03/19/2010
Organizers of a proposed initiative to increase cigarette taxes by one dollar per pack are working to place their measure on the November ballot. 2010 Oakland mayoral candidate and former Senate President Pro Tempore Don Perata introduced the ballot initiative, which aims to raise revenue for cancer research and protect funding for California's First 5 early childhood health and education program. Capitol Weekly.
03/19/2010
More than one-third of California adults and about one-sixth of the state's children have chronic health conditions, which are the leading cause of death and disability, as well as a large factor behind health care costs, according to a new report prepared by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research for the California HealthCare Foundation. CHCF is the publisher of California Healthline. The report, which uses data from 2007, found that half of residents in the Tehama-Glenn-Colusa county area have a chronic disease, while incidence is lowest in Marin County. Sacramento Bee's "Capitol Alert."
03/18/2010
A new federal survey on health behaviors suggests that obesity continues to drive up health care costs and contribute to chronic health issues in the U.S. The survey also found that smoking and binge drinking rates declined slightly between 2005 and 2007. NPR's "All Things Considered."
03/17/2010
San Francisco has received a five-year, $9.5 million grant through the federal stimulus package that will be used to bolster HIV/AIDS research, city Department of Public Health Director Mitch Katz announced Tuesday. The city will use the grant to build new space and renovate existing space for HIV research and help facilitate greater collaboration between the city's efforts and similar initiatives worldwide. San Francisco Business Times.
03/15/2010
Efforts to address HIV/AIDS, help children with special medical needs and educate teen parents in Ventura County have been complicated by the loss of almost $1.5 million in state and federal funding over the past year. As a result, the county has eliminated about 15 staff positions. Ventura County Star.
03/12/2010
Last year, Shasta County public health programs saw funding levels decline by $1.2 million. The financial pressures have compelled the county to eliminate immunization clinics, pediatric dental care programs and other preventive health services. Redding Record Searchlight.
03/11/2010
As of July, Marin County women enrolled in Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program, will have to obtain gynecological services from the Marin Community Clinic rather than county facilities. The move is part of the county's effort to address a structural budget deficit that is expected to grow to $50 million by 2014-2015. Marin Independent Journal.
03/10/2010
On Tuesday, Tulare County residents asked county supervisors to place on the ballot a measure that would relocate tobacco settlement funds from capital projects to public health programs. A county supervisor questioned whether the proposal would meet state constitutional standards on county budget authority. Visalia Times-Delta.
03/08/2010
A recent report finds that minority and low-income women in Los Angeles County tend to have lower rates of preventive screenings and higher rates of chronic conditions. Researchers suggest that limited access to care could be a contributing factor. Los Angeles Times.
03/03/2010
Recent studies showing that about 15% of the local public health work force has been cut since 2008 largely as a result of county and city budget cuts. According to the National Association of County and City Health Officials, local health departments in 2008 lost 7,000 jobs through budget cuts and lost more than twice as many -- 16,000 workers -- in 2009. New York Times' "Prescriptions."
03/02/2010
A Rand study finds that pollution-related conditions led to nearly 30,000 emergency department visits or hospital admissions in California between 2005 and 2007. It also found that Medicare and Medi-Cal are covering two-thirds of the costs for such illnesses. Sacramento Bee et al.
03/02/2010
Data from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health indicate that underserved areas of the county received fewer doses of the H1N1 influenza vaccine than more affluent areas. County Supervisor Gloria Molina said a lack of health care providers in southern Los Angeles County hampered vaccine distribution. Los Angeles Times.
03/02/2010
A study in the journal Pediatrics found that one in four U.S. parents believe some vaccines might cause autism in healthy children, but a majority of parents continue to heed the advice of their child’s pediatrician that their children receive scheduled vaccinations. AP/San Francisco Chronicle.
02/25/2010
This week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a proposal to create a Web-based suicide prevention training program for educators and other school officials. The Web site will include fact sheets, frequently asked questions and links to further resources. The county will use $765,000 in state funds to implement the program. Los Angeles Daily News.
02/24/2010
Today, Gov. Schwarzenegger will team up with President Clinton at a meeting to discuss public policies and business practices to address rising obesity rates. Schwarzenegger will ask public health and business leaders to join the effort. AP/San Francisco Chronicle.