USPSTF Final Recommendations on Counseling to Prevent Skin Cancer - 08-MAY-2012 The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has made recommendations on behavioral counseling to prevent skin cancer.

April 2012

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Healthy People 2020 Seeks Real Stories From Organizations Implementing Innovative Programs - (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, HHS (ODPHP)) - 18-APR-2012 Healthy People 2020 is looking for real stories from organizations that are working to make their goals a reality. If your organization is doing great work on specific Leading Health Indicators, be sure to submit your story.

Perceptions of cancer care may not match reality - 18-APR-2012

Social Factors May Affect Lifespan More Than Race, Location - 18-APR-2012

New Research from Mathematica and Stanford shows a healthy recess can reduce bullying, improve learning time - (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)) - 18-APR-2012

Death rates from unintentional injury among children dropped by nearly 30 percent in 10 years - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) - 18-APR-2012 Injuries remain number one killer of youth

For the Public's Health: Investing in a Healthier Future - (Institute of Medicine (IOM)) - 12-APR-2012 To improve America's lackluster performance on health outcomes compared with its peer nations and to maintain its international competitiveness, the United States needs to invest more in its chronically underfunded public health system and spend public health dollars more efficiently, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

FDA Seeks to Limit Antibiotics in Animal Feed - 12-APR-2012 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has called on food producers, drug companies, and veterinarians to help limit the use of antibiotics in farm animals. Health experts contend that this overuse of antibiotics has led to an increase of germs -- such as staph -- that are growing increasingly resistant to antibiotics, threatening human health.

Violence Prevention, Health Promotion Coming Together: Projects Creating Healthier Neighborhoods - 12-APR-2012 An emerging public health movement brings practitioners in the fields of violence prevention, healthy eating and active living together to transform their communities in ways that will foster health and safety.

USPSTF Draft Recommendation on Screening for Ovarian Cancer Now Available for Public Comment - 12-APR-2012 The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has released its draft recommendation statement on screening for ovarian cancer. The draft recommendation statement is available for public comment until May 8, 2012.

MLA Call for Papers and Posters for MLA'13 - Deadline May 1, 2012 - 12-APR-2012 The Medical Library Association (MLA) is accepting paper and poster submissions for MLA 2013. The deadline is May 1, 2012.

ASPH Launches New Web App to Help Students Find a Future in Public Health - 10-APR-2012 The Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) has launched its web application I AM PUBLIC HEALTH. The user-friendly app answers the question "What can I do with a degree in public health?" with real responses and insight from more than 2,000 professionals in the field.

AHRQ Seeks Nomination of New Members to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force - 10-APR-2012 The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) welcomes nominations for new members to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

Annual APHA Public Health Materials Contest Deadline Extended to April 30 - 09-APR-2012 The APHA Public Health Education Health Promotion section is soliciting health education, promotion and communication materials for the 22nd annual competition. Entries for the contest are due by April 30, 2012.

Competency Assessments Support Professional Development Efforts - 09-APR-2012 Competency Assessments, now available for each of the three tiers of the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals, can help public health professionals identify areas of strength and areas in which additional training may be beneficial to build further competence.

2012 County Health Rankings Released - 05-APR-2012 More than 3,000 counties and the District of Columbia can compare how healthy their residents are and how long they live with the 2012 County Health Rankings. The Rankings are an annual check-up that highlights the healthiest and least healthy counties in every state.

Report Finds Many Existing Laws Provide Unexpected Opportunities to Assess Health When Making Decisions in Other Sectors - 05-APR-2012 A recent report finds that a wide variety of existing laws offer important opportunities to improve Americans' health.

National Public Health Week Focuses on Disease Prevention and Wellness - 02-APR-2012 Daily themes of National Public Health Week include Active Living and Healthy Eating; Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs; Communicable Diseases; Reproductive and Sexual Health; and Mental and Emotional Well-Being.

MMWR Report on the Epidemiology Workforce in State and Local Health Departments - 02-APR-2012 The number of state-level epidemiologists increased 12.9% in the 18 months from April 2009 to October 2010, partly because of changing federal funding streams, including federal stimulus funding, according to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

HHS and Education Launch New Stop Bullying Website - 02-APR-2012 Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have unveiled a revitalized Stop Bullying website - www.stopbullying.gov - to encourage children, parents, educators, and communities to take action to stop and prevent bullying.

CDC Report Finds U.S. Population Has Good Levels of Some Essential Vitamins and Nutrients - 02-APR-2012 Overall, the U.S. population has good levels of vitamins A and D and folate in the body, but some groups still need to increase their levels of vitamin D and iron, according to the Second National Report on Biochemical Indicators of Diet and Nutrition, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

HHS Announces Winners of the HHSinnovates Program - 02-APR-2012 Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced six winners in the HHSinnovates program that aims to build a culture of innovation at HHS through facilitating the exchange of innovative ideas.

1000 Genomes Project Data Available on Amazon Cloud - 02-APR-2012 The world's largest set of data on human genetic variation - produced by the international 1000 Genomes Project - is now publicly available on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud.

March 2012

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CDC Estimates 1 in 88 Children in United States has been Identified as Having an Autism Spectrum Disorder - 30-MAR-2012 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 88 children in the United States has been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a new study that looked at data from 14 communities.

Economic Recovery? Not for Many Local Health Departments - 28-MAR-2012 A new report based on data from the January 2012 NACCHO survey of Job Losses and Program Cuts shows that cuts to budgets, staffing, and programs continue to plague many local health departments (LHDs) throughout the nation.

TFAH and RWJW Release Report: Investing in America's Health - 28-MAR-2012 Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) have released their eighth report on "Investing in America's Health," which examines public health funding and provides key health facts for states across the U.S.

Supreme Court Justices Zero In on Key Provision of Health-Care Law - 28-MAR-2012 The individual mandate -- the portion of the Affordable Care Act that requires Americans to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty -- appeared threatened during U.S. Supreme Court arguments made on Tuesday.

NIH Launches Online Resource on Behavioral and Social Science Research Methods - 28-MAR-2012 A new web-based interactive anthology will provide psychologists, economists, anthropologists, sociologists and other scientists with the latest research methods and tools to address emerging challenges in public health, such as the obesity epidemic and the rise of chronic diseases such as heart disease.

IOM Report: Federal Agencies Should Take Advantage of Opportunities To Promote Integration of Primary Care and Public Health - 28-MAR-2012 The traditional separation between primary health care providers and public health professionals is impeding greater success in meeting their shared goal of ensuring the health of populations, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

Uninsured Rates Vary From 4% to 50% Across U.S. Metro Areas - 28-MAR-2012 Half of adults living in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas, metro area were uninsured in 2011, the highest percentage in 190 U.S. metro areas Gallup and Healthways surveyed that year. This percentage is about 10 times the rates found in four Massachusetts metro areas, which also have the lowest uninsured rates among metro areas nationwide.

NIA Adds Genetic Data to Health and Retirement Study - 28-MAR-2012 The Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a 20-year nationwide survey of the health, economic and social status of older Americans, has added genetic information from consenting participants to its massive database.

AHRQ Website Redesign Survey - 28-MAR-2012 The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is requesting input to help create a more logical and easy to use website.

American Public Health Association Cheers New Clean Air Standard for Power Plants - 27-MAR-2012 The American Public Health Association welcomes a new standard for new power plants released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that will strengthen the Clean Air Act, reduce carbon pollution and protect public health.

HHS Selects Winners of Heart Health Apps Challenge - 27-MAR-2012 Winners of the One in a Million Hearts Challenge include THUMPr, a web-based application whose interface enables users to easily create personal heart health profiles; mHealthCoach that incorporates 11 unique data feeds, supports social media integration, peer communities, and fitness groups; and Wellframe that focuses on patient engagement, evidence-based information and resources, targeted and actionable information and ease of usability.

NLM Announces New Look for NIHSeniorHealth - 27-MAR-2012 The National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) have released a redesigned version NIHSeniorHealth, the National Institutes of Health consumer health Web site for older adults.

ASPH/CDC Public Health Fellowship Program - Applications Due May 4 - 27-MAR-2012 ASPH is currently accepting applications for the 2012 ASPH/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Public Health Fellowship Program. The program provides opportunities for recent SPH graduates to round out their academic training and gain practical public health experience with the CDC.

Call for Poster Showcase Proposals for NACCHO Annual Conference - Due April 21 - 26-MAR-2012 The NACCHO Annual Conference Workgroup is seeking poster showcase proposals for the NACCHO Annual 2012 Conference, set for July 11-13, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA. Poster submissions are due April 21.

Global Campaign Takes Aim at Health Hazards of Cookstoves - 26-MAR-2012 Global health advocates are coming together to do something about the problem of inefficient cookstoves that are linked to 2 million yearly deaths worldwide and pose a public health threat to the world's poorest people, particularly low-income women and children.

APHA Celebrates Achievements of Affordable Care Act as Two-Year Anniversary Nears - 22-MAR-2012 As the Affordable Care Act reaches its two-year anniversary, the American Public Health Association recognizes the health reform measure's significant achievements in and enormous promise for protecting and improving the nation's health.

NIH Study Finds Interventions to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Give Good Return on Investment - 22-MAR-2012 Programs to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes in high-risk adults would result in fewer people developing diabetes and lower health care costs over time, researchers conclude in a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

2010 Census Shows Asians are Fastest-Growing Race Group - 22-MAR-2012 The U.S. Census Bureau released a 2010 Census brief, The Asian Population: 2010, that shows the Asian population grew faster than any other race group over the last decade.

Poll Shows Many Americans Ambivalent Over Laws Aimed at Healthy Living - 22-MAR-2012 According to a new Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll, most Americans remain ambivalent about the issue, agreeing that policies that aim to protect public health and safety are sometimes necessary, but believing as well that adults should take responsibility for their own actions, and consequences for health.

Six in 10 Obese Adults Have Joint Pain - 22-MAR-2012 Fifty-eight percent of obese and nearly 69 percent of extremely obese adults age 20 or older reported suffering from joint pain in 2009, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Federal Appeals Court Backs Tobacco Regulation Law, Warning Labels - 20-MAR-2012 A U.S. appeals court has ruled to uphold the graphic warning label mandate on cigarette packs in addition to other key measures included in the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, enacted in 2009.

Community Preventive Services Task Force Recommends Against Privatization of Retail Alcohol Sales - 20-MAR-2012 The Community Preventive Services Task Force, an independent group of public health and prevention experts, recommends against privatization of retail alcohol sales in places that currently have government control, based on evidence that privatization leads to increased consumption of alcoholic beverages, excessive drinking and related harms.

NACCHO Invites Health Departments to Submit Stories of Measurable Improvement in Public Health - 20-MAR-2012 Submit a story about a measurable improvement in your health department to NACCHO's database of Stories of Measurable Improvement in Public Health. Submit stories by March 30th to be entered into a contest.

HHS Launches Public Health Challenge Based on Twitter - 20-MAR-2012 The "Now Trending: #Health in my Community" Challenge is to develop and submit a web-based application that tracks Twitter to identify trending illnesses. Submissions due June 1, 2012.

QI Tools for the Core Competencies Now Available - 20-MAR-2012 A set of quality improvement (QI) tools is now available to aid public health organizations in using the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals.

CDC Launches Ad Campaign to Reveal Harsh Reality of Smoking-Related Diseases - 20-MAR-2012 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched a national ad campaign that depicts the harsh reality of illness and damage suffered as a result of smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.

Secretary Sebelius Unveils MyCare Stories - 20-MAR-2012 Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has unveiled "MyCare," a collection of online personal video and blog stories of Americans helped by the Affordable Care Act.

CDC Research Shows Outbreaks Linked to Imported Foods Increasing - 20-MAR-2012 Foodborne disease outbreaks caused by imported food appeared to rise in 2009 and 2010, and nearly half of the outbreaks implicated foods imported from areas which previously had not been associated with outbreaks, according to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Medical and Health Groups File Suit to Protect Limits on Mercury, Air Toxics Pollution - 20-MAR-2012 Five professional medical societies and public health groups have taken legal action to support public health safeguards that reduce mercury and toxic air pollution from power plants.

Deaths from Gastroenteritis Double - 19-MAR-2012 The number of people who died from gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines that causes vomiting and diarrhea) more than doubled from 1999 to 2007, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nearly 800,000 Deaths Prevented Due to Declines in Smoking - 19-MAR-2012 Tobacco control programs and policies were responsible for preventing more than 795,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States from 1975 through 2000, according to an analysis funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health.

AHRQ Seeking Applicants for Paid Summer Internships - 19-MAR-2012 The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is supporting paid summer internship opportunities for qualified undergraduate and graduate-level students interested in health services research and/or policy at AHRQ's Rockville, Maryland location.

Digital Games Emerge as New Tool to Foster Health, Exercise - 19-MAR-2012 There are growing intersections between public health and digital games and video games, and avatar-based simulations are emerging as an effective way of teaching healthy behaviors.

Release of USPSTF Final Recommendations on Screening for Cervical Cancer - 15-MAR-2012 The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has released its final recommendation statement on screening for cervical cancer.

County Health Rankings 2012 Release Day - April 3 - 14-MAR-2012 The 2012 County Health Rankings will be released on April 3, 2012. The County Health Rankings allows communities to see county-to-county where they are doing well and where they need to improve.

National Estimate Shows Not Enough Young Women Tested for Chlamydia - 14-MAR-2012 Just 38 percent of sexually active young women were screened for chlamydia in the previous year, according to the most recent nationally representative estimate of chlamydia screening among this population conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC recommends annual screening for all sexually active women aged 25 and under.

NALBOH Accepting Applications for the National Environmental Health Policy Network (NEHPN) - 14-MAR-2012 NALBOH, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center of Environmental Health, is seeking participants for the National Environmental Health Policy Network (NEHPN).

Smartphones More Accurate, Faster, Cheaper for Disease Surveillance - 14-MAR-2012 Smartphones are showing promise in disease surveillance in the developing world. The Kenya Ministry of Health, along with researchers in Kenya for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that smartphone use was cheaper than traditional paper survey methods to gather disease information, after the initial set-up cost.

I'm Your Community Guide! Contest - 14-MAR-2012 The Public Health Foundation (PHF) is now accepting applications for the 2012 "I'm Your Community Guide!" Contest. Public health organizations who share their Community Guide Stories can be awarded recognition for their accomplishments. The stories will help to identify model practices for implementing the evidence-based strategies outlined in The Community Guide. Submissions will be accepted until April 30, 2012.

Surgeon General Releases New Report on Youth Smoking - 08-MAR-2012 The Surgeon General, Dr. Regina Benjamin, has released the Surgeon General's Report, Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults. This report details the scope, health consequences, and influences that lead to youth tobacco use and proven strategies that prevent its use.

New CDC Campaign Aims to Stem HIV Crisis Among Black Women - 08-MAR-2012 To combat the high toll of HIV and AIDS among black women in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched Take Charge. Take the Test., a new campaign to increase HIV testing and awareness among African-American women.

One in Three Persons Experience Financial Burden of Medical Care - 08-MAR-2012 A new report provides preliminary estimates of the financial burden of medical care among the U.S. population by selected demographic variables, using National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data collected from January through June 2011.

Surgeon General's Video Contest: Tobacco - I'm Not Buying It - Deadline April 20 - 08-MAR-2012 The Surgeon General's Video Contest for Youth and Young Adults invites young Americans to speak up about tobacco and tell us why they are not buying it.

Institute of Medicine and Avon Foundation for Women Issue Challenge for Apps to Prevent Domestic Violence - Registration Due May 31 - 08-MAR-2012 Teams will use their knowledge and skills to develop easy-to-use mobile- or Web-based applications that can help prevent physical assaults, verbal abuse, and other acts of domestic violence, or aid victims and those trying to help them.

PHF Launches 2012 "I'm Your Community Guide!" Contest - 07-MAR-2012 The Public Health Foundation (PHF) has launched the "I'm Your Community Guide!" Contest for 2012 in an effort to promote the Guide to Community Preventive Services.

Life-Threatening Germ Poses Threat Across Medical Facilities - 07-MAR-2012 Infections from Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), a bacteria that causes diarrhea and other health issues, is a patient safety concern in all types of medical facilities, not just hospitals as traditionally thought.

WHO Millennium Development Goal Drinking Water Target Met - 07-MAR-2012 The world has met the Millennium Development Goal target of halving the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water, well in advance of the MDG 2015 deadline.

Survey Reports that Just Over 10 Percent of American Adults Regularly Practice Healthy Habits - Lack of Time is a Culprit - 07-MAR-2012 An American Heart Association survey finds that only 12 percent of American adults regularly get good nutrition, exercise, and oral care.

APHA's Get Ready: Set Your Clocks, Check Your Stocks - 07-MAR-2012 APHA's "Get Ready: Set Your Clocks, Check Your Stocks" campaign reminds people to refresh their emergency supplies before a disaster occurs.

NIH Launches Consumer-Friendly Tips Series on Complementary Health Practices - 07-MAR-2012 A new series of monthly health tips, Time to Talk Tips, will provide consumers with easy-to-read information on complementary health practices.

Health Reform Law Ends Lifetime Limits for 105 Million Americans - 07-MAR-2012 Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has released a new report on how the health reform law has eliminated lifetime limits on coverage for more than 105 million Americans.

Sewell Fund Soliciting Hosts for Learning Partnerships - Applications Due April 15 - 07-MAR-2012 The Grace and Harold Sewell Memorial Fund is soliciting applications for organizations to be hosts as part of Learning Partnerships, a program that places experienced librarians and information professionals within leading health care or research organizations in order for both partners to gain a better understanding of how information sciences can be effectively applied in each environment.

The Nation's Health: Health Concerns of Fracking Drawing Increased Attention: EPA Conducting Studies on Health Effects - 07-MAR-2012 Hydraulic fracturing, which is used to collect natural gas, is growing in popularity. But potential health concerns are coming into focus.

APHA Public Health Materials Contest - Deadline: April 13 - 06-MAR-2012 The American Public Health Association (APHA) Public Health Education Health Promotion section is soliciting the best health education, promotion and communication materials for its 22nd annual competition.

Cancer Video Advocacy Contest - Deadline: April 16 - 06-MAR-2012 One Voice Against Cancer (OVAC), an organization of 40 groups dedicated to the fight against cancer, has announced its first ever video advocacy contest, Film It to Fight It!

MLA and NLM Developing Disaster Information Specialization Program - 06-MAR-2012 The Medical Library Association (MLA) and the National Library Medicine (NLM) are in the beginning stages of developing a Disaster Information Specialization (DIS) program and are seeking Disaster Information Continuing Education Instructor(s)/Course Developer(s).

February 2012

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More than 10,000 Participants have Joined the GuLF STUDY - 29-FEB-2012 Nearly two years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, more than 10,000 cleanup workers and volunteers have enrolled in the Gulf Long-term Follow-up (GuLF) STUDY, a national effort to determine if the oil spill led to physical or mental health problems.

NIH Launches New Online Tool on Genetic Tests - 29-FEB-2012 The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched an online tool, Genetic Testing Registry (GTR), that will make it easier to navigate the rapidly changing landscape of genetic tests.

AAP Recommends HPV Vaccines for Both Males and Females - 28-FEB-2012 The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends routine Human papillomaviruses (HPV) vaccination of males and females at 11-12 years of age. The vaccine is most effective if administered before the onset of sexual activity, and antibody responses to the vaccine are highest at ages 9 through 15 years.

HHS Secretary Sebelius Announces Environmental Justice Strategy - 28-FEB-2012 Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, along with other federal agencies, has released the Department's 2012 Environmental Justice Strategy and Implementation Plan, outlining steps that will be taken to protect communities facing greater health and environmental risks.

New Influenza Virus Discovered in Guatemalan Fruit Bats - 28-FEB-2012 A new influenza A virus discovered in fruit bats in Guatemala does not appear to present a current threat to humans, but should be studied as a potential source for human influenza, according to scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who worked with University of the Valley of Guatemala.

ASPH Call for Survey Participants: Help Promote Public Health as a Rewarding Career - 27-FEB-2012 ASPH is seeking profile submissions for its new web app, I AM PUBLIC HEALTH.

APHA's Get Ready Campaign: Top Five Flu Myths - 27-FEB-2012 APHA's Get Ready campaign provides the top five flu myths to set the facts straight and to help the public get ready to fight the flu.

Health Affairs Policy Brief on the Prevention and Public Health Fund - 27-FEB-2012 A new policy brief from Health Affairs and the RWJF looks at the Prevention and Public Health Fund created under the Affordable Care Act of 2010. The fund will be cut by a third under an agreement between the White House and Congress to finance an extension of payroll tax cuts and to forestall Medicare payment cuts for physicians.

CDC Provides Information on 2012 Vaccine Recommendations - 27-FEB-2012 Changes in the 2012 immunization recommendations reflect research that shows the best way to protect adults and young children around them.

Health Reform Law Provides Coverage for Nearly 50,000 Americans with Pre-existing Conditions - 23-FEB-2012 Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced that the new health care law's Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) program is providing insurance to nearly 50,000 people with high-risk pre-existing conditions nationwide.

NACCHO: Congress' Proposed Cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund Jeopardize America's Health - 22-FEB-2012 The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) opposes Congress' plans to cut $5 billion from the Prevention and Public Health Fund to offset the costs of halting cuts to Medicare physician payments.

NIDA Creates Easy-to-Read Website on Drug Abuse - 22-FEB-2012 A new, easy-to-read website on drug abuse designed for adults with a low reading literacy level (eighth grade or below) has been launched by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Majority of Dairy-Related Disease Outbreaks Linked to Raw Milk - 22-FEB-2012 The rate of outbreaks caused by unpasteurized milk (often called raw milk) and products made from it was 150 times greater than outbreaks linked to pasteurized milk, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

NLM Tox Town Web Site Adds US Southwest Neighborhood - 22-FEB-2012 A new U.S. Southwest scene is now part of the landscape of Tox Town that presents information about commonly-encountered toxic substances and their possible health risks.

ASTHO Releases Summary of President's Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Proposal - 21-FEB-2012 ASTHO has released a full summary and analysis of the president's FY 2012 budget request.

ASPH/CDC Allan Rosenfield Global Health Fellowship Program - Accepting Applications - Due April 3 - 21-FEB-2012 ASPH is pleased to offer recent graduates from ASPH-member Schools of Public Health an opportunity to gain global health experience with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The deadline to apply is April 3, 2012

Community Guide Publishes New Findings on Comprehensive Risk Reduction & Abstinence Education for Adolescents - 16-FEB-2012 The Community Preventive Services Task Force has published its findings on two types of interventions to prevent teen pregnancy, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections.

SOPHE Call for Abstracts to Annual Meeting - Due April 2 - 16-FEB-2012 The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) invites the submission of abstracts for its 63rd Annual Meeting, Mining Golden Opportunities: Health Education Policy, Research & Practice, October 25‐27, 2012, San Francisco, CA. Abstracts are due April 2, 2012.

Affordable Care Act Extended Free Preventive Services to 54 Million Americans with Private Health Insurance in 2011 - 15-FEB-2012 Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announces that the Affordable Care Act provided approximately 54 million Americans with at least one new free preventive service in 2011 through their private health insurance plans.

APHA: President's Budget Underinvests in Public Health, Prevention - 14-FEB-2012 APHA says that President Obama's budget proposal for fiscal year 2013 shortchanges key federal programs that protect public health and prevent our nation's leading causes of premature death and disability.

NACCHO: President's Budget Represents New Resources and Missed Opportunities for Public Health - 14-FEB-2012 The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) applauds the Obama Administration for funding important public health initiatives, but remains concerned about cuts to key programs that maintain the nation's health and security.

New APHA Policies Address a Range of Public Health Concerns - 13-FEB-2012 The American Public Health Association adopted 23 new policies that address a broad range of public health issues, from reproductive health and access to care to public health education and workforce, and implications of immigration policy on public health outcomes.

Let's Move! Communities on the Move Video Challenge - 13-FEB-2012 The Let's Move! Communities on the Move Video Challenge invites faith-based, community, and other non-profit organizations working with children to create short videos (one to three minutes long) highlighting their participation in Let's Move! and efforts to reverse the trend of childhood obesity. Video submissions are due April 6, 2012.

2012 Social Awareness Heart Health Forever Stamp Dedicated by the Surgeon General - 13-FEB-2012 In a move to raise awareness of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the U.S. Surgeon General, NBC's "The Biggest Loser," and the American Heart Association joined the Postmaster General in dedicating the 2012 Social Awareness Heart Health Forever stamp.

HHS Launches Strong Start Initiative to Increase Healthy Deliveries and Reduce Preterm Births - 09-FEB-2012 To help reduce the increasing number of preterm births in America and ensure more babies are born healthy, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced more than $40 million in grants to test ways to reverse that trend, as well as a public campaign to reduce early elective deliveries.

CDC Study Finds Levels of Trans-fatty Acids in Blood of U.S. White Adults has Decreased - 09-FEB-2012 Blood levels of trans-fatty acids (TFAs) in white adults in the U.S. population decreased by 58 percent from 2000 to 2009 according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.

Nine in 10 U.S. Adults Get Too Much Sodium Every Day - 08-FEB-2012 Nearly all Americans consume much more sodium than they should, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most of the sodium comes from common restaurant or grocery store items.

Rhode Island First State to Stop In-Hospital Infant Formula Giveaways - 08-FEB-2012 Rhode Island has become the first state to stop unnecessarily giving out free infant formula to new moms as they leave the hospital, a practice breastfeeding advocates hope becomes the norm nationwide.

Assessments for the Core Competencies are Now Available - 08-FEB-2012 The Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals represent a set of skills desirable for the broad practice of public health that professionals may want to possess as they work to protect and improve the nation's health. Competency Assessments have now been developed to aid in the use of the Core Competencies.

Core Public Health Journals Project: Version 3.0 Health Education/Behavioral Science List Released - 08-FEB-2012 The Core Public Health Journals Project is pleased to announce the release of the Version 3.0 Health Education/Behavioral Science list.

Report Finds Reducing Average Body Mass Index Rates by Five Percent Could Lead to Billions in Health Care Savings - 08-FEB-2012 The Trust for America's Health (TFAH) has released a new report, Bending the Obesity Cost Curve, which finds that reducing the average body mass index by just five percent in the United States could lead to more than $29 billion in health care savings in just five years, due to reduced obesity-related costs.

ASPH Announces 2012 Summer Internship Opportunities - 06-FEB-2012 ASPH is now accepting applications for the ASPH Headquarters Summer Internship Program. The deadline for applications is March 19, 2012.

Opportunity for Public Health Agencies to be Host Sites for CDC Public Health Associate Program - 06-FEB-2012 PHAP places entry-level public health professionals in state, tribal, local, and territorial health agencies to gain broad experience in public health program operations. Applications for host site positions are due March 14, 2012.

ASPH Launches the Framing the Future Website and Blog - 06-FEB-2012 Framing the Future: The Second Hundred Years of Education for Public Health Framing Task Force of the Association of Schools of Public Health Education Committee has launched a new website and blog that will be used both to share timely news about the project and serve as an interactive forum for comments, concerns, and ideas from interested parties.

Child Abuse and Neglect Cost the United States $124 Billion - 02-FEB-2012 The total lifetime estimated financial costs associated with just one year of confirmed cases of child maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and neglect) is approximately $124 billion, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Nation's Health - Health Reform Law to Have its Day in the Supreme Court - 02-FEB-2012 The historic 2010 health reform law designed to make health care more affordable and accessible will hang in the balance in late March, when the U.S. Supreme Court takes up questions about the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

CDC Releases Its First iPad App - 02-FEB-2012 The CDC iPad application has been designed as a way for users to access health information at their fingertips.

New Guide from APHA and CDC Gives Tips for Communicating about Preparedness - 01-FEB-2012 A new guide out this month - Communicating Public Health Preparedness Media and Messaging Guide - is intended to help public health professionals and partners provide consistent messages and communications about the importance of public health preparedness and response.

IOM Releases Report - Living Well with Chronic Illness: A Call for Public Health Action - 01-FEB-2012 The report lays out a comprehensive framework intended as a guide to develop and implement cross-cutting strategies that reduce the individual and societal burdens of chronic illness by helping people with chronic illnesses live well. The IOM makes recommendations to the CDC as well as HHS on the development and support of programs to meet the health and social needs of people living with chronic illnesses.

New Mobile Health Program Uses Texting to Fight Type 2 Diabetes - 01-FEB-2012 A new mobile health program - txt4health - kicks off this week and delivers personalized text messages to help people understand their risk for type 2 diabetes and better manage their health.

January 2012

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Health Innovations in Commuting Challenge - 30-JAN-2012 The purpose of this challenge is to highlight the role of health data during commutes and how it may play a critical role in improving the health of commuters. Submissions are due March 5, 2012.

Study Finds Racial and Ethnic Disparities in US Cancer Screening Rates - 26-JAN-2012 The percentage of U.S. citizens screened for cancer remains below national targets, with significant disparities among racial and ethnic populations, according to the first federal study to identify cancer screening disparities among Asian and Hispanic groups.

New Nutrition Standards for School Meals - 26-JAN-2012 The USDA is making the first major changes in school meals in 15 years. The new standards align school meals with the latest nutrition science and the real world circumstances of America's schools.

CDC Report Finds Large Decline in Lower-limb Amputations Among U.S. Adults with Diagnosed Diabetes - 25-JAN-2012 The rate of leg and foot amputations among U.S. adults aged 40 and older with diagnosed diabetes declined by 65 percent between 1996 and 2008, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in the journal, Diabetes Care.

National Report Ranks Cities and States for Bicycling and Walking - 24-JAN-2012 In a new report, Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2012 Benchmarking Report, the Alliance for Biking & Walking ranks all 50 states and the 51 largest U.S. cities on bicycling and walking levels, safety, funding, and other factors.

HHS Statement on Birth Control Rule - 24-JAN-2012 HHS has announced that nonprofit employers who, based on religious beliefs, do not currently provide contraceptive coverage in their insurance plans, will be provided an additional year to comply with the new law that requires health plans to cover recommended preventive services, including all approved forms of contraception, without cost sharing for women.

Most Health Care Costs Incurred by Few Americans - 24-JAN-2012 Only 10 percent of the U.S. population accounted for nearly two-thirds of all health care costs in 2008, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

American Lung Association Releases State of Tobacco Control 2012 - 19-JAN-2012 The American Lung Association's State of Tobacco Control 2012 report finds that over the past year, most states' efforts to protect children and curb tobacco-related disease failed to make progress. In contrast to most states, the federal government earned high marks for its steps to implement strong and effective action to protect people from tobacco.

APHA Get Ready Scholarship - Deadline March 26 - 19-JAN-2012 The APHA is now offering its Get Ready Scholarship, a competition open to full-time students at the high school, undergraduate and graduate levels.

New National Biodefense Science Board Members Will Advise HHS - 19-JAN-2012 Seven experts from outside the federal government will join the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB), a federal advisory committee which provides expert advice and guidance on preventing, preparing for, and responding to adverse health effects of public health emergencies to the HHS Secretary and the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).

PHF Launches Future of Public Health Award - Deadline March 16 - 18-JAN-2012 The Public Health Foundation (PHF) is launching a national award program to promote use of quality improvement (QI) to influence positive outcomes in Winnable Battles. The application deadline is March 16, 2012.

No Change in Obesity for Adults or Children in 2009-2010 - 18-JAN-2012 Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) shows that more than one-third of adults and almost 17% of youth were obese in 2009-2010 and that there was no change in the prevalence of obesity among adults or children from 2007-2008 to 2009-2010.

IOM and Partners Develop a New National Initiative to Confront Obesity Crisis - 18-JAN-2012 As obesity continues to diminish the quality of people's lives and raise health care costs, the Institute of Medicine has joined HBO, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, and Kaiser Permanente in developing "The Weight of the Nation," a new national campaign tackling the obesity crisis.

NACCHO Extends Sharing Session Proposal Deadline to January 24 - 12-JAN-2012 The NACCHO Annual Conference Workgroup seeks sharing session proposals for the NACCHO Annual 2012 Conference, set for July 11-13, in Los Angeles, CA. The deadline has been extended to January 24, 2012.

2012 APHA Call for Learning Institute Course Proposals - Due February 11 - 12-JAN-2012 The APHA Education Board is seeking Course Proposals for the 140th Annual Meeting to be held Oct. 27-31, 2012 in San Francisco. Abstracts are due February 11.

Binge Drinking is Bigger Problem than Previously Thought - 10-JAN-2012 More than 38 million U.S. adults binge drink an average of four times a month and the most drinks they consume on average is eight according to a new Vital Signs report form the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

New Study Predicts Nationwide Tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Would Prevent Thousands of Heart Attacks, Strokes and Cases of Diabete - 10-JAN-2012 A nationwide, penny-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages would prevent thousands of heart attacks, strokes, cases of diabetes, and premature deaths, helping avoid billions of dollars in medical costs over 10 years, according to a study published in Health Affairs.

National Sexuality Education Standards Set New Gold Standard for Sexuality Education in Public Schools - 10-JAN-2012 Four leading health organizations have released the first-ever national standards for sexuality education in schools.

NIH Study Shows HIV-exposed Children at High Risk of Language Delay - 09-JAN-2012 Children exposed to HIV before birth are at risk for language impairments, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

HHS Launches First Consumer Health IT Video Challenge of 2012 - 09-JAN-2012 The National Coordinator for Health Information Technology announces the Healthy New Year Video Challenge intended to highlight personal stories of patients and families using health technology to improve health. Deadline February 16, 2012.

New Community Guide Recommendations and Findings on Health Equity and Tobacco Use Cessation - 09-JAN-2012 The Community Preventive Services Task Force has issued new evidence-based findings, based on systematic reviews, on interventions to promote health equity and increase tobacco use cessation.

Advisory Committee Recommends Lower Lead Lead-Poisoning Threshold - 09-JAN-2012 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention (ACCLPP) recommends elimination of the use of the term "blood lead level of concern" and that a reference value be used to identify children with elevated BLL.

Chronic Illness, Cost are Barriers to Necessary Health Care - 05-JAN-2012 U.S. adults with health problems are more likely to go without care and have trouble paying bills than those in comparable countries, according to a Commonwealth Fund study that explored medical homes.

FDA Issues Order Prohibiting Certain Uses of Antimicrobial Drugs in Food-Producing Animals - 05-JAN-2012 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an order that prohibits certain uses of the cephalosporin class of antimicrobial drugs in cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys effective April 5, 2012.

NIH Launches Online Genetics Course for Social and Behavioral Scientists - 05-JAN-2012 A new genetics educational program provides social and behavioral scientists with sufficient genetics background to allow them to engage effectively in interdisciplinary research with genetics researchers.

NACCHO Releases Final Report on LHD Job Losses and Program Cuts - 05-JAN-2012 The report provides an in-depth look at data from NACCHO's Job Losses and Program Cuts Survey. New "stories from the field" illustrate the impact of budget cuts at two local health departments (LHDs).

Call for Submissions to APHA 2012 Film Festival - 04-JAN-2012 The Health Communication Working Group (HCWG) of the Public Health Education and Health Promotion Section (PHEHP) of APHA is accepting submissions to the APHA Film Festival at the APHA Annual Meeting in San Francisco, October 27-31, 2012. The submission deadline is April 1, 2012.

December 2011

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Report Finds Preparedness for Bioterror and Health Emergencies Eroding in States Across the Country - 20-DEC-2011 Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) have released the ninth annual Ready or Not? Protecting the Public from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism Report, which finds key programs that detect and respond to bioterrorism, new disease outbreaks, and natural or accidental disasters are at risk due to federal and state budget cuts.

ASPH Now Accepting Applications for a Variety of Public Health Fellowship Opportunities - 20-DEC-2011 ASPH offers a variety of mentored training experiences for recent graduates of CEPH-accredited Schools of Public Health.

APHA Announces Call for Abstracts: APHA 2012 Annual Meeting - Due February 6-10 - 15-DEC-2011 Abstract submissions for the 2012 APHA Annual Meeting & Exposition, to be held October 27-31, 2012 in San Francisco, are due February 6-10, 2012, depending on the APHA Section, Special Primary Interest Group, Caucus or Forum.

Global Study Identifies Key Interventions to Reduce Maternal, Newborn and Child Deaths - 15-DEC-2011 A new global consensus has agreed on the key evidence-based interventions that will sharply reduce the 358,000 women who die each year during pregnancy and childbirth and the 7.6 million children who die before the age of 5, according to a massive, three-year global study.

Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence Widespread in the U.S. - 15-DEC-2011 On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States, according to new findings released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

NACCHO Seeking Tools and Resources for Climate Change Toolkit - 15-DEC-2011 NACCHO's Climate Change Workgroup is seeking materials for a new toolkit that will connect local health departments and others with publications, tools, and other resources related to climate change.

APHA Policy Innovation Contest - Due January 31 - 15-DEC-2011 APHA announces a policy contest for health departments to develop, implement, and/or evaluate an innovative policy approach, with a focus on reducing health inequities and building policy capacity.

Cigarette and Alcohol Use at Historic Low Among Teens - 15-DEC-2011 Cigarette and alcohol use by eighth, 10th and 12th-graders are at their lowest point since the Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey began polling teenagers in 1975, according to this year's survey results.

Affordable Care Act Helps 2.5 Million Additional Young Adults Get Health Insurance - 15-DEC-2011 The National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released data that shows that since September 2010, the percentage of adults aged 19-25 covered by a private health insurance plan increased significantly, with approximately 2.5 million more young adults with insurance coverage compared to the number of young adults who would have been insured without the law.

NTSB Calls for Nationwide Ban on Personal Electronic Devices While Driving - 15-DEC-2011 The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has called for the first-ever nationwide ban on driver use of personal electronic devices (PEDs) while operating a motor vehicle.

CDC Home Page Gets a Face Lift - 13-DEC-2011 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a home page redesign that reflects the growing use of social media to access health information.

APHA Warns of Tremendous Health Consequences to Dramatic Cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund - 13-DEC-2011 The American Public Health Association urges the U.S. House of Representatives to reject a proposal that would drastically cut the Prevention and Public Health Fund.

Many Young Children Overdosing from Medicines at Home - 13-DEC-2011 To inform parents and caregivers about safe medication storage and what to do in case of an emergency, CDC, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association Education Foundation, and a coalition of partners are launching an educational program, Up and Away and Out of Sight, encouraging parents to follow a few simple steps to protect children.

First U.S. Cell-Based Flu Vaccine Plant Set for Dedication - 13-DEC-2011 The first U.S. facility to use a faster and more flexible technology to make influenza vaccine was dedicated as part of an initiative that could provide vaccine supplies sooner in an influenza pandemic.

ASTHO Releases December 2011 Budget Cuts Research Impact Brief - 13-DEC-2011 ASTHO's December 2011 update of the Budget Cuts Impact Research Brief reports that state and territorial health agencies continue to experience budget cuts and job losses, resulting in the reduction or elimination of critical public health programs and services.

Call for Presentations: 2012 Annual NALBOH Conference - Due February 10 - 13-DEC-2011 The National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH) Program Committee invites proposals for a workshop or breakout session presentation at its 20th Annual Conference in Atlanta, GA, August 8-10, 2012. Proposals are due February 10, 2012.

2012 PHSR Interest Group Call for Papers and Panels - Due February 15 - 13-DEC-2011 Abstracts and proposals for the AcademyHealth Public Health Systems Research (PHSR) Interest Group Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL, June 26-27, 2012, are due February 15, 2012.

NLM Announces Expansion of PubMed Health - 13-DEC-2011 The National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest medical library and a component of the National Institutes of Health, announces the expansion of the information available from PubMed Health, which provides integrated access to clinical effectiveness reviews.

Health Care's Blind Side: Unmet Social Needs Leading To Worse Health - 13-DEC-2011 Findings from a national survey show that three in four physicians wish the health care system would pay for costs associated with connecting patients to services that address their social needs.

State Funding for Community Health Centers Reaches Lowest Level in Seven Years as Demand for Services Rises - 13-DEC-2011 A new NACHC report finds that over half the states plan to decrease direct funding to community health centers, bringing state funding in SFY2012 to its lowest level in seven years. Health centers in six states will face a decline of greater than 30%.

America's Health Rankings Finds Preventable Chronic Disease on the Rise - 06-DEC-2011 United Health Foundation's 2011 America's Heath Rankings finds that troubling increases in obesity, diabetes and children in poverty are offsetting improvements in smoking cessation, preventable hospitalizations, and cardiovascular deaths. For the fifth year in a row, Vermont was ranked the healthiest state.

NCI Launches Smoking Cessation Support for Teens - 06-DEC-2011 The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has launched an initiative, SmokefreeTXT, a free text message cessation service that provides 24/7 encouragement, advice, and tips to teens trying to quit smoking.

ASPH Announces New Fellowship Opportunities with CDC - Deadline January 12, 2012 - 06-DEC-2011 ASPH announces six-month fellowship training opportunities with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The application deadline is January 12, 2012.

New Core Public Health Journal List Released: Epidemiology - 06-DEC-2011 The Public Health/Health Administration Section of the Medical Library Association has released the Epidemiology journals list as part of the Version 3 Core Public Health Journal Project.

President Obama Announces New Efforts to End the AIDS Epidemic in the United States - 06-DEC-2011 President Barack Obama announced accelerated efforts to increase the availability of treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States.

New Research Initiative Examines Economic Impact of Smoke-free Policies on Restaurants and Bars - 06-DEC-2011 As part of ongoing efforts to reduce disease and death caused by smoking and secondhand smoke exposure, the CDC Foundation and CDC have launched a new initiative to study the economic impact of smoke-free policies on restaurants and bars in nine states.

Only One Quarter of Americans with HIV Have Virus Under Control - 06-DEC-2011 Nearly 3 out of 4 Americans living with HIV do not have their infection under control, according to a Vital Signs report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

November 2011

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Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among High School Students - 30-NOV-2011 The CDC reports that the majority of students are not meeting the daily fruit and vegetable recommendations.

FDA Says Apple Juice Is Still Safe - 30-NOV-2011 The Food and Drug Administration has reiterated its finding that apple juice sold across the U.S. is safe to drink, with naturally occurring arsenic levels well below the agency's level of concern, but says it may set new guidelines on an appropriate level for inorganic arsenic.

AIDSinfo and infoSIDA Redesigned - 28-NOV-2011 To mark World AIDS Day 2011, a redesigned AIDSinfo Web site has been released, along with the Spanish-language infoSIDA. These sister sites offer federally approved information on HIV treatment and research, including medical practice guidelines and prevention research studies.

NLM Launches YouTube Channel - 28-NOV-2011 The National Library of Medicine (NLM) announces the launch of the NLM YouTube Channel that will post a variety of videos on topics from database training, NLM exhibitions, Public Service Announcements, lectures, and more.

CDC Reports Elderly at Risk of Hospitalizations from Key Medications - 28-NOV-2011 Each year there are nearly 100,000 emergency hospitalizations for adverse drug events in U.S. adults aged 65 years or older, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.

NACCHO Releases State-Level Analysis on LHD Job Losses and Program Cuts - 22-NOV-2011 A new state-level analysis from NACCHO provides information on local health departments (LHDs) cuts to budgets, jobs, and programs for many states.

APHA's Flu Near You Challenge - 17-NOV-2011 APHA has launched an online surveillance tool, Flu Near You, that calls on the public to be a part of a public health challenge to help track flu cases.

NIH-Commissioned Census Bureau Report Describes Oldest Americans - 17-NOV-2011 The new report, 90+ in the United States: 2006-2008, details the demographic, health and economic status of America's oldest adults.

NALBOH Call for Presentations at Annual Conference - 16-NOV-2011 The National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH) invites proposals for a presentation at their 20th Annual Conference, August 8-10, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Supreme Court Will Hear Challenge To Health Law - 15-NOV-2011 The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

New Guidelines Urge Cholesterol Check for All Kids Ages 9 to 11 - 15-NOV-2011 All U.S. children between the ages of 9 and 11 should be screened for high cholesterol, according to new guidelines endorsed by the nation's leading group of pediatricians.

CDC Now Tracking Antibiotic Use in Hospitals - 15-NOV-2011 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is launching a new antibiotic tracking system allowing hospitals to monitor antibiotic use electronically, make better decisions about how to improve use, and compare themselves to other hospitals.

IOM and NAE Challenge Students to Improve Health by Going Viral - 15-NOV-2011 The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) invite college and university students to participate in the Second Annual Go Viral to Improve Health: IOM-NAE Health Data Collegiate Challenge.

Study Finds Unprecedented Marketing of Sugary Drinks to Youth - 15-NOV-2011 Young people are being exposed to a massive amount of marketing for sugary drinks, such as full-calorie soda, sports drinks, energy drinks, and fruit drinks, according to a new study from the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity.

Community Guide Launches In Action Success Stories - 10-NOV-2011 The Community Guide's In Action Success Stories provide examples of how the Community Guide has been used to improve health in communities across the country.

NACCHO Public Health Logo Video Now Available as PSA for Broadcast - 10-NOV-2011 NACCHO has turned the public health logo video into a two-minute public service announcement (PSA) to promote LHDs on television and cable.

Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicators App Challenge - 10-NOV-2011 The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT are challenging teams of developers and health professionals to co-design an application that will be used to help solve one or more of our nation's high-priority health problems. Submissions are due March 10, 2012.

Trust for America's Health Releases Healthier Americans for a Healthier Economy - 10-NOV-2011 Trust for America's Health (TFAH) has released a new report, Healthier Americans for a Healthier Economy, featuring six case studies focused on the relationship between health and economic development.

U.S. Court Rules Against Tobacco Warning Labels - 10-NOV-2011 Federal Judge Richard Leon in his ruling said that the labeling requirement for tobacco companies to include large, graphic warning labels on the front of cigarette packs compromises the tobacco industry's First Amendment rights.

New Study Shows Smokers Underutilize Proven Treatment and Services for Quitting - 10-NOV-2011 Most American adults who smoke wish they could quit, and more than half have tried within the past year, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicators Released - 02-NOV-2011 The leading health indicators have been developed to communicate high-priority health issues to the public, and actions that can be taken to address them.

Prescription Painkiller Overdoses at Epidemic Levels - 02-NOV-2011 The death toll from overdoses of prescription painkillers has more than tripled in the past decade, according to an analysis in the CDC Vital Signs report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Immigrants at Greater Risk for Poor Health the Longer they Reside in the US - 02-NOV-2011 Minority immigrants are at higher risk of experiencing poor health outcomes the longer they stay in the U.S., according to new research released at the American Public Health Association's 139th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Community Preventive Services Task Force Releases First Annual Report to Congress - 02-NOV-2011 The report describes Task Force background, methods, findings, research gaps, priorities, and how states and communities use its recommendations.

October 2011

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APHA's Get Ready: Set Your Clocks, Check Your Stocks on November 6 - 30-OCT-2011 APHA's Get Ready: Set Your Clocks, Check Your Stocks campaign is reminding people to refresh their emergency supplies before a disaster occurs.

USPSTF Delivers Report to Congress on High-Priority Gaps for Clinical Preventive Services - 30-OCT-2011 In its First Annual Report to Congress on High-Priority Evidence Gaps for Clinical Preventive Services, the USPSTF highlights eleven high-priority clinical preventive services that the USPSTF believes deserve further examination with the hope that it will assist public and private researchers and research funders in targeting their efforts.

ASTHO President's Challenge: The Healthy Babies Project - 30-OCT-2011 ASTHO President Dr. David Lakey has chosen to focus on improving birth outcomes as his President's Challenge.

ACIP Recommends All 11-12 Year-old Males Get Vaccinated Against HPV - 30-OCT-2011 CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has approved recommendations for routine vaccination of males 11 or 12 years old with 3-doses of HPV4 to protect against Human Papalloma Virus.

USPSTF Opportunity for Public Comment: Screening and Management of Obesity in Adults - 30-OCT-2011 The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is inviting public comment on its draft recommendation statement on screening and management of obesity in adults. Comments are due November 23, 2011.

New Report Finds Children in Rural Areas Face Different Health Challenges - 26-OCT-2011 Children in rural areas are more likely to face different challenges to their health and have less access to care when compared with children in urban areas, according to a new report from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

CDC Launches Effort to Protect Cancer Patients from Infections - 26-OCT-2011 To help protect cancer patients, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is launching a new program featuring tools to help both clinicians and patients prevent infections.

HPV Vaccine Myths Put Health, Lives at Risk, Say Health Leaders: Airing the Facts - 26-OCT-2011 An article from the Nation's Health says that misinformation about the HPV vaccine may cause some parents not to vaccinate their children.

Excessive Drinking Costs U.S. $223.5 Billion - 26-OCT-2011 A new CDC study finds that excessive alcohol consumption cost the United States $223.5 billion in 2006, or about $1.90 per drink.

IOM Releases Report on Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols - 20-OCT-2011 The new IOM report, Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols, recommends criteria and a process that federal agencies could use to develop a single front-of-package system and icons that would help consumers compare foods and beverages and instantly recognize healthier options.

CDC Study Shows Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior Vary Among U.S. Adults - 20-OCT-2011 A report released by the CDC presents the first state-level data concerning suicidal thoughts and behavior among adults in the United States.

New Go4Life Campaign Focuses on Fitness for Older Adults - 20-OCT-2011 The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched a new federal campaign for people 50 and older to help them to get active and keep going.

National Release of the Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicators - 19-OCT-2011 The Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicators will be released on October 31, 2011 at the APHA Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

Health Care-Associated Infections Declined in 2010 - 19-OCT-2011 Four common infections seen in health care facilities declined in 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

HHS Agencies Express Support for Infant Safe Sleep Recommendations - 19-OCT-2011 Representatives of the agencies in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with a focus on infant health and safety expressed their support for the new infant safe sleep recommendations issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Unhealthy U.S. Workers' Absenteeism Costs $153 Billion - 19-OCT-2011 Full-time workers in the U.S. who are overweight or obese and have other chronic health conditions miss an estimated 450 million additional days of work each year compared with healthy workers -- resulting in an estimated cost of more than $153 billion in lost productivity annually.

CDC Issues Initial 2011-2012 Seasonal FluView Report - 19-OCT-2011 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released the initial FluView report for the U.S. 2011-2012 flu season with the message that flu activity is currently low, making this the perfect time to get vaccinated.

New MCH Library Knowledge Path: Sleep in Infants, Children, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women - 18-OCT-2011 The knowledge path, Sleep in Infants, Children, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women, can be used by health professionals, researchers, and community advocates to learn more about sleep, to improve diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, for program development, and to locate training resources and information to answer specific questions.

CDC Reports Uneven Declines in Coronary Heart Disease by State and Race/Ethnicity - 13-OCT-2011 The number of Americans who report they have coronary heart disease - which includes heart attack and angina (chest pain) - continues to decline but rates vary widely from state to state and by race and ethnicity, according to a new report published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Draft Recommendations on Prostate Cancer Screening from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Open for Public Comment - 13-OCT-2011 The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force encourages interested individuals and organizations to review the draft recommendation statement on prostate cancer screening and provide comments. Comments are due by November 8, 2011.

CDC Reports More Teen Males Using Condoms - 13-OCT-2011 The percentage of teen males aged 15-19 years in the United States who used a condom the first time they had sex increased between 2002 and 2006-2010, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

NAL Thesaurus Now Available as Linked Open Data - 13-OCT-2011 The National Agricultural Library's (NAL) Agricultural Thesaurus is now available as Linked Open Data to make translations of agricultural information from different resources such as web pages, datasets, and research articles interconnected and to make it easier to locate related content.

Public Health Then and Now: Celebrating 50 Years of MMWR at CDC - 11-OCT-2011 CDC is celebrating the 50 year anniversary of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)'s arrival at CDC and the contribution this publication has made to CDC and public health.

Healthy People 2010 Review Shows Progress, Yet Disparities Persist - 07-OCT-2011 A review of the Healthy People 2010 report shows we've made significant progress in an array of health improvement initiatives, yet health disparities and child and adult obesity remain considerable challenges for public health professionals.

NACCHO Reports More than Half of Local Health Departments Cut Services in First Half of 2011 - 07-OCT-2011 According to the results of a new survey released by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), from July 2010 to June 2011, more than half (55 percent) of all local health departments reduced or eliminated at least one program, with services for mothers and children among the hardest hit.

PHF Demonstration Project: Advancing Asthma Management in the Community through Quality Improvement - 07-OCT-2011 The Public Health Foundation (PHF) completed two phases of a quality improvement (QI) demonstration project called We Can Do Better: Improving Asthma Outcomes in America. The project brought together asthma stakeholders from the public health community to use QI tools and methods to identify areas where they could improve asthma management outcomes in two separate phases.

CDC Finds 60 Percent Increase in Youth Athletes Treated for Traumatic Brain Injuries - 07-OCT-2011 Emergency department visits for sports- and recreation-related traumatic brain injuries, including concussions, among children and adolescents increased by 60 percent during the last decade, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More People Using Free Preventive Benefits Provided by Affordable Care Act - 07-OCT-2011 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reports that nearly 20.5 million people with Medicare reviewed their health status at a free Annual Wellness Visit or received other preventive services this year including mammograms, cervical cancer screenings, cardiovascular screenings, and colorectal and prostate cancer screenings with no deductible or cost sharing.

CDC Report Shows 112 Million Annual Incidents of People Drinking and Driving - 07-OCT-2011 Adults drank too much and got behind the wheel about 112 million times in 2010-that is almost 300,000 incidents of drinking and driving each day-according to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nurses Health Study 3 Recruiting 100,000 Nurses - 07-OCT-2011 The Nurses Health Study, the world's largest and longest-running study of women's health, is recruiting new participants to form a diverse cohort of female RNs or LPNs who are between the ages of 22 and 46 from across the US and Canada.

NACCHO Accepting Model Practice Applications October 10 to November 11 - 03-OCT-2011 NACCHO's Model Practice Program nationally honors and recognizes outstanding local public health practice and shares the outstanding practices through the Model Practices Database.

Challenges, Opportunities in Store for Safety Net Providers: Meeting Health Needs of Those at Risk - 03-OCT-2011 When health reform is fully implemented in 2014, it will mean changes for the nation's thousands of safety net providers who care for uninsured Americans.

Affordable Care Act Helps Improve the Health of the American Workforce, Increase Workplace Health Programs - 03-OCT-2011 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced awards for comprehensive workplace health programs across the nation to help support healthy lifestyles and reduce risk factors for chronic diseases.

CDC Introduces New Way for State Health Departments to Access Data Reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network - 03-OCT-2011 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP) is providing state health departments with additional access to data reported by healthcare facilities in their jurisdiction to CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).

WHO Releases Compilation of Air Quality Data - 03-OCT-2011 In many cities air pollution is reaching levels that threaten people's health according to an unprecedented compilation of air quality data released by WHO.

September 2011

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Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) Environmental Health & Emergency Preparedness - (Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)) - 29-SEP-2011 The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) has launched a new website to aid response to environmental health disasters and emergencies.

CDC Takes New Steps to Combat Childhood Obesity - 29-SEP-2011 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a new effort to address childhood obesity using successful elements of both primary care and public health.

New Affordable Care Act Initiative Helps Create Healthier Communities, Fight Chronic Disease - 29-SEP-2011 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced grants to 61 states and communities with over 120 million residents to fight chronic disease, which is the leading cause of death in Americans.

NLM Opens New Interactive Exhibition - Native Voices: Native Peoples' Concepts of Health and Illness - 28-SEP-2011 A new exhibition examining concepts of health and medicine among contemporary American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians, is opening at the National Library of Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health.

NLM Funds Disaster Health Information Outreach and Collaboration Projects - 28-SEP-2011 The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is funding seven projects to improve the use of disaster medicine and public health information by librarians, health professionals, first responders, emergency planners and others responsible for disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

HHS Announces Funding to Support Evidence-based Home Visiting Programs to Help Parents and Children - 22-SEP-2011 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced $224 million to help at-risk families voluntarily receive home visits from nurses and social workers to improve maternal and child health, child development, school readiness, economic self-sufficiency, and child abuse prevention.

CDC Urges Americans: Get Your Flu Shot - 22-SEP-2011 U.S. health officials urge Americans to get a flu shot. More than 85 million doses of flu vaccine are available in doctors' offices, public health clinics, pharmacies and retail stores, and other sites.

Rotavirus Vaccination Leads to Large Decreases in Health Care Costs and Doctor Visits - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) - 22-SEP-2011 Vaccinating infants against rotavirus has resulted in dramatic decreases in health care use and treatment costs for diarrhea-related illness in U.S. infants and young children, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

National Dialogue on Improving Federal Websites - 21-SEP-2011 USA.gov is hosting a National Dialogue on Improving Federal Websites from September 19-30, 2011.

CDC Report Highlights Progress in Nation's Public Health Preparedness - 20-SEP-2011 Public Health Preparedness: 2011 State-by-State Update on Laboratory Capabilities and Response Readiness Planning, is the latest report by CDC's Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response that evaluates the nation's ability to respond to public health emergencies such as disease outbreaks and natural disasters.

APHA: Proposed Cuts to Prevention and Public Health Fund are Shortsighted - 20-SEP-2011 The APHA says that the "proposed cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund could effectively put the nation's health at risk, severely threatening ongoing efforts to reduce the burden of our nation's most feared and deadly diseases".

New WHO Study Details Low-Cost Solutions to Help Curb the Tide on Noncommunicable Diseases - 19-SEP-2011 A new WHO study reveals that low-income countries could introduce a core set of strategies to prevent and treat cancer, heart disease, diabetes and lung disease for just US$ 1.20 per person per year.

NACCHO Releases 2010 Profile of Local Health Departments - 19-SEP-2011 The 2010 Profile of Local Health Departments provides a comprehensive view of local public health infrastructure and practice that can be used to make local and regional comparisons, drive policymaking, educate the workforce about local public health practice, and conduct research.

HHS Announces Text4Health Task Force Recommendations and Global Partnership - 19-SEP-2011 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced new recommendations to support health text messaging and mobile health programs. HHS researchers will help create health text message libraries based on the best available science and make the libraries open access, publicly available, and downloadable and usable by anyone.

CDC Responds to Contagion - 19-SEP-2011 The CDC presents real stories of CDC′s disease detectives and their investigations to help keep communities safe from disease outbreaks.

HHS Awards Affordable Care Act Funds for Organizations to Become Community Health Centers - 19-SEP-2011 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced awards totaling $10 million to aid organizations across the country that would like to become community health centers.

CDC Report Details Influenza Prevention and Treatment for Children and Teens - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) - 19-SEP-2011 Although children and teenagers rarely die from flu-related causes, many deaths could have been prevented if the children had been vaccinated against the flu, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Public Health Accreditation Board Launches National Accreditation for Health Departments - 14-SEP-2011 The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) has launched the first national accreditation program for all public health departments. The goal of PHAB's accreditation program, initiated and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is to protect and improve Americans' health by advancing the quality and performance of all of the nation's public health departments-state, local, territorial and tribal.

WHO Maps Noncommunicable Disease Trends in All Countries - 14-SEP-2011 A new WHO report features information about noncommunicable diseases in 193 countries and indicates that governments need to focus on preventing and treating the four major killers: cancer, heart disease and stroke, lung disease, and diabetes.

New CDC Learning Connection Spotlight on Emergency Preparedness - 14-SEP-2011 The Emergency Preparedness spotlight provides public health learning products and resources designed to help educate the public health community on all-hazards approaches to emergency preparedness and response.

U.S. Census Bureau Releases Report: Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010 - 13-SEP-2011 The U.S. Census Bureau announces that in 2010, median household income declined, the poverty rate increased, and the percentage without health insurance coverage was not statistically different from the previous year.

HHS Launches Million Hearts Initiative to Prevent 1 Million Heart Attacks and Strokes in Five Years - 13-SEP-2011 The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with several key initial partners, has launched Million Hearts, an initiative that aims to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years.

Measles Cases Abroad Linked to Increase of Disease in U.S.: Resurgence Shows Need for Vaccinations - 13-SEP-2011 In many parts of the world measles still rages, posing a growing threat to U.S. travelers and those who come in contact with them.

New CDC Vital Signs: Adult Smoking in the US - 08-SEP-2011 A new CDC report shows that fewer American adults are smoking cigarettes and that smoking prevalence varies substantially across population subgroups.

Texas and Massachusetts at Health Coverage Extremes in U.S. - 08-SEP-2011 Texas residents continue to be the most likely in the United States to lack health coverage, with 27.2% reporting being uninsured in the first half of 2011. At the other end of the spectrum is Massachusetts, where health insurance is required and 5.3% of residents lack coverage, according to Gallup.

APHA Distressed Over Delay of Lifesaving Smog Standards - 07-SEP-2011 The American Public Health Association has expressed its extreme disappointment with President Obama's delay of new national smog standards.

Comments Sought on Master's-Level Public Health Preparedness and Response Competencies - 07-SEP-2011 ASPH has developed a draft set of Master's-Level Public Health Preparedness and Response competencies. Comments and suggestions are due September 23, 2011.

APHA's Get Ready Day - September 20, 2011 - 07-SEP-2011 APHA's Get Ready campaign helps Americans prepare themselves, their families and their communities for all disasters including pandemic flu, infectious disease, natural disasters and other emergencies. To plan an event for Get Ready Day on September 20, download a free Get Ready Event Guide.

New Movie Contagion Puts Public Health and Infectious Disease in Spotlight - 07-SEP-2011 The new action-thriller film, Contagion, depicts the rapid process of an airborne virus and the public health response and social disruption that follows.

PHPartners - New Health Data Tools and Statistics Web Page - 06-SEP-2011 The Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce (PHPartners) has improved the Health Data Tools and Statistics page to make public health data and statistics easier to find.

CDC National Survey Finds Early Childhood Immunization Rates Increasing - 01-SEP-2011 Immunization rates for children 19-35 months of age for most vaccine-preventable diseases are increasing or being sustained at high levels, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Report: Health Laws Need To Be Updated To Meet Changing Demands - 01-SEP-2011 Public health laws in many parts of the United States are outdated and, in some cases, leave gaps that will make it difficult to move the country toward better health, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine.

Americans Getting Too Many Calories From Sugary Drinks - 01-SEP-2011 A new CDC report indicates that almost half of Americans get a substantial amount of their calories from sweetened drinks.

HHS Awards $40 Million to Boost Public Health Infrastructure, Prepare Tomorrow's Public Health Workforce - 01-SEP-2011 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will fund state, tribal, local and territorial health departments and several schools of public health to enhance the nation's public health infrastructure and strengthen the public health workforce.

August 2011

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PHF Welcomes CDC TRAIN - 31-AUG-2011 CDC TRAIN is a component of the CDC Learning Connection, CDC's one-stop resource for public health training and training information.

Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: Views of Americans Without Health Insurance - 31-AUG-2011 The latest Kaiser tracking poll reports that nearly half of the uninsured do not expect to be affected at all by the health reform law, either positively or negatively.

Report: 10 years After 9/11, Are We More Prepared? - 31-AUG-2011 Ten years after the 9/11 terror attacks, have we become a safer, more prepared nation? The question was posed to 1,000 first responders, law enforcement, public health officials and others as part of a national survey that examines how equipped the nation is to respond to the next crisis.

CDC Invites Feedback on New Home Page - 31-AUG-2011 In an effort to improve the design of CDC's home page, the CDC invites users to preview the new design and participate in a usability study.

NACCHO Tools and Resources for Aftermath of Hurricane Irene - 29-AUG-2011 The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is providing access tools, information, and resources that health departments and communities can use to manage the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.

Comments Sought on Draft Global Health Competency Model - 29-AUG-2011 The Association of Schools of Public Health welcomes comments and suggestions on Draft Version 1.0 of the Global Health Competency Model by September 23, 2011.

NIH Research Model Predicts Weight with Varying Diet, Exercise Changes - 29-AUG-2011 Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have created a mathematical model - and an accompanying online weight simulation tool - of what happens when people of varying weights, diets and exercise habits try to change their weight.

IOM Report: Few Health Problems Are Caused By Vaccines - 29-AUG-2011 An analysis by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of more than 1,000 research articles concluded that few health problems are caused by or clearly associated with vaccines.

NLM's Disaster Information Research Center Resources on Hurricanes - 29-AUG-2011 The National Library of Medicine (NLM) provides information resources related to hurricanes including information on mental health management, environmental cleanup and recovery, hazardous materials, animals in disasters, and more.

CDC Creates New Data and Analysis Tools: Data to Action - 24-AUG-2011 CDC has created new data and analysis tools that are intended to serve as resources for the promotion of policy, system and environmental changes to improve health.

NIH Releases Best Practices for Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Research - 24-AUG-2011 The National Institutes of Health (NIH) released recommendations for scientists conducting mixed methods health research, including research that addresses public health problems, including obesity, health disparities among populations, poor adherence to treatments, and many other problems.

Gallop: Hawaii Continues to Lead in Wellbeing; North Dakota Second - 24-AUG-2011 Americans in Hawaii continued to set the national standard in wellbeing in the first half of 2011, followed closely by North Dakota according to data from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.

PHSSR Research Agenda- Request for Comments by August 31 - 23-AUG-2011 The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the University of Kentucky National Coordinating Center for PHSSR (NCC PHSSR) seek to assess the current state of PHSSR and set forth an updated research agenda.

CDC Report Finds People Live Longer If They Practice One or More Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors - 22-AUG-2011 People can live longer if they practice one or more healthy lifestyle behaviors - not smoking, eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, and limiting alcohol - according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health Department to Survey 70,000 People about Their Health Ten Years after 9/11 - 22-AUG-2011 The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Registry launched its third major survey of more than 70,000 people who were exposed to the WTC attacks and the aftermath, including nearly 13,000 who currently reside outside the New York/New Jersey area.

CDC Flu Vaccine Recommendations for 2011-12 Flu Season - 22-AUG-2011 The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine annual influenza vaccination for all persons aged ≥6 months and that providers should offer vaccination as soon as vaccine is available.

National Children's Study Upgrading Data Gathering & Analysis - 18-AUG-2011 The National Children's Study, a multi-site research study examining the effects of environment and genetics on children, invites interested researchers in the federal government and in research institutions to collaborate on new informatics components that will best meet the needs of the study.

NACCHO's Health Impact Assessment (HIA): Request for Applications - Deadline September 15 - 18-AUG-2011 The Health Impact Project and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) have announced a request for applications for local health departments (LHDs) to participate in a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Mentorship Project.

CDC Awards Funding to Strengthen State and Local Health Departments - 18-AUG-2011 HHS has awarded $49 million in grants, partly supported by the Affordable Care Act, to improve the quality of health care and strengthen the public health infrastructure, including grants to strengthen health departments' capacity to perform critical epidemiology and laboratory work, detect and prevent healthcare-associated infections and support immunization programs.

New Immunization Video Collection from NACCHO - 18-AUG-2011 A new NACCHO webpage gathers many short vaccination videos that cover issues such as influenza, pertussis, adolescent immunization, and personal stories about vaccine-preventable diseases.

HHS, Treasury Take New Steps to Help States Build Affordable Insurance Exchanges - 18-AUG-2011 The Departments of Health and Human Services and Treasury took the next steps to establish Affordable Insurance Exchanges - one-stop marketplaces where consumers can choose a private health insurance plan that fits their health needs and have the same kind of insurance choices as members of Congress.

Task Force Finds Commercial Liability an Effective Strategy to Reduce Alcohol-Related Problems - 11-AUG-2011 Holding alcohol retailers liable for injuries or damage done by their intoxicated customers can reduce motor vehicle deaths, homicides, injuries, and other alcohol-related problems, according to the Community Preventive Services Task Force.

WHO: H1N1 Now in Post-Pandemic Period - 10-AUG-2011 The Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) says that we are moving into the post-pandemic period for the new H1N1 virus. The virus is expected to take on the behavior of a seasonal influenza virus and continue to circulate for some years to come.

UCLA Center for Health Policy Research to Lead Development of New Network of State and Local Health Surveys - 10-AUG-2011 The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research has announced the formation of a National Network of State and Local Health Surveys that will promote the coordination of collection of state and local data that is comparable across states and local areas and with national surveys.

Task Force on Community Preventive Services Publishes Findings on Home-based Asthma Programs - 09-AUG-2011 Based on research findings on home-based asthma programs published in the Guide to Community Preventive Services, the Task Force recommends the use of home-based multi-trigger, multicomponent interventions with an environmental focus to reduce indoor asthma triggers.

APHA's Get Ready Video Contest - 09-AUG-2011 The video contest, to raise awareness about emergency preparedness, is open to U.S. students in sixth through 12th grade. Submissions are due October 14, 2011.

New Multi-Year Data Show Annual HIV Infections in U.S. Relatively Stable - 08-AUG-2011 The CDC's first multi-year estimates from its national HIV incidence surveillance find that overall, the annual number of new HIV infections in the United States was relatively stable at approximately 50,000 new infections each year between 2006 and 2009.

CDC: New Vital Signs Issue on Hospital Support for Breastfeeding - 08-AUG-2011 The newest edition of CDC Vital Signs examines data from CDC's national survey of maternity care practices in infant nutrition and care to determine the percent of U.S. hospitals with policies and practices that are consistent with the World Health Organization/UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative's Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.

CDC Reports Majority of U.S. hospitals Do Not Fully Support Breastfeeding - 03-AUG-2011 The CDC reports that less than 4 percent of U.S. hospitals provide the full range of support mothers need to be able to breastfeed.

APHA Launches Public Health News Website - 03-AUG-2011 The American Public Health Association (APHA) has launched Public Health Newswire, APHA's newest resource that provides the latest news of public health events, trends and advocacy.

Office of Minority Health Releases National Plan for Action to End Health Disparities Toolkit - 03-AUG-2011 The National Partnership for Action (NPA) Toolkit for Community Action provides community members information and resources to engage communities and local media as they educate others about the impact disparities have in the lives of individuals and society.

CDC Releases Data on Distracted Driving - 03-AUG-2011 The CDC reports that nearly 15 people die each day in the United States in crashes that involve distracted driving, and another 1,200 people are injured.

ASPH and Partners Release Undergraduate Public Health Learning Outcomes Model - 03-AUG-2011 The Learning Outcomes Model Version 1.0 is designed to facilitate the introduction of general public health for all undergraduate students in two- and four-year colleges and universities.

July 2011

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Extreme Heat Media Toolkit - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) - 28-JUL-2011 An important goal of this toolkit is to provide downloadable and customizable materials for local health departments and other organizations, assisting ongoing outreach efforts to those most vulnerable to extreme heat events

HHS Announces Proposal to Improve Rules Protecting Human Research Subjects - 25-JUL-2011 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced that the federal government is contemplating various ways of enhancing the regulations overseeing research on human subjects. The government is seeking the public's input on an array of issues related to the ethics, safety, and oversight of human research.

ASPH Call for Photo Submissions: "This is Public Health" 2012 Calendar - Deadline: August 1 - 25-JUL-2011 ASPH is planning to produce a 2012 "This is Public Health" calendar with the theme of "Careers in Public Health" and will include photos of people performing their public health work.

Health Officials, Journalists Agree on Standards in Public Health Emergencies - 25-JUL-2011 New guidance developed by leaders in public health and health-care journalism provides a framework for releasing information to the public when someone dies or falls ill during a public health emergency.

PHF Announces "I'm Your Community Guide!" Contest Winners - 25-JUL-2011 The Public Health Foundation (PHF) has announced the winners of the "I'm Your Community Guide!" Contest, which identified model practices for implementing the evidence-based strategies outlined in the Guide to Community Preventive Services (Community Guide).

IOM Report Recommends Eight Additional Preventive Health Services to Promote Women's Health - 20-JUL-2011 A new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends that eight preventive health services for women be added to the services that health plans will cover at no cost to patients under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA).

Latest State Data Show Rates of Obesity Remain High - 20-JUL-2011 Obesity has become a problem in every state, according to data analyzed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

HHS announces the winners of 2011 Healthy Living Innovation Awards - 20-JUL-2011 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced winners of an awards program that highlights innovative health promotion projects that have demonstrated a significant impact on the health of the community within the past three years.

PHAB Releases Version 1.0 Accreditation Materials - 20-JUL-2011 The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) has released materials for its voluntary national public health program for 2011-2012.

Proposed Data Collection Standards for Race, Ethnicity, Primary Language, Sex, and Disability Status - Public Comments Due August 1 - 20-JUL-2011 HHS has announced new draft standards for collecting and reporting data on race, ethnicity, sex, primary language and disability status, and announced the administration's plans to begin collecting health data on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) populations.

CDC Releases Infection Prevention Guide to Promote Safe Outpatient Care - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) - 14-JUL-2011 Guide details minimum expectations for safe care, recommends every practice identify an infection prevention leader

SOPHE Summer Webinar Series - (Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)) - 14-JUL-2011 SOPHE Summer Webinar Series, Implementing Evidence-based Diabetes Programs at the Community Level: The Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes July 25, 2011, 1:00-2:00ET

WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2011: warning about the dangers of tobacco - (World Health Organization (WHO)) - 14-JUL-2011 This report is the third in a series of WHO reports on the status of global tobacco control policy implementation

LactMed App - (National Library of Medicine (NLM) U.S.) - 14-JUL-2011 Need to know more about drugs and breastfeeding? LactMed can help. Find information about maternal and infant drug levels, possible effects on lactation and on breastfed infants, and alternative drugs to consider

The MCH Library at Georgetown University presents a new knowledge path, Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Challenges in Children and Adolescents - (Maternal and Child Health Library, Georgetown University) - 14-JUL-2011 The knowledge path points to a selection of resources that analyze data, describe effective programs, and report on policy and research aimed at improving access to and quality of care for children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral, and mental heath challenges

New Report: Adult Obesity Increases in 16 States in the Past Year - (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), Trust for America's Health (TFAH)) - 07-JUL-2011

Public Health Foundation Launches Immunization ID Contest - (Public Health Foundation (PHF)) - 07-JUL-2011

New Campaign to Help Families Prevent Food Poisoning - (Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) U.S., United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)) - 07-JUL-2011 The Food Safe Families campaign launches to help consumers, especially parents, learn specific steps to protect themselves and their families from food poisoning

New videos, website offer important resources for people affected by diabetes - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH (NIDDK)) - 07-JUL-2011 NIH and CDC diabetes education program offers resources to support lifestyle change

Colorectal Cancer: Second Most Deadly Cancer Can Be Stopped Before It Starts - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) - 07-JUL-2011

June 2011

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Affordable Care Act to Improve Data Collection, Reduce Health Disparities - 30-JUN-2011 HHS announces new draft standards to improve the monitoring of health data by race, ethnicity, sex, primary language, and disability status, and begins planning for the collection of LGBT health data.

USDA and HHS Launch National Multimedia Campaign to Help Families Prevent Food Poisoning - 30-JUN-2011 The Ad Council is joining the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to debut their first joint national multimedia public service campaign to help families prevent food poisoning in the home.

Registration Open for 2012 CPH Exam - 30-JUN-2011 Registration is now open for the Certified in Public Health (CPH) exam, which will be administered across the world between February 3 and 27, 2012.

APHA Reports Affordable Care Act's Prevention Goals at Risk without Funding for Public Health Workers - 30-JUN-2011 A new report from APHA shows that while the new health reform law takes important steps to reorient the nation's health care system toward disease prevention and health promotion, it has thus far failed to adequately invest in the public health workforce, jeopardizing the goals of the sweeping health measure.

CDC Issues Health Advisory on Measles Outbreak - 30-JUN-2011 The CDC reports that that the U.S. is experiencing a high number of reported measles cases in 2011, many of which were acquired during international travel.

New Topic Page on Obesity on PHPartners.org - 23-JUN-2011 The new topic page links to obesity information and resources including government, professional and research organizations that focus obesity issues; reports, publications and guidelines; obesity programs and campaigns; child obesity information; data and statistics; legislation and policy issues; grants and funding opportunities; training and continuing education; and upcoming conferences and events.

New Strategic Directions Adopted to Guide the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice - 23-JUN-2011 The Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice (Council) has adopted new Strategic Directions to guide its continuing efforts to help improve public health practice, education, training, and research.

IOM Report: Government Should Consider Public Health Implications Of All Major Legislation - 22-JUN-2011 A new report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) says that strong evidence indicates that policies beyond the health sector have substantial effects on people's health, and recommends that all levels of U.S. government adopt a structured approach to considering the health effects of any major legislation or regulation.

New Analysis of Local Health Department Budget Cuts Surveys Demonstrates Depth of Program and Job Losses - 22-JUN-2011 A recent survey analysis by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) found that roughly 19 percent of the nationwide local health department workforce has been eliminated since 2008, posing a staggering challenge to local health departments striving to keep Americans safe and healthy in the face of increasing staff and program cuts, even as the country's economic slump increases demand for services.

FDA Unveils Final Cigarette Warning Labels - 22-JUN-2011 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has unveiled graphic health warnings required to appear on every pack of cigarettes sold in the United States and in every cigarette advertisement.

National Library of Medicine Launches MedlinePlus Connect - 22-JUN-2011 The National Library of Medicine has formally launched MedlinePlus Connect. This free service allows health organizations and health information technology (HIT) providers to link patient portals and electronic health record (EHR) systems to MedlinePlus.gov, a trusted source of authoritative, up-to-date health information for patients, families and health care providers.

NQF Population Health: Prevention Endorsement Maintenance - 21-JUN-2011 The National Quality Forum (NQF) Population Health: Prevention Endorsement project seeks to identify and endorse preventive health measures for public reporting and quality improvement. NQF is seeking measures and implementations comments in the areas surrounding population health issues and prevention - due July 12, 2011.

HHS releases National Prevention Strategy - (Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) U.S.) - 16-JUN-2011 HHS releases the National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy, a comprehensive plan that will help increase the number of Americans who are healthy at every stage of life. The National Prevention Strategy recognizes that good health comes not just from receiving quality medical care, but also from clean air and water, safe worksites and healthy foods.

NIH challenges public to help bring discovery into the classroom - (National Institutes of Health (NIH)) - 16-JUN-2011 The National Institutes of Health's K-12 Lessons About Bioscience (LAB) Challenge asks teachers, students, parents, scientists, and science enthusiasts to submit their favorite experiments for elementary, middle, and high school students. The best experiments will become part of an official collection that NIH will distribute for free in print and electronically.

National Cancer Institute's Cancer Classroom Webinar Series - June 28, 2011 - (National Cancer Institute, NIH (NCI)) - 16-JUN-2011 The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Office of Communications and Education will present a free, four-part webinar education series, Cancer Classroom, for early career public health professionals or those new to the field of oncology. The third webinar in this series is titled "Clinical Trials 101" and will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. (Eastern) on Tuesday, June 28, 2011.

FDA Announces Changes to Better Inform Consumers About Sunscreen - (Food and Drug Administration (FDA) U.S.) - 16-JUN-2011 New Rules Give Consumers More Information to Help Reduce the Risk of Skin Cancer, Early Aging

New measures, legislation aimed at antibiotic resistance: Infections cost millions, end lives - (American Public Health Association (APHA)) - 16-JUN-2011

New World Report Shows More Than 1 Billion People With Disabilities Face Substantial Barriers in Their Daily Lives - 09-JUN-2011 WHO and the World Bank reveal new global estimates that more than one billion people experience some form of disability.

IOM Releases Report on the Effects of Climate Change on Indoor Environments and Health - 07-JUN-2011 A new report from the IOM responds to a request from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for an analysis of the effects of climate change on indoor air quality and public health.

Federal Government Launches MyPlate to Help Consumers Make Healthier Food Choices - 07-JUN-2011 First Lady Michelle Obama, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Surgeon General Regina Benjamin have unveiled the federal government's new food icon, MyPlate, to serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices.

Health Care Quality Gaps and Disparities Persist in Every State - 07-JUN-2011 States are seeing improvements in health care quality, but disparities for their minority and low-income residents persist, according to the 2010 State Snapshots, released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Community Guide Releases New Evidence-Based Findings on Excessive Alcohol Consumption and Vaccinations - 07-JUN-2011

National Academies Press PDFs Available for Free Download - 07-JUN-2011 PDF versions of more than 4,000 books plus future reports published by the National Academies Press are now downloadable to anyone free of charge.

HHS announces Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program funding opportunity - (Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) U.S.) - 02-JUN-2011

Report Finds Global Smokers Consider Quitting due to Graphic Health Warnings on Packages - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) - 02-JUN-2011

Ten Tips to Prevent an Accidental Overdose - (Food and Drug Administration (FDA) U.S.) - 02-JUN-2011

Springer Offers Free Access to Research Articles on E. coli Bacteria - 01-JUN-2011 Springer Science+Business Media is offering all journal articles and book chapters which deal with the E. coli bacteria free of charge on its online information platform www.springerlink.com.

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