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Item $2.2 million training grant to reduce health disparities(2012-02-14) Engebretson, Mark; Jean ForsterItem Aging and nutrition(2009-03-24) Engebretson, Mark; Pam SchreinerWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. Many middle-aged and older Americans are not getting adequate nutrition – even those taking dietary supplements. That’s according to a study involving 6,200 people, ages 45 to 84, and included African Americans, Chinese, Hispanics, and whites. Pam Schreiner, a University of Minnesota epidemiologist, led the study. Schreiner says she believes that more education and more prevention are needed. For John Finnegan and Public Health Moment, I’m Mark Engebretson.Item Alcohol advertisements(2007-08-27) Finnegan, John; Keryn PaschWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. Adolescents who attend schools in neighborhoods where alcohol advertisements are prominent are more likely to drink alcohol. That’s according to Keryn Pasch, lead author of the study conducted by the University of Minnesota and University of Florida. Pasch says that the effectiveness of such advertising should prompt elected officials to enact restrictions on where it can be displayed.Item Alcohol and Super Bowl Parties(2011-01-28) Engebretson, Mark; Darin EricksonWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. Super Bowl parties have become sort of an American tradition. They are a special time for friends to gather to watch football, funny TV commercials, and to eat – and drink. That last part can be a bit dangerous. A recent University of Minnesota study found that about 8 percent of fans watching games at sports stadiums are legally drunk when they leave. Can that behavior translate to Super Bowl parties? Darin Erickson, a University of Minnesota epidemiologist who led the study, thinks so. Erickson recommends planning ahead. For Public Health Moment, I’m Mark EngebretsonItem and breast cancer(2010-01-21) Finnegan, John; Beth VirnigWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. Ductal carcinoma in situ -- or DCIS -- is defined as an abnormal collection of cells in the milk ducts of the breast. Today, DCIS accounts for about a fourth of all positive breast cancer screenings. But DCIS is not itself considered breast cancer. As a result, it remains unclear how aggressively to treat the condition. That’s according to University of Minnesota health policy professor Beth Virnig. In a report last week for the National Cancer, she and her colleagues called for more research. Virnig notes that treatments for DCIS can often result in complications and side effects. For Public Health Moment, I’m John FinneganItem Asthma and children and indoor air pollutants(2006-10-31) Finnegan, John; Ian GreavesItem Asthma and health insurance(2012-04-02) Engebretson, Mark; Pinar Karaca-MandicWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. Studies have shown that uninsured children have less access to health care services. But what about children with insurance that carries expensive out-of-pocket costs? University of Minnesota assistant professor Pinar Karaca-Mandic recently completed a study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, that looked at children with asthma. Karaca-Mandic found that children of parents who pay more out-of-pocket costs use their asthma control medication less often and have more asthma-related hospitalizations. For Public Health Moment, I’m Mark EngebretsonItem Atrial Fibiliration Month(2011-09-20) Engebretson, Mark; Alvaro AlonsoWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. September is atrial fibrillation month, a time to raise awareness about this condition, which causes an irregular and often rapid heart rate. Atrial fibrillation affects more than 2 million Americans. According to Alvaro Alonzo, an associate professor of public health at the University of Minnesota, an irregular heartbeat can lead to stroke, heart failure, and an early death. Recent research by Alonzo, however, has found that the condition is preventable by, among other things, improving diet and increasing exercise. Although the results were not surprising, Alonzo said that this was the first time a large study was undertaken to show this relationship between an irregular heartbeat and cardiovascular risk factors. For public health moment, I'm Mark Engebretson.Item Binge drinking(2009-04-07) Finnegan, John; Mandy StahreWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. Binge drinking is common among active-duty military personnel, according to a new study released by the University of Minnesota and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the study, involving more than 16,000 military personnel, binge drinking was reported by 43 percent of military personnel during the past month. How does one define binge drinking? Lead author of the study, Mandy Stahre, a University of Minnesota Ph.D. student, explains. Stahre says the study shows that binge drinking is a significant public health problem. With another Public Health Moment, I’m John Finnegan.Item Binge Drinking(2007-12-10) Finnegan, John; Toben NelsonWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. The Upper Midwest has some of the highest rates of binge drinking in the United States. The tragic death of 21-year-old Mankato woman is the most recent example. Toben Nelson, a University of Minnesota epidemiologist, has advice for parents. Nelson believes that lawmakers also have a role. For example, he says that research has shown that increasing the tax on alcohol products would be an effective way to reduce underage drinking. With another Public Health Moment, I’m John Finnegan.Item Binge drinking has declined(2007-04-16) Finnegan, John; Rhonda Jones-WebbItem Biostats and NCAA BB tourney(2007-03-07) Finnegan, John; Brad CarlinWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. It’s March Madness time. The NCAA basketball playoffs begin March 13. Let’s say you’re in an office pool and you need advice in picking winners. Who do you call? How about Brad Carlin, a biostatistician at the University of Minnesota.Item Biotech drugs and arthritis(2010-06-14) Finnegan, John; Pinar Karaca-MandicWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. Biotech drugs used to treat people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis cost as much as 10 times more than conventional medicine. But often they are also more effective. But a new study shows that arthritis sufferers are less likely to use these more powerful drugs if their health insurance provider requires a higher co-pay to purchase them. University of Minnesota health policy professor Pinar Karaca-Mandic, the study’s lead researcher, explains. She says that health insurance companies need to establish more flexible guidelines that ensure that those who would truly benefit from the drugs can afford to take them. With another Public Health Moment, I’m John Finnegan.Item Bird Flu(2012-04-24) Engebretson, Mark; Nick KelleyWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. For weeks, scientific debate has focused on the publication of two studies that document the lab creation of H1N1 virus, or bird flu. The debate included varying opinions about the case-fatality rate – in other words, how deadly the virus might be if transferred to the human population. But Nick Kelley, a researcher with the University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, says that part of the debate misses the point.Item Blue Zones Project(2009-06-25) Finnegan, John; Leslie LyttleWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. Albert Lea, Minnesota is the center of an innovative, ten-month pilot project designed to improve the health and life expectancy of people who live and work there. It’s called the AARP Blue Zones Vitality Project. Leslie Lyttle, a University of Minnesota epidemiology professor, is co-director of the project. Lyttle says that instead of focusing on diet and exercise, the project encourages the best practices of the world's longest-lived populations with strategies such as making it easier to get around on and encouraging the development of social networks. With another Public Health Moment I’m John Finnegan.Item Body shape and colon cancer(2010-10-08) Engebretson, Mark; Anna PrizmentWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. New research provides one more reason to stay in shape. In a study of 1,100 postmenopausal women suffering from colon cancer, researchers found that women carrying excess weight in the waist and hips may be at increased risk of death. Anna Prizment, a cancer epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota, led the study. According to the American Cancer Society, people 50 and over should get regular screenings, such as colonoscopy. Based on her research, Prizment doesn’t have specific advice for women, other than to maintain a healthy weight throughout life. For Public Health Moment, I’m Mark Engebretson.Item Calls for taxing soda pop(2012-02-24) Engebretson, Mark; Roger FeldmanWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. An increasing number of public health experts are calling for a soda pop tax as a way to combat obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, while reducing health care costs. Roger Feldman, a professor and health policy expert at the University of Minnesota, recently wrote an op/ed on the subject. Feldman said he’s confident a pop tax would work, based on our history with cigarette taxes. For Public Health Moment, I’m Mark Engebretson.Item Cancer Survivors and Returning to Work(2010-07-26) Finnegan, John; Nancy NachreinerWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. More than 11 million Americans are cancer survivors and the number is growing. Yet little is known about how to help working-age cancer survivors as they return to their jobs and try to balance work, life, and their health. Nancy Nachreiner, an environmental health professor at the University of Minnesota, is trying to help. Recently, she conducted a study involving 110 working-age women who are cancer survivors. The Minnesota Medical Foundation funded the study. Nachreiner says that the study results can help survivors, health providers, and employers. With another Public Health Moment, I’m John Finnegan.Item Car safety-air bags and seat belts(2007-06-01) Finnegan, John; Toben NelsonWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. About 40,000 Americans die each year from injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents. As the summer vacation season begins, families should be mindful of the importance of seat belts as well as the benefits, and potential dangers, of air bags, says Toben Nelson, a University of Minnesota epidemiologist. Air bags have been credited with saving about 14,000 lives, but Nelson adds that studies have shown them to be dangerous for children and adults of short stature. With another Public Health Moment, I’m John Finnegan.Item Caring for Aging Parents(2011-03-22) Engebretson, Mark; Robert KaneWelcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. A few years ago, Robert Kane, a professor and expert on aging at the University of Minnesota, was suddenly thrust into the role of caregiver for his mother. The problems he encountered with our nation’s long-term care system prompted him to write a book, titled: "It Shouldn't Be This Way: The Failure of Long-Term Care." Now, Kane has written a second book, “The Good Caregiver.” Kane provides advice to other caregivers. For Public Health Moment, I’m Mark Engebretson.