The U.S. Department of Justice has asked the federal judge who halted federal funding for embryonic stem cell research to lift his injunction while it appeals the ruling.

That ruling roiled researchers around the nation and locally, who had won federal grants for research. They weren’t sure if they could touch experiments in their labs aimed at finding treatments for many kinds of disease.

The Obama administration had allowed many more stem cell lines to be used for research than the Bush administration. But the ruling last week by Chief Judge Royce C. Lamberth of U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia potentially put all of the lines off limits. He cited a 1996 law that barred the destruction of embryos during research.

A collection of groups had filed suit, many who didn’t want embryos destroyed. But the only two left by the judge as plaintiffs were a pair of adult stem cell researchers who said grant money had become harder to come by.

At least one $500,000 project at the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University has been put in danger. The Justice department had told researchers they could continue with money already granted. The grants are all annual. Read about the original ruling and that project here.

And here is the Associated Press story.

Should the judge lift the injunction during the appeal? Should Congress change the law?

Baltimore Sun file photo of the local stem cell experiment/Jed Kirschbaum

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Categories: News roundup
        

With open enrollment just around the corner, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield is launching a line of health plans that will reward patients with cash for living healthy lifestyles and keeping in touch with their primary care physicians.

Maryland's largest insurer will begin offering the plans - called HealthyBlue - tomorrow for people to use beginning Oct. 1.

The plans are meant to promote preventive care. The hope is that it will result in healthier people and help drive down healthcare costs.

"If we are to keep health care affordable, it is essential that more focus be placed on keeping people healthy, not just treating them when they are sick," Chett Burrell, CareFirst president and CEO, said in a statement.

Once members enroll they choose a primary care physician and complete an online health assessment. They then have their primary care physician perform a health and wellness evaluation.

Patients who meet certain health criteria will get up to $300 for an individual or $700 for a family. The money will be paid as a gift card to be used toward a health savings account.

Patients who don't get the rewerd will work with their doctor to set up health goals. They will get the money once they meet those goals.

The plans, meant to promote preventive care, include routine visits with a primary physician at no cost, meaning patients don't have to pay a copay or deductible. Generic medications for ailments such as asthma, high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes will also be free.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 1:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: General Health
        

Mercy Medical Center has opened a new Center for Endocrinology.

 The new center combines the Diabetes Center with the Center for Bone Health. Previously, the divisions were in separate locations at the hospital's Mercy Tower building and the Weinberg Center at Mercy.

The new Center is about 5,000 -square-feet. That's compared to about 900-square-feet for the old Diabetes Center and 1,500-square-feet for previous the Center for Bone Health.

Three procedure rooms at the center will allow doctors to perform procedures such as thyroid ultrasounds and the testing of thyroid nodules for cancer. Three other exam rooms will be dedicated to thyroid/bone health, and five exam rooms on the endocrinology/diabetes side of the Center.

The Center also contains an oversized conference room to hold diabetes classes on topics such as diabetes care self management, weight loss, hypertension, high cholesterol and gestational diabetes issues.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 11:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: General Health
        

When mosquitoes start biting, everyone reaches for the old standbys: insect repellent and citronella candles. And while researchers at Johns Hopkins say they work okay, they don’t work on all mosquitoes, and they either need high concentrations or can cause skin rashes.

They want to make better products -- mosquito bites don’t just cause itching and irritation, they also transmit diseases.

They looked into what’s in the insects’ molecular makeup that responds to the man-made compound DEET in repellent and the aromatic botanical liquid citronellal in candles and sprays.

In two studies, published in Neuron and Current Biology, the researchers found three taste receptors on insect tongues, legs and wings were needed to detect DEET. Pore-like proteins called TRP channels were needed to detect citronellal. In both cases, they sent chemical messages to the insects’ brains causing an “aversion response.”

Finding these molecules and channels that detect the repellents “opens the door to identifying more effective repellents for combating insect-borne disease,” said Craig Montell, a professor of biological chemistry and member of Johns Hopkins' Center for Sensory Biology.

And who wouldn’t want a better repellent?

Associated Press photo

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Categories: Business of health
        

An effort this summer to win endorsements from General Assembly candidates for an alcohol tax has yielded 140 signatures, potentially giving the tax it's best chance of passing in years, according to the health advocacy group Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative.

The group wants passage of a “dime a drink” tax to pay for increased health care for the disabled and poor. An estimated $249 million would be generated from such a tax.

Letters asking for endorsement were sent to all candidates for the legislature, though not the gubernatorial candidates. Among those signing the pledge were 18 incumbent Senators and 45 incumbent members of the House of Delegates, including five standing committee chairs and several members of the panels that would consider the legislation. Others who did not sign on have said they support raising the alcohol tax if it’s tied to increasing health care coverage. 

Lawmakers have avoiding raising taxes on spirits since 1955 and have not been raised on wine and beer since 1972. The tax, assessed at the wholesale level, would mean an extra 60 cents for a 6-pack of beer, 59 cents for a bottle of wine and $2.25 for an average bottle of spirits.

Though few want to talk about raising tax during a campaign season, and others have pledged no new taxes during an economic downturn, the health care group hopes to make the tax a campaign issue.

“We are thrilled that so many candidates, including Democrats and Republicans from all across the State, have already endorsed this life-saving proposal,” Vincent DeMarco, president of the Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative, said in a statement. “They know that the public strongly supports increasing the alcohol tax to save lives and fund critical state programs. With this growing support, we are very hopeful that a dime a drink alcohol tax increase for health care and community service needs will pass
in the 2011 Session.”

DeMarco said the money specifically should be used ahead of the national roll out of health care reform to provide coverage for those with mental health and developmental disabilities, those with drug and alcohol addiction and poor adults without children.

The health care group also says that the tax should help reduce alcohol abuse. A Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health study found that the 10-cent tax would mean 15,000 fewer cases of alcohol dependence.

Associated Press photo

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Categories: Business of health, Health care reform
        

We’ve all heard that blueberries are good for our brains, but scientists now say they do it in a previously unrecognized way.

The scientists presented the findings at the 240th national meeting of the American Cancer Society. The berries, and maybe even walnuts, activate a mechanism in the brain that cleans up and recycles toxic proteins linked to memory loss and mental decline as people age.

It’s been known that natural compounds called polyphenolics from fruit, vegetables and nuts have
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that protect against mental declines, as well as disorders such as cancer and heart disease, said Shibu Poulose, from the U. S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.

This new research shows a link to the brain’s “house-cleaning” process. He said cells called microglia are the housekeepers. The process is called autophagy, and in it, cells remove and recycle biochemical debris that normally would hamper brain function.
 
 “But in aging, microglia fail to do their work, and debris builds up,” Poulose said in a statement. “In addition, the microglia become over-activated and actually begin to damage healthy cells in the brain. Our research suggests that the polyphenolics in berries have a rescuing effect. They seem to restore the normal housekeeping function.”

Berries and walnuts are good sources of polyphenolics, but they are contained in other fruits and vegetables, too. Look for deep red, orange or blue colors. Frozen fruit also counts.

And in a separate study presented at the same conference, scientists said those who don’t want to spend so much on fresh blueberries, can turn to black rice for antioxidants.

“Just a spoonful of black rice bran contains more health promoting anthocyanin antioxidants than are found in a spoonful of blueberries, but with less sugar and more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants,” said Zhimin Xu, associate professor at the Department of Food Science at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, in a statement.

He suggested manufacturers start using black rice in cereal, cakes and other foods. Xu said it would be even better than brown rice, which is more healthful than white rice. Black rice is used mainly in China for food decoration, noodles, sushi and pudding, but farmers have shown interest in growing it in Louisiana.

Baltimore Sun file photo/Amy Davis

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Categories: Diet and exercise
        

The healthcare industry is a pretty lucrative business and so are the salaries of the CEOs running Baltimore-area hospitals.

The Sun did an analysis looking at the compensation packages of the heads of 28 hospitals and health systems in the Baltimore area. Eight walked away with packages over $1 million. Nobody made under six figures.

Some of the perks they collected included gym and country club memberships and money for tax preparers and financial planners. One CEO had a discretionary fund that seemed to have no clear guidelines on how it should be spent.

The hospitals say their executives work long hours and have expertise that justify their pay. They also say they have to offer competitive salaries to attract the best talent.

But more critics have been scrutinizing hospital CEO pay in recent years, questioning whether they are making too much. Non-profit hospitals in particular have come under fire because they get tax breaks and devote a portion of the business to charity work.

We want you to chime in. What do you think about the pay of hospital heads? Are they getting paid what they're worth? Or do they need a pay cut?

Posted by Andrea Walker at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Business of health
        

The government team responsible for all those statistics about Americans’ health and eating habits are in Baltimore for the next several weeks collecting data – but officials say the turnout has been below average so far.

The CDC’s 50-year-old National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey randomly selected the city as one of 15 it will visit this year and sent out notices to hundreds of residents also chosen randomly. Officials want about 370 of them to come for comprehensive testing and surveying in their four-trailer clinic set up Harbor East.

Participants get thousands of dollars worth of tests taken and interpreted by doctors, so people can learn, for example, if they have asthma, diabetes, brittle bones and bad teeth. They aren’t treated but can take the information to their doctors, or get a referral for low-cost care. They also get paid for their time – about two to four hours in the clinic and another hour or so in an in-home interview. The data is all confidential.

But officials are finding a lot of locked doors when they visit the randomly selected residents, and others aren’t showing up to appointments, said Janis Eklund, a study manager for the program. About 140 people have been interviewed and have appointments, about 60 shy of the norm.

In the study, each person examined represents 65,000 Americans. The data informs national policy setters and local officials looking to improve the health of residents. (The recent study saying one in five kids were losing their hearing, possibly from loud music through earbuds, came from this program. Older tests helped bring about folate recommendations for pregnant women, lead-free gasoline and healthier food at the grocery.)

“I knew the city would be tougher than the prairie,” said Eklund, referring to the program’s last stop in a small town in South Dakota known as home of the TV show Little House on the Prairie. “But this is a great opportunity for people to a comprehensive assessment of their health. It’s once in a lifetime.”

Baltimore Sun photo of the center parked in Harbor East/Meredith Cohn

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: General Health
        

No, married people do not become more similar over time, a new study shows.

If people are like their spouses it’s most likely because that’s what drew them together to begin with, say researchers at Michigan State University and the University of Minnesota.

The study, published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, looked at 1,296 married couples in one of the largest studies to date.

The research knew from existing research that married people are more similar than random people, according to Mikhila Humbad, lead investigator and a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology.

The researchers looked at several different personality characteristics and found most couples didn’t become more alike over time – with the exception of aggression. If one person was violent, the other sometimes also became more violent.

Humbad said that the finding could have implications for offspring. They are likely to inherit the similar traits.

Perhaps this is why match-making services work? They hook you up with people of similar characteristics.

So, are you like your spouse? Have you always been that way?

Getty Images photo of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

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Categories: General Health
        

The state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will begin offering free seminars for Maryland residents focusing on adult long-term care in September.

The first session is Sept. 2 in Baltimore City at 1910 N. Broadway, 21201 in Room 148. Next is a session Sept. 13 at the Howard County Health Department, 7178 Columbia Gateway Driveway in Columbia.

The sessions run from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. and require registration because seating is limited.

They will cover subject such as how to get ready for nursing home care, how to protect assets and still get care, how to determine the right kind of coverage and what questions to ask, planning for financial independence and protecting inheritance. There will be no product solicitation and trained Medicaid staff will be available for long-term care questions.

To register or get more information, email Sylvia J. Beall, senior Medicaid eligibility trainer at beallsj@dhmh.state.md.us or call 410-767-3071.

See dates for other seminars on the next page.

Sept. 15: Charles County Health Department, 4545 Crain Highway, Conference Room A&B, White Plains

Sept. 20: Allegany County Health Department Community Room, 12501 Willowbrook Road, Cumberland

Sept. 21: Maryland Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe St., Auditorium, Rockville

Sept. 24: Prince George County  Dept. Social Service, 925 Brightseat Road, Room 124 & 125,
Landover

Sept. 27: Wicomico DSS Dept. Social Service, 201 Baptist St., Suite 27, Salisbury

Sept. 28: Dorchester County Health Department, 3 Cedar St., Conference Room 1&2, Cambridge

Oct. 1: Drumcastle Building, 6401 York Road, York Room 1 &2, Towson

Oct. 18: Cecil Health Department, 401 Bow St., Auditorium, Elkton

Oct. 19: Anne Arundel County Health Department, 3 Harry S Truman Parkway, 1st Floor Conference Room, Annapolis

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Consumer health
        

The annual cost of injuries and productivity losses from crashes involving cars, motorcycles, bicyclists and pedestrians is now pushing $100 billion, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That amounts to nearly $500 for each U.S. licensed driver in one year, according to the study published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention.

The breakdown is about $70 billion for car crashes, $12 billion for motorcycles, $10 billion for pedestrians and $5 billion for bicyclists. (Data is from 2005, the most current at study time.)

“Every 10 seconds, someone in the United States is treated in an emergency department for crash-related injuries, and nearly 40,000 people die from these injuries each year,” said Dr. Grant Baldwin, director of CDC's Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, in a statement. “This study highlights the magnitude of the problem of crash-related injuries from a cost perspective, and the numbers are staggering.”

The study also found that fatalities cost $58 billion, hospitalizations cost $28 billion and trips to the emergency room cost $14 billion; 70 percent of those killed and 52 percent of those hurt were men;  teens and young adults made up 28 percent of injuries but only 14 percent of the population; and motorcyclists accounted for 6 percent of deaths and injuries and 12 percent of the costs.

The CC said the deaths and injuries are preventable with such programs as graduated driver licensing policies that require teens to gain experience over time; child safety seat distribution; primary seat belt laws and enhanced enforcement; motorcycle and bike helmet laws; and sobriety checkpoints.

More information on laws and other data can be found here and informationon the CDC's efforts on motor vehicle safety is here.

So, do you buckle up?

Baltimore Sun file photo/Brendan Cavanaugh

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 3:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Healthy Living
        

A new poll from Anglie’s List, which provides consumer reviews of contractors, shows people like their dentists even if they don’t always listen to them.

Eighty percent of members responding to the poll (1,229 people) this month said they had a high level of trust in their dentists.

 “Dentists consistently rank in the top five most popular service providers – across all of our 500 categories, including plumbers and remodelers,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks in a statement. “People really like to talk about their dentists.”

But almost a quarter said they weren’t following their dentist’s orders on brushing. They brushed only once a day. Almost a third said they sometime lie to their dentist about it.

Hicks said maybe dentists should remind people about good oral hygiene.

And because trust is a two-way street, he said people should also check up on the dentist before they go.

She advises asking about billing and appointment policies and concerns about their teeth, making sure the dentist is a member in good standing of the American Dental Association and has no complaints on Angie’s List (of course), making sure the dentist can meet special needs and talking about proper sedation types if necessary.

Associated Press photo

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Categories: Consumer health
        

Advocacy group Maryland Health Care For All! Coalition released a book today chronicling the stories of 40 people or families who have benefited from changes in the state's healthcare policies in the last several years.

The book, "Faces of Maryland's Newly Insured," looks at people who have gotten access to insurance through reform made in the state's healthcare system since 2007.

Some of the changes include legislation that expanded coverage to low-income adults and grants to small businesses to offer coverage to their employees. A cigarette tax funded many of the changes.

The stories include that of Linda of Central Maryland who was able to get insurance for her whole family under the Medical Assistance for Families program and the Maryland Children's Health Program after her husband lost his job.

Louis of Central Maryland gets help paying his monthly prescription premium through the Maryland Senior Drug Assistance Program. Melanie from Baltimore got coverage for her children through the Maryland Children's Health Program after her husband lost his job.

The release of the book comes out as state officials are hammering out how to implement national reform, most of which takes affect in 2014.

"These stories are a testament to the success of health care reform in Maryland," said Vincent DeMarco, President of the Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative. "We look forward to building on this success as we fully implement federal health reform in our State."

Posted by Andrea Walker at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Health care reform
        

Maryland’s egg supply so far has no connection to the salmonella outbreaks plaguing a large portion of the country, according to state health officials.

Investigators have been out scanning the state’s grocery stores since hundreds of salmonella incidents across the country have been linked to eggs, said Alan Brench, the state’s chief of emergency response and food defects.

More than half a billion eggs have been recalled since Aug. 13, but none so far in Maryland.

Brench said that any company that packs eggs in the state must be registered with the Maryland Department of Agriculture. None of the plants in the recall are registered in the state, he said.

He said that doesn’t rule out the possibility of tainted eggs being sold in supermarkets.

Some may have gotten in by error or mistake,” Brench said. “But as far as the department of agriculture people are concerned they haven’t found any yet.”

Health officials will continue to monitor the situation as the recall list continues to expand, he said.

“It’s an ongoing situation and while we’re in touch with the situation you have no idea where developments go,” he said.

The companies that have recalled eggs include Luberski Inc., Hillandale Farms, Country Eggs Inc., Wright County Egg and NuCal Foods, Sunny Farms Sunny Meadow and Wholesome Farms, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website.

The government agency has yet to find the cause of the contamination.

Consumers can find the plant number and Julian date stamped on the side of the box to see if the eggs they have bought have been recalled. A list of those recalled can be found on the FDA website.

If your eggs are recalled throw them out or return them to your grocery store for a refund. There are precautions consumers can take to prevent salmonella infections in the meantime.

Avoid raw or undercooked eggs, including soft-boiled and sunny side up eggs. Wash hands thoroughly when dealing with raw eggs and don’t mix cooked foods with uncooked foods. Don’t eat eggs left out for more than two hours and avoid restaurant foods made with raw eggs, such as Caesar salad or Hollandaise sauce, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

(Associated Press photo).

Posted by Andrea Walker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: General Health
        

A federal judge today blocked, at least temporarily, the Obama administration regulation expanding stem cell research, according to this Associated Press story.

A nonprofit called Nightlight Christian Adoptions argued that the regs would mean fewer embryos would be available for adoption. And the judge agreed to let them pursue the case.

The embryos are left over from IVF cycles and used by infertile couples. The Obama administration wanted them made available for research into disease treatment.

Stem cells are one of those issue that people have strong feelings about because of the potential to save lives with research and, in this case, the distruction of embryos that could become live humans.

A July 2009 survey by the Pew Charitable Trusts found 93 percent of scientists favor federal funding for embryonic stem cell research but only 58 percent of the public favored it.

Which way do you lean?

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 6:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: News roundup
        

A biomedical engineering student and faculty team from Johns Hopkins University that developed a system to make spinal surgery more successful in patients with osteoporosis will ring the Nasdaq Stock Market Closing Bell today.

A Johns Hopkins graduate who was also on the team and now attends the University of Pennsylvania Medical School will also join in the ringing of the bell. The Nasdaq closes at 4 p.m.

The team won the $20,000 Michelson Grand Prize in the 2010 Wharton Business Plan Competition. Patients with osteoporosis have softer bones which can cause spinal surgical screws to fall out, the team found. They developed a system to strengthen the procedure and make it less likely for screws to wiggle loose.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 12:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: General Health
        

Those who practice yoga probably already know this, but a new study shows that yoga improves mood -- even more than walking.

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine studied believe that have demonstrated a link between yoga postures and increased GABA levels and decreased anxiety. Their finding are published online in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric, levels in the brain are associated with mood -- low levels are found in those with depression and anxiety disorders.

The researchers used magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging to compare the GABA levels in the brains of those practiced yoga three times a week for an hour and those who walked instead. During the 12-week study, those who did yoga had climbing GABA levels.  

They also reported at several points during the study that their anxierty was decreasing and mood was improving.  

Lead study author, Dr. Chris Streeter, an associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at the university, said the research is promising and warrants further study. Yoga could be consideered potential therapy for certain mental disorders, he said.  

Any yogis out there see such an increase in mood? How about walkers?

Los Angeles Time photo

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Mental health
        

When you quit smoking, did you try not to think about cigarettes?

A new study shows that the technique may help people quit the habit – and others – but when they stopped suppressing the thoughts the habit came back with a vengeance.

This is called behavior rebound, according to researchers who published their study in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The research was done at St. George's, University of London and the University of Hertfordshire.

They saw it in smokers, and in a previous study, they saw it in chocolate eaters.

“These findings have obvious implications for individuals seeking to give up certain behaviors, for example, smoking, overeating, drinking, sex and other excessive behaviors,” said James Erskine, a psychologist at St. George’s, and a co-author of the study, in a statement.

“If trying to avoid thoughts of something in an attempt to give it up actually unwittingly triggers a subsequent increase, it's a poor method of achieving self control. This work may stop people using quitting techniques that are ultimately harmful.”

For the latest study, they observed 85 smokers who smoked at least 10 cigarettes a day. In three groups, one was told to change no behavior, one was told to suppress their thoughts and one was told to actively express thoughts. The suppression group cut back to five cigarettes a day. But the next week, they were told to stop suppressing their thoughts, and their smoked nearly three more than the other groups.

So, now that we know what NOT to do, any suggestions?

And while we're talking about quitting smoking, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention just released a study saying that kids are more likely to start smoking if they see it in the movies.

The CDC looked at smoking in top movies from 1991-2009 and found scenes with actors lighting up have been on the decline since 2005. And that could help keep kids from starting to smoke, but more needs to be done. Giving all movies with smoking an R rating was one suggestion. 

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Healthy Living
        

The eggs recall has continued to grow because hundreds of people have been been sickened by salmonella.

This Associated Press story says people in four states -- not Maryland -- have become sick and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating the eggs. Some 228 million eggs, or the equivalent of 19 million dozen-egg cartons, were initially recalled by Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa. Now the number is nearly 32 million dozen-egg cartons.

The CDC is also offering this tip sheet for people so they can avoid getting sick. The agency says to refrigerate eggs to keep salmonella from growing and thoroughly cook them to kill bacteria. Officials also say to wash your hands after handling eggs, don't eat cracked eggs or raw eggs, don't eat eggs left out for more than two hours and avoid restaurant food made with raw egg such as Ceasar salad dressing and Hollandaise sauce.

People ususally get sick within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. They get a fever, cramps and diarrhea lasting 4 to 7 days. Most recover without antibiotics, though the elderly, infants and those with weakened immune systems may have more severe complications.

If you get sick and suspect contaminated eggs, report it to the local health department.

Associated Press photo

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: News roundup
        

 Update:  The Maryland Citizen's Health Initiative mistakenly said Jim Brochin, a Democrat in the 42nd district, signed a pledge to support an alcohol tax. He did not. Candidates still have until Aug. 27 to sign the pledge.

More than 130 candidates running for Maryland General Assembly have signed a pledge supporting a resolution to create an alcohol tax in the next legislative session.

The measure is being pushed by a number of advocacy groups, led by Maryland Citizen's Health Initiative. The groups sent out letters in July to all candidates running for state Senate or House of Delegates, urging them to support a 10-cent liquor tax increase.

The letter wasn't sent to gubernatorial candidates Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is running for re-election, or his Republican challenger, former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.

In addition to those signing the pledge, 17 other candidates also filled out a questionaire saying they support "increasing the state alcohol taxes if the revenue is tied to expanding health coverage and access for Marylanders."

The advocacy groups want revenue earned from the tax to help pay for healthcare for those with mental health and developmental disabilities, as well as fund drug and alcohol cessation programs. A portion also would go to funding health insurance for poor adults without children, a measure that was passed in 2007 but never implemented because of lack of funding.

The groups believe $249 million could be raised.

Liquor tax proposals have failed in previous sessions, including last year, when a 10-cent liquor tax increase never made it out of committee. In 2008, a 5-cent increase also failed to pass. Taxes on wine and beer have not been raised since 1972. A tax on spirits hasn't been raised since 1955.

Here are the candidates Maryland Citizens" Health Initiative said have signed their pledge. Those in bold are incumbents.

District 3
Don DeArmon (D)
District 6
Bruce Kahl (R)
District 7
Rebecca Weir Nelson (D)
Jim Stavropouls (D)
District 10
Stephanie Boston (D)
Delores Kelley (D)
Pat Kelly (D)
District 14
Karen Montgomery (D)
District 15
Robert Garagiola (D)
District 16
Brian Frosh (D)
District 17
Jennie Forehand (D)
Cheryl Kagan (D)
District 18
Richard Madaleno (D)
District 19
Mike Lenett (D)
Roger Manno (D)
District 20
Jamie Raskin (D)
District 21
Jim Rosapepe (D)
District 22
Paul Pinsky (D)
District 23
Darrell Carrington (D)
District 24
Joanne Benson (D)
Nathaniel Exum (D)
District 26
C. Anthony Muse (D)
District 34
Arthur Helton (D)
District 39
Saqib Ali (D)
Nancy King (D)
District 41
Lisa Gladden (D)
District 42
Walter Keubler (R)
District 43
Joan Carter-Conway (D)
Hector Torres (D)
District 44
Verna Jones (D)
District 45
Nathaniel McFadden (D)
District 46
George Della (D)
Bill Ferguson (D)
District 47
David Harrington (D)
Victor Ramirez (D)
HOUSE OF DELEGATES
District 1-B
Kevin Shaffer (D)
District 3-A
Candy Greenway (D)
District 3-B
Paul Gilligan (D)
District 4-A
John “Lennie” Thompson (R)
District 4-B
Bret Grossnickle (R)
District 7
James Ward Morrow (D)
Kristina Sargent (D)
District 10
Emmett Burns (D)
Barry Chapman (D)
Shirley Nathan-Pulliam (D)
Frederick Ware-Newsome (D)
District 12-B
Elizabeth Bobo (D)
District 13
Guy Guzzone (D)
District 14
Jodi Finkelstein (D)
Anne Kaiser (D)
Eric Luedtke (D)
Craig Zucker (D)
District 15
Kathleen Dumais (D)
Brian Feldman (D)
Aruna Miller (D)
Lara Wibeto (D)
District 16
Charlie Chester (D)
Bill Farley (D)
Bill Frick (D)
Scott Goldberg (D)
Hrant Jamgochian (D)
Ariana Kelly (D)
Susan Lee (D)
Kyle Lierman (D)
Michael Sriqui (D)
Mark Winston (D)
District 17
Daniel Campos (R)
Luiz Simmons (D)
District 18
Vanessa Atterbeary (D)
Dana Beyer (D)
Alfred Carr (D)
Ana Sol Gutierrez (D)
Jeff Waldstreicher (D)
District 19
Sam Arora (D)
Bonnie Cullison (D)
Hoan Dang (D)
Ben Kramer (D)
Jay Hutchins (D)
Vivian Scretchen (D)
District 20
Tom Hucker (D)
Heather Mizeur (D)
District 21
Ben Barnes (D)
Barbara Frush (D)
Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D)
District 22
Tawanna Gaines (D)
Justin Ross (D)
District 23-A
Shukoor Ahmed (D)
Paulette Faulkner (D)
James Hubbard (D)
Lisa Ransom (D)
Nicole Williams (D)
District 23-B
Robin Breedon (D)
Marvin Holmes (D)
District 24
Clayton Aarons (D)
District 25
Erek Barron (D)
Aisha Braveboy (D)
District 26
Veronica Turner (D)
Kris Valderrama (D)
District 27-A
James Proctor (D)
Joseph Vallario (D)
District 28
Sally Jameson (D)
CT Wilson (D)
District 31
Jeremiah Chiappelli (D)
District 32
George Law (R)
District 37-A
Rudolph Cane (D)
Lavonzella Siggers (D)
District 38-B
Bernard John Hayden (D)
District 39
Bob Hydorn (D)
Tony Puca (D)
Kirill Reznik (D)
Shane Robinson (D)
District 40
Barbara Robinson (D)
Shawn Tarrant (D)
District 41
Jill Carter (D)
Mark Ehrlichmann (R)
Samuel Rosenberg (D)
District 42
Lori Albin (D)
David Kosak (D)
District 43
Curt Anderson (D)
Kelly Fox (D)
Maggie McIntosh (D)
Mary Washington (D)
District 44
Chris Blake (D)
Arlene Fisher (D)
Keith Haynes (D)
Keiffer Mitchell (D)
Melvin Stukes (D)
District 45
Cheryl Glenn (D)
Hattie Harrison (D)
District 46
Brian McHale (D)
Bill Romani (D)
District 47
Diana Fennell (D)
Jolene Ivey (D)
Wanda Shelton Martin (D)
Michael Summers (D)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Andrea Walker at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)
Categories: General Health
        

If it seems like kids are getting rounder in the middle -- and some are rounder than others -- it’s because they are.

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the National Institute on Aging looked at 10 years of data on children and adolescents across socio-demographic groups. They found increases in the measure for body mass index, waist circumference and triceps skinfold thickness.

Some groups had more pronounced increases, including black girls. And some groups gained more abdominal fat, a potentially more dangerous form of fat than overall BMI increases. 

The results were published in the August issue of the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity. The data analyzed came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

They examined the changes in boys and girls ages 2 to 19, as well as by ethnic groups.

“Our research suggests that U.S. young people may be at greater obesity-related risks than what was revealed by increases in BMI, as waist circumference is a better predictor of future health risks, such as for type 2 diabetes and heart disease in adults,” said May A. Beydoun, a staff scientist at the National Institute on Aging and a former postdoctoral fellow in the Bloomberg School's Department of International Health.

“More vigorous efforts should be made to understand the underlying causes,” she said in a statement. “Moving forward, this could help guide future population-based interventions including those focusing on the total population and those targeting vulnerable or genetically susceptible groups.”

So, think weight loss methods needs to be targeted to specific groups?

Photo of kids at fat camp on the ABC show Huge/Courtesy of ABC via McClatchy-Tribune

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Diet and exercise
        

Did you assume kids without siblings don't fit in?

Well, it might not be the case. A new study says being an “only child” isn’t a disadvantage for teens when it comes to social skills.

The study looked at more than 13,000 middle and high schoolers nationwide and found kids picked those without siblings as friends just as often and they did those with siblings.

 “I don't think anyone has to be concerned that if you don't have siblings, you won't learn the social skills you need to get along with other students in high school,” said Donna Bobbitt-Zeher, co-author of the study and assistant professor of sociology at Ohio State University's Marion campus, in a statement.

The study was presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association.

She and a partner did the study because family size has gotten smaller in the industrialized world. And concern was going about what it would mean for only children. Maybe they were losing something because they weren’t interacting with brothers and sisters.

In 2004, the researchers had found that was the case with kindergarteners, based on ratings of social skills from teachers. But the new study shows that the advantage of having siblings doesn’t seem to persist into adolescence.

 “Kids interact in school, they're participating in extracurricular activities, and they're socializing in and out of school,” she said. “Anyone who didn't have that peer interaction at home with siblings gets a lot of opportunities to develop social skills as they go through school.”

Baltimore Sun file photo

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: General Health
        

Shoppers Food & Pharmacy has started offering vaccinations for shingles - a disease caused by the chicken pox virus that is becoming more common among Americans.

About one million people in the United States develops shingles1, which causes a painful rash, yet fewer than 10 percent of people who are most at risk of developing shingles get the vaccine, according to a report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Shingles is most common in adults age 60 and older.

“Shingles can be a debilitating condition for many adults with the risk increasing as they get older,” said Anthony Provenzano, pharmacy director of clinical programs for SUPERVALU, which owns Shoppers. “By getting the shingles vaccine from one of our specially trained and certified immunizing pharmacists, adults can reduce their chances of developing shingles or lessen the severity of pain and complications resulting from the illness.”

The National Shingles Foundation said if it isn't treated, shingles can lead to stroke, especially if it's near the eye.

The disease, also called herpes zoster, usually appears on one side of the face or body and lasts from two to four weeks. The pain can continue long after the rash clears — lasting for months or even years for some people.

Shingles is caused by a reappearance of the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays in the body in a dormant state. For reasons not fully known, the virus can reactivate years later, causing shingles.

The Zostavax vaccine for shingles was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2006. In clinical trials, the vaccine reduced patients’ risk of getting shingles by 50 percent and lessened the pain in people who still developed the condition after being vaccinated.

The cost of the vaccination at Shoppers will vary based on the individual’s insurance coverage, the grocer said. All Medicare Part D prescription drug plans cover the shingles vaccine administered in Shoppers in-store pharmacies. Patients may have to pay a co-pay.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Diabetics who undergo weight-loss surgery can often get off their drugs, according to a new study from Johns Hopkins researchers.

The large national study showed that three-quarters of obese diabetics can ditch the insulin and other sugar-controlling drugs within six months.

That not only frees them of daily shots but can save on medical spending. The study found three years after surgery, average costs dropped more than 70 percent annually.

 “The cost to care for the average obese diabetic person in America is $10,000 a year, which could be cut to $1,800 with a very safe operation that eliminates more than 80 percent of the medications these individuals have depended on,” said Dr. Marty Makary, an associate professor of surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the study's leader, in a statement. “The results show that bariatric surgery has huge implications for public health and control of health care costs.”

For the study, published in the Archive of Surgery this month, the researchers followed 2,235 adults covered by Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurance who underwent bariatric surgery between 2002 and 2005. Half were taking metformin hydrochloride and 23 percent were on insulin.

They each had bariatric surgery, which makes the stomach smaller with staples. It carries risks – though they are smaller than those associated with diabetes. And it’s costly – about $30,000 – but could save money over the long run, the researchers said.

“Until a successful nonsurgical means for preventing and reversing obesity is developed, bariatric surgery appears to be the only intervention that can result in a sustained reversal of both obesity and type 2 diabetes in most patients receiving it,” Makary said.

Photo of a needle in a bottle of insulin/Los Angeles Times

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Surgery
        

Maryland is one of 45 states that will recieve $1 million in federal funding to help control excessive hikes in health insurance premiums.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday it was doling out $46 million as part of federal health care reform. The money is the first round of $250 million allocated over five years to help states monitor premiums.

The states had to apply for the funds. Washington is also receiving money.

The agency said insurance companies in many states have raised premiums with little oversight. Premiums have doubled on average during the past years, outpacing wage increases and inflation, the agency said.

High premiums have priced many people out of the health insurance market.

Federal officials say that while 26 states - including Maryland - have the authority to reject increases that seem excessive, many don't have the resources to enforce it.

Under reform, states will create health care exchanges where people can shop for coverage with subsidies, a set up that is expected to drive down premium costs. Premiums are expected to fall 14 to 20 percent under reform, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The states will use the money to upgrade technology, improve reporting standards by insurance companies, beef up the premium review process and make premium information better available to the public.

Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown said the money will help the state on strides it has already made in maintaining affordable premiums.

"This grant will help us build on our success and identify new and innovative strategies to maintain accessible, affordable and quality care for more of our neighbors," he said in a statement.

The grants are just one way that health reform will help ease the cost of premiums.

Reform will also allow HHS to review excessive premium increases and make them public. Insurers will be required to spend at least 80 percent of premium dollars on medical care services and limit spending on overhead, marketing, CEO salaries a profits.

States will also be able to exclude from the "exchanges" health plans that show a pattern of premiuem increases that are too high.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 3:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Health care reform
        

Men's Health magazine has ranked Baltimore as the third most unsafe city in the United States to raise a child.

The magazine determined its rankings by looking at five factors: accidental death rates, the number of car seat inspection locations per child, sex offenders per capita, the percentage of abused children protected from further abuse, and the strength of bike helmet and child restraint laws.

The researchers gathered the information from government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The magazine looked at 100 cities.

Baltimore ranked 98th for accidental deaths, 72nd for car-seat inspections, 75th for sex offenders and 73rd for abused children protection. The city received an overall grade of F. The unsafest city was Jacksonville, FL, and the safest was Madison, Wis.

In light of the study,  the Home Safety Council offers these tips to keep your child safe:

Keep Your Child Safe from Choking and Suffocation

• Children can choke on small things. If something is small enough to fit in a toilet paper tube, it is not safe for little children.
  
• Look in every room of your home. Pick up small items like buttons, coins, jewelry and small toys.
  
• Keep latex balloons out children’s reach – use mylar balloons instead.
  
• Watch carefully for loose magnets. If more than one is swallowed, they can attract each other in the body and cause serious injury or even death.
  

• Read the labels of all toys before you let your child play with them. Make sure your child is old enough to use that toy. The label will tell you the safe age.
  

• Cut your toddler’s food into very small bites. Always make sure children eat while sitting down. Do not let them have round food like peanuts or hard candy.
  

• Window blind cords should not have a loop. Cut any loop in two pieces and place them up high where children cannot get them.
  

Keep Your Child Safe around Water

• Drowning can happen very fast. Most of the time you will not hear someone drowning.
  

• Stay within an arm’s reach of young children when they are in or near water.
  

• Have toilet lid locks and use them.
  
• Put locks on the outside of the bathroom door to keep children out.
  

• Store large buckets turned over, so water cannot collect inside them. Very young children can drown in 1-2 inches of water.
  

• Put a fence all the way around your pool or spa. The fencing should be at least five feet high and a self-closing and self-latching gate. Always keep the gate closed and locked.
  

• Hot water burns like fire. Set your water heater at 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent burns.
  
• Use a water thermometer to test bath water. The water temperature should be at 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
  

• Babies and young children have delicate skin. Install special tub spouts and shower heads that prevent hot water burns.
  

Keep Your Child Safe from Falls

• Use safety gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs. For the top of stairs, gates that screw to the wall are more secure than “pressure gates.”
  

• Always use safety straps on high chairs, changing tables, and strollers.
  

• Wipe up spills when they happen.
  

• Have window guards or window stops on upper windows. But make sure you can open the window fast in case of a fire.
  

• Cover the ground under playground equipment with a thick layer (9-12 inches) of mulch, wood chips or other safety material.
  

Keep Your Child Safe from Poisons

• Know the things in your home that are poisons.
  

• Look at the labels for the words “Caution,” “Warning,” “Danger” or “Keep Out of Reach of Children” on the box or bottle.
  
• Remove all medicines and medical supplies from purses, pockets and drawers.
  

• Put cleaners, medicines, alcohol and other poisons in a cabinet with a child safety lock or latch.
  
• Have child safety caps on all chemicals, medications and cleaning products.
  

• Know to call 1-800-222-1222 if someone takes poison. This number will connect you to emergency help in your area. Keep the number by every phone.
  

• Have a service person check your heaters, stove and fireplaces every year to see that they work well.
  
• These are a source of carbon monoxide, a deadly gas you cannot see, smell or taste.
  

• Put a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm near the bedrooms.
  
• A CO alarm will tell you if the gas level is too high.
  

Keep Your Child Safe from Fire

• Make sure a smoke alarm is inside or near every bedroom.
  
• Test each smoke alarm every month. Push the test button until you hear a loud noise.
  
• Put new batteries in your smoke alarms at least one time each year.
  

• If your smoke alarms are more than 10 years old, replace them with new smoke alarms.
  

• Practice fire drills to make sure everyone can wake up to the sound of the smoke alarm. Children will need help escaping a fire. Plan for this.
  

• In a fire, go to your meeting place outside. Call the fire department from there. Do not go back inside for any reason.
  

• Lock up all matches and lighters where children cannot see or touch them.
  

Posted by Andrea Walker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: General Health
        

Should you push away the bread basket at restaurants and banish the crackers to lose weight on a low-carb diet?

Or is cutting down on your fat intake the better option?

It's a debate researchers have looked at for years. The latest study by Temple University's Center for Obesity Research and Education found that you can lose just as much weight on both diets.

But a low-carb diet will raise your HDL or good cholesterol levels, showing there could be a little more of a benefit.

 The two-year study followed the weight loss of more than 300 people - half on low-carb diets and the rest on a low-fat, low-calorie diet. At the end of the study the groups had almost identical weight loss.

The researchers said that focusing on long-term behavioral changes was more important than which diet you choose to lose weight.

What diets have worked better for others of you?

Posted by Andrea Walker at 2:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Diet and exercise
        

Want to be the first to know what's going on?

Subscribe to The Sun's text alerts. There are eight categories, including news, weather, entertainment and sports.

The weather alerts, for example, will let you know when there are heat or air quality advisories. The news alerts will tell you the latest on the health and evironment fronts.

And, if you sign up for the alerts, you can enter to win a Droid X. Sign up for text alerts here.

Droid X photo courtesy of Verizon/AFP/Getty

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer health
        

The University of Maryland School of Medicine has won a $7.9 million federal grant to acquire a giant magnet that will aid in development of new agents to treat cancer, AIDS and other diseases.

Acquiring the two-story, eight-ton spectrometer that houses the superconducting 950 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance magnet was proposed by the University of Maryland, Baltimore and two other Maryland campuses in College Park and Baltimore County and will be shared all by three.

Maryland will be the only academic institution to have one of these and will be only one of two facilities in the United States.

The campuses will use funds – stimulus money funneled through the National Institutes of Health – to buy and install the spectrometer in November 2011.

Maryland officials describe how it works this way: The magnet produces a supercharged magnetic field that enables scientists to investigate the three-dimensional structure of biological molecules and study their interaction with the highest degree of resolution.

The magnet is strong enough to lift 50 cars.

“NMR spectroscopy plays a critical role in many areas of cancer research, and having a 950 MHz NMR spectrometer on our campus is a phenomenal resource for researchers at our cancer center. It will greatly enhance and speed our efforts to uncover new information about cancer and design new drugs to treat it,” said Dr. Kevin J. Cullen, director of the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, and professor of medicine and director of the Program in Oncology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The magnet will be used by researchers from all over the mid-Atlantic region and it will operate 24 hour a day, seven days a week, according to David J. Weber, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and director of the NMR core facility at UMB. He was a co-director of the grant.

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Health care professionals
        

Johns Hopkins doctors, nurses, reseachers and other experts will spend the next four months on the USS Iwo Jima Navy ship as it provides medical assistance to third world countries.

 A group of Hopkins employees left Sunday for the ship which is doing humanitarian work in Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana and Suriname.

The trip is part of the U.S. Navy's humanitarian project, Operation Continuing Promise. Hopkins plans to send at least 16 experts between August and early November. They are members of the Johns Hopkins Go Team and are trained in disaster response.

The Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response is coordinating the staffing.

While working with the Navy program, the Hopkins experts will set up medical clinics and provide training and support for local doctors. They will also research how equipped these communities are for large-scale disasters.

They are joining volunteers from other nonprofits and humanitarian organizations.

(photo courtesy of US Navy)

Posted by Andrea Walker at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Health care professionals
        

Liquor companies are using less magazine advertising to entice the nation's youth to imbibe, according to a Johns Hopkins analysis.

But the companies are still largely advertising in publications young people are more likely than adults to read, with 78 percent of the advertising in these publications.

Overall, advertising aimed at youth declined by 48 percent between 2001 and 2008, according to the study by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Advertising exposure to adults over age 21 declined by 29 percent in the same period.

Researchers have found alcohol advertising increases the likelihood of underaged drinking, making it an important public health issue, according to the study.

Already, more young people drink alcohol then smoke cigarettes or use illegal drugs, according to the study. About 10.1 million people between the ages of 12 and 20 reported drinking in the past month in 2008. About 6.6 million young people reported binge drinking.

Alcohol companies made a pledge in 2003 to voluntarily eliminate liquor advertising in magazines with 30 percent or more youth readership - a goal the alcohol companies did meet. However, the 30 percent standard affected just 9 of the 160 magazine where alcohol companies advertised during the time period studied.

Just 16 brands made up half the alcohol advertising more likely to be read by youth. The brands included Patron Silver Tequila, Absolut Vodka, Kahlua Liqueurs, Ketel One Vodka and Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Medical studies
        

Johns Hopkins Medicine, Greater Baltimore Medical Center and Anne Arundel Health System have formed a partnership that they say will help bring cutting edge research into use with patients faster.

The new network, called the Johns Hopkins Clinical Research Network, will hook up academic and community-based clinical researchers.

A main purpose of the group will be to make clinical trials available to patients who don’t usually have access to them at their community hospital. That will also create a larger patient pool for research.

The end result, the hospitals say, will be moving diagnostic, treatment and disease-prevention advances from the research phase to patient use more quickly.

More institutions will be added over time.

 “The JHCRN is a unique research resource that increases patient access to innovative therapies and outcomes research in their own local communities. It also empowers physicians to design and conduct a broad array of research projects relevant to their communities,” said Dr. Charles M. Balch, the group’s director and professor of surgery and oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in a statement.

The initial focus of the group will be on expanding cancer-related clinical trials and diabetes and surgical studies. Other areas for the future include intensive care; cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric, brain and spine diseases; and radiology and nuclear medicine studies.

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Medical studies
        

A vaccine against dengue fever, a potentially serious flu-like infection that is on the rise, is undergoing tests at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

If it’s eventually proven effective, it could have far-reaching implications. About 2.5 billion people in more than 100 countries are at risk of such an infection – including some in the United States. It’s been discovered in Florida.

The vaccine has been in development for more than a decade at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and is finally ready for the first phase of clinical study – the safety phase.
Dengue fever is caused by any of four viruses and is carried by Aedes mosquitoes. It infects about 50-100 million people a year in mostly tropical regions, causing 25,000 deaths, mostly in children, according to the institute.

Some people get flu-like symptoms or worse, and others experience a mild fever or nothing.
For now, there’s no vaccine to prevent the infection and no treatment other than bed rest and fever medicine. And it’s pretty hard to avoid getting bit by a mosquito.

“Controlling the mosquito vector can work, but it is very expensive and difficult to sustain,” Dr. Anna Durbin, who is leading the study at Johns Hopkins, said in a statement. “In the long run, vaccination would be a more efficient and cost-effective approach.”

There will be a second phase of testing with more participants to check the effectiveness of the vaccine. If all goes as planned, a final phase of testing could start in three to four years.

For more information, go to the institute's dengue fever website. 

Getty Images picture of worker looking for mosquito larvae in Miami Beach, Fla.

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Medical studies
        

Anticipating increasing shortages of health care workers even without health care reform, the federal government has begun handing out some funds for training of new workers and retraining of existing ones.

Maryland universities have won nine federal grants, totaling $2.3 million.

The grants are part of $159.1 million in stimulus money awarded around the nation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The money primarily will be used for nursing workforce development programs, interdisciplinary geriatric education and training programs and Centers of Excellence programs for underrepresented minority students.

“We cannot build a healthier America if our country continues to face a growing health professions shortage,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a statement. “A well-trained, educated and diverse workforce is critical to meeting future health care demands, and to reforming the nation’s health care system.”

Specific grants include:

+Advanced Education Nursing Grant for the University of Maryland, Baltimore, $378,522.00

+Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship Grants for Johns Hopkins University, $75,384.00;
for the University of Maryland, School of Nursing, $224,346.00; for Salisbury State University, $13,675.00

+Nurse Anesthetist Traineeship Grant for the University of Maryland, School Of Nursing, $24,541.00

+Nursing Workforce Diversity Grant for Coppin State College, $374,340.00; and for Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, $353,177.00

+Geriatric Education Center Grant for Johns Hopkins University, $411,212.00

+Geriatric Training Programs Grant for Johns Hopkins University, $466,093.00

See state-by-state charts of the grant awards and get more information on the health professions programs.

Baltimore Sun file photo/Doug Kapustin

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Health care professionals
        

Proper dental care does make for a nice smile, but it also can prevent all kinds of other things from going wrong in people of all ages.

Many people don't seem to know how oral health works, so Tufts University School of Dental Medicine has put out this list of myths in the July/August issue of Nutrition Today:  

Myth 1: The consequences of poor oral health and nutrition are restricted to one's own mouth

The Tufts people said when pregnant women eat poorly, it can impact their kids teeth later in life. They are more likely to have tooth decay. Deficiencies in calcuim, vitamin D and A and calories can mean oral defects. Lack of B6 and B12 could mean a cleft palate. Further, if a kid's mouth hurts because he has tooth decay, he probably will be distracted and won't learn well. He will also probably choose food that are easier to chew and less nutritious.

Myth 2: More sugar means more tooth decay

Problems stem from the amount of time sugar sit on the teeth, rather than the amount of sugar consumed. Bad are slowly dissolving candy and soda. The acids from the sugars form bacteria. The Tufts research showed that teens get about 40 percent of their carbs from soft drinks. It seems like they'd be better off with sugar-free ones, but they, along with acidic drinks like lemonade can cause demineralization of teeth.

Myth 3: Losing baby teeth to tooth decay is OK

It's not. The decay can cause damage to the teeth developing below. And if the baby teeth fall out prematurely, permanent teeth may come in malpositioned. 

Myth 4: Osteoporosis only affects the spine and hips

Osteoporosis can also lead to tooth loss. Tufts professors say calcium and vitamins D and K can help stave off the losses.

Myth 5: Dentures improve a person's diet

But not if they don't fit well. In that case, wearers are likely to go for soft foods that are often unhealthy such as cakes or pastries. The Tufts folks point those with discomfort to get a denture adjustment and, in the meantime, cook vegetables and eat canned fruits that are generally softer and easier to chew. And drink fluids to prevent dry mouth.

Myth 6: Dental decay is only a problem for young people

Receding gums can lead to root decay in older people. That's common for those whose saliva is reduced -- impacting the clensing action -- by antidepressants, duiretics, antihistamines and sedatives. Drinking water can compensate. Those with conditions such as diabetes need to take special care because they are more at risk of oral health problems, and peridontal disease can make those maladies worse.  

Baltimore Sun file photo/Doug Kapustin

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Healthy Living
        

A Toronto woman who told friends that she had terminal cancer and then set up a fake charity has been exposed as a fake, according to the Toronto Sun.

Ashley Kirilow is now missing with the thousans of dollars that people thought was going to cancer research through Change for a Cure.

On Facebook, the very venue that the woman used to scam people, there now a facebook page DEMANDING ASHLEY KIRILOW BE HELD FULLY ACCOUTABLE AND ARRESTED! It's got 249 members and they all seem pretty disgusted that someone would prey on others, particularly those who have lost loved ones.

So, think it's easier now in the age of social media to scam people? Will people always fall for a sad story? Does this make you less likely to give to a charity? 

Photo courtesy of Demanding Ashley Kirilow be held fully accountable and arrested Facebook page

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 1:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cancer
        

The first test-tube baby, Elizabeth Carr (now Comeau), has had her own baby, according to her own account in the Boston Globe.

She writes that she decided to write about her experience because she knew if she didn't, someone else would. (And as a journalist for the newspaper, she notes that this is the kind of story she would have written about someone else.)

She also wanted to let people know that IVF is an option for infertile women. The babies, like her, are normal. The 28-year-old conceived and delivered naturally.

In the story, she talks about how strange it was to grow up with so much media attention. Wonder if that's why she turned to a career that puts others in that kind of spotlight.

Now that IVF is so much more common, I wonder how much interest there will continue to be -- or if she will become just another byline.

Photo courtesy of the Boston Globe

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 1:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: General Health
        

There are nearly 5 million children around the nation – and about 86,000 in Maryland -- who qualify for free and low-income health insurance but are not signed up. Federal officials are looking to change that through a new campaign called “Get Covered. Get in the Game.”

The campaign recognizes that uninsured kids can’t always play sports because their families can’t afford the physical or fear they won’t be able to pay for care if they get hurt. Officials are hoping to leverage the coaches in schools and community centers, as well as school nurses and others, who can identify these kids.

“We’re pushing this now because it’s a good time of year to get the message out as kids are getting ready to go back to school and they’re getting more involved in sports activities,” said Nancy O’Connor, the regional administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “We want parents to learn that they can get some very good coverage for their kids that will help them when they go back to school or when they decide to play on a team.”

Maryland is one of seven states involved in the campaign, a pilot program that will be introduced more widely if it’s successful.

There will be a kick-off event in Maryland today at 2 p.m., sponsored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore Inc., at the C.C. Jackson Recreation Center in Park Heights -- which is also hosting the last day of summer camp.

Parents don’t typically sign their children up for insurance because they don’t know they qualify, O’Connor said. Some were recently laid off or they were rejected for Medicaid and they don’t know there is another program, she said.

Parents there to pick up their children will be able to provide information about affordable insurance through Medicaid, which covers the poor, and the Maryland Children’s Health Program, which covers children of low-income families who make a little too much to qualify for Medicaid. Regulations are still being written, but both programs are likely to remain once federal health care reform is rolled out in the next couple of years.

Families of four with income up to $66,000 a year are eligible. And once enrolled, the kids get regular doctor and dentist visits, vision and hearing care, hospital care, shots, mental health services and prescription drugs,

Some parents may also qualify for coverage through the state Medical Assistance for Families program.

For more information about the programs go to InsureKidsNow.gov or call 800-456-8900.

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Health care reform
        

The Baltimore Sun is launching its Health & Wellness newsletter this week. It's a collection of the week's top health news, tips and features along with events and, of course, the Picture of Health blog.

So if you're interested in getting your health news all in one place and sent to your inbox on Thursdays, sign up here. And if there are any features you'd like us to include in the newsletter, tell us in the comments below.

Posted by Kim Walker at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

On the heels of a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that almost 30 percent of Americans are obese, some child advocates think they know where bad habits are starting: Fast food chains are using toys to lure in kids.

So, they are trying to get the practice stopped. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood launched a letter-writing campaign this week demanding that McDonald's stop using Marvel comic book heroes to market its Happy Meal.

In June, the Center for Science in the Public Interest said it would sue McDonald’s if the chain kept using toys to sell Happy Meals.

“McDonald’s is the stranger in the playground handing out candy to children,” Stephen Gardner, the group’s litigation director, said in a statement. “McDonald’s use of toys undercuts parental authority and exploits young children’s developmental immaturity—all this to induce children to prefer foods that may harm their health. It’s a creepy and predatory practice that warrants an injunction.”

Toys related to Dreamworks’ Shrek movie appears on packaging for low-fat milk and Apple Dippers, but the group contends that when families order Happy Meals they end up with French fries 93 percent of the time. The group notes the chain pledged not to advertise kids’ meals with more than 600 calories. The milk, apple and chicken nugget meal is around 430 calories, but the meal the often end up with – cheeseburger, French fries and Sprite has 640 calories as well as a lot of fat and sugar, the group says.

This kind of eating will put the kids at risk for obesity, diabetes and other maladies down the road, the group says.

Officials there acknowledge that parents need to take some responsibility, but they argue that the toys make their job “nearly impossible.”
 
What do you think? Are the cards stacked against the parents or is it not that hard to say no? Should McDonald’s be able to sell what people are willing to buy?

Photo courtesy of the Center for Science in the Public Interest/Jeff Cronin

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Diet and exercise
        

It’s time of year when parents are out shopping for lunch boxes and notebooks, and a pair of environmental health organization have come out with a guide to PVC-free school supplies.

The groups say many products are made with “toxic plastic," polyvinyl chloride.

They cite a new analysis by the Environmental Working Group that found Americans are exposed to up to 1,200 times more dioxin – a toxic chemical that can leach from PVC – than the Environmental Protection Agency deems safe. The amount of dioxin infants are exposed to is up to 77 times higher than the level EPA says is harmless to the endocrine and immune systems.

That chemical and others in PVC are linked to chronic problems in children that include learning and developmental disabilities asthma, obesity and cancer.

“We strive to make our homes a healthy and safe environment for our children to grow up in.  But what about the eight hours they spend in school each day?” Mike Schade, PVC Campaign Coordinator for the Center for Health, Environment & Justice, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, many school supplies are composed of PVC, the poison plastic.  This plastic can contain a toxic stew of phthalates, lead, cadmium, and organotins—it’s a recipe for disaster.”

Phthalates, which make the plastic flexible, are banned by federal law in toys but not school supplies. Congress is considering legislation called the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 to impose tighter regulation on chemicals in consumer products. 

Some tips from this group and Maryland PIRG include: avoiding backpacks with shiny plastic designs that often contain PVC and may contain lead; using cloth or metal lunchboxes to avoid PVC; using cardboard, fabric-covered or polypropylene binders and avoiding 3-ring binders that often are made of PVC.  

See the full report here.

Baltimore Sun file photo/John Makely

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Consumer health
        

Maryland residents who need or want medical attention but don’t have insurance might want to try and catch a ride to Washington’s convention center today (801 Mount Vernon Place N.W.). There is a free clinic, and patients will be seen today on a first-come first-served basis.

There are about 2,000 slots, though some have been taken up by appointments. They won’t take same-day appointments.

The clinic is sponsored by the National Association of Free Clinics, and will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

"This free clinic is not just for the sick but also for anyone who is uninsured and has not seen a doctor recently,” said Nicole Lamoureux, the group’s executive director, said in a statement. “All participants will receive preventive primary medical care including medical exams (including physicals), HIV tests, EKGs, cholesterol blood tests, glucose tests for diabetes, blood pressure tests, muscular skeletal exams, urinalysis, pregnancy tests, hemoglobin tests and strep tests.”

The clinic will also provide mental health services and pharmacy counseling, which includes writing prescriptions that conform to generic programs offered by many drug stores. Patients will be referred to community resources for ongoing care.

For more information, go to www.freeclinics.us.

Baltimore Sun file photo

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 6:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: General Health
        

Baltimore manufacturer Ellicott Dredges has agreed to buy $100,000 in malaria drugs and insecticide-treated bed nets to be used by women and children in Nigeria.

The company, which built all the original dredges in the original construction of the Panama Canal, is working with Baltimore non-profit Jhpiego. The medicine will go to women and children in the Akwa Ibom state in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

Malaria accounts for 11 percent of maternal deaths in Nigeria, according to Jhpiego. The organization believes it contributes to poverty, low productivity and absenteeism in the schools.

Peter Bowe, Ellicott Dredges president, said in a statement that his company was interested in helping Nigerians because it has been active in sand-dredging projects in the region.

"Women are the foundation of families throughout the world," Bowe said in a statement. "Their health is directly related to a nation's health."

Posted by Andrea Walker at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: General Health
        

More than 72 million Americans are now obese, according to new government data that shows a significant and potentially deadly health problem that has continued to worsen in the recent years in every state including Maryland.

Just over 26 percent of Marylanders were obese in 2009. The percentage was less than 25 percent in 2005 and less than 20 percent in 2000, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC said the national average was almost 27 percent, up just over 1 percent in two years, or 2.4 million people, according to the latest data, which is self reported and likely to be a underestimate. More startling, the CDC officials said, was that the number of states with an obesity prevalence of 30 percent of more tripled in two years to nine states. No state had such a high number of obese residents in 2000.

Further, no state met a nation’s goal to reduce the number of obese to 15 percent.

Medical costs associated with obesity also have grown to an estimated $147 billion. That’s an average cost for obese people that $1,429 higher than those of normal weight.

“Obesity continues to be a major public health problem,” said Dr. Thomas Frieden, CDC director. “We need intensive, comprehensive and ongoing efforts to address obesity. If we don't more people will get sick and die from obesity-related conditions such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of death.”

The CDC says that an adult is considered obese if he or she has a body mass index of 30 or above. The number is calculated by using height and weight. For example, a 5-foot-4 woman who weighs 174 pounds or more, or a 5-foot-10 man who weighs 209 pounds or more, has a BMI of 30 and is obese.

Some population were more affected than others. Non-Hispanic black adults had the highest rate of obesity at almost 37 percent. The rate for black women was almost 42 percent. The rate for Hispanics was close to 31 percent.

Education and geography were also factors. Those who did not graduate from high school had an obesity rate of about 33 percent. The state percentages ranged from 18.6 percent in Colorado to 34.4 percent in Mississippi.

Dr. William Dietz, director of the CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, said Colorado may have a lower rate of obesity because of the altitude of Denver, the largest city. It takes more energy to anything in a higher altitude with thinner air. Also, the state has a culture of activity, with lottery funds invested in walking and biking trails that are heavily used.

The South, on the other hand, may have cultural reasons for its weight, with calorie-laden foods and lack of exercise.

All levels of government and other organizations are working on the problem. First Lady Michelle Obama has launched a campaign called Let’s Move to address childhood obesity. Another federal program called Communities Putting Prevention to Work provides guidance and funding to states to make changes in their residents’ diet and physical activity.

For more information, go to http://cdc.gov/obesity/

Baltimore Sun file photo of First Lady Michelle Obama promoting her Let's Move campaign at Camden Yards/Kim Hairston

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Diet and exercise
        

Doctors trained abroad provide medical care as good as that offered by U.S.-trained physicians, according to a study published in the August issue of Health Affairs.

However, Americans who trained overseas had higher patient death rates, according to the study.

The study looked at data in Pennsylvania and found no real difference in the death rates of patients treated by foreign-trained doctors when compared to U.S.-trained doctors.

The issue may become more relevant as healthcare reform pushes millions of more people onto the rolls, resulting in a need for more doctors.

The study's authors said that U.S. medical schools must continue to be viligant in their admissions process even as they expand to meet the needs healthcare reform will bring.

The study looked at 244,153 hospitalizations of patients with congestive heart failure or acute heart attack. The patients were treated by a U.S.-trained or foreign-trained doctor in family medicine, internal medicine or cardiology. Foreign-born medical graduates had the lowest death rates.

The study also looked at length of stay. Patients of U.S. graduates had the shortest length of stay. Patients of Americans trained overseas had the longest.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: General Health
        

This seems to be the week for health-themed giveaways from the Baltimore Sun.

If you need a lunchtime workout today, head over to Brick Bodies Fitness Services' downtown location, where Baltimore Sun community coordinator Nancy Knight will be tweeting for BaltSunHealth. Followers of The Baltimore Sun and Brick Bodies Fitness Services on Twitter and Facebook can work out for free and receive other swag from noon-3 p.m. today (Aug. 3).

Baltimore Sun file photo

Posted by Kim Walker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Diet and exercise
        

It’s hard to believe, but the flu vaccination season is almost upon us. Government officials and vaccine makers already are ready -- provided there are no surprises like last year's H1N1 flu virus.

Officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have approved vaccines for the 2010-2011 influenza season. And this year’s dose will protect against three strains of flu, including the H1N1 flu virus that caused the pandemic last year.

So, there will only be one shot needed this season, not two. And there won’t be any long lines at government-sponsored clinics. This will all be done in the doctors’ office, at the drug store clinic and other usual places.

Between 5 and 20 percent of Americans catch the flu every year, and approximately 36,000 people die.

“The best way to protect yourself and your family against influenza is to get vaccinated every year,” said Dr. Karen Midthun, acting director of FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in a statement. “The availability of a new seasonal influenza vaccine each year is an important tool in the prevention of influenza related illnesses and death.”

And just because there was next to no seasonal flu last season and the H1N1, or swine, flu wasn’t as deadly as everyone was anticipating, it hit kids particularly hard. No one can say what this year will bring, and officials say everyone 6 months and older should still get a vaccination.

Generally, the season doesn’t begin until October and peak of the season is in January. But the process of vaccinating everyone begins in September, or when doses are shipped.

Gaithersburg-based MedImmune has already begun shipping its nasal spray version of the vaccine, FluMist, to vaccine distributors.

MedImmune expects to provide approximately 15 million doses of its vaccine to doctors' offices, public health departments, schools, military bases and elsewhere.

The spray vaccine will be available in every state but South Dakota. Last year, FluMist was given to approximately a third of the children ages 2 to 18. Parents of kids who did not get last year's H1N1 vaccine should ask their doctors about giving two doses of this year's vaccine.

There are other vaccine makers, and at least one, Novartis Vaccine , has already begun shipping its vaccine Fluvirin. It’s also ahead of schedule.

The company said early shipping ensures early immunization programs can be initiated for the most at risk. That includes seniors, pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions. The company plans to supply 40 million doses for people 4 and older.

For more information on the flu, go to www.cdc.gov/flu. To get vaccinated, call your doctor, local health department or drug-store for the timing of appointments or clinics.

Associated Press photo

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Drugs
        

Beware all you skinny teenagers getting ready to start college.

The Freshman 15 beckons.

It's a weight gain that has creeped up on generations of first-year college students.

There's so many reasons why it happens. You're on your own and able to eat all the junk you want. Late night study sessions over pizza. You're not participating in as much team sports.

No matter the reason, it's a problem at college campuses all across the country.

But you can fight those extra pounds and leave your first year as slim as you started it.

Here are some tips from Ryerson University:

1. Don't let a heavy load of classes and studying prevent you from eating regular meals. Pack healthy options, such as tuna or dried fruit, so you're not turning to fast food.

2. Don't skip breakfast. Eat something that is high fiber and also has protein.

3. Try choosing the lower-calorie, lower-fat option when eating - a wrap instead of a burger, a salad instead of fries.

4. Don't eat out the bag of chips or box of crackers. You'll consume too much. Instead, measure out a portion. 

5. Drink water instead of soda, beer or juices filled with sugar.

6. Keep healthy snacks in the room for when you get the munchies -- nuts, yogurt, carrots, pretzels.

7. Try not to eat late at night as hard as it is when you're stressed and studying for an exam. If you do eat, choose healthy snacks such as fruit.

8. Find out if your campus dining halls offer vegetarian options.

9. Keep a food journal and routinely weigh yourself.

10. Walk instead of driving or taking the campus shuttle.

11. Inrease your fiber intake.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Diet and exercise
        

Did you know that The Baltimore Sun has a Facebook page for all of its health and style coverage? In addition to Picture of Health posts, you can get updates on the latest health news and features.

To spread the word, we are holding a contest for those who "like" The Baltimore Sun Health & Style section page by 5 p.m. Tuesday. One new fan at random will win a $100 gift card to The Pearl spa and salon, which has locations in Federal Hill and Fulton.

Baltimore Sun file photo

Posted by Kim Walker at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

A doctor at Northwest Hospital in Randallstown recently became the first surgeon in the country to perform a specialized robotic hand surgery.

Stacey Berner, medical director of the Hand Center at Northwest, used the Da Vinci Surgical System to fix the nerves on a 20-year-old who had put his hand through glass while on vacation. One of the man's nerves had been cut in half and had large amounts of scar tissue by the time he came to Berner. 

The Da Vinci system allows for more precise cuts and other movements during surgery, Berner said. It allows the surgeon to use more steady robotic "hands" elminating the tremors and shaking that are natural in human hands.

Sitting at a console looking through a view screen, Berner used two robotic arms during the operation that he operated with each of his hands. He contolled a third robotic arm using a foot pedal. Berner viewed the operation in 3D using the Da Vinci system.

Berner and other doctors believe the robotic surgery will have better outcomes for patients than traditional surgery because it will allow the doctor to reach smaller structures around nerves. Patients may also experience less blood loss and pain. Recovery times may also be shorter.

Berner said it is too soon to tell the results of the surgery on his patient. He performed the surgery July 23.

"I talked to him the next day and he is comfortable," Berner said.

Berner trained on the Da Vinci system under a colleague in France.

The Da Vinci Surgical System has been used for other procedures such as gynecologic and prostate conditions, but has never been used for a hand surgery before.

The system is an alternative to traditional open surgery or laparoscopy surgery.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Surgery