SPH IN THE MEDIA
A
selection of stories about the School of Public Health
October 5–November 10, 2009
Medpedia project expands platform to include Q&A, news & analysis, and alerts
The Medpedia Project announced the addition of three new services on the beta version of the technology platform for the worldwide health community: Medpedia Answers for asking and answering medical and health questions; Medpedia Alerts for displaying real-time medical and health news alerts; and Medpedia News & Analysis for sharing medical news and analysis. Medpedia was developed in association with the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, Stanford University School of Medicine, and the University of Michigan Medical School.
PR Web (10 November)
San Diego County urges undocumented immigrants to get H1N1 vaccine
Undocumented immigrants aren't normally encouraged to access county health services. But local officials in San Diego County say it's a different story when it comes to preventing the spread of the H1N1 virus. Liliana Osorio of Health Initiative of the Americas is quoted.
KPBS (10 November)
The swine flu boogeyman
A Forbes commentary by Michael Fumento argues that the CDC has exaggerated the swine flu danger. Clinical Professor James Chin is quoted.
Forbes (7 November)
Gates Foundation awards $10.9 million to study impacts of sanitation on diseases
Researchers at UC Berkeley have received a five-year, $10.9 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to evaluate several interventions to combat diarrheal disease in developing countries. Quoted is Professor Jack Colford, who will coordinate the project, working with the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh and Innovations for Poverty Action.
UC Berkeley press release (5 November)
Daily Clog (7 November)
Tonic (12 November)
Huffington Post (12 November)
Physical education key to improving health in low-income adolescents
School-based physical education plays a key role in curbing obesity and improving fitness among adolescents from low-income communities, according to a new study led by researchers at UCSF and UC Berkeley. The study, which identifies opportunities for adolescents to improve their health based on routine daily activities, finds that regular participation in PE class is significantly associated with greater cardiovascular fitness and lower body mass index. Adjunct Professor Patricia Crawford, the study's senior author and director of the Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Center for Weight and Health, is quoted.
Eureka! Science News (5 November)
Op-ed: 2020 Vision looks beyond just improving schools
In an op-ed, Jennifer Tillett, a student in Lori Dorfman's Mass Communications and Public Health class, writes that the Berkeley Unified School District should seriously consider the recommendations of the 2020 Vision Planning Team in order to give Berkeley's most vulnerable youth a better chance to lead productive, healthy lives.
Berkeley Daily Planet (5 November)
Family planning averts global warming
Professor Malcolm Potts discussed the link between global warming and a woman's right to decide whether and when to have a child, at the 5th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights held in Beijing.
Philippine Star (5 November)
Professors urge union of two health care models
An article in the New England Journal of Medicine, authored by Diane R. Rittenhouse from Dartmouth, UC Berkeley School of Public Health Dean Stephen M. Shortell, and Elliott S. Fisher from UCSF, advocates that Congress integrate two models of health care delivery reform that are generally discussed separately. Dean Shortell is quoted.
The Dartmouth (3 November)
New study suggests multivitamin supplements may play role in preventing miscarriage associated with drinking
Results of a new study may be good news for millions of women who drink moderately during early pregnancy and their risk of miscarriage. Researchers associated with the Alcohol Research Group, a program of the Public Health Institute and the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, have found that multivitamin supplements may play a protective role against miscarriages attributed to early pregnancy alcohol consumption.
Ascribe (2 November)
Op-ed: Soot causes lung problems, period
Professor John R. Balmes responds to a column that questioned the science behind the California Air Resources Board's diesel emissions standards. Balmes, a member of the California Air Resources Board, defends the evidence supporting the urgency of reducing public exposure to diesel soot.
Bakersfield Californian (31 October)
San Francisco has health care for all
As the United States struggles to come up with a system of universal health care coverage, one city is already running a program that guarantees access to medical services for the uninsured. Associate Professor William Dow is interviewed.
CNBC, Healthy Horizons (link to video) (30 October)
Swine flu vaccine
On Forum with Michael Krasny, a panel including Professor Arthur Reingold discusses where H1N1 vaccines will be available across the Bay Area, who most needs to be vaccinated, and how to differentiate H1N1 from seasonal flu.
KQED Radio (link to audio) (28 October)
Obama declares swine flu emergency
President Obama declared swine flu a national emergency, a move intended to give hospitals and other medical facilities more flexibility in coping with the possible surge of infected patients. The declaration does not signify an increase in severity of the national H1N1 outbreak. Professor Arthur Reingold is quoted.
San Francisco Chronicle (25 October)
UN urged to add "responsible sex" as Millennium Development Goal
At a ceremony in Berkeley marking the 64th anniversary of the United Nations, Professor Malcolm Potts said that the UN should name responsible sex as another Millennium Development Goal, to allow women to decide when to get pregnant and how many children to have. The UN Association of the East Bay sponsored the ceremony and presented an award to the UC Berkeley School of Public Health for its work to improve health and life expectancy worldwide.
UG Pulse (Uganda) (24 October)
Swine flu vaccine slowly trickles in
Availability of swine flu vaccine in the Bay Area is limited, and delays are expected. Professor Arthur Reingold comments.
San Francisco Chronicle (22 October)
The hidden costs of energy production
A report just released by the National Academies of Science estimates the "hidden" costs of energy production and use at $120 billion in the U.S. in 2005. These costs, which include human health effects, physical damages to buildings and other structures, and reduction in grain crop harvests caused by air pollution are not reflected in market prices of coal, oil, other energy sources, or the electricity and gasoline produced from them. Adjunct Professor Thomas McKone, one of the report's authors, is quoted.
Environmental Expert (22 October)
Family planning policy applauded
China's family planning policy received cautious praise at an international conference for its positive effects on the country, and even the world's environment. Professor Malcolm Potts is quoted.
China Daily (21 October)
Letter: Worry about Pakistan before Iran
Professor Malcolm Potts writes that demography should be considered when thinking about foreign policy. In Iran, where family size is plummeting, there will be fewer men in the most volatile age group, while in Pakistan, there will be more, many of them poorly educated and unemployed.
Newsweek (19 October)
Wash those hands with soap
Simple practices such as washing your hands or sneezing into your elbow can go a long way toward preventing spread of disease. Adjunct Professor Mark Nicas comments.
New University Online (18 October)
Smog tougher on the obese
Air pollution appears to hit the obese hardest, causing significant increases in blood pressure, finds a new study led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Associate Professor Michael Jerrett comments on the study.
Atlanta Journal Constitution (15 October)
Analysis of studies suggests link between cell phones and brain tumors
An analysis of data from 23 epidemiological studies found no connection between cellphone use and the development of cancerous or benign tumors. But when eight of the studies that were conducted with the most scientific rigor were analyzed, cellphone users were shown to have a 10 to 30 percent increased risk of tumors compared with people who rarely or never used the phones. The risk was highest among those who had used cellphones for 10 years or more. Joel Moskowitz, director of the Center for Family and Community Health, senior author of the study, is quoted.
Atlanta Journal Constitution (13 October)
HealthNews (16 October)
CNN (10 November)
The story was carried in more than 215 additional media outlets, including Alegent Health, ANTARA News – Indonesia, Arthemia, Austin American-Statesman, Bio-Medicine, CBS 19 KYTX (Tyler, Texas), China.com,Cleveland Clinic, Congoo, Cultural Enterprise(Vietnam), Drugs.com, EmpowerHer, Foodconsumer.org, Glam UK, Global Times, Health.com, Healthfinder.gov, HealthGrades, KPVI News 6 (Pocatello, Idaho), KSCW TV (Kansas), KTVN 2 (Reno, NV), Liputan6 Tekno (Indonesia), LiveScience, LookatVietnam, MedicineNet.com, Modern Medicine, MSN Health & Fitness, News-medical.net, Newstin, OnePakistan News, The Oxford Press (Oxford, Ohio), People Daily (France), Relevant News, Shenzhen Daily, Sina English (China), Silobreaker, SlashPhone, Smart Now, Sudan Vision (Sudan), Suncoast.com – ABC 7 (Florida), TampaBay.com - St. Petersburg Times, TMCnet,
Topix, University of Minnesota Medical Center—Fairview, Veria, Vietnamnet Bridge,
Vitabeat: Health & Wellness, WCTV (Tallahassee, Florida), WFIE 14 (Evansville, Indiana), Wired PR News, WMBF News (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina), Womenshealth.gov, World News, Xinhuanet: China View, Yahoo! News, Yourtotalhealth, Z News Today
Cold/flu products: What works, what doesn't
A sidebar to an article about cold/flu prevention and treatment cites Professor Arthur Reingold's warning that hand-washing may not be as effective in preventing transmission of the flu virus as it is in preventing transmission of other viruses and bacteria.
Forbes (12 October)
Chemical reform
For 30 years, EPA has been forced to rely on industry to police itself to protect the public from hazardous chemicals. Now, the agency aims to re-invent the Toxic Substances Control Act, or TOSCA, to give EPA greater regulating authority. On Public Radio International's Living on Earth, host Jeff Young talks with Megan Schwarzman from UC Berkeley's Center for Occupational and Environmental Health about what effect the suggested reforms might have on international commerce, public health, and green chemistry innovation.
Living on Earth (link to audio) (9 October)
Universal access to health care is critical—and H1N1 proves it
When outbreaks like H1N1 happen, the public is forced to face the reality that it's in everyone's best interest for the people around us to have access to health care—even if they are uninsured or undocumented. For that reason, and to raise awareness about this critical issue, community clinics throughout California hosted health events from October 5 to 15 as part of Binational Health Week, a project of Health Initiative of the Americas at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health.
Capitol Weekly (8 October)
In San Francisco, another kind of public option
Associate Professor William Dow discusses Healthy San Francisco, the city's effort to provide health insurance to the uninsured, in the New York Times Prescriptions Blog.
New York Times (7 October)
Campus holds forum on health care reform
A panel of experts from UC Berkeley spoke at a campus forum on Oct. 1 to address issues in the debate over health care reform. Associate Professor William Dow and Professor Helen Halpin, both of whom were panelists, are quoted in the story.
Daily Californian (5 October)
Healthy San Francisco
The U.S. Supreme Court is delaying action on a lawsuit filed against the Healthy San Francisco program until after it hears President Obama's stance. At issue is whether companies with more than 20 employees should have to either provide health care, or pay into a public pot. Associate Professor William Dow discusses this as a panelist on KQED's Forum with Michael Krasny.
KQED (link to audio) (10/7/09)
Note: Web links listed above are time sensitive, so some stories may become unavailable. In addition, some newspapers require registration in order to view the content.