April 2013 marks the four year anniversary of the H1N1 “Swine” flu outbreak in the United States. Referred to as “pandemic H1N1/09” by the World Health Organization (WHO) and as “novel influenza A (H1N1)” by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the pandemic was first detected in the U.S. in...
When Good Food Goes Bad: Strengthening the US Response to Foodborne disease Outbreaks The Center for Biosecurity of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) has released a new report that highlights foodborne illness and the importance of early detection. The report suggests there is a strong need for the US...
In the wake of violence committed by those with mental illnesses, proper response has proven vital in saving lives and protecting law enforcement officers. The Council of State Governments Justice Center has prepared a report which discusses the way individual states across the country are now forming policies and community...
The Task Force to Study Access of Individuals with Mental Illness to Regulated Firearms, created during the 2012 session of the Maryland General Assembly, released a report this month examining “the links among individuals with mental illness, access to firearms, and a propensity for violence”. Input was received from various...
The Disaster Information Management Research Center of the National Library of Medicine has made available a new disaster topic page focused on Droughts and Health. The webpage looks primarily at the human health effects of drought conditions as experienced in the United States. “Health effects in the United States have...
Following last weeks shooting in Aurora, Colorado, many people might be wondering how to approach the sensitive situation of talking to children about the tragedy. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has just published an article titled, “Talking to Children about the Shooting,” which explains ways trusted adults can provide...
Three research institutes have collaborated on a project to map poverty zones in which human-livestock interaction is the most likely to foster outbreaks of zoonotic diseases. (These are sicknesses such as Avian influenza (H5N1) and Swine influenza (H1N1) which are present in animal populations but can be transmitted to humans)....
An annual report has been released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime titled “World Drug Report 2012.” This years report focuses on illicit drug problems and international cooperation for countering it. According to the report, nearly 230 million people are estimated to have used an illicit drug...
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) recently released a report titled ‘Parity for Patriots: The Mental Health Needs of Military Personnel, Veterans and their Families.’ This report examines the mental health issues that our country’s service members and their families face, and what can be done about it. “The...
In a news release recognizing June as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month, United States Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius issued the following statement: “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects 1 in 29 Americans, from our country’s service men and women to abused children and survivors of...
