Annual Editions:: Health 10/11

Preface

Correlation Guide

Topic Guide

Internet References

UNIT 1:: Promoting Healthy Behavior Change

Unit Overview

1. Are Bad Times Healthy?, Tara Parker-Pope, The New York Times, October 7, 2008

Economic studies suggest that during boom times, most people dont take good care of themselves. They drink too much, overeat, and avoid exercise because theyre too busy. In the past, during hard times people were healthier and death rates due to cardiovascular disease and automobile accidents declined.

2. The Perils of Higher Education, Steven Kotler, Psychology Today, March/April 2005

While college is a place to learn and grow, for many students it becomes four years of sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, and excessive use of alcohol. While the negative health behaviors of college students are detrimental to their overall health, there is evidence that engaging in these poor health habits can be devastating to learning and memory.

3. We Can Do Better—Improving the Health of the American People, Steven A. Schroeder, New England Journal of Medicine, September 20, 2007

While the United States spends more on health care than any other nation, it does poorly on most measures of health status. Steven Schroeder maintains that better health is linked to five domains including health behaviors such as smoking and obesity.

4. On the Road to Wellness, Amy Winterfeld, State Legislatures, February 2007

U.S. lawmakers want Americans to improve their health habits by eating better, stopping smoking, exercising, and reducing stress. Their incentive:: treatment for chronic diseases makes up 75 percent of health care expenditures each year.

UNIT 2:: Stress and Mental Health

Unit Overview

5. Redefining Depression as Mere Sadness, Ronald Pies, The New York Times, June 16, 2008

Should patients who suffer from a personal or professional loss always be treated for clinical depression? And what is the distinction between normal and abnormal responses to lifes circumstances? Dr. Pies believes that its valuable to treat individuals with profound sadness as depressed and will continue to provide whatever therapeutic treatment will make the patient feel better.

6. Stressed out Nation, Zak Stambor, Monitor on Psychology, April 2006

While everyone experiences stress to some degree, its important to know how to be an effective stress manager. Overeating, using drugs, tobacco, or alcohol is a vicious cycle which can lead to health concerns that will actually increase stress.

7. Seasonal Affective Disorder, Stephen J. Lurie et al., American Family Physician, November 1, 2006

Individuals with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) experience periods of major depression that typically occur during the winter when there is less light during the day. Therapy includes light treatment as well as drug and cognitive behavior therapy.

8. Dealing with the Stressed, Ken MacQueen, Macleans, October 15, 2007

Though stress in the workplace costs the economy billions of dollars per year, its not always clear what it is or how it can be addressed.

UNIT 3:: Nutritional Health

Unit Overview

9. Fat City, Corby Kummer, The Atlantic, March 2007

New York City banned trans fats from all restaurants and other food service establishments. These artificial fats have been linked to heart disease and many doctors believe the ban will improve public health.

10. Eating Well on a Downsized Food Budget, Jane E. Brody, New York Times, March 3, 2009

With the recent downturn in the economy, it may be time to return to the basics—healthy and reasonably priced foods that have been ignored by many affluent families.

11. Suck on This, Pat Thomas, The Ecologist, May 2006

In the past 60 years, mothers have increasingly abandoned breastfeeding in favor of formula. The health consequences of formula include increased risks for babies of developing diabetes, eczema, and certain cancers as well as twice the overall risk of dying in the first six weeks of life.

12. An Oldie Vies for Nutrient of the Decade, Jane E. Brody, The New York Times, February 19, 2008

New research on vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, suggests current recommendations may be inadequate, particularly for the elderly. The data also indicates that vitamin D may help reduce the incidence of diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes.

13. What Good Is Breakfast?, Amanda Fortini, New York, June 9, 2008

Eating breakfast regularly has been linked with less obesity and better overall health. Researchers, however, are unclear over why breakfast eaters are healthier and thinner. Other research indicates that children who eat breakfast are more likely to do well in school.

UNIT 4:: Exercise and Weight Management

Unit Overview

14. A Big-Time Injury Striking Little Players Knees, Gina Kolata, The New York Times, February 18, 2008

Torn ligaments pose a serious risk for growing bones. As more and more children are playing sports competitively, and more have access to MRI machines when they injure their knees, there has been a rise in the number of diagnoses of torn anterior cruciate ligaments (A.C.L.), the main ligament that stabilizes the knee joint.

15. The Skinny Sweepstakes, Hara Estroff Marano, Psychology Today, January/February 2008

Many college women strive and compete with each other for the perfect and thinnest body. In doing so, colleges are reporting increased numbers of young women suffering from eating disorders.

16. Dieting on a Budget, Consumer Reports, February 2009

With the economy in a downturn, the editors of Consumer Reports offer advice on how to lose weight without spending a fortune.

17. Fat Chance, Susan Okie, Natural History, February 2005

The current trend of serving supersize meals and portions to inactive children is contributing to an epidemic of childhood obesity. Among children, overweight or obesity can lead to lifelong weight problems and all associated medical problems. While genes play a role, much obesity is related to eating more calories than are expended. This affects hormones that regulate hunger, satiety, and metabolism.

UNIT 5:: Drugs and Health

Unit Overview

18. Great Drug, but Does It Prolong Life?, Tara Parker-Pope, The New York Times, January 29, 2008

Statin drugs are among the most prescribed medications in the United States. Advertisements claim they not only lower serum cholesterol, but actually reduce the risk of heart disease. The reality may not be as clear as new research indicates—the drug may not prolong life and may not benefit those who have high cholesterol but not heart disease.

19. Some Cold Medicines Moved Behind Counter, Linda Bren, FDA Consumer, July/August 2006

As part of the fight against illicit drug production and abuse, certain over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines are being taken off the shelves and stored behind the counter. Many of these nonprescription drugs are ingredients in illegally produced methamphetamine.

20. Drinking Too Much, Too Young, Garry Boulard, State Legislatures, April 2005

Every year up to 1,400 college students die from alcohol-related causes, mostly drinking and driving. Frequent drinkers are also eight times more likely to miss a class, fall behind in school work, damage property, and/or become injured while drinking. Legislatures try to find answers to the problems associated with binge drinking among young people.

21. The Changing Face of Teenage Drug Abuse—The Trend toward Prescription Drugs, Richard A. Friedman, New England Journal of Medicine, April 6, 2006

The article describes the growing non-medical use of prescription analgesics, such as oxycodone, and sedatives among teenagers in the United States. The article also expresses concern about common misjudgments made by the general public regarding prescription drug versus illegal street drug use and abuse. The careless monitoring and regulation of addictive narcotics by physicians as well as the increasing direct-to-consumer advertising by pharmaceutical companies are other issues raised.

22. Helping Workers Kick the Habit, Pamela Babcock, HR Magazine, September 2007

Companies interested in lower health costs have developed programs to help employees quit smoking. Smoking and the diseases it causes cost an estimated $150 billion dollars. This affects the premiums for health care sponsored by employers.

UNIT 6:: Sexuality and Relationships

Unit Overview

23. Scents and Sensibility, Elizabeth Svoboda, Psychology Today, January/February 2008

While sexual attraction remains one of lifes mysteries, researchers believe that scent is an important component of who we end up with. Physical attraction may actually be based on smell which may be an important part of what we refer to as the chemistry of attraction.

24. Love at the Margins, Mark Teich, Psychology Today, September/October 2006

For non-traditional couples, the demands can be high. These relationships can mean a need for extreme commitment, and coping with social disapproval and self-doubt.

25. Girl or Boy? As Fertility Technology Advances, So Does an Ethical Debate, Denise Grady, The New York Times, February 6, 2007

As the technology advances, should couples have the option of choosing the sex of their baby? Some doctors are willing to accommodate parents while others question the ethics of choosing the gender before birth.

26. Is Pornography Adultery?, Ross Douthat, The Atlantic, October 2008

The idea that pornography is related to marital infidelity has been a topic of discussion. With the increase in online options to view pornography, there appears to be a connection to divorce.

UNIT 7:: Preventing and Fighting Disease

Unit Overview

27. �Diabesity, a Crisis in an Expanding Country, Jane E. Brody, The New York Times, March 29, 2005

Jane Brody asks why we dont have a national initiative to address the diabetes epidemic that is closely related to the increasing obesity problem in the United States. Unfortunately, too many people fail to take the disease seriously even though it can cause serious and sometimes fatal side effects.

28. Sex, Drugs, Prisons, and HIV, Susan Okie, The New England Journal of Medicine, January 11, 2007

In many prisons, risky behaviors among inmates are common, including sexual activity and drug use. Both these behaviors increase the risk of transmitting HIV. Providing condoms and clean needles would slow the spread of HIV, but many prison officials are reluctant to make these available since they believe it would condone these behaviors.

29. The Battle Within:: Our Anti-Inflammation Diet, Michael Downey, Better Nutrition, February 2005

Michael Downey discusses the relationship between paper cuts, spicy foods, stubbed toes, and heart disease, colon cancer, or Alzheimers disease. It appears that these diseases are related to the long-term effects of inflammation on the body.

30. Who Still Dies of AIDS and Why, Gary Taubes, New York, June 16, 2008

Even though highly active anti-retroviral therapies are widely available, the AIDS virus can still trump modern medicine and kill.

31. A Mandate in Texas, Kate OBeirne, National Review, March 5, 2007

A cervical cancer vaccine has won federal approval and has been recommended for routine vaccinations, but questions remain over who should actually receive the vaccine. The State of Texas mandate to vaccinate all girls entering the sixth grade has created some ethical and political issues.

UNIT 8:: Health Care and the Health Care System

Unit Overview

32. Pharmacist Refusals:: A Threat to Womens Health, Marcia D. Greenberger and Rachel Vogelstein, Science, June 10, 2005

Increasingly, pharmacists have refused to fill prescriptions for certain drugs which violate their personal beliefs. In particular, women seeking prescriptions filled for birth control pills and morning after pills have increasingly been turned away. The authors believe that all pharmacies should be required to dispense all drugs regardless of their personal beliefs.

33. Curbing Medical Costs, Daniel Callahan, America, March 10, 2008

As the number of uninsured in the United States continues to rise, Callahan calls for universal health care as the only truly effective means to manage expenditures. He also addresses reasons why costs continue to rise.

34. Thanks, but No Thanks, Anne Underwood, Newsweek, October 29, 2007

More and more doctors, medical schools, and hospitals are banning drug sales representatives from pitching their promotions. The doctors and hospitals believe that sales reps promote new, expensive drugs that may cause serious side effects in their patients.

35. The Silent Epidemic—The Health Effects of Illiteracy, Erin N. Marcus, The New England Journal of Medicine, July 27, 2006

Patients without reading skills present challenges for doctors and other health providers. Illiterate patients may avoid doctors offices because they are unable to complete the paperwork. These patients also tend to have poor health and health practices.

36. Incapacitated, Alone and Treated to Death, Joseph Sacco, The New York Times, October 7, 2009

The care and treatment of patients is often made independent of his or her wishes. Dr. Joseph Sacco discusses factors which influence the care of mentally incapacitated, terminally ill patients.

UNIT 9:: Consumer Health

Unit Overview

37. Dentists Frown at Overuse of Whiteners, Natasha Singer, The New York Times, November 17, 2005

Many dentists are concerned that their patients may be overexposing themselves to bleach-based teeth whiteners. While dentists generally consider whitening to be a safe procedure, they dont believe that tooth bleaching should be considered a daily grooming aid. There is also concern that continuous whitening will make teeth more sensitive and may cause permanent damage to both teeth and gums.

38. Medical Tourism:: What You Should Know, Lorene Burkhart and Lorna Gentry, The Saturday Evening Post, January/February 2008

More and more Americans are traveling overseas to combine surgery with sightseeing. The benefits include greatly reduced costs of many medical procedures as well as the opportunity to seek treatments not yet available or practiced in the United States. In 2006, an estimated half million Americans went abroad for medical treatment, a trend thats expected to increase in the next few years.

39. Caution:: Killing Germs May Be Hazardous to Your Health, Jerry Adler and Jeneen Interlandi, Newsweek, October 29, 2007

Adler and Interlandi discuss the latest research into relationship between humans and the microbes or bacteria that cover their bodies. Many germs are beneficial, and many harmful ones are being strengthened by exposure to sanitizers and antibiotics in a U.S. society preoccupied with health and hygiene.

40. Tattoos:: Leaving Their Mark, Harvard Health Letter, March 2008

While getting tattooed is considered to be relatively safe, having it removed can be a challenge. Doctors using high tech lasers may not be able to completely remove tattoos. In addition, tattoos can cause allergies, infection, and risk of other health concerns.

41. Hazardous Health Plans, Consumer Reports, May 2009

Many patients who thought they had adequate health coverage are surprised to learn their policies have enough loopholes and exclusions to prevent them from receiving adequate care.

UNIT 10:: Contemporary Health Hazards

Unit Overview

42. When Government Makes Us Sick, Glenn Davidson, Govexec.com, March 6, 2009

A recent outbreak of salmonella infections linked to peanut butter has killed at least nine people and sickened hundreds of others.

43. From Smoking Boom, A Major Killer of Women, Denise Grady, The New York Times, November 29, 2007

More and more women are being diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (C.O.P.D), a progressive disease caused mostly by smoking that permanently damages the lungs. This condition has become a major killer of women, the results of an increase in smoking in the years between 1950 and 1980.

44. Sound the Alarm? A Swine Flu Bind, Lawrence K. Altman, The New York Times, April 28, 2009

While health officials are concerned that the swine flu could be the next pandemic, there is a danger to overreacting to the outbreak. Dr. Altman urges carefully reviewing key questions about the disease before making decisions regarding travel restrictions, closing schools, etc.

45. Chemical in Plastic Bottles Fuels Science, Concern—and Litigation, Valerie Jablow, Trial, August 2008

Recent studies are calling attention to the potential health dangers of bisphenol A (BPA) a common chemical that makes polycarbonate plastics clear and hard.

46. HIV Apathy, Zach Patton, Governing, February 2007

Many new drugs to combat AIDS have changed the disease from a terminal to a chronic condition. As a result, many individuals engage in high risk behavior which puts them at risk for HIV. To combat this, health officials are trying to make testing more available and widespread.

47. Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus:: The Latest Health Scare, Priya Sampathkumar, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, December 2007

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a drug resistant bacterial infection, is a growing health concern, particularly among the institutionalized elderly. MRSA is also a risk in the community, spreading among people of all ages who are in close contact with each other.

48. The Noisy Epidemic:: Physical and Mental Stress in a High-Decibel World, Elizabeth Svoboda, Science Spirit, January/February 2008

Writer Elizabeth Svoboda addresses the relationship between excessive noise and violence, aggression, increased risk of heart problems, hearing impairments, decreased productivity, and impaired ability to learn. Exposure to loud noise also is linked to sleep deprivation.

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