Health is a unity and harmony within the mind, body and spirit which is unique to each person, and is as defined by that person. The level of wellness or health is, in part, determined by the ability to deal with and defend against stress. Health is determined by physiological, psychological, socio-cultural, spiritual, and developmental stage variables.
WHO agreed on a research agenda on climate change and public health – World Health Organization. – A meeting of experts convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Madrid agreed to a research agenda to develop an evidence-based framework for action on the human health implications of climate change.
New prenatal test for Down syndrome less risky than amniocentesis, Stanford/Packard scientists say. – Pregnant women worried about their babies’ genetic health face a tough decision: get prenatal gene testing and risk miscarriage, or skip the tests and miss the chance to learn of genetic defects before birth.
‘Deadly dozen’ reports diseases worsened by climate change – Health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society. – Health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society released a report that lists 12 pathogens that could spread into new regions as a result of climate change, with potential impacts to both human and wildlife health and global economies.
Volunteering more than 15 hours a week causes a sharp decrease in satisfaction with life and emotional health. – Doing volunteer work is good for your well being, but it is possible to have too much of a good thing ? with those volunteering more than 15 hours a week showing a sharp decrease in their satisfaction with life and emotional health, according to an academic from The Australian National University.
Air pollution may increase risk of appendicitis; Researchers offer provocative new theory for common cause of surgery. – Could there be a link between high levels of air pollution and the risk of appendicitis? New research presented at the 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in Orlando, suggests a novel connection.
Free drug samples carry risks for children. First of its kind study finds safety concerns in frequently distributed samples – Free prescription drug samples distributed to children may be unsafe, according to a study by physicians from Cambridge Health Alliance and Hasbro Children’s Hospital.
Medicare policy to withhold payments to hospitals that harm patients goes into effect october 1. Non-payment rules seek to spur hospitals to improve patient safety. – New US federal regulations to restrict Medicare payments to hospitals for the extra care required to treat patients harmed by certain preventable infections and medical errors go into effect on Wednesday, October 1.
Smoking and solid fuel use in homes in China projected to cause millions of deaths. Large-scale interventions needed to reduce disease burden. – If current levels of smoking and biomass and coal fuel use in homes continues, between 2003 and 2033 there will be an estimated 65 million deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 18 million deaths from lung cancer in China, accounting for 19% and 5% of all deaths in that country during this period.
US FDA issues Interim Safety and Risk Assessment of Melamine and Melamine-related Compounds in Food. – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the results of its interim safety and risk assessment of melamine and melamine-related compounds in food, including infant formula.
Employees who take long spells of sick leave more than once in three years are at a higher risk of death than their colleagues who take no such absence, particularly if their absence is due to circulatory or psychiatric problems or for surgery. – Major diagnoses for medically certified absences were associated with increased mortality, with the exception of musculoskeletal disease. Data on sickness absence diagnoses may provide useful information to identify groups with increased health risk and a need for targeted interventions.
With more than two million people dying from alcohol-related causes annually, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) is launching a month-long online forum to give a voice to the public on how to curb harmful consumption. – Each year, more than two million people die from alcohol-related causes. WHO was asked by its Member States in May at the World Health Assembly to develop a global strategy to combat the harmful use of alcohol.
A unique longitudinal study is the first to analyze insomnia in adolescents both in association with mental health problems during adolescence and as a risk factor for mental health problems in young adulthood – Adolescent insomnia symptoms are associated with depression, suic_ide ideation and attempts, and the use of alcohol, cannabis and other drugs such as cocaine.
