Success in eradication through failed campaign

Dr. Altman, a key player in the failed measles eradication campaign in the 1960’s, claims that the lessons learned in trying to eradicate measles in developing countries led to a success with the smallpox eradication campaign. Can we learn lessons from the success of smallpox for the eradication of measles, polio, or other diseases that threaten children daily around the world? What about lessons for global health in itself? Click here to read his reflections and recommendations.

Altman, L. (26 September, 2011). How tiny errors in Africa lead to a global triumph. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/health/27docs.html?pagewanted=1&ref=health

Common household item a prevention method for cervical cancer

As the HPV vaccine has become a heated debate in current politics, news comes out of Thailand about a procedure involving vinegar that has helped doctors prevent cervical cancer in their patients. The procedure is termed “VIA/cryo for visualization of the cervix with acetic acid (vinegar)”, and is simple as brushing vinegar on the cervix to identify pre-cancerous spots. The spots turn white, due to lower water content in per-cancerous or tumor cells. This is followed with a cryotherapy treatment in which the white spots are frozen off. Preliminary studies show promising results. More information on this creative, inexpensive prevention method can be found here.

McNeil, Jr., D. (26 September, 2011). Fighting cervical cancer with vinegar and ingenuity. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/health/27cancer.html?_r=1&nl=health&emc=healthupdateema2

Food for thought

One of the biggest public health issues hitting the media over the past few years has been food. Consider calorie-labeling on menus, high fructose corn syrup, subsidies to farmer’s, schools battling food trucks, the organic movement, etc. Multiple documentaries have focused around the food we eat, films such as Food, Inc., King Corn and Super Size Me. Books have fed off this theme as well, including Micheal Pollan’s “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and “In Defense of Food”. Articles hit major newspapers on these topics, and even make it to popular culture sites such as cracked.com. Given the hype and the push for eating real, genuine, healthy food, the Center for Science in the Public Interest is hosting the first national Food Day, set for October 24, 2011. Events are being held simultaneously around the county, and can be found through the Food Day website. Happy eating everyone!

HPV in the news

Once again, public health becomes a political issues as parents, practitioners and politicians are question whether the HPV vaccination should be required for female adolescents. arguments against a mandatory HPV vaccine include that the vaccine can cause mental retardation, and that sexual education leads to early sexual activity. In favor of the vaccine include scientific evidence that the vaccine does not cause mental retardation, and that the vaccine can help prevent cervical cancer, a disease which kills 4,000 women in the United States every year. So far Texas is the only state to enact legislation mandating HPV vaccinations. Read more here about the debate surrounding Texas Governor Rick Perry’s decision.

—

Gabriel, T. (13 September, 2011). In Republican Race, a Heated Battle Over the HPV Vaccine. The New York Times. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/us/politics/republican-candidates-battle-over-hpv-vaccine.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha24

Health risks of 9/11 downplayed; Responders continue to suffer consequences of government agencies’ mistakes

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, federal agencies corresponded about the health risks posed in the Ground Zero area, and together kept this information from the public. Agencies included the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Simple recommendations, such as to wear a respirator when in the area, were not shared with the public. This resulted in negative health complications for responders in the Ground Zero area; some of these individuals now face terminal health consequences as a result. More information on these documents and the surrounding story can be found here.

A related video from Democracy Now! with further commentary on the documents and personal accounts from some of the affected individuals can be found here.

Patient data sat online for public to see for almost a year

A spreadsheet with patient information from Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California made its way from a billing contractor, Multi-Specialty Collection Services, to a public website, Student of Fortune, where it was posted in response to a student question on converting data into a graph. The spreadsheet was publicly visible for almost a year. According to The New York Times, the leaked spreadsheet, ” included names, diagnosis codes, account numbers, admission and discharge dates, and billing charges for patients seen at Stanford Hospital’s emergency room during a six-month period in 2009.” Although a spokesman for the hospital said the spreadsheet did not include information that could be used for identity theft, such as birth dates and social security numbers, patients who have learned about the leak and healthcare workers remain upset to outraged about the situation. Most unfortunate of all perhaps is that this is not the first information of patient data becoming unsecured, whether by theft of computers containing patient files, files simply being lost, and other instances, resulting in over 30,000 small breaches in 15 months and over 300 large breaches of data in 21 months being reported to the federal government. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act provides for some recourse, but quite simply, healthcare still has a way to go when it comes to protecting confidential patient information.

—

Sack, K. (8 September, 2011). Patient data posted online in major breach of privacy. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/09/us/09breach.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha2

Update on the smoking baby that sparked YouTube frenzy and international news hype

At first a YouTube video of a smoking baby seemed like another cute email forward or pop culture reference for a late night or late late night show. When it turned out to be a real life scenario, and not a prank set up by parents hoping to win a home video contest, it shed light on the realities of smoking children and youth in another part of the world. This two-year old was just one of many children in Indonesia who smokes on a regular basis, as a result of tobacco marketing to children in their country. While the health minister acknowledges that it is a problem, the big business power of tobacco companies in the county provides an ample amount of jobs for the Indonesian economy, making it difficult to lobby against them. Jobs, unfortunately, take priority over the public’s health. At the very least, however, the child from the video, now four years old, has stopped smoking on a regular basis. See a feature on the popular video below, and read the follow up story from 20/20, “The Smoking Baby: Where is he today?”

—

Kilmer, C. (7 September, 2011). The Smoking Baby: Where is he today? ABC News. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/Health/smoking-baby-today/story?id=14453373

Safe Corridor program makes streets safer for pedestrians

Albany is planning to expand its Safe Corridor program to the Lark Street and Central Avenue areas to  “increase awareness and understanding of crime prevention and safety” in these commercial neighborhoods to increase safety for pedestrians in the area. Participating businesses will post “Safe Haven” signs indicating that pedestrians may seek safety there, essentially creating a “Safe corridor”. Signs in this area will also feature rainbows to indicate that participating establishments are safe havens for the LGBT community. This move adds to the Safe Corridor program in place between the University at Albany, College of Saint Rose, and the City of Albany, who established the partnership to protect students in local areas off campus. More information can be found from the references below.

—

Barnes, S. (7 September, 2011). City expanding ‘safe corridor’ program to Lark, Central Area. (Web log post). Retrieved from

http://blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping/25261/city-expanding-safe-corridor-program-to-lark-central-area/#more-25261

Lark Street Business Improvement District. (6 September, 2011). Operation Safe Corridor to Launch.  (Web log post) Retrieved from

http://larkstreet.blogspot.com/2011/09/operation-safe-corridor-to-launch.html

University at Albany. 28, March 2007). Operation Safe Corridor Initiative Unveiled. Retrieved from http://www.albany.edu/campusnews/releases_296.htm

FEMA uses fast food as indicator of disaster consequences

FEMA officials said Thursday in The Wall Street Journal that one of the indicators they use to judge a community’s needs, whether joking or seriously, is whether the local Waffle House is up and running. This fast food chain featuring breakfast items has managed to develop a crisis response plan, which allows them to continue operations after many natural disasters, including the tornado to hit Joplin, Missouri earlier this year and Hurricane Irene last weekend. In times of crisis, having a comfort such as your favorite food or a hot meal can provide a type of psychological first aid for people. The article cites individuals who knew Waffle House would be open, and took comfort in having a hot meal, something not out of a can.

Waffle House is ranked among the top four businesses named for being quick to operate during disaster recovery. Perhaps other businesses, agencies, and organizations can take a lesson from their planning when it comes to being ready for disasters.

—

Bauerlain, V. (1 September, 2011). How to measure a storm’s fury one breakfast at a time. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904716604576542460736605364.html?mod=wsj_share_tweet