What is public health?

"'We found that participants using oral contraceptive pills, a transdermal patch or a vaginal ring had a risk of contraceptive failure that was 20 times as high as the risk among those using long-acting reversible contraception,' said the research team... Long-term contraception methods include intrauterine devices (IUDs), hormone shots and skin implants."

Sun, 10 Jun 2012 09:30:03 -0400

"'We found that participants using oral contraceptive pills, a transdermal patch or a vaginal ring had a risk of contraceptive failure that was 20 times as high as the risk among those using long-acting reversible contraception,' said the research team... Long-term contraception methods include intrauterine devices (IUDs), hormone shots and skin implants.":

Family planning is public health.

"Even a moderate amount of sugary beverage consumption - we are talking about one can of soda every day - is associated with a significant 20% increased risk of heart disease even after adjusting for a wide range of cardiovascular risk factors."

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:25:45 -0400

"Even a moderate amount of sugary beverage consumption - we are talking about one can of soda every day - is associated with a significant 20% increased risk of heart disease even after adjusting for a wide range of cardiovascular risk factors.":

Identifying risk factors for disease is public health.

"Clinic nurses around the world are being trained to use a solution of table vinegar - 5% acetic acid - to detect cancer. By brushing it directly onto the cervix, nurses can see within three to five minutes whether any precancerous lesions exist, because the vinegar turns them white."

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:27:00 -0400

"Clinic nurses around the world are being trained to use a solution of table vinegar - 5% acetic acid - to detect cancer. By brushing it directly onto the cervix, nurses can see within three to five minutes whether any precancerous lesions exist, because the vinegar turns them white.":

Accessible screening tools are public health.

"An international team of researchers analyzed 26 studies that included nearly 20,000 women from 14 countries and found that the risk of cervical cancer in women who used IUDs was nearly half that of women who never used them."

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:22:14 -0400

"An international team of researchers analyzed 26 studies that included nearly 20,000 women from 14 countries and found that the risk of cervical cancer in women who used IUDs was nearly half that of women who never used them.":

Contraceptive choice is public health. Reducing cancer rates is also public health.

"'We know that solutions as simple as keeping newborns warm, clean and properly breastfed can keep them alive,' said Save the Children's Dr. Joy Lawn, a study coauthor, in the statement, 'but many countries are in desperate need of more and better trained front-line health workers to teach these basic lifesaving practices.'"

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:00:00 -0400

"'We know that solutions as simple as keeping newborns warm, clean and properly breastfed can keep them alive,' said Save the Children's Dr. Joy Lawn, a study coauthor, in the statement, 'but many countries are in desperate need of more and better trained front-line health workers to teach these basic lifesaving practices.'":

Infant mortality rates are public health. Health education is also public health.

"Forget mosquito netting and bug spray. Researchers are focusing on another way to reduce the numbers of the malaria-spreading blood-suckers: introduce spermless males into the population. Female mosquitoes who mated with these genetically altered males produced sterile eggs that didn't hatch."

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:45:12 -0400

"Forget mosquito netting and bug spray. Researchers are focusing on another way to reduce the numbers of the malaria-spreading blood-suckers: introduce spermless males into the population. Female mosquitoes who mated with these genetically altered males produced sterile eggs that didn't hatch.":

Reducing disease vectors is public health.

"While maternal mortality rates throughout Africa are falling, in South Africa they rose from 150 deaths per 100,000 births in 1998 to 625 in 2007. The authors wrote that South Africa's goal of reducing its high maternal death rate by 75% between 1998 and 2015 will not occur if the current lack of oversight and accountability for recurrent problems in the health system and abuses carried out by medical staff are allowed to continue."

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:13:54 -0400

"While maternal mortality rates throughout Africa are falling, in South Africa they rose from 150 deaths per 100,000 births in 1998 to 625 in 2007. The authors wrote that South Africa's goal of reducing its high maternal death rate by 75% between 1998 and 2015 will not occur if the current lack of oversight and accountability for recurrent problems in the health system and abuses carried out by medical staff are allowed to continue.":

Maternal mortality rates and maternity care practices are both public health.

Proper infant feeding and instilling good eating examples early...

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:14:00 -0400

Proper infant feeding and instilling good eating examples early on is public health. Glorifying soda drinks to children is NOT public health.

Vehicle crash test videos!

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 10:09:46 -0400

Vehicle crash test videos!:

Vehicle safety is public health.

[But, really, these are just awesome videos.]

How much sunscreen should I wear?

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:09:24 -0400

How much sunscreen should I wear?:

Making health education fun and easy to understand helps public health. Also, sun safety is public health.

"Wake County Human Services, in partnership with Safe Kids Wake County, will demonstrate the dangers of leaving a child in a hot car... Staff will be roasting s'mores in a vehicle, while sharing safety information with parents and caregivers."

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:07:02 -0400

"Wake County Human Services, in partnership with Safe Kids Wake County, will demonstrate the dangers of leaving a child in a hot car... Staff will be roasting s'mores in a vehicle, while sharing safety information with parents and caregivers.":

Vehicle and heat safety are both public health.

In 1971, Cigarette advertising was banned from US television and...

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:34:44 -0400

In 1971, Cigarette advertising was banned from US television and radio in the ‘Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act’. Prior to this, cigarette ads were ubiquitous and incorporated into movies, tv shows, and even children’s cartoons. Recently, tobacco companies have even been prohibited from sponsoring sports, music and cultural events. Smoking cessation is public health.

"No innovation in the past 200 years has done more to save lives and improve health than the sanitation revolution triggered by invention of the toilet," Sylvia Mathews Burwell, president of the foundation's global development program, said in a statement. "But it did not go far enough. It only reached one-third of the world. What we need are new approaches. New ideas. In short, we need to reinvent the toilet."

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 10:46:30 -0400

"No innovation in the past 200 years has done more to save lives and improve health than the sanitation revolution triggered by invention of the toilet," Sylvia Mathews Burwell, president of the foundation's global development program, said in a statement. "But it did not go far enough. It only reached one-third of the world. What we need are new approaches. New ideas. In short, we need to reinvent the toilet.":

Sanitation is public health.

"Yesterday, an Institute of Medicine panel released its recommendations to the federal government about which services for women should insurance companies be obliged to cover. Chief among the eight recommendations was that birth control should be made available without need for a patient copay."

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 10:29:30 -0400

"Yesterday, an Institute of Medicine panel released its recommendations to the federal government about which services for women should insurance companies be obliged to cover. Chief among the eight recommendations was that birth control should be made available without need for a patient copay.":

Half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended. Increasing access to contraception is public health.

(It should also be noted that research shows that ANY contraceptive method is always more cost effective than using NO contraceptive method.)

Exploding condoms - Product quality and testing of public health...

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:40:24 -0400

Exploding condoms - Product quality and testing of public health technologies is public health.

Ohio Department of Health believes Breast Milk Satisfies....

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:28:23 -0400

Ohio Department of Health believes Breast Milk Satisfies. Breastfeeding promotion is public health.

See link for further reactions from Ohio residents: http://blogs.babble.com/strollerderby/2010/04/20/breastfeeding-baby-ad-bothers-ohio-residents/

National Science Foundation - Visualization Challenge

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:19:08 -0400

National Science Foundation - Visualization Challenge:

‘Science and Engineering’s Most Powerful Statements Are Not Made From Words Alone’

What would a Public Health Entry look like?

"The doll, which comes with a special halter top with two flowers positioned where nipples would be, makes suckling sounds when its mouth is brought close to sensors embedded in the flowers."

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:12:42 -0400

"The doll, which comes with a special halter top with two flowers positioned where nipples would be, makes suckling sounds when its mouth is brought close to sensors embedded in the flowers.":

Normalizing breastfeeding can lead to higher rates of optimal infant feeding, which is good for public health.

"Kids are twice as safe when their grandparents are behind the wheel instead of their parents, a new study shows."

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 09:41:00 -0400

"Kids are twice as safe when their grandparents are behind the wheel instead of their parents, a new study shows.":

Safe driving is public health.

"Provincial health inspector Jose Sanay says blindness and other symptoms shown by the victims suggest they ingested methyl alcohol. Methyl alcohol is a toxic substance sometimes used to illegally produce cheap liquor."

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 23:20:00 -0400

"Provincial health inspector Jose Sanay says blindness and other symptoms shown by the victims suggest they ingested methyl alcohol. Methyl alcohol is a toxic substance sometimes used to illegally produce cheap liquor.":

Governmental supervision in ensuring manufacturing standards, especially for food and drink, is public health.