| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
AJPH
NEWS Release
EMBARGOED UNTIL June 25, 2002, 4:00 PM (ET)
CONTACT: For copies of articles, call Natalie Raynor, (202) 777-2511
All articles are online at www.ajph.org
American Journal of Public Health: July 2002 Highlights
The articles highlighted below appear in the July 2002 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, the Journal of the American Public Health Association.
__________
Sunscreen Not Found To Increase Melanoma Risk
Several studies have suggested that sunscreen use could
increase the risk for skin cancer. However, that's not the case,
according to a new study that finds no relationship between use
of topical sunscreen and an increased risk of malignant melanoma.
The study involved analysis of data gleaned from 11 previously
conducted case-controlled studies encompassing more than 9,000
patients. The researchers emphasize that the effect of solar radiation
on melanoma development is more complex than other types of skin
cancer, and that many unanswered questions remain regarding factors
that may influence melanoma development. However, they concluded
"Until more conclusive data are available, recommending use
of sunscreens as a cancer prevention strategy would appear to
be prudent."
[From: "Use of Topical Sunscreens
and the Risk of Malignant Melanoma: A Meta-Analysis of 9067 Patients
From 11 Case-Control Studies." Contact: Michael Huncharek,
MD, MPH, FACA, Meta-Analysis Research Group, metaresearch@hotmail.com.]
Hospital Nurses Twice As Likely to Suffer Needlestick
Injuries When Staffing, Working Climate Poor
Hospital nurses working on nursing units with low staffing and
poor working climates were twice as likely to suffer needlestick
injuries as their counterparts from better-managed units. The
investigators analyzed data on needlestick exposures and near-misses
among almost 1,000 nurses over different one-month periods in
1990 and 1991. Staffing levels and data about working climate
and risk factors for needlestick injuries were collected in 20
general hospitals in 11 cities. The researchers concluded, "Remedying
problems with understaffing, inadequate administrative support
and poor morale in hospitals may turn out to be among the most
important steps in building a safer healthcare system."
[From: "Effects of Hospital
Staffing and Organizational Climate on Needlestick Injuries to
Nurses." Contact: Sean P. Clarke, PhD, RN, University of
Pennsylvania School of Nursing, sclarke@nursing.upenn.edu.]
Community-Based Family Planning Program Effective For
Women in Pakistan
After decades of failure, the Pakistani government has
found that community-based programs are starting to have an impact
on contraceptive use. Currently, the most promising method of
contraceptive delivery is use of specially trained literate women
to provide information and services in their own and surrounding
villages. A comparison of overall prevalence of contraceptive
use, based on 1994-95 and 1996-97 surveys, found that prevalence
of contraceptive use increased from 11% to 19%. Married women
living within five kilometers of two community-based workers were
significantly more likely to be using a modern, reversible method
of contraception then those in localities with little or no access.
"A steady expansion of current community-based programs may
be the most effective way in the short term of meeting the huge
potential demand for contraceptive services in rural Pakistan
and in facilitating fertility decline."
[From: "Assessment of a
New Approach to Family Planning Services in Rural Pakistan."
Contact: John G. Cleland, MA, London School of Hygiene and Tropical
Medicine, john.cleland@lshtm.ac.uk.]
Chlamydial Infection Common Among Young Men
A new study says chlamydial infection among young men
in the United States is common, and suggests that screening efforts
for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) should be broadened.
Chlamydial infection was detected in 3.1 percent of the 470 teenagers
(ages 18-19) and 4.5 percent of the 995 young adults (ages 22-26)
interviewed; the investigators consider these conservative estimates
of total national prevalence. A minority of those infected were
symptomatic or had been tested for STDs, however. Very few knew
they were infected.
[From: "Risk Behaviors,
Medical Care, and Chlamydial Infection Among Young Men in the
United States." Contact: Leighton Ku, Center on Budget and
Policy Priorities, ku@cbpp.org.]
Reporters Cite Difficulty Interpreting Health News
Almost 83 percent of health reporters receive no training
to cover their beat, and the majority say they have difficulty
understanding key health issues. Between 66 percent and 85 percent
of 115 survey respondents assessed four tasks vital to sound health
reporting as "sometimes difficult" to "nearly always
difficult." These reporters, from daily newspapers in 5 Midwest
states, most often cited four troublesome skills: understanding
key health issues, putting health news in context, producing balanced
stories on deadline, and interpreting statistics. Respondents
with the least experience reported the highest perceived ability.
About half of the reporters agreed that the media often do not
provide context, "suggesting that criticisms of news coverage
by those outside journalism are valid."
[From: "Checking the Pulse:
Midwestern Reporters' Opinions on Their Ability to Report Health
Care News." Contact: Melinda Voss, University of Minnesota,
vossx017@umn.edu.]
The American Journal of Public Health is the monthly Journal of the American Public Health Association, the oldest and largest organization of public health professionals in the world and the foremost publisher of public health-related books and periodicals promoting high scientific standards, action programs and policy for good health. The Journal is online at www.ajph.org.
to receive a complimentary subscription. Access to abstracts, news releases, and alerting services is free to all readers.-->To see previous news releases, visit our News Release Archive
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH |