Public Health Scene

People who regularly eat red meat that is very well done, burned or charred may increase their risk of pancreatic cancer by almost 60 percent.

That’s according to a 9-year study that involved more than 62,000 people.

The study was led by Kristin Anderson, a University of Minnesota cancer epidemiologist.

Anderson recommends turning down the heat when you grill meats and says that you should trim away any burned or charred portions.

• Listen to Anderson on our Public Health Moment podcast

Posted by Mark Engebretson at 11:51 AM
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Overall, Minnesota ranks high for the percentage of residents with health insurance.

But Kathleen Call, a professor and health policy expert at the University of Minnesota, says that when one looks closer, you see great disparity.

She says that providing health care access to the uninsured will actually save money in the long term.

• Listen to Call on our Public Health Moment podcast

Posted by School of Public Health Podcasts at 1:35 PM
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On July 1, Minnesota will expand statewide a voluntary program that encourages repeat drunk driving offenders to use an ignition interlock on their vehicle.

Tracy Toomey, a University of Minnesota expert on impaired driving, is a big fan of ignition interlock devices. She and many others working to reduce death and injury from drunk driving say ignition interlock should be standard equipment on vehicles, the way airbags are today.

"It is crazy that we have people that (are) four times, five times, six times and higher in terms of being repeat offenders," she Minnesota Public Radio. "We need to get these people off the road."

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Posted by Mark Engebretson at 10:46 AM
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