HIV/AIDS service programs say a rule change by a federal agency would squeeze their budgets to the point that they may not be able to serve as many patients. The Health Resources and Services Administration is now requiring that rent, utilities and insurance costs be classified as administrative expenses under parts of the federal Ryan…
At the start of Memorial Day weekend, with summer around the corner, Georgians have already had a sneak preview of the hot, sunny days that lie ahead. While trips to the beach, outdoor activities, and vacation getaways are routine summer experiences for many of us, so is exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays,…
Gov. Nathan Deal announced a major statewide initiative Wednesday to address the problem of obesity, calling it “one of the greatest challenges we face.’’ The obesity program would combine efforts of state agencies, businesses, health care organizations, the philanthropic community, and Atlanta professional sports teams, Deal said. The initiative’s goals include promoting more physical activity…
A recent CDC report gets to the heart of why we should care about asthma. The federal health agency reported last week that the prevalence of the chronic airway disorder reached an all-time high of 8.4 percent in 2010. And the children of Georgia have a higher rate of the chronic airway disorder than the…
Frank Adams begins each day with a bowl of cereal. He used to eat a larger breakfast, complete with a serving of bacon or sausage — which he now calls “dead animals” — but he changed his ways years ago when his wife’s morning sickness kept her from cooking for him. Now 74, Adams has…
When Public Health became a separate state agency last July, Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald had her work cut out for her as the department’s first commissioner. Georgia lagged behind the rest of the nation on key health statistics, and Public Health had suffered from budget cuts for years. Meanwhile, the state was still feeling the after-effects…
Last week came news of an FDA panel recommending the use of the drug Truvada to prevent HIV infection in high-risk individuals. But that development, as welcome as it is, should not distract us from the need for an HIV vaccine, says Dr. Mark J. Mulligan, a professor of medicine at Emory University, in a new…
HIV Vaccine Awareness Day occurs every May 18 to raise awareness of, and encourage participation in, HIV vaccine clinical trials in humans. We need an HIV vaccine. Every year for 15 years, about 56,000 Americans have become newly HIV-infected. This number has not fallen despite behavioral education efforts. Over the same period, HIV treatment has improved…
Many American baby boomers perceive tuberculosis to be a relic of the past, like polio. In past centuries, the disease killed millions of Americans, including historical figures such as President James Monroe and Eleanor Roosevelt. Then, in the 1940s and ’50s, effective drug therapies were developed, and experts predicted the eventual elimination of TB. Yet…
Boredom and hormones are a dangerous mix in teenagers, who are all too likely to experiment with alcohol, drugs and sex. It’s a problem everywhere, including Georgia. Even in rural areas, such problems can often be acute. Take thinly populated Madison County, in northeast Georgia. “We have a lot of kids who go to parties…