| Public Health Weblog collected and organized by Laura Larsson ClinicalFaculty, SPHCM University of Washington |
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About{ 2003 }Current:January February March April May June July August September October November December Previous Years { 2002 } December November October July - Sept Jan-June 2001 2000 1999 Harry Rutter's Public Health Today (Blog from the UK) eLearning Blogs eLearningpostInternettimeMore about Blogs and Their Variations The Art of Blogging - Part 1 Overview, Definitions, Uses, and Implications by George Siemens. December 1, 2002 The Art of Blogging - Part 2 Getting Started, "How To", Tools, Resources December 6, 2002 From Weblog to Moblog By Justin Hall, Nov 21 2002 |
May 2003[Note: This site
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May 25, 2003
4:13 PM
Grand Challenges in Global Health The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, has established an initiative to support scientific and technological research that addresses Grand Challenges in Global Health. This initiative is focused on the grand scientific and technological research challenges in health. Download the PDF version of the Call for Ideas if you want to apply. May 24, 2003
1:43 PM
Yearbook of Medical Informatics 2003 The Yearbook topic this year is: "Quality of Health Care: The Role of Informatics." Of special interest to those teaching is the section on Computer Supported Education. There's also an article by Dr. Alexa McCray, Head of the Lister Hill Center for Biomedical Communications at the National Library of Medicine titled, "Informatics research, development, and training at the Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications". I mention this article in particular because I had the opportunity to listen to her talk about a similar topic during my Summer Rotation experience for my Informatics Fellowship at NLM. Asian American Health (NLM) This information portal to issues affecting the health and well-being of Asian Americans in the United States has been made available to the public through the National Library of Medicine. Links to an assortment of documents, web sites, databases, and other resources are available. Ask Me 3 The Partnership for Clear Health Communication -- a new coalition of 19 top health and civic organizations -- is launching an effort to promote awareness of and solutions to the problems associated with low health literacy. According to the Partnership, health literacy (the ability to read, understand, and act on health information) is a stronger predictor of individual health status than age, income, employment status, education level, or racial/ethnic group. Also, low levels of health literacy may influence the high use of some health care services and may affect health outcomes. The Partnership's first initiative is Ask Me 3, a program designed to promote better communication between patients and providers. Materials developed by health literacy experts (and downloadable free online) can guide patients and providers through three questions that are essential to every health care interaction: 1. What is my main problem? 2. What do I need to do? 3. Why is it important for me to do this? Ask Me 3 will be introduced May 7, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., as part of "A Day of Understanding" at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The event, which will be Webcast at http://www.askme3.org, includes an AMA Foundation briefing on new scientific findings and a demonstration of its 2003 Health Literacy Educational Kit. Literacy Skills Are Strongest Predictor of Health Status in United States (5/7/03, news release, Partnership for Clear Health Communication) http://www.askme3.org/pdfs/press_release.pdf Also see: * Ask Me 3 patient materials at http://www.askme3.org. * Information for providers and organizations at http://www.askme3.org/PFCHC/. * A fact sheet, white paper, statistics, and other materials at http://www.askme3.org/pressroom.asp. submitted by: Paula K. Zeller, M.A., Office of the Director, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute May 22, 2003
10:43 AM
Alcohol-related Injury and Violence from The Trauma Foundation Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this site is a project of the Trauma Foundation. It provides links to comprehensive information and literature on Alcohol related violence and injury. Get summaries of research, advocates' stories, literature reviews, fact sheets, news and a listing of resources. I also liked the community organizing and examples of self-assessment tools. The graphic with the skeletal hand flipping a bottle of alcohol on a roulette wheel of fire, falls, guns, knives, poisoning, and drownings on the home page is gruesome but effective in conveying the dangers of alcohol consumption. Closing the Health Gap (Office of Minority Health) Minorities face the following health conditions at rates larger than many whites: cancer, diabetes, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, a lower rate of immunizations, infant mortality and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and stroke. This site brings together high quality consumer health resources intended to improve the health status of minorities. Many of the consumer health guides are from AHRQ and other resources are from other governmental agencies. Materials available in Spanish, too. Seems a pity to spend money duplicating work already done better by the National Library of Medicine. Breastfeeding Educational Materials in Vietnamese Language (UC, Berkeley Extension) Finding high quality foreign language health education materials is a bit of hit or miss effort, that's why I was thrilled to find a site that incorporated Vietnamese breastfeeding information with the English Translation. Find out about expressing and storing breast milk and the quality of breast milk, how to care for your breasts during breastfeeding and what to eat to promote milk. Good line drawings. Promoting Good Health Through Diet & Lifestyle (UC, Berkeley Extension) Five lessons written in Vietnamese discuss exercise, the Food guide pyramid and traditional foods, cutting down on fat, fruits and vegetables and alcohol and tobacco. An English translation is available. This is an attractive site with plenty of colorful line drawings to enhance the learning.Content in HTML and PDF. Some lessons are, unfortunately, in zipped files, a definite problem for any who do not have a file unzipper (or know how to use one). The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) OJJDP is guided by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-415, 42 U.S.C. 5601 et seq.) and subsequent amendments. Of particular interest are these sections: JJ Facts and Figures, Grants & Funding, Resources, Programs, Publications and Calendar of Events. JJ Facts and Figures discusses caseflow through the JJ system and the Statistical Briefing Book provides statistics, charts, and tables to answer frequently-asked questions. New publications are highlighted on the home page and linked from the Publications page. On the Publications page is the NCJRS Abstract Database, described below. National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Abstracts Database The NCJRS database has more than 160,000 records and more than 45,000 titles that focus on juvenile justice, delinquency prevention, and missing and exploited children. Summaries of more than 160,000 criminal justice publications including: Federal, State, and local government reports, books, research reports, journal articles, and unpublished research. Use NCJRS to search more than 1,500 online full-text publications. May 22, 2003
10:43 AM
Terrific blog incorporating content on topics that I haven't even begun to explore in my blog. This blog is boringly librarianish in structure whereas Alanna's is more nuts-and-bolts public health and more chatty. Alanna brings in a lot of content from sites I didn't know about. Hopefully, each blog will compliment the other. Alanna's site is linked from the left navigation bar and will be a permanent link. Good job, Alanna! Testing the Fortitude of Iron in Cereals To address the problem of dietary iron deficiency, food producers enrich flour, maize and rice with iron and fortify breakfast cereals with this essential mineral. Yet there is little research on the absorption and utilization--also called bioavailability--of the various iron sources used to fortify foods today. Agricultural Research Service scientists at the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center (GFHNRC), Grand Forks, N.D., are working with Washington, D.C.-based SUSTAIN, to evaluate the bioavailability of "elemental iron powders" that are commonly used in food products such as ready-to-eat cereals. ARS is the chief scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. SUSTAIN is a nonprofit group dedicated to improving nutrition. For several decades, these powders have been the product of choice for boosting the iron content in breakfast cereals. As food fortifiers, they are relatively inexpensive and do not compromise product flavor, color or shelf life. But the powders are produced through several different methods. Each method yields a product with distinct physical properties that, in turn, affect each product's nutritional bioavailability. As a gauge for comparing the most commonly used iron powders, the researchers are using a soluble form of iron known to be highly bioavailable. Preliminary studies, led by nutritionist Janet Ross Hunt, head of the GFHNRC's Mineral Nutrient Utilization group, revealed considerable differences between the iron powders, with some only 20-25 percent as bioavailable as the highly absorbed iron that served as the standard. The preliminary study helped the scientists choose which powders to study further in humans. The team's next study, involving female volunteers, will test two of the powders against a placebo and the iron used as standard. The research will provide new information on the efficacy of elemental iron powders for improving iron status in humans. Read more about this in the May issue of Agricultural Research magazine, on the World Wide Web at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/may03/iron0503.htm Submitted by: Desiré H Stapley, RD, LD, Technical Information Specialist, Food and Nutrition Information Center, National Agricultural Library Pedestrian Summer in Seattle This brand new Web site opened today. When it's fully operational it will help people in Seattle, WA, walk safely along our busy, traffic-ridden streets. On the site you will find walking/exercise events. Eventually you will find sponsor information, teams, guides to walking safely and contact information. I loved the feet logos and links. Should be a helpful site when there's additional information for the public to view. May 20, 2003
11:57 AM
Good Nutrition Reading List (ADA) Revised 2002 The consumer market overflows with publications on nutrition, fitness, and health. The publications listed here represent resources covering a broad range of nutrition and health topics and provide reliable, timely nutrition information for personal, school, library, or community use. Most are available at local libraries and bookstores. This online guide identifies and describes nearly 100 books and newsletters that provide timely and scientifically-based nutrition information that you can trust. This is not a comprehensive list and inclusion does not represent endorsement by the American Dietetic Association or its Foundation. Source: American Dietetic Association staff May 20,
2003 11:57 AM
4People.org I found this link in the May 2003 H.E.R.E. Newsletter in the "Mentor of the Month" article about Kay Sparks, the Assessment Coordinator for Chelan-Douglas Health District (Washington State). The site is quite a find. This site is sponsored by a partnership of 8 Central Washington Counties: Adams, Douglas, Chelan, Grant, Kittitas, Lincoln, Okanogan and Yakima. Their stated mission is "Connecting People to Resources and Opportunities." On the site you will find a community calendar with links to meetings of all kinds of support groups including cancer, grief, domestic violence, gambling, addictions, disability and more. Of special interest to the public is the Directory of Services which can be accessed by categories (including through an outline of categories) or by using the simple/quick search or the advanced search engine. Spanish speakers will find Spanish-language resources and entries in the categories section (where resources are available). Volunteer opportunities are listed under: "How Can I Help?" Agencies are not forgotten either. Authorized agency staff can add and update information on the site. Staff can get access to shelter information, and to a valuable CommunityOS Knowledge Base. A well designed and useful site. May 15,
2003 10:57 AM
Community Information by Zipcode Find out what a Zip Code is. Get cartographic boundary
files, locate the Zip+4 for an address and other practical information
about Zip Codes. In addition, get information about people and households
by Zip Code including Caliper's online map library, basic tables with
information profiling a Zip Code (1990 Census data). There is some Education
content by Zip code and a lot of health information such as childhood
lead poisoning prevention, locator services, finding a dietition, and
quality of life. Environmental health information, business statistics
and political information by Zip Code are also aggregated at this site.
If this isn't enough information, use the resources listed in the Strategies
to Find More section.
Child Health USA 2002 The Maternal and Child Health Bureau recently issued Child Health USA 2002. In it you will find population characteristics of children and their mothers, the health status of various age groups (infants, children, adolescents), the health services that children use, including the disabled. Lastly state-specific data is provided on such topics as prenatal care, SCHIP enrollees, and insurance status. Limited city data is also available. Physical Activity Among Adults: United States, 2000 HHS' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a new report that shows about 1 in 5 American adults engage in a high level of overall physical activity, including both activity at work and during leisure time. At the other end of the spectrum, about 1 in 4 American adults engage in little or no regular physical activity. The report, "Physical Activity Among Adults: United States, 2000," is the first HHS report to focus on the amount of physical activity during a person's usual daily activities, including work, leisure time, or some combination of the two. The data comes from about 32,000 interviews conducted in 2000. The report also documents physical activity among different population groups. About 15 percent of Hispanic adults of all races engage in a high level of physical activity, about the same as African American adults (14 percent) and slightly less than white adults (20 percent). Source: press release 05/14/03 May 12,
2003 11:59 AM
Immunization Action Coalition The IAC provides interested parties with a source of childhood, adolescent, and adult immunization information and hepatitis B educational materials that is camera ready and copyright free. IAC's mission is to boost immunization rates and prevent disease. Find photos, videos, a catalog and non-English materials. For those who love to take tests on their knowledge, be sure to look at the available quizzes. The Reference Guide
for Substance-Abuse Prevention form
This PDF document provides names, URLs and 1-800 numbers for eleven drug prevention organizations. CDC - Continuation Guidance for Cooperative Agreement on Public Health Preparedness and Response for Bioterrorism – Budget Year Four This year CDC's guidance focuses on seven areas: preparedness
planning and readiness assessment; surveillance and epidemiology; laboratory
capacity for handling biologic agents; laboratory capacity for handling chemical
agents; health alert network and information technology; communicating health
risks and health information dissemination; and education and training. Smallpox
preparedness activities are included in these areas of focus.
National Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Program Cooperative Agreement Guidance The HRSA guidelines for cooperative agreements outline six priority areas: governance; regional surge capacity to handle terrorism victims; emergency medical services; hospital linkages to public health departments; education and preparedness training; and terrorism preparedness exercises. May 8,
2003 10:41 AM
Profiles in Science: Fred Lowe Soper
NLM has added the papers of public health expert, Fred Lowe Soper, to the Profiles in Science site (http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/). This site celebrates twentieth-century leaders in biomedical research and public health. It makes the archival collections of prominent scientists, physicians, and others who have advanced the scientific enterprise available to the public through modern digital technology. Fred Soper was an American epidemiologist and public health administrator who won the Lasker Award in 1946 - view the press release for more information. It's really wonderful that Soper's work in public health is being acknowledged in this way. The other Profiles include such scientists as Linus Pauling, Joshua Lederberg and Barbara McClintock. submitted by Marj Cahn, Head, National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR), National Library of Medicine, NIH, HHS Trends
in Unintentional Childhood Injury Mortality 1987-2000
SAFE KIDS has just released a report on Trends in Unintentional Childhood Injury Mortality. The press release says, "New research unveiled today by the National SAFE KIDS Campaign and Johnson & Johnson shows that from 1987 to 2000, the unintentional injury death rate for children 14 and under has dropped by nearly 40 percent. This is one of the most dramatic declines ever seen in a children’s
health issue. Despite this tremendous progress, however, unintentional
injuries remain the number one killer of children 14 and under
in the United States". The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) has developed a series of eight guidebooks with support from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). The following technical assistance guides, written in collaboration with leading experts, provide local school districts with information and resources to assist them in developing a comprehensive strategy to create a safe learning environment. Guide 1: "Creating Schoolwide Prevention and Intervention Strategies" Guide 2: "School Policies and Legal Issues Supporting Safe Schools" Guide 3: "Implementing Ongoing Staff Development To Enhance Safe Schools" Guide 4: "Ensuring Quality School Facilities and Security Technologies" Guide 5: "Fostering School-Law Enforcement Partnerships" Guide 6: "Instituting School-Based Links With Mental Health and Social Service Agencies" Guide 7: "Fostering School, Family, and Community Involvement" Guide 8: "Acquiring and Utilizing Resources To Enhance and Sustain a Safe Learning Environment " The guidebooks are available online at http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/pubs/delinq.html#ss To obtain a free CD containing all eight guides or for further information about this series, call NWREL toll free at 800-268-2275. For full-text publications, information on OJJDP, and other juvenile justice information, visit the OJJDP Web site at http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/ submitted by: Earl Appleby [EARL@OJP.USDOJ.GOV] May 6, 2003 3:41 PM Healthy Documents: Important documents that impact peoples' health Healthy Documents is a "compilation of resolutions, declarations and charters on health made at international meetings and also related UN instruments, such as international covenants, treaties, programmes and platforms of action which support these declarations and which are ratified by various governments. The declarations and UN instruments are in the areas of medical ethics, health rights, public health, health and social development, nutrition, children's health and women's health. It also showcases two organisations' advocacy work as an inspiring example of implementing a UN instrument and in realizing an international declaration. This publication is a source of useful information and an important action tool for advocacy to promote people's health". (Web site) Documents cover such topics as medical ethics, health rights, public health, development, nutrition, children, women, and case studies. Children and Weight: What Communities Can Do Kit This revised kit from the Center for Weight and Health Project, U.C. Berkeley, reflects data from NHANES 1999-2000. The Project is " designed respond to the increasing problem of childhood obesity by bringing people together and mobilizing local resources". Find community coalition updates, education and prevention tools, publications, organization and links, resource kits, education tools and presentations. AgeSource Worldwide AgeSource Worldwide is a new online database produced by AARP. AgeSource Worldwide is searchable free of charge. AgeSource Worldwide describes clearinghouses, databases, libraries, directories, statistical resources, bibliographies and reading lists, texts, and Web "metasites" focused on aging or closely allied subjects. The topics covered range from Alzheimer's disease to wills and estate planning. AgeSource Worldwide includes more than 200 information resources in 24 countries-with 125 based in the United States alone. Most of the information resources are located in North America and Europe. The international usefulness of AgeSource Worldwide is enhanced by having its navigation and help pages also available in French and Spanish. submitted by: Charlotte Nusberg, Coordinator for International Information, AARP. |
Recent Entries Alcohol-related Injury and Violence from The Trauma Foundation Closing the Health Gap(Office of Minority Health) Breastfeeding Educational Materials in Vietnamese Language (UC, Berkeley Extension) The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Abstracts Database Pedestrian Summer in Seattle Good Nutrition Reading List (ADA) Revised 2002 4People.org Community Information by Zipcode Child Health USA 2002 Physical Activity Among Adults: United States, 2000 Immunization Action Coalition The Reference Guide for Substance-Abuse Prevention form CDC - Continuation Guidance for Cooperative Agreement on Public Health Preparedness and Response for Bioterrorism – Budget Year Four National Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Program Cooperative Agreement Guidance Profiles in Science: Fred Lowe Soper Trends in Unintentional Childhood Injury Mortality 1987-2000 Guides to Creating Safer Schools Healthy Documents: Important documentsthat impact peoples' health Children and Weight: What Communities Can Do Kit AgeSource Worldwide EurasiaHealth Knowledge Network National Health Information Infrastructure 2003 (Conference) New Data on Dietary Protein and Bone Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf Health Economics Core Library Recommendations, 2003 Do You Know How Food Portions Have Changed in 20 Years? Enhancing Nutrition for an Ageing Population - Guidelines Consumer Confusion Cross Cultural Health Care Program Rural Health Care Division, USAC, Redesigned Web Site The plague within: an Australian doctor's experience of SARS in Hong Kong Window to My Environment (EPA)Office for Civil Rights - HIPAA Bioterrorism: Preparedness Varied Across State and Local Jurisdictions Nonprofit Good Practice Guide Tornado Safety Bullying.org CyberBullying Making Health Communication Programs Work: A Planner's Guide The Human Genome: your genes, your health, your future [PDF] Genetic blueprint for Q Fever Bacterium Steps to a HealthierUS: Putting Prevention First EQUIP (Electronic Quality Information for Patients) MEDLINEplus: Cancer Alternative Therapy American Public Health Association Food and Nutrition Section Web Site The Pill Center for Public Health and Disasters Food Bank of Delaware AlphaNet Kit Solutions South Texas Environmental Education and research (STEER), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Family PACT (Planning, Access, Care, Treatment) ADA Insights College of Nursing, University of Tennessee Workplace Health Group, University of Georgia National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Centers. Tobacco Prevention and Control Hepatitis C: Nutrition Care Canadian Guidelines Antimicrobial Resistance Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center Smallpox and its Eradication Medicaid Resource Book Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce Evaluating Health Information Send URLs to Larsson for Inclusion in this Weblog |
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