Public Health Scene

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded $8.2 million to the University of Minnesota to develop improved training in public health preparedness. Minnesota is one of seven universities to be awarded the grant.

Debra Olson, the lead researcher, said one of the main goals is to develop educational training opportunities for the public health workforce that are effective and efficient. She said that, among other things, researchers will look at improving existing training models.

Olson says this work is important in helping public health agencies and other emergency responders be better prepared for tomorrow’s calamities. Citing the response to the 35W bridge collapse, Olson says that Minnesota is already doing a good job.

• Listen to Olson on Public Health Moment
• More about the grant

Posted by School of Public Health Podcasts at 10:53 AM
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An increased risk of death from diseases other than AIDS has been tied to a therapy designed to help HIV-positive people.

Jim Neaton, a University of Minnesota biostatistician who led the study, says that the results indicated that patients receiving antiretroviral therapy for HIV had increased risk of death linked to three biomarkers.

Neaton says that additional treatments may be developed as a result of his findings. But he also calls for further research.

• Listen to Neaton on our Public Health Moment podcast

Posted by Mark Engebretson at 11:23 AM
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A recent national survey found nearly one-third of Americans are having trouble paying medical bills. And, as the economy weakens, uncompensated care is becoming a greater concern for hospitals.

Lynn Blewett, a health policy expert at the University of Minnesota, says that solutions need to be community based.

"We have to think creatively because we're not going to have any money," Blewett told Minnesota Public Radio. "So we can't really just expand MinnesotaCare because we're facing a budget deficit at the state level. And the federal government is into trillion dollar deficit budgeting. So we have to think creatively about how to get people care without a lot of resources."

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Posted by Mark Engebretson at 11:12 AM
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Demand for bananas in Japan has skyrocketed, thanks to "The Morning Banana Diet." In the past few months, banana sales in Japan have increased 40 percent.

But nutritionists are calling it a fad diet.

"When you think about a diet, it needs to be a diet for life," Lisa Harnack, nutritional epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health, told the Star Tribune. "I'm not so sure eating bananas for breakfast is something you could do for the rest of your life."

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Posted by Mark Engebretson at 11:04 AM
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Higher levels of Bisphenol A – or BPA – a chemical compound used in some plastic packaging for food and beverages, are associated with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and liver-enzyme abnormalities.

That’s according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Bill Toscano, an environmental health professor at the University of Minnesota, recommends avoiding plastic bottles that contain BPA. That’s easier said than done, he says. Worldwide production of BPA exceeds 7 billion pounds.

• Listen to Toscano on our Public Health Moment podcast

Posted by School of Public Health Podcasts at 10:14 AM
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