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Discovery Of Genetic Links To Age Of First Menstrual Period And Menopause
Newly identified gene variants associated with the age at which females experience their first menstrual period and the onset of menopause may help shed light on the prevention of breast and endometrial cancer, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease.
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California Ballot Measures Would Have Negative Effect On Health Care Access For Children, Immigrants, Minority Advocacy Groups Say
A coalition of ethnic minority advocacy groups has raised concerns that two of six budget-related propositions on the May 19 special election ballot would negatively affect minorities" health, New America Media reports. Proposition 1A would increase California"s cash reserve from 3% to 12.5% of state revenue and create a state spending cap. The measure also would extend recent tax increases for an additional two years. Proposition 1D would shift funds from First 5 California Children and Families Program, which provides health care services to children regardless of their immigration status, to the general fund.Cary Sanders -- director of Having Our Say, a coalition of 50 Asian, Hispanic and black organizations -- said, "If Proposition 1A and 1D pass, communities of color will have to shoulder the cost of our broken system because Proposition 1A limits our ability to invest in the health care system and Proposition 1D will result in more children becoming uninsured." Sanders noted that the First 5 program could reduce health and educational disparities.Quyen Vuong, executive director of the International Children Assistance Network, said Prop. 1D would cut $1.6 billion from the First 5 program. Julie Soderlund of Budget Reform Now, a committee campaigning in favor of the ballot measures, rejected arguments that Prop. 1D would compromise children"s health services. She added that the First 5 program accumulates $400 million in state funds and $2.1 billion in county funds, which she said could be put to good use by diverting them to the general fund to support human services. Alice Chen, a board member of the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, said Prop. 1A could restrict minority communities" access to immunizations and dental and health services. However, Soderlund said that Prop. 1A would help prevent "roller coaster rides" in the state"s budget. State Assembly member Fiona Ma (D), who also supports the measures, said she is concerned that if the propositions fail, lawmakers would have to pursue other alternatives to close the budget gap, which could have an even worse impact on communities.Jan Robinson-Flint, executive director of Black Women for Wellness, raised concern over the legislative power Prop. 1A gives the governor over spending for programs. She asked, "Do we trust our current and future governors to do what"s right for our communities?" (Po/Ng, New America Media, 5/13).
News of the day
Washington, D.C., Officials Urge 'Opt-Out' HIV Testing, Discuss Prevention
City council members and health officials in Washington, D.C., are asking "health care providers to make HIV testing part of routine patient treatment," the Washington Examiner reports. According to the Examiner, "Health officials want all medical providers in the city to implement an "opt-out" policy in which patients would be tested automatically for HIV unless they choose to refuse the test." Shannon Hader, director of the HIV/AIDS Administration, said 70 percent of district residents newly diagnosed with HIV had been to a medical provider in the previous 12 months and were not offered HIV testing. "Health officials also are working to improve condom access and distribution, one the most critical preventative measures in combating HIV," and "the city has asked for $4 million from [CDC] to support a campaign aimed at encouraging people to get tested and practice safe sex," the Examiner reports (7/9).
Cardiovascular

CNN Examines Efforts To Prevent Nursing Shortages In Malawi

CNN examines Malawi"s efforts to address its shortage of nurses. Though in the past, health workers "have been lured abroad by the promise of higher wages and better working conditions," the country has succeeded in putting a stop to "its crippling brain drain of nurses" by expanding "educational opportunities for nurses at all levels" and by "paying modestly more money," CNN writes. In the late 1990s, registered nurses were leaving the country "in droves," which prompted Ann Phoya, the former head of nursing services in Malawi and other Ministry of Health members to apply for about $160 million, primarily from the Department for International Development of the U.K., for a six-year initiative, according to CNN. The money was used to increase nurses" salaries, and "the number of registered nurses leaving Malawi fell from a high of 111 (the equivalent of two years of Malawi"s entire nursing graduates) in 2001 to just six in the first half of 2008. Enrollment at Malawi"s nursing schools jumped up by 50 percent," the news service reports. However, the success of that plan brought about a different problem that is particularly acute in rural areas -- "internal brain drain," CNN writes. "As more international aid groups and universities set up health programs in Malawi, they are hiring nurses, all trained at Malawi taxpayer expense, away from publicly funded hospitals and clinics," according to CNN (Gorman, 7/30). This information was reprinted from globalhealth.kff.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at globalhealth.kff.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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