1) Compendium of Measures to Prevent Disease Associated with Animals in Public Settings, 2009 (source: CDC’s MMWR)
“Certain venues encourage or permit the public to be in contact with animals, resulting in millions of human-animal interactions each year. These settings include county or state fairs, petting zoos, animal swap meets, pet stores, zoologic institutions, circuses, carnivals, educational farms, livestock-birthing exhibits, educational exhibits at schools and child-care facilities, and wildlife photo opportunities. Although human-animal contact has many benefits, many human health problems are associated with these settings, including infectious diseases, exposure to rabies, and injuries.”
2) Where Does the Burden Lie?: Medicaid and Medicare Spending for Dual Eligible Beneficiaries (Kaiser Family Foundation)
“This issue brief analyzes Medicare and Medicaid spending on the “dual eligibles” — those who are simultaneously enrolled in both programs. These seniors and non-elderly people with disabilities are among the nation’s most vulnerable populations. They are generally low-income, in poor health and have considerable health care needs, making them one of the most costly populations covered by public health programs. The brief fills in important gaps in information about dual eligibles by analyzing the demographic and health characteristics of the dual eligible population and their patterns of service utilization and spending under both the Medicare and Medicaid programs.”
3) Combining and Health Care Reform with Large Health Saving Accounts (HSA) by Michael F. Cannon (source: Cato Tax and Budget Bulletin no.23, May, 2005)
I know this is an older article, however there are some interesting points that the author makes. Implementing a Health Saving Account system, which Singapore utilizes in their highly praised health system, would require employees to set aside a percentage of their income for health expenditures.
“At TED2009, Al Gore presents updated slides from around the globe to make the case that worrying climate trends are even worse than scientists predicted, and to make clear his stance on “clean coal.”
“Hans Rosling unveils new data visuals that untangle the complex risk factors of one of the world’s deadliest (and most misunderstood) diseases: HIV. He argues that preventing transmissions — not drug treatments — is the key to ending the epidemic.”
1) Healthy San Francisco (Kaiser Family Foundation)
"In 2007, San Francisco became the first city in the nation to begin implementation of a plan to provide health care services to all uninsured residents. Healthy San Francisco is not health insurance, but rather it provides access to affordable basic and ongoing health care services for uninsured residents. The program provides medical homes to uninsured adults and focuses on prevention and the management of chronic conditions."
2) The U.S. Government’s Global Health Policy Architecture: Structure, Programs and Funding (Kaiser Family Foundation)
"This report provides the first comprehensive look at the U.S. government agencies and programs involved in the nation’s global health response, including their funding and their approaches. Federal funding for such initiatives reached $9.6 billion in fiscal year 2008, more than double the amount just four years earlier.
The report also provides overviews of the large-scale global health initiatives of the U.S. government, information on which countries receive support from the U.S., and a review of the key laws governing U.S. global health policy and relevant Congressional committees."
3) The Swine Flue: Fact of Fiction? (source: Mercola.com)
“It is important to note that nearly all suspected new cases have been reported as mild. Preliminary scientific evidence is also pointing out that this virus is NOT as potent as initially thought.
But it does raise serious questions about where this brand new, never before seen virus came from, especially since it cannot be contracted from eating pork products, and has never before been seen in pigs, and contains traits from the bird flu — and which, so far, only seems to respond to Tamiflu. Are we just that lucky, or… what?”
"This series of implementation briefs called “CHIP Tips” examines new opportunities for covering children following the reauthorization and expansion of CHIP in February 2009. Together Medicaid and CHIP provide coverage for more than one in four children in the U.S., yet many others remain eligible but uninsured."
"According to CDC’s Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, life expectancy and overall health have improved in recent years for most Americans, but not all Americans are benefiting equally."
Since the American Academy of Pediatrics published a statement titled "InfectionControl in Physicians’ Offices" (Pediatrics . 2000;105[6]:1361–1369), there have been significant changes that prompted this updated statement. Infection prevention andcontrol is an integral part of pediatric practice in ambulatory medical settings as well as in hospitals. Infection prevention and control practices should begin at the time the ambulatory visit is scheduled. All health care personnel should be educated regarding the routes of transmission and techniques used to prevent transmission of infectious agents. Policies for infection prevention and control should be written, readily available, updated annually, and enforced. The standard precautions for hospitalized patients from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with a modification from the American Academy of Pediatrics exempting the use of gloves for routine diaper changes and wiping a well child’s nose or tears, are appropriate for most patient encounters. As employers, pediatricians are required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to take precautions to identify and protect employees who are likely to be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials while on the job. Key principles of standard precautions include hand hygiene (ie, use of alcohol-based hand rub or hand-washing with soap [plain or antimicrobial] and water) before and after every patient contact; implementation of respiratory hygiene and cough-etiquette strategies for patients with suspected influenza or infection with another respiratory tract pathogen to the extent feasible; separation of infected, contagious children from uninfected children when feasible; safe handling and disposal of needles and other sharp medical devices and evaluation and implementation of needle-safety devices; appropriate use of personal protective equipment such as gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection; and appropriate sterilization, disinfection , and antisepsis.
Ali Al-Rajhi writes with the purpose of informing individuals in the Public Health field about pressing issues in environmental health, public health policy, epidemiology, and behavioral health. Learn more here.
