Pediatric News articles from September 2005

Pediatric News archives from September 2005

Concierge care gives time for kids.(News)(pediatrician practices on retainer)
September 1, 2005... The pace of his practice finally got to Scott Serbin, M.D. Last December, he left the urban Pittsburgh practice where he and one other pediatrician cared for 2,500 young patients. He went solo, establishing what he says is the first...

Studies confirm pimecrolimus for atopic dermatitis; treatment reduces flares, need for steroid.(News)
September 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Initiating treatment with pimecrolimus cream 1% during the early signs of atopic dermatitis in infants and children significantly reduced the incidence of flares, prolonged flare-free intervals, and reduced the need for a topical...

FDA panel supports two asthma bronchodilators.(News)
September 1, 2005... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- The two long-acting inhaled [beta.sub.2]-agonist bronchodilators available in the United States, salmeterol and formoterol, should remain on the market for people with asthma, but certain safety-related warnings in their...

Information technology used mostly for electronic billing in 2003.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
September 1, 2005... Information Technology Used Mostly For Electronic Billing in 2003 Electronic billing 73% Electronic medical records 17% Computerized prescription order entry 8% Note: Based on estimated data...

Behavioral defects in FAE children may be due to genetic psychiatric disorders.(News)
September 1, 2005... GRAPEVINE, TEX. -- The behavioral and cognitive defects in children with fetal alcohol effects may be partly due to genetic psychiatric disorders, researchers reported in a poster presentation at a meeting sponsored by the American College of...

Feds urged to buy all vaccines for flu pandemic.(News)
September 1, 2005... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- Should the United States face an influenza pandemic, the federal government should buy all the vaccine, members of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee agreed at a joint meeting with the Advisory Committee on Immunization...

Millions of doses of avian flu vaccine on order.(News)
September 1, 2005... The U.S. government aims to buy millions of doses of avian influenza vaccine, which preliminary data have shown produces a robust immune response against the A H5N1 virus in some doses. "We have been asked to provide up to 20 million doses...

FDA announces new rules for isotretinoin Rx.(News)
September 1, 2005... In a move that caught many in the medical community by surprise, the Food and Drug Administration last month announced a comprehensive and mandatory--risk management program for the teratogenic acne drug isotretinoin that demands complete...

Patients embrace computer-based tools.(News)(computerized medical history questionnaires )
September 1, 2005... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- Patients are willing to give computerized medical history questionnaires a try in the primary care setting, Dr. Paul Smith said at a meeting sponsored by the Medical Records Institute. Although computer patient...

Lorenzo's oil prevents ALD progression.(News)(cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Lorenzo's oil prevented the development of symptoms of cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy in 74% of asymptomatic boys who had been diagnosed with the disease. Hugo Moser, M.D., and his colleagues recommend that the oil be offered to all...

CDC calls for improved asthma management in high schools.(News)
September 1, 2005... Approximately one in six U.S. high school students has asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC examined data from the 2003 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) of public and private school students...

Two markers for metabolic syndrome in females.(News)
September 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Pregnancy-induced hypertension and polycystic ovarian syndrome may be risk markers for later development of metabolic syndrome, Stephen Franks, M.D., said at an international conference on women, heart disease, and stroke. The...

Use of term "metabolic syndrome" questioned: all cardiovascular disease risk factors should be individually and aggressively treated.(News)
September 1, 2005... Physicians should avoid labeling patients with the term "metabolic syndrome," at least until its meaning and medical usefulness can be further clarified, the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes...

Intensity of smoking may be linked to metabolic syndrome.(News)
September 1, 2005... Intensity of exposure to tobacco smoke appears to be associated with the rate of metabolic syndrome in a dose-response relationship in adolescents, according to a study in the cross-sectional third National Health and Nutrition Examination...

Secondhand smoke, lead exposures on the decline.(News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Exposure to secondhand smoke dropped by 68% in children, 69% in adolescents, and 75% in adults during the period between 1988-1991 measurements and 1999-2002 measurements, according to a report on exposure to environmental chemicals from the...

Wash your hands after using computers.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2005... LOS ANGELES -- Computer keyboards and keyboard covers harbored vancomycin-resistant Enterococcusfaecium and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus for more than 24 hours, during which time the bacteria easily spread to bare, and in some...

Varicella hospitalization down by 88%.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Hospitalizations for varicella have declined 88% since 1994-1995, with the biggest decrease seen among infants. Because infants are not eligible to receive the vaccine, "The decline reflects reduced force of varicella infection in the...

Consider cat scratch disease in unknown fever.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- Cat scratch disease is a surprisingly common cause of prolonged, alarming fever in children, Sheldon L. Kaplan, M.D., said at a meeting on clinical pediatrics sponsored by the University of California, San Francisco. ...

Autonomic neuropathy due to metronidazole.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... SAVANNAH, GA. -- Brief metronidazole treatment has been associated with a case of reversible autonomic neuropathy in a 15-year-old girl, Lisa Hobson-Webb, M.D., reported in a poster at the annual meeting of the American Association of...

Dating violence link to STDs.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Approximately 1 in 3 girls (31.5%) in grades 9-12 who reported sexual activity also reported sexual or physical violence from their dating partners in a study of 1,641 girls, reported Michele R. Decker of Harvard School of Public Health,...

Predicting STI risk in teens.(Clinical Capsules)(sexually transmitted infections )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Teenagers who thought that their parents would strongly disapprove of their having sex were less likely to have developed sexually transmitted infections 6 years later, said Carol A. Ford, M.D., of the University of North Carolina at Chapel...

Knowledgeable but not using it.(Clinical Capsules)
September 1, 2005... Adolescent girls at high risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections who participated in a recent study were knowledgeable about common birth control methods, but most reported having unprotected sex. Of 332 girls aged 12-18...

Hepatitis rates decline.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The incidence of hepatitis dropped from 35% to 19% among children aged 2-18 years between a baseline period of 1990-1997 and 2003, said Annemarie Wasley, Sc.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, and her colleagues. The...

New Mexico teen contracts bubonic plague.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... A case of bubonic plague was confirmed in a teenaged boy in New Mexico this summer, according to the New Mexico Department of Health. The boy was the first known human case of plague in New Mexico this year; no cases occurred in 2004, and...

Combo beats azithromycin for resistant AOM.(Infectious Diseases)( bacterial acute otitis media)
September 1, 2005... An amoxicillin/clavulanate combination was significantly more effective than azithromycin in eliminating bacterial acute otitis media, including penicillin-resistant strains, reported Alejandro Hoberman, M.D., of the Children's Hospital of...

Gatifloxacin is safe and effective for otitis media.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2005... Gatifloxacin appears to be both safe and highly effective in treating acute and recurrent otitis media in children, and is not associated with either acute or long-term joint disorders, Michael Pichichero, M.D., and his colleagues reported. ...

Live strains soon gone after switch to IPV.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2005... Live, attenuated poliovirus vaccine strains do not persist for extended periods after the oral vaccine is replaced by the inactivated poliovirus vaccine in a developed country with a temperate climate, Q. Sue Huang, Ph.D., and colleagues...

Weigh special issues in immunocompromised.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2005... ASPEN, COLO. -- Two groups of immunocompromised children present special challenges in community-based practices, Elizabeth J. McFarland, M.D., said at a conference on pediatric infectious diseases, sponsored by Children's Hospital, Denver. ...

Rapid tests not fully reliable for diagnosing strep.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2005... ASPEN, COLO. -- Rapid antigen detection tests have a high false-negative rate, and cannot be relied upon to diagnosis strep throat without a confirmatory throat culture, according to S. Michael Marcy, M.D. "Many people are using antigen...

Standard vaccines don't appear to promote nontargeted infections.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2005... No significant relationship was found between routine childhood vaccines and hospitalizations for nontargeted infections in a population-based study of 805,206 children younger than 5 years, said Anders Hviid, M.Sc., and colleagues at the...

Prenatal GBS screening: less likely in Hispanic women, others.(Infectious Diseases)(group B streptococcus)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Hispanic women and those who receive prenatal care at a hospital or clinic were less likely to be screened for group B streptococcus in North Carolina during 2002-2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. In 2002, the...

Kingella kingae emerging.(ID Consult)
September 1, 2005... Skeletal infection has always been among the top five reasons for inpatient pediatric infectious disease consultations in our institution. Early diagnosis, prompt surgical drainage, and appropriate antimicrobial therapy remain the keys to good...

Accelerate routine vaccines for young travelers.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2005... ASPEN, COLO. -- Routine vaccinations can be accelerated to protect very young travelers against infectious diseases in developing countries, Sarah K. Parker, M.D., advised at a conference on pediatric infectious diseases sponsored by Children's...

Azithromycin for shigellosis: an opaque future.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2005... Azithromycin may be an adequate agent for treating drug-resistant shigellosis, but physicians need to be aware that interpreting susceptibility of Shigella sonnei to it using standard in vitro susceptibility testing is difficult, investigators...

Model helps reduce chest x-ray usage.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... A predictive model can be used to identify children who need a chest x-ray during a work-up for lower respiratory infection, E. Melinda Mahabee-Gittens, M.D., and her colleagues reported. The variables include age, respirations, oxygen...

Immunization info lagging for children under 6.(Infectious Diseases)(Healthy People 2010 goals)
September 1, 2005... Fewer than half of U.S. children under 6 years of age participated in an immunization information system in 2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. One of the Healthy People 2010 goals is to increase to at least 95%...

Young children in first tier for flu vaccine.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2005... In the event of an influenza vaccine shortage during the 2005-2006 season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised physicians to prioritize people age 65 years and older with comorbid conditions if their local vaccine...

Second thoughts on second opinions.(Letters From Maine)(Column)
September 1, 2005... It is quite unsettling enough to hear a physician exclaim, "We've never seen a case like this before," but when the surgeon you've known for more than 2 decades is talking about your 2-kg, not-quite-33-week-gestational-age granddaughter, it's...

The horizontal filing cabinet.(managing desk top clutter)(Editorial)
September 1, 2005... Do you have stacks and stacks of "important" tasks piled on your desk? If so, you're far from alone. A majority of the physicians' desktops I've seen are littered with letters, folders, journals, charts, mail, books, and other paraphernalia,...

Adoption and its challenges.(Behavioral Consult)
September 1, 2005... When people think about adoption, they often envision a childless couple adopting an American baby unrelated to them but of the same race, with the hope of offering a better life to the child of an unwed mother. While this type of adoption does...

Antidrug messages result in youth substance abuse decline.(Behavioral Consult)
September 1, 2005... Kids appear to be listening to messages about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, according to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Youths who reported talking to at least one parent about the topics or hearing anti-substance...

Stimulants for ADHD: no higher drug abuse seen.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2005... YOSEMITE, CALIF. -- Will my child become a dope fiend? That's a common question Robert S. McKelvey, M.D., fields from parents of children who are prescribed a class II stimulant for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). "The...

Screen for heart conditions before stimulant Rx.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- When prescribing stimulants for children, play it safe and screen for heart conditions, said Howard Schubiner, M.D., at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Although population-based studies fail to show a...

Methylphenidate patch for ADHD shows promise.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... A methylphenidate transdermal system used for 3 months yielded improvement in ADHD symptoms similar to those achieved with standard methylphenidate, said William E. Pelham, Ph.D., of the State University of New York at Buffalo, and his...

Depression is first, before conduct Dx.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(conduct disorder)
September 1, 2005... SANTA FE, N.M. -- A study of children's autonomic responses to reward and negative mood induction suggests that when conduct disorder and depression are comorbid, depression is the primary disorder. In a poster presentation at the annual...

Anxiety disorders: teaching coping skills key.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- Childhood anxiety needs to be demystified, and children should be provided with coping skills to overcome their fears, said Barbara Howard, M.D., a behavioral pediatrician at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. "Children deal...

Hypnosis requires creativity, not a pocket watch.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Swinging watches and sleeplike states are not necessary in modern clinical hypnosis. "Modern clinical hypnosis involves the facilitation of an intensified state of awareness that allows us to change maladaptive...

Drugs may expand list of autism interventions: stimulants for attention-deficit disorder and using SSRIs may aid in access to nondrug treatments.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2005... SANTA FE, N.M. -- Pharmacotherapy does not cure autism, but it can make autistic children accessible to other modes of treatment, Bennett L. Leventhal, M.D., said at a psychiatric symposium sponsored by the University of Arizona. "There...

Other drugs may benefit ADHD when stimulants don't work.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- Options are available for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder who do not respond to treatment with stimulants or are troubled by side effects, but they must be chosen and used carefully, Laurence L. Greenhill,...

Procedural pain is often undertreated in infants and children in the ED: infants feel and remember painful experiences, and the intensity of their pain may be heightened.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Not only do infants feel pain and remember painful experiences, but this pain may be magnified in the very young, said Robert M. Kennedy, M.D., at the first annual Advanced Pediatric Emergency Medicine Assembly. "When I first...

Many fallacies surround anorexia nervosa: despite public and medical misperceptions, disorder is called a brain disorder, not a psychosocial disease.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... PORTLAND, ORE. -- Despite common perceptions among medical professionals and the general public, anorexia nervosa is not a psychosocial disease, Julie K. O'Toole, M.D., said at a conference sponsored by the North Pacific Pediatric Society ...

Global brachial plexus injuries at birth best treated by surgical reconstruction.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... FAJARDO, P.R. -- Surgery is the best option for treatment in children with global brachial plexus birth palsies, a study suggests. Final shoulder function in 36 infants with such injuries who underwent surgery was fair in 22% of patients,...

Children need eye exams before starting school.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... All children should have a comprehensive eye exam by 3 years of age, Joel Zaba, O.D., said at a teleconference sponsored by the Vision Council of America. Approximately 80% of a child's learning occurs through the visual processing of...

Aczone Gel, 5% and Adderall XR.(New & Approved)
September 1, 2005... Aczone Gel, 5% (Dapsone gel, QLT Inc.) The Food and Drug Administration approved Aczone (dapsone) Gel, 5% for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 12 years old and older. * Recommended Dosage: Gently wash skin and...

Tips to boost adherence to acne Tx.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- Lack of treatment efficacy is only one of the reasons that acne therapy often fails in teenagers, Lee T. Zane, M.D., reported at a meeting on clinical pediatrics sponsored by the University of California, San Francisco. ...

Dermatitis requires multifaceted approach.(Clinical Rounds)(pediatric atopic dermatitis)
September 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- Atopic dermatitis is a multifactorial disease requiring multimodal treatment, Jeffrey Sugarman, M.D., said at a meeting on clinical pediatrics sponsored by the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Sugarman of the...

Assess acne vulgaris patients for presence of lesions on trunk.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... MIAMI BEACH -- Be vigilant for acne vulgaris on the trunk because almost half of acne patients might have it on their shoulders, chest, or back, according to a presentation at a symposium sponsored by the Florida Society of Dermatology and...

Adapalene trial offers rare look at long-term results of acne Tx.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... MAUI, HAWAII -- An open-label trial of adapalene gel 0.3% offered a rare long-term look at efficacy beyond the standard duration of most clinical acne medication trials. "Most of the trials that we do with retinoids or topical acne...

Acne algorithm depends on severity.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- Joseph A. Zane, M.D., offered an algorithm for the treatment of acne that depends on the severity of the disease. Dr. Zane, a dermatologist at the University of California, San Francisco, gave the algorithm at a meeting on...

Treat teens' dysfunctional bleeding with OCs.(Clinical Rounds)(oral contraceptives)
September 1, 2005... BALTIMORE -- Dysfunctional uterine bleeding in girls is most common during the first 2 years after menarche, when girls are anovulatory, said Maria Trent, M.D., at a pediatric endocrinology meeting sponsored by Johns Hopkins University. ...

The many facets of Alopecia areata Tx explored.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Alopecia areata can be emotionally devastating for young girls and boys, so treatment should include psychological support, Ronald C. Hansen, M.D., said at a pediatric update sponsored by Phoenix Children's Hospital. ...

Researchers back wet combing as preferred treatment for head lice.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... Combing wet hair with conditioner and a fine-tooth comb is four times more effective at curing pediculosis than water-based, over-the-counter pediculicide shampoos, Nigel Hill, Ph.D., and his colleagues reported. The study contradicts...

Association between CNS, pigmentary anomalies is rare.(Clinical Rounds)(diagnosing central nervous system problems)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... ROME -- Children with pigmentary anomalies along the lines of Blaschko should be watched for signs of central nervous system problems at least until the age of 2 years, because these problems will emerge by then in 90% of children who have...

Know skin-related signs of Kawasaki disease.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Be vigilant about changes to the skin that suggest a diagnosis of Kawasaki disease in infants and children, Jane Burns, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Society of Pediatric Dermatology. "We don't want to miss the...

Puzzles in pediatric dermatology: diagnostic tips.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Pediatric skin conditions often pose diagnostic challenges because many cutaneous disorders have similar clinical features. Annular lesions of granuloma annulare may be mistaken for tinea corporis; nail psoriasis may be...

Astigmatism, amblyopia often seen in ocular hemangiomas.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... QUEBEC CITY -- Periorbital hemangiomas that appear small clinically may reveal characteristics on ultrasound or radiologic imaging that should prompt an ophthalmologic evaluation, Julie powell, M.D., reported at the annual conference of the...

Clinic aims to include lung in sickle cell care.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- Acute chest syndrome accounts for 25% of deaths in sickle cell disease, and yet, some pulmonologists say, the lung remains an underappreciated facet of this disease. Unlike in cystic fibrosis, where intense effort...

Diesel exhaust suspected to make infants wheeze.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... Infants who live near roads with lots of stop-and-go bus and truck traffic are significantly more likely to develop wheezing than those who live near steady traffic or those who aren't exposed to much traffic, Patrick Ryan and his associates...

Dietary guidelines chair reflects on criticisms.(Clinical Rounds)(2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans)
September 1, 2005... STANFORD, CALIF. -- Some public reactions to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans surprised the scientific advisory committee that helped create the document, the chair of the committee said at a conference on perinatal and pediatric...

Guidelines for obese kids: control calories, promote activity.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... STANFORD, CALIF. -- In the ideologic tug-of-war among nutritionists about how best to help obese children, the 2005 federal dietary guidelines pull for controlling children's consumption of calories. "We emphasize that modest reductions in...

To measure or not to measure dietary nutrition: recommended amounts could cross division of responsibility, undermine self-regulation in feeding.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... STANFORD, CALIF. -- The 2005 federal dietary guidelines could do more harm than good if parents try to push their children to eat specific amounts of foods recommended in the guidelines, Ellyn Satter said at a conference on perinatal and...

Almost-toddler stage often marked by feeding struggles.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... STANFORD, CALIF -- In the lives of infants and children, pre-toddlers aged 8-10 months have the highest incidence of feeding problems, Ellyn Satter said at a conference on perinatal and pediatric nutrition. It's important for physicians to...

Polysomnography not always indicated in young.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... PORTLAND, ORE. -- Polysomnography may be the gold standard in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea, but in children it should be reserved for high-risk patients, Mark A. Richardson, M.D., said at a conference sponsored by the North Pacific...

Latinos at higher risk of becoming overweight by 4.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Latino children, especially boys, are becoming overweight significantly earlier than other children, Gilbert C. Liu, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies. By age 4, approximately 20% of Latino...

Sleep-disordered breathing negatively affects IQ.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Cognitive deficits in children treated for sleep-disordered breathing may not be totally reversible, Jane E Gaultney, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and her associates reported in a poster session at a...

With sickle cell disease, address sleep problems.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Pain and stress caused by sickle cell disease were significantly associated with poor sleep quality and longer sleep duration periods in a study of 24 children aged 8-12 years, Cecelia R. Valrie said at a recent meeting of the...

Would merging medical practices work for you?(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Pediatric practices of all sizes, even solo practices, must know their numbers, including their overhead, payroll, patient load, and cost of supplies, in order to survive, Charles A. Scott, M.D., and Herschel R. Lessin, M.D., said in...

Patient safety law will take time to implement.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The patient safety system signed into law this summer by President Bush likely will take many months to implement; but, after operating so long in an environment of liability fear, doctors may take even longer to trust it, said...

Free guide helps address language access issues.(Practice Trends)(Addressing Language Access in Your Practice: A Toolkit for Physicians and Their Staff Members)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... A new guide produced by the California Academy of Family Physicians aims to bridge the gap between physicians and patients with limited English proficiency. "Nationwide--but particularly in states like California, New York, Texas, Florida,...

Rise in uninsured children.(Policy & Practice)(medically uninsured children)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... One-third of the uninsured children in this country went without medical care for an entire year, according to "Going Without: America's Uninsured Children," a report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. By comparison, nearly 88% of insured...

Kids shape up.(Policy & Practice)(Shaping America's Health: Association for Weight Management and Obesity Prevention)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... A new obesity-prevention initiative chartered by the American Diabetes Association aims to provide leadership and information "to help families and communities make improved nutrition and greater physical activity a priority, especially for...

Teen driving.(Policy & Practice)(motor vehicle death statistics)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Although most recognize that the summer driving season is dangerous for teens, September is the third deadliest month for teen motor vehicle deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Of the 6,434 youth (involving...

The meth crisis continues.(Policy & Practice)(methamphetamine crisis)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The methamphetamine crisis has meant major problems for law enforcement and child welfare workers, according to two new surveys by the National Association of Counties. The first survey, which included responses from 500 local law enforcement...

Influence of free drug samples.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Readily accessible, free drug samples can influence the prescribing behavior of residents, according to a study from the University of Minnesota and Abbott Northwestern Hospital, in Minneapolis. Researchers observed 29 internal medicine...