Copyright 2012
News Generation, Inc.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - the nation's largest philanthropy devoted solely to health - asked the public to choose among 20 research articles to determine the most significant studies on health care last year. The winning article highlights the potential of social media to improve our health.

In a recent survey of 3,146 adults in the U.S. conducted by the national public health foundation Legacy, more than one-in-ten smokers in the U.S. reported keeping smoking a secret from a health care provider.

The entire nation was captivated by the tragic death of two-year old Caylee Anthony and the ensuing murder trial of her mother Casey. Now, for the first time, viewers hear from renowned Chief Medical Examiner, Jan C. Garavaglia, M.D. (aka "Dr. G"), who performed the delicate autopsy and declared Caylee’s death a homicide, in a new one-hour special, DR. G: INSIDE THE CAYLEE ANTHONY CASE.

About three million Americans have glaucoma, a leading cause of preventable blindness. In honor of Glaucoma Awareness Month in January, EyeCare America is offering free screenings to eligible participants through its national eye exam program.

Si usted es de descendencia afro-americano o hispano esta en alto riesgo de desarrollar glaucoma, una causa principal de ceguera. Afortunadamente, si usted tiene 65 años o más, usted esta a solo un clic de distancia de un examen de la vista gratis.

If you are African-American or Hispanic you are at high risk for developing glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness. Fortunately, if you are 65 or older, you are just a click away from a free eye exam.

As Congress examines ways to reduce the federal deficit, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) is working to ensure federal and state lawmakers understand the vital need to preserve, seniors' access to quality care.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the average American gains one to one and a half pounds annually during the holiday season. Typical adulthood weight gain averages one-to-two pounds per year, leading health experts to believe that most midlife weight gain comes from poor holiday eating habits.

More than two-thirds of visually impaired adults in the U.S. are older than 65. Many seniors may not know that they could be putting themselves at risk for vision impairment or blindness by forgetting regular eye exams.

New research on sex differences in the brain provides insight for understanding underlying risk factors of disorders that occur in adulthood. This research will be presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

By age 65, one in three Americans has some form of vision-limiting eye disease. To help address this growing need, EyeCare America provides eye care to US citizens and legal residents through volunteer ophthalmologists (Eye Doctors).

November is National Diabetes Month and the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) is raising awareness about the importance of setting goals and making a plan to prevent type 2 diabetes and diabetes-related complications. Diabetes affects nearly 26 million Americans and an estimated 79 million people are at risk for developing the disease.

The GuLF STUDY (Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study) will look at possible health effects of the Gulf of Mexico’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill on 55,000 clean-up workers and volunteers in towns across the Gulf coast. Researchers are asking people to make the call to join the study today – for their health, their community and their future.

With an increasing number of service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, it is more important than ever to understand the challenges faced by warriors after they return home. The Real Warriors Campaign offers online and phone resources 24-hours a day for veterans and service members who may be experiencing invisible wounds.

With an increasing number of service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, it is more important than ever to understand the challenges faced by warriors after they return home. The Real Warriors Campaign offers online and phone resources 24-hours a day for veterans and service members who may be experiencing invisible wounds.

Nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. Another 79 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. November is American Diabetes Month, a time to communicate the seriousness of diabetes and the importance of diabetes prevention and control.

The health and well-being of our nation depends on a health care system that encompasses a whole spectrum of prevention and care interventions. Emerging practices and principles of integrative medicine are working to transform our health care system.

A child-focused parental recruitment model used by Wendy's Wonderful Kids, provides new hope for more than 107,000 children in foster care who are available for adoption, yet often languish or "age out" of foster care altogether, without the support of a permanent, loving family.

Many consumers may know that shielding their eyes from damaging UV rays is important. But they may not be aware that they can be more susceptible to UV eye damage based on the color of their eyes or that their children are more at risk due to their age and the amount of UV they are exposed to.

As Congress examines ways to reduce the federal deficit, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care have partnered together to ensure federal and state lawmakers understand the vital need to preserve, protect and defend seniors' access to quality skilled nursing and rehabilitative care.

An innovative delivery method for HIV medications has been developed using a transdermal patch, the first of its kind to treat HIV.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Patterson Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy celebrates people within the world of sports whose passionate efforts make a difference in the lives around them.

Buying decorative lenses from anyone other than an eye care professional is dangerous and using them can lead to pain, inflammation and serious infections.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has just released its draft recommendations on the use of the prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test recommendations.

According to a survey of American office workers by SCA, one of the world's largest hygiene products companies, 68 percent say they have seen their co-workers not wash their hands after using the restroom.

Given the on-going debate over changes to Medicare as the nation struggles with budget deficits, one local nonprofit organization has just received two five-star ratings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for its Value and Prime Medicare Advantage plans.

Be part of the movement to Stop Diabetes by participating in the American Diabetes Association’s Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes.

As we head into elections on October 6, remember a motherhood issue is on the ballot - sustaining midwifery in Ontario.

American Diabetes Association wants as many Americans as possible to be part of the movement to stop diabetes by going to the American Diabetes Association EXPO.

In 2009, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) conducted research about people’s daily lives with diabetes. These findings helped ADA develop the Living With Type 2 Diabetes program to provide much needed information and support to the newly diagnosed patient when they need it most.

New cancer research is being introduced at the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO) 53rd Annual Meeting from October 2 to 6, 2011, in Miami that will impact patients across the country.

On the eve of new Medicare penalties for hospitals with excessive numbers of patients returning just days after they are discharged, a new Dartmouth Atlas Project report shows little progress over a five-year period in reducing hospital readmissions and improving care coordination for Medicare patients.

The National Children's Study is currently looking for Chicago-area women, who are pregnant or may become pregnant, to take part in an important study about how things like family health history, what children eat or the air they breathe, influence children's health.

As debate continues on how to balance the federal budget and what cuts will be made, a recent study finds that even a five percent cut in federal Medicaid spending would reduce funding to states by nearly $14 billion, hampering economic growth and job creation across the country.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and TV's Dr. Mehmet Oz gathered in Washington, D.C. to call on Americans to take steps to get better care for themselves and their loved ones.

There is a new bill that would allow optometrists - who are not medical doctors - to perform eye surgery in Kentucky. Implementation of the bill requires the adoption of regulations before the law can take effect.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, African Americans and Hispanics are at high risk of developing high cholesterol. September is National Cholesterol Awareness month, so now is a good time to have your blood cholesterol checked and consult with your doctor if your results are high.

According to a 2010 report on Alzheimer's disease, African Americans are about twice as likely as their white counterparts to develop Alzheimer's and other dementias. Researchers are looking for volunteers from the community to participate in a new brain imaging study.

One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. With the kick-off of the pro-football season this fall, September also marks National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Hall of Famer and prostate cancer survivor, Mike Haynes, formerly of the New England Patriots and the LA Raiders, says early detection is key.

More than two million service members have bravely served in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. The Real Warriors Campaign offers tools and resources for service members who may be experiencing invisible wounds, combat stress and thoughts of suicide.

The American Diabetes Association estimates the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $174 billion, with one out of every five health care dollars spent on a person living with diabetes. Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes is the American Diabetes Association’s signature fundraising walk raises more than $19.8 million to support the Association’s mission to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

As the summer winds down and the back to school season arrives, the National Diabetes Education Program wants to give the parents of children with diabetes some valuable tools to help their children effectively manage diabetes, effectively work with school personnel from the school health team to implement the provisions of their child’s written diabetes care plan and provide the necessary assistance in the school environment.

Transitions in military service can be challenging. The inTransition program provides coaching support for service members receiving mental health treatment. It is designed to make sure service members are given the necessary resources to maintain treatment gains, connect with an ongoing provider and achieve positive health outcomes.

The Safe at School campaign is dedicated to protecting the rights of children who face discrimination at school because of diabetes and provides parents and educators with guidance on how to help children with diabetes.

The recent Salmonella outbreak may have brought up questions about the safety of our food. People have become ill; some may have been hospitalized due to the severity of their infections.

According to data being released on Wednesday, August 17, 2011, by the Annie E. Casey Foundation in its annual KIDS COUNT Data Book, over the last decade there has been a significant decline in economic well-being for low income children and families.

New research shows that Americans cite cardiovascular disease at 46 percent, weight at 32 percent and cancer at 22 percent as their top health concerns and that they want to take advantage of the health benefits of food.

Best Bones Forever! and the teen recording group Savvy, featured in the TV show “The Wannabes,” have announced the launch of the Let’s Dance Contest. With a nod to First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign, the goal is to get girls moving and help them build strong bones, all while having fun with their friends.

The Horn of Africa is in the midst of the world's worst food crisis, with the region suffering the first famine of the 21st century. Thousands are dying, many before they even get to refugee camps to get help. If a full-blown catastrophic crisis is to be averted, the world has to act now to ensure necessary aid.

Right now, nearly six million Americans over the age of 60 face the threat of hunger, forcing them to skip meals or buy low-quality food. The number of older Americans facing this crisis is predicted to increase 75 percent by 2025.

With the summer blockbuster season in full swing, the CDC has released a new study in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report showing that half of Hollywood's major studios have practically eliminated smoking in youth-rated movies.

Each Fourth of July, thousands of people are injured from using consumer fireworks. Nearly half are head-related injuries with nearly 30 percent of these injuries to the eyes. One-fourth of fireworks eye injuries result in permanent vision loss or blindness.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 9,000 fireworks related injuries happen each year. to help, the American Academy of Ophthalmology offers tips for firework safety.

Dramatic 911 call shows what can happen with fireworks in the home

Over 5.3 million people across the U.S. are suffering from AD, and every 70 seconds, another person develops this devastating disease. The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) is a public-private partnership that began in October 2004 as a landmark study to find more sensitive and accurate methods to detect Alzheimer's disease at earlier stages and mark its progress through biomarkers.

A doctor's scrawl of a prescription on a small piece of paper may soon be a thing of the past, if the combination of looming federal incentives payments and consumer demand work their magic in the medical marketplace.

Free eye screenings are coming to Chicago. A national initiative created by the American Academy of Ophthalmology called EyeSmart EyeCheck makes its way to Chicago on Saturday, June 11.

Washington, DC is the site of national and regional engagement meetings designed to delve into some important public policy questions related to vaccines.

Without protective measures, residents' eyes and skin in some U.S. cities are at very high or extreme risk of exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation at least one day out of every four. Yet despite the danger, less than one in three Americans makes the link between UV rays and eye damage.

As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to weigh a potential ban on menthol-flavored tobacco products, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, Center for American Progress, and Legacy® have called for menthol cigarettes to be taken off the market, citing key findings by the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH).

American Diabetes Association wants as many Americans as possible to be part of the movement to stop diabetes by going to the American Diabetes Association EXPO. The EXPO is designed to teach those with diabetes and those who are living with someone who has it how to be healthy, active and change the future of diabetes for the whole family.

The American Diabetes Association is encouraging bike riders at all levels, from novice to experienced cyclists, to help Stop Diabetes by participating in the Association's nationwide cycling event, Tour de Cure.

Not taking your medicine as directed by your health care professional has serious health consequences.