Frigid Temperatures Bring Health Risks
When the temperature drops, staying safe and warm and performing everyday activities can be challenging and dangerous. Young children, older adults, and the chronically ill are most at risk of having cold-related health problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges people affected by the ongoing cold weather to take steps to protect themselves, and to check to be sure their families, friends, and neighbors stay safe and warm this winter. Exposure to Extremely Cold Temperatures Exposure to cold temperatures can cause serious and life-threatening health problems, including frostbite and hypothermia. Seek immediate medical attention for symptoms of frostbite or ...
Stop, Wash, and Go To Avoid the Flu During Travel
You don’t have to let the flu bug spoil your next trip. A few simple steps can help prevent the spread of flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Before Leaving Home The most important weapon in fighting the flu is vaccination. For this winter travel season, vaccines are available for both seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu. Vaccines are now available for anyone over age six months but are especially important for travelers in high risk groups including: pregnant women, people who live with or care for infants younger than six months old, health care ...
U.S. Adult Smoking Rates Remain Stalled
Despite progress in some areas, smoking rates among U.S. adults remained stalled in 2008, halting the nation’s progress in ending the tobacco epidemic, according to a CDC study. The study, released in advance of the annual Great American Smokeout, found that 46 million Americans (20.6 percent) were current cigarette smokers in 2008, which is virtually unchanged since 2004 when 20.9 percent of adults reported being smokers. The study’s findings indicate an alarming trend, because smoking is the leading preventable cause of death, killing more than 443,000 people every year and costing the nation $96 billion in health care costs annually. This new ...
Flu is here: take action to protect yourself
Every year, flu season occurs in the United States – but did you know that flu seasons can be different each year? Flu seasons can differ in timing, duration, or severity. This year, there is a new and very different influenza virus causing illness called 2009 H1N1 flu. CDC expects both 2009 H1N1 flu and seasonal flu to cause illness, hospitals stays and deaths this season. However, there are important steps you can take to protect yourself. What actions should people take to protect themselves from the flu? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly seasonal flu vaccine ...
Study Estimates Medical Cost of Obesity May Be As High as $147 Billion Annually
The health cost of obesity in the United States is as high as $147 billion annually, based on a new study from RTI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study which appears online today in the journal Health Affairs, was released at CDC’s Weight of the Nation conference in Washington, DC. The proportion of all annual medical costs that are due to obesity increased from 6.5 percent in 1998 to 9.1 percent in 2006, the study said. This total includes payment by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers, and includes prescription drug spending. Overall, persons who are obese spent ...
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