Katrina Hurricaine and health response

Public Health Response and Katrina Hurricane (Louisiana, 2005)
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I want to share with you this very important news about Katrina, which was published by Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) through its MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report).

"On August 29, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast near the Louisiana-Mississippi border as a category 3 hurricane. The effect of earlier category 5 wind speeds on Gulf waters and the massive size of the storm combined to create devastating storm-surge conditions for coastal Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama and damage as far east as the Florida panhandle. Storm-induced breeches in the New Orleans levee system resulted in the catastrophic flooding of approximately 80% of that city. Hurricane Katrina was the deadliest hurricane to strike the United States since 1928. Preliminary mortality reports indicate approximately 1,000 Katrina-related deaths in Louisiana, 200 in Mississippi, and 20 in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia".

Katrina catastrophic effects are still to be overcome, the public health response documented in this CDC report (1) corresponds to the first two months after Hurricane Katrina has occurred.
"This issue focuses on public health activities during which time local authorities reopened portions of New Orleans and the pre-disaster population began to return. Reports in this issue describe a range of public health disaster-response activities, including morbidity surveillance, shelter-based surveillance, community health and needs assessment, environmental assessment, and infectious-disease case investigation".

If you are interested, please click below:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/


Reference: 1.- Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita - Louisiana, 2005, MMWR 2006, 55:29-30

Environmental Health Educator
1/21/06

Smoking Cessation

Smoking Cessation and New York State
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According to the American Lung Association (ALA): " Each year, 438,000 people die of tobacco related illness in the U.S. This costs Americans $167 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity every year."

The positive side of the tobacco issues is that smoking rates are decreasing , and cigarrete taxation is being increased. All indoor public places in New York State (NYS) are smoke free, and New York State got the following grades in the ALA report card:


Grades: Smokefree Air ................................................. A


Youth Access ................................................. A


Tobacco Prevention and Control Spending ..... F


Cigarette Tax...................................................... B


Source: American Lung Association, State of Tobacco Control Report 2005
http://lungaction.org/reports/reportcard05.tcl?geo_area_id=36


Environmental Health Educator
1/19/06

Exposure to Ambient Photochemicals Oxidants

Association between exposure to ambient photochemical oxidants and health
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A recent research study demostrated an association between exposure to ambient photochemical oxidants (Ozone) and the health related quality of life (vitality or mental health domain).

Individuals who were expose to a higher concentration of photochemical oxidants showed a significant linear trend to a lower vitality score.

Then, be aware of the dangers of Ozone exposure, and other photochemical oxidants.

If you are interested in this study, please click below:
http://jech.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/60/2/173?ct

Environmental Health Educator
1/15/06

Food Allergies

Food allergies and Respiratory allergies
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Some people suffer from all types of allergies , such as respiratory allergies, skin allergies, and food allergies.

I want to let you know that since January 1, 2006 , the FDA (Food and Drug Administration in USA) requires all food products should contain a food allergen related information, when the food product contains a food allergen.

"FDA is requiring food labels to clearly state if food products contain any ingredients that contain protein derived from the eight major allergenic foods. As a result of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA), manufacturers are required to identify in plain English the presence of ingredients that contain protein derived from milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, or soybeans." (1)

1. FDA news, 12/20/05
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2005/NEW01281.html

Environmental Health educator
1/10/06

Asthma and Obesity

Association of Asthma and Obesity
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Medical Research found a genetic link between Asthma and Obesity. Asthma as well as Obesity are common disorders, which are produced due to the presence of the same set of genetic factors, genetic pleiotropy (1) or also environmental factors? And how about occupational factors?.


Source: December issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Dr. Teal Hallstrand, University of Washington