Family history a risk factor for asthma death
An analysis of genealogy records linked to death certificates in Utah suggests that the risk of dying from an asthma attack is hereditary.
Dr. Craig C. Teerlink and associates at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City identified 1553 asthma-related deaths in a registry of all Utah deaths since 1904.
Don’t treat AIDS victims with disdain, Pope says
Pope Benedict on Wednesday called for increased efforts to stop the spread of AIDS and said victims of the disease should not be treated with disdain.
“I am spiritually close to those who suffer from this terrible sickness as well as to their families, particularly if they have lost a loved one. I assure them all of my prayers,” he said ahead of this Saturday’s World AIDS Day.
Bad diet ups cancer risk for poor, black women
Poor black women in U.S. cities face a greater risk of getting cancer because of unhealthy diets, according to a report released on Wednesday that says the finding applies to other ethnic groups.
The study of more than 150 women living in public housing in Washington, D.C., found that 61 percent of them met none or just one of five goals for maintaining a healthy diet.
HIV/AIDS discrimination widespread in China: U.N.
China’s efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS-related discrimination have failed to stamp out “widespread” stigmatization of sufferers, United Nations officials said on Wednesday.
Subinay Nandy, China country director for the U.N. Development Programme, said China had done a “tremendous job” implementing anti-HIV/AIDS discrimination policies and legislation but enduring misconceptions were stopping sufferers from seeking treatment.
U.S. obesity rates level off: government study
After 25 years of successive increases, obesity rates in the United States are holding steady, government health officials said on Wednesday.
But Americans are still plenty fat, with more than a third of U.S. adults found to be obese in 2005-2006, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Knowing heart risk may prompt healthy change
Adults at risk for developing coronary heart disease seem to respond better to preventive treatment when their doctor tells them exactly what their risk is and how they can help lower their risk, results of a study suggest.
In the study, people who had frank discussions with their doctor about their coronary risk profile achieved greater improvement in their cholesterol levels than those who did not have these discussions.
