clinical psychologist and principal investigator on the study as well as the director of RIA. He also is a professor in the Department of Psychology in the UB College of Arts and Sciences and research professor in the Department of Psychiatry in the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. The four-year investigation on MBSR will be conducted with support from a $1.9 million grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. MBSR emphasizes self-observation and self-responsibility, which is expected to facilitate the alcohol-dependent individual's management of the stressors that place the person at increased risk for drinking. The project will be conducted in two phases, with the first component to include development of an eight-session treatment manual for conducting group-based MBSR with alcohol-dependent men and women. The long-term goal is to decrease relapse to drinking following treatment, thereby providing significant health benefits to people being treated for alcohol dependence, with corresponding benefits for their families and the community-at-large. Connors'co-investigators on the study include Kimberly S. Walitzer, Ph.D., deputy director of RIA and UB research associate professor of psychology; Nancy J. Smyth, Ph.D., dean of the UB School of Social Work; and Craig R. Colder, Ph.D., UB associate professor of psychology. Posted by Michael at 5:18 PM | TrackBack Houston, Do We Really Have a Problem Here? Urban Institute Report Assesses Science and Engineering in AmericaFrom Ascribe Newsfeed: A new Urban Institute report challenges the widely held impressions that American students score worst in the world in math and science and that their poor performance weakens the nation's high-technology workforce. Read more from this post. Posted by Michael at 5:16 PM | TrackBack Racial Disparities and the New FederalismFrom Urban Institute: The paper explores how shifts in both social welfare policies and economic conditions beginning in the mid-1990s altered the relative well-being of blacks compared to whites between 1997 and 2002. The findings suggest that some of the disparities between whites and blacks narrowed between 1997 and 2002, especially among people with low incomes. But gaps in income, child school outcomes, employment, assets, and welfare and other income supports, remained essentially unchanged over the period. Posted by Michael at 5:12 PM | TrackBack Education Program Leads to Lasting Improvement of Cancer Knowledge in African-AmericansFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: Disparities in access to health care and education hinder minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations from receiving needed cancer services and often lead to delayed cancer diagnoses. To determine the lasting impact of cancer education geared toward African-Americans, researchers with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), in partnership with The Centers for Healthy Hearts and Souls, a Pittsburgh-based community health promotion organization, designed an outreach program that consisted of three education sessions. "Improved knowledge about cancer prevention and treatment can help us better reach patients and communities with the greatest needs, and address and overcome cultural and socioeconomic factors that often limit access to cancer services. This study points to the crucial influence an education program can have on cancer knowledge and attitudes, and is an important first step in breaking down barriers related to cancer disparities," said Dr. Heron. Study investigators presented three education sessions: a culturally-adapted version of Cancer 101, a program on clinical trials developed by the National Cancer Institute and a scenario-based discussion of cancer-related subjects using the Cancer Knowledge Assessment Tool (CKAT). Pre-test results indicated that both the younger and older participants understood the importance of early detection and treatment for cancer, yet both groups appeared to have difficulty with the concept of cancer cell growth and hereditary risk factors. While younger participants scored better on scenarios related to radiation therapy concerns, health insurance and worries about biopsies, older participants scored better on a scenario related to the contribution of smoking to cancer. The study was conducted by The Centers for Healthy Hearts and Souls and UPMC McKeesport Radiation Oncology Community Outreach Group, funded through the National Cancer Institute Cancer Disparities Research Partnership. Posted by Michael at 5:07 PM | TrackBack Access to Specialty Care and Medical Services in Community Health CentersFrom The Commonwealth Fund: Community health centers (CHCs) provide primary health care services to more than 15 million Americans, many of whom are members of racial or ethnic minorities, have low income, are uninsured, or have coverage through Medicaid. To improve access to care in underserved communities, the federal government recently increased the number of CHCs. There are concerns, however, that CHCs lack adequate capacity to provide a full range of services to their patients. A Commonwealth Fundsupported study has found that CHC patients---particularly those who are uninsured or covered by Medicaid---have difficulty obtaining off-site specialty services, including referrals to medical specialists, diagnostic testing, and mental health and substance abuse treatment. The survey focused on two issues: the relationship between access to specialty medical and mental health services and patients' insurance status, and other factors associated with access to off-site specialty services for uninsured and Medicaid patients. The researchers received completed surveys from approximately half the medical directors. About 75 percent of the CHCs had on-site mental health services, about 80 percent had on-site diagnostic testing, and about 50 percent had diagnostic x-ray services available. Medical directors re-ported that about 25 percent of CHC visits resulted in medically necessary referrals for services not provided by the centers, regardless of patients' insurance category. Such access was difficult for uninsured patients even if the CHC was affiliated with a medical school or a hospital. Because CHC patients are disproportionately minority and low-income, these improvements could go a long way in correcting disparities in health outcomes across racial and socioeconomic groups, they conclude. Posted by Michael at 4:57 PM | TrackBack Patient Navigators Help Minority, Low-Income Cancer Patients Get Life-Saving TreatmentsFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: Volunteers who guide low-income and minority cancer patients through cancer treatment, called lay patient navigators (LPN), help them to overcome major obstacles that prevent them from receiving quality care and achieving better outcomes, according to a study presented October 28, 2007, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 49th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. Minority and low-income cancer patients continue to receive inferior care in the detection and treatment of cancer, compared to the general population. They are also under-represented in cancer clinical trials, which can potentially save or extend the lives of trial participants, especially those who have few treatment options. To better understand how LPNs can help these at-risk patients, researchers studied nearly 500 African American and Latino cancer patients with mean family incomes below the poverty level. Almost two-thirds (60 percent) of patients studied accepted help from LPNs to overcome their barriers to getting cancer treatment. The study was conducted by the Urban Latino African American Cancer Disparities Project to identify and confront the root causes of treatment disparities in underserved communities and offer better access to clinical trials. It was supported by a grant from the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Disparity Research Program. "These patient navigator programs should become an essential part of our healthcare delivery system to provide these patients with better access to quality care." The abstract, "Evolution of a Novel Radiation Oncology Cancer Disparities Research Program in an Indigent Los Angeles Community," will be presented for poster viewing at 10:00 a.m., Sunday, October 29, 2007. Posted by Michael at 4:54 PM | TrackBack 'Huffing' Household Chemicals Connected to Teen SuicideFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: With suicide as the third leading cause of death among adolescents in the United States, a new University of Denver (DU) study reveals inhaling or "huffing" vapors of common household goods, such as glue or nail polish, are associated with increased suicidal thoughts and attempts. Of the study's participants, 33 percent reported having inhaled volatile solvents, 25 percent had attempted suicide, and 58 percent reported suicidal thoughts. "Inhalant Use and Suicidality among Incarcerated Youth" appeared in the September 2007 issue of the academic journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Freedenthal warns parents to be aware of the possibility of suicidal thoughts in children who have been caught inhaling household chemicals. "Now we are learning ever more strongly that they are also linked to suicidal thoughts and behaviors." The study found the correlation between huffing and suicidality greater in girls than boys. More than 80 percent of girls who abused inhalants revealed a history of suicide attempts, while less than 60 percent of boys showed the same history. The study involved 723 participants incarcerated by the Missouri Division of Youth Services, 629 boys and 94 girls at an average age of 15. Participants were asked if they huffed any of the 35 common household substances, such as paint, paint thinner, shoe polish, spot remover, floor polish, kerosene, gasoline, antifreeze, permanent markers, nail polish remover, mothballs, waxes, lighter fluid, and others. The University of Denver (www.du.edu), the oldest private university in the Rocky Mountain region, enrolls approximately 11,117 students in its undergraduate and graduate programs. Total undergraduate enrollment for fall 2007 is 5,311, including 1,140 first-time, first-year students, compared to 1,142 last year. Posted by Michael at 4:53 PM | TrackBack October 25, 2007Education Secretary Appoints Five New Members to National Assessment Governing BoardFrom Education Newsfeed: The 26-member governing board develops policy guidance for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the only continuing assessment of what students know and can do in various subjects at the elementary and secondary school levels. Under the No Child Left Behind law, which requires that states participate every two years in the national assessment's state-level samples for assessing reading and math achievement in grades four and eight, the national assessment has taken on a new role as an independent yardstick of school achievement. States are now able to compare trends on the national assessment with performance on their own state exams. Ensuring that all items selected for use in the assessment are free from racial, cultural, gender and regional biases. The secretary appoints members from nominees in categories prescribed by law. The independent, bipartisan board includes governors or former governors, legislators, educators, testing experts and curriculum specialists, as well as business and industry representatives, parents and persons representing the general public. Posted by Michael at 7:43 PM | TrackBack Child Health Psychologists Need to Promote Adult Disease PreventionFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: Many of the lifestyle habits that children and adolescents develop -- eating a diet high in fat and low in fruits and vegetables, being physically inactive or sedentary, and experimenting with tobacco and alcohol use -- can have a major impact on their health later in life. Given that, psychologists with expertise in children's health and behavior should be taking more of a lead role in helping young people develop good lifestyle habits early on and preventing these problems from occurring, says a researcher from Georgetown University Medical Center. The scope of what child health psychologists can contribute to the health and well-being of children in our society is much broader than many have yet recognized, says Kenneth Tercyak, PhD, assistant professor of oncology and pediatrics and member of the Cancer Control Program at Georgetown's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Among the leading causes of death in the United States are heart disease, cancer and diabetes, but actual causes of death -- which are defined as lifestyle and behavioral factors such as smoking and physical inactivity -- contribute to this nation's leading killers Tercyak says. "Because these health-compromising behaviors are typically initiated when a person is young, there is a need to more effectively prevent their onset and reform public health approaches to prevention. "There is a pressing need to readdress prevention efforts targeted toward our nation's young people and their families, and child health psychologists are well-poised to advance this mission," says Tercyak, who authored an editorial on the subject published in the September 24 issue of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology. Posted by Michael at 7:41 PM | TrackBack Gauging Parent Knowledge about Teens' Substance UseFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: New research results from the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) suggest that most parents are aware of and accurately evaluate the extent of their teenager's cigarette smoking, marijuana use, drinking and overall substance use. Researchers also found that in cases where parents provided lower estimates of substance use, parents were nearly twice as likely to underestimate frequency of marijuana use and quantity of alcohol use. Parents also were less likely to be aware of extent of use by younger teens and of their children's use if they themselves had personal problems or were using alcohol more frequently. What is novel about these findings is that for the first time, detailed statistics are available about parental knowledge of teen substance use for families in which the teen's substance use is causing the parent stress, but the teen is not necessarily in treatment. For a six-month reporting period, 82 percent of parents accurately evaluated the presence of teen cigarette smoking; the parents' reports corresponded with the teens' reports of their own smoking. McGillicuddy is a research scientist at RIA with extensive background in treatment interventions for parents of substance-abusing adolescents, interventions for partners of addicted persons and treatment for alcohol and drug-abusing adolescents. This research was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse. For this study, 75 parents and their teenagers were interviewed separately about the teens' recent use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and other illicit drugs. Posted by Michael at 7:40 PM | TrackBack School District Size Often Determines Fate of Zero ToleranceFrom University of Florida : The size of the school district often determines whether students are punished under zero tolerance policies and given another chance for an education, a new University of Florida study finds. In Florida, larger school districts are more likely than smaller ones to have mandatory expulsion policies for students who bring guns to schools and to impose mandatory suspension for the possession of knives and drugs, as well as bullying, said Brian Schoonover, who completed the research for his doctoral dissertation in education at UF. "Children are increasingly being sent to judges and jails for offenses that traditionally were dealt with in the principal's office and after-school detentions," said Schoonover, who is scheduled to present his findings Tuesday at the National Conference for Safe Schools and Communities in Washington, D.C. "Thirty years ago it would have been unusual to see a child handcuffed by a police officer. Because Florida school districts respect each other's expulsions, expelled students have no classroom to attend unless their parents can afford to send them to a private school that will take them, he said. Currently, all 50 states have zero tolerance policies mentioned in their state laws, but Texas is the only state that requires schools to investigate intent before expelling a student from school for a violation, Schoonover said. Differences were more pronounced for knives, with 88 percent of large districts having mandatory suspension policies, compared with 47 percent of small districts. Next to guns, policies citing drugs were the most common, with 88 percent of large districts and 74 percent of small districts having mandatory suspension. AScribe Newswire distributes news from nonprofit and public sector organizations. Posted by Michael at 7:31 PM | TrackBack Over $5 Million to Establish Center for Excellence in Ethical, Legal and Social Implications ResearchFrom University of Pennsylvania: A new Center for Excellence in Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Research has been established at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, a collaboration with the Schools of Nursing and Arts and Sciences, the Wharton School and the Annenberg School for Communication. The Penn Center for the Integration of Genetic Healthcare Technology (Penn CIGHT) will receive over $5 million over the next five years from the National Institutes of Health to study the certainty or uncertainty of results from genetic testing. "The University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have outstanding expertise in studying the human genome and the causes of genetic diseases, and in the care, counseling and treatment of people with hereditary diseases," says Center director Reed Pyeritz, MD, PhD, Director of the Division of Medical Genetics at the Penn School of Medicine. The overall goal of the Penn CIGHT is to develop tools that will help educate consumers, professionals, policy makers, and insurers understand and cope with the certainty or uncertainty of results from genetic technologies. Penn's School of Medicine is currently ranked #3 in the nation in U.S.News & World Report's survey of top research-oriented medical schools; and, according to most recent data from the National Institutes of Health, received over $379 million in NIH research funds in the 2006 fiscal year. The University of Pennsylvania Health System includes three hospitals - its flagship hospital, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, rated one of the nation's "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S.News & World Report; Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's first hospital; and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center - a faculty practice plan; a primary-care provider network; two multispecialty satellite facilities; and home care and hospice. Posted by Michael at 7:30 PM | TrackBack Americans Say: It's Still the Economy, StupidFrom Ascribe Newsfeed: The bursting of the proverbial real estate bubble coupled with a mortgage and credit crisis has many Americans murmuring "recession." With 64 percent of Americans harboring unfavorable opinions about the economy, voters are anxious to hear how the presidential candidates will address economic issues, including the housing market, during the October 30 Democratic presidential primary debate in Philadelphia. "There is some uncertainty due to the tightening of credit following the meltdown in the subprime mortgage market, as well as continuing high gas princes. Of the candidates' specific plans, Liebman says that Clinton has some innovative proposals to change tax codes. "It will be interesting to hear her discuss some of her creative approaches to tax reform during the debate," he says. With recent food and product safety issues making headlines, Liebman speculates that globalization and free trade will soon become hot button issues during the race to the White House. Dr. Liebman is an assistant professor of economics at Saint Joseph's University. CONTACTS: If you are interested in speaking with Dr. Liebman for a story, he can be reached by telephone at 610-660-1553, by email at bliebman@sju.edu, or by calling the Office of University Communications at 610-660-1222. For further media assistance, contact Patricia Allen, Associate Director of University Communications, pallen01@sju.edu, 610-660-3240. AScribe Newswire distributes news from nonprofit and public sector organizations. Posted by Michael at 7:25 PM | TrackBack Program Awarded National Science Foundation Grant to Expand Mentoring for GirlsFrom Chabot Space & Science Center: Techbridge, Chabot Space & Science Center's 7-year-old program to encourage science, technology and engineering careers for girls in underserved communities, has received a $199,874 grant from the National Science Foundation to significantly expand its training and support for role models who engage in K-12 outreach efforts for girls in technology, engineering and science. Techbridge co-founding director Linda Kekelis expects the project to reach 225,000 role models in the Role Models Make a World of Difference program during the two-year period (2008-09) encompassed by the grant. In 2006, Techbridge developed "Get Involved, Make a Difference: A Guide for Classroom Visits and Field Trips for K-12 Students," a resource guide featuring practical advice and case studies that highlight successful interaction between role models and youth. The NSF grant will facilitate dissemination of "Get Involved, Make a Difference" to a much wider audience and provide Techbridge's educational, corporate, governmental, professional and organizational partners with assistance in recruiting and training role models from within their own ranks. Techbridge, which is offered to girls in fifth through 12th grades, promotes science, technology and engineering careers to girls who would otherwise receive little or no encouragement to pursue such fields. AScribe Newswire distributes news from nonprofit and public sector organizations. Posted by Michael at 7:23 PM | TrackBack October 24, 2007Strengthening Unemployment InsuranceFrom Economic Policy Institute: As the most recent government data show, job growth is continuing to trend downward as unemployment edges higher. In this climate, Washington lawmakers are turning more attention to programs and proposals designed to help workers increasingly caught between the rock of protracted unemployment and the hard place of new jobs that pay less than their old ones. Among the options before Congress are bills in both Houses to modernize unemployment insurance (UI) and a Senate bill to reauthorize the Trade Adjustment Assistance program (TAA) that would expand wage-loss insurance for workers uprooted by international trade. A plan presented in congressional hearings in September by Jeffrey Kling of the Brookings Institution and the Hamilton Project has as a central feature replacement of the current UI system with individual accounts for each worker, to create a kind of personal rainy day fund that could be drawn on during periods of unemployment. With the money saved by eliminating the UI system, Kling would fund wage-loss insurance, shifting payments from the unemployed to the employed A new report issued today by the Economic Policy Institute's Agenda for Shared Prosperity analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the current UI program and the Trade Adjustment Assistance program (TAA) in helping workers harmed by the loss of jobs through globalization. This countercyclical feature of UI is a strong plus both for the unemployed workers who receive its benefits and for the economy, as a whole, which benefits when more people have money to spend. Kling's proposal introduces further uncertainty in that the three components are untested and the costs are likely to be much higher than he estimates. Posted by Michael at 10:08 PM | TrackBack October 22, 2007HHS Awards $57.8 Million Through Compassion Capital FundFrom HHS News and Events: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced awards totaling $57,840,781 through the Compassion Capital Fund (CCF). "By supporting grass-roots organizations already serving those in need in their communities, we are increasing our ability to help more people gain control of their lives." Demonstration program grantees serve as intermediaries providing assistance to and building the capacity of smaller faith-based and community organizations in their community. The second set awards a total of $10.3 million to 219 faith-based and community organizations through the CCF Targeted Capacity Building Program. These awards will increase the capacity of these organizations to support at-risk youth and the homeless, strengthen marriage and serve rural communities. The third set of grants awards a total of $7.5 million to 31 organizations participating in the Communities Empowering Youth program. Under this program, organizations committed to combating gang activity, youth violence and child abuse and neglect will receive funds to strengthen their own capacity. They will also build the capacity of their faith-based and community partners to operate more effectively in strengthening community coalitions committed to providing positive alternatives for at-risk youth across the country. "The Compassion Capital Fund is the signature initiative of President Bush's community renewal agenda," said Jay Hein, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. "This announcement demonstrates the Bush Administration's commitment to help faith-based and community organizations increase their effectiveness, expand their organizations, and create collaborations to better serve at the local level," said Josephine B. Robinson, director of the Administration for Children and Families' Office of Community Services at HHS. Posted by Michael at 8:59 PM | TrackBack Value-Driven Health Care Purchasing: Four States that Are Ahead of the CurveFrom The Commonwealth Fund: In the absence of a strong national directive for health care reform, some states have resorted to higher cost-sharing for public employees, tightened Medicaid eligibility and benefit cuts, or caps on spending. But a handful of states and counties are taking an entirely different approach in addressing rising health costs and quality concerns: obtaining greater value for their health care dollars through "value-based purchasing." Health care purchasers, suppliers, and consumers are rallying for better-quality health care. In response, several states are pursuing value-based purchasing (VBP) initiatives that emphasize collection of quality-of-care data, transparency of quality and cost information, and incentives. Minnesota, for example, has used incentives to achieve about $20 million in savings in 2006. Similarly, Wisconsin's Department of Employee Trust Funds has announced premium rate increases in the single digits for the third straight year. More research is necessary to determine the true impact of VBP, but health plans and providers are paying attention to and learning from these current efforts. It summarizes an analysis of four major initiatives aimed at pursuing value in the health care system that are led by, or include, state agencies. (These initiatives are examined in greater depth in four separate case studies, also published by The Commonwealth Fund.) GIC assigns its health plan members to a particular tier, based on quality and efficiency, and requires these plans to offer their members different levels of cost sharing, depending on which tier their chosen hospital or provider is designated. The Minnesota Smart Buy Alliance is a group of public and private health care purchasers, including the state agencies overseeing Medicaid and public employee health benefits, along with coalitions of businesses and labor unions. Model 1---Single Large Purchaser: involves a large purchaser working actively and cooperatively with suppliers while using its market power to make demands. Model 2---Purchaser Coalition: involves a group of public and private purchasers (or purchaser coalitions) working together to standardize demands on suppliers and share value-driven strategies. Posted by Michael at 8:58 PM | TrackBack Healthy Diet and Lifestyle Behaviors Associated with Decreased Risk of Heart Attack in WomenFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: Women who eat a healthy diet, drink moderate amounts of alcohol, are physically active, maintain a healthy weight and do not smoke have a significantly reduced risk of heart attack, according to a report in the October 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. "Coronary heart disease is the most important cause of death and disability in women," the authors write as background information in the article. Agneta Akesson, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, and colleagues identified dietary patterns in 24,444 postmenopausal women by analyzing food frequency questionnaires, on which the women supplied information about how often they ate 96 common foods. Over an average of 6.2 years of follow-up, 308 women had a new myocardial infarction (heart attack); 51 of these cases were fatal. "The low-risk diet (high scores for the healthy dietary pattern) characterized by a high intake of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish and legumes, in combination with moderate alcohol consumption (5 grams of alcohol per day or less), along with the three low-risk lifestyle behaviors [not smoking, having a waist-hip ratio of less than the 75th percentile and being physically active], was associated with 92 percent decreased risk compared with findings in women without any low-risk diet and lifestyle factors," the authors write. Several components of fruits, vegetables and whole grains---including fiber, antioxidant vitamins and minerals---have been associated with a reduced risk for coronary heart disease, the researchers note. "Our study findings indicate that healthy dietary behaviors are present in the population," the authors conclude. Posted by Michael at 8:53 PM | TrackBack 200 Journals Join in Theme Issues on Poverty and Human DevelopmentFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: Through an international collaboration, more than 200 medical and scientific journals are publishing theme issues this week on the relationship between poverty and human development. The initiative, coordinated by the Council of Science Editors, includes presentations on seven of the journal articles which will be webcast live from the National Institutes of Health on Monday, October 22, 2007. In "Improving Child Survival Through Environmental and Nutritional Interventions," published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the University of Washington set out to determine (1) whether programs to improve child nutrition and provide clean water, sanitation and fuels, three of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, could also impact the MDG of reducing child mortality and (2) how the benefits of those interventions varied based on how poor the targeted population of these programs were. In "Human Resources for Treating HIV/AIDS: Needs, Capacities, and Gaps," published in AIDS, Patient Care and STDs, lead author Till Bärnighausen, doctoral candidate at HSPH and Associate Professor of Health and Population Studies, Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, and colleagues investigate a simulation model of the nature of the gap between needed and available healthcare personnel for scaling up HIV/AIDS antiretroviral treatment in the developing world. They conclude that universal coverage is unlikely to be achieved even if the education of healthcare personnel in developing countries is substantially increased, unless the emigration of health workers or the rate of new HIV infections is decreased at the same time. Reducing child mortality rates for children under five year -- which in 2004 was 6.5 (per 1,000 children annually) in Latin America and the Caribbean, about 20 in South Asia and 39 in sub-Saharan Africa -- is one of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Posted by Michael at 8:51 PM | TrackBack Creating Value: Social Enterprise Club of Columbia Business School to Hold 2007 Social Enterprise Conference Oct. 26From Ascribe Newsfeed: The annual social enterprise conference at Columbia Business School features a diverse group of business leaders from the private, public and nonprofit sectors who challenge conventional thinking and define success in terms of social and environmental benefits, as well as financial returns. Building on previous years, the theme for the 2007 conference will be 'Creating Value' and will provide a forum for speakers and attendees to re-define how they create value in business and in society. The day will bring together industry leaders, students, academics and practitioners to discuss strategies and challenges facing organizations which seek to create value along dimensions beyond pure profits. Topics covered include the new challenges of philanthropy, the impact of green buildings on community development, and how best to encourage entrepreneurship in the developing world, among others. Mr. Cescau will be presented with the Benjamin Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics, which is given annually to an individual or representative of a business organization exemplifying the highest standard of professional and ethical conduct. The Social Enterprise Club empowers students to create social value in private and public enterprises. The Club provides networking opportunities and educational experiences for a range of social enterprise careers including: nonprofit management and consulting, corporate social responsibility, for-profit entrepreneurial endeavors, venture philanthropy, government and public finance, microfinance, and community and international development. The International Development Club provides a forum for MBAs seeking careers at the interface of business and international development, and creates opportunities for MBA students to consult to nonprofits, public sector organizations, small businesses and entrepreneurial ventures in developing countries. The Social Enterprise Program aims to inspire and prepare leaders who create social value in business, nonprofit and government organizations locally, nationally and internationally. More information is available at http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/socialenterprise/conference2007/. Posted by Michael at 8:48 PM | TrackBack Nutritional and Environmental Interventions Can Help Decrease Child Deaths WorldwideFrom EurekAlert! - Breaking News: Interventions that improve nutrition and environmental conditions can also provide substantial gains toward the goal of reducing child mortality, especially when the interventions prioritize the poor, according to a study in the October 24/31 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on poverty and human development. This initiative is coordinated by the Council of Science Editors, and presentations regarding some of the studies in this Global Theme Issue will be webcast live from the National Institutes of Health (http://videocast.nih.gov/summary.asp?live=6239), including this study, presented by co-author Majid Ezzati, Ph.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were established in 2000 in a declaration adopted unanimously by U.N. member countries to focus resources and efforts toward critical global poverty, health, and sustainability problems. The MDGs set numerical targets to be achieved by 2015 and use socioeconomic, environmental, nutritional, and health indicators to monitor progress toward these targets, according to background information in the article. They analyzed data on economic status, child underweight, water and sanitation, and household fuels from the Demographic and Health Surveys for 42 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. "Implementing interventions that improve child nutrition and provide clean water and sanitation and clean household fuels to all children younger than five years would result in an estimated annual reduction in child deaths of 49,700 (14 percent) in Latin America and the Caribbean, 0.80 million (24 percent) in South Asia, and 1.47 million (31 percent) in sub-Saharan Africa," the authors report. More information about the Council of Science Editors' Global Theme Issue on Poverty and Human Development is available at http://www.councilscienceeditors.org/globalthemeissue.cfm. Posted by Michael at 8:46 PM | TrackBack Can the Web Transform the U.S. Healthcare System? One-day Conference Sponsored by Health Improvement Institute, Consumer Reports WebWatchFrom Ascribe Newsfeed: The Health Improvement Institute is organizing a one-day workshop Monday, November 12 to explore the future of health information on the Internet. Read more from this post. Posted by Michael at 8:44 PM | TrackBack Online Education Reaches New Heights; Five Year Growth Trend Shows Nearly 3.5 Million Students Now Learning OnlineFrom Ascribe Newsfeed: Nearly one in five higher education students now takes at least one class online, according to a new study of more than 2,500 colleges and universities nationwide. The 2007 Sloan Survey of Online Learning, released today by the Babson Survey Research Group, reveals that online enrollment rose by nearly ten percent in fall 2006, to 3.49 million students. "The growth in online learning continues to far outpace that of the broader student population," said study co-author Dr. I. Elaine Allen Associate Professor of Statistics & Entrepreneurship, Babson College. "Enrollment has increased at an average annual rate of 21.5 percent over the past five years compared with just 1.5 percent average annual growth for the overall higher education population." The fifth annual survey, a collaborative effort between the Babson Survey Research Group, the College Board and the Sloan Consortium, represents the state of online learning in the United States. The complete survey report, "Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in Online Learning" is available at www.sloan-c.org/publications/survey/index.asp. The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns. AScribe Newswire distributes news from nonprofit and public sector organizations. Posted by Michael at 8:43 PM | TrackBack Journal of the American Dental Association Spotlights Poverty, Its Effect on Oral Health as Part of International Journal Theme IssueFrom Ascribe Newsfeed: The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) joins 234 other international scientific journals today in publishing a global theme issue on poverty and human development, an unprecedented collaborative effort among the world's biomedical publications. The Council of Science Editors (CSE) organized the theme issue, which involves simultaneous publication by science journals throughout the world of articles on poverty's devastating effect on health. As part of this effort, JADA today is publishing online four articles by researchers internationally respected for their work in the area of increasing disadvantaged populations' access to health care. JADA Editor Glick said that The Journal is proud to be one of the participating publications, especially as the global theme issue underscores the important role oral health plays in general well-being. The rationale for this discrepancy could be that oral diseases are not recognized as being associated with a high mortality rate. Yet, among patients with chronic conditions - HIV disease, for example - access to oral health care is always at the top of the list of desired but lacking services." The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing more than 155,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public's health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. Posted by Michael at 8:42 PM | TrackBack Using Information Technologies to Conduct Clinical Trials in Low Income SettingsFrom Public Library of Science : This week PLoS Medicine publishes a special collection of articles that aim to highlight the profound influence of poverty upon health, as part of the Council of Science Editors' Global Theme Issue on Poverty and Human Development. Can the international framework of children's rights be used to improve child survival rates? In this tip sheet: Using information technologies to conduct clinical trials in low income settings; and Improving access to health care in the world's poorest countries. Read more from this post. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
