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Autism a Public Health Problem

Kimberly Higgins-Mays Autism is a serious public health problem which impacts many children. According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control, 1 out of every 150 American eight-year-olds has some form of autism. The previous estimate was one in 166 children. This suggests that 560,000 children in the US have autism. The reason for the high percentage of autism remains unclear. The CDC is now conducting a study to try to identify the environmental factors associated with autism. Research has shown no differences based on race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status in either the prevalence or incidence of autism in children. Although, the condition does not seem to differ in percentage by culture or race; diagnosis and treatment disparities do exist.

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Asthma

Kimberly Higgins-Mays Asthma According the American Lung Association (ALA) 4.8 million African Americans have been diagnosed with asthma and African Americans account for 26% of all asthma related deaths. . Asthma has a significant impact on African-Americans, especially in the inner cities. Inner cities are plagued with asthma-causing agents: tobacco and cooking smoke, indoor allergens, aerosols and other air pollutants, respiratory infections, and stress. African American children with asthma are 2.3 times more likely to visit an emergency room, 3.8 times more likely to be hospitalized, and 2 to 3 times more likely to not be able to do activities as a result of asthma. , According to a study presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology's (AAAAI) Annual Meeting exposure to high levels of cockroach allergen, sensitization to indoor allergens and family history of allergy were strongly associated with persistent wheezing in inner city children. Regular care from a primary care physician or asthma specialist, prevention efforts and adherence to symptom management can help African Americans keep asthma under control and help prevent asthma attacks.

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Arthritis

What is Arthritis?

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Living With Diabetes

Moshe Lewis, MD Maybe you've just been diagnosed and or you've had diabetes for years. When one is trying to exercise, go out with friends, travel and adjust to work, school or the demands of family, diabetes can "get in the way. "But don't worry. We're here to help."

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Texters’ Thumbs and Knitters’ Knuckles: A Modern Perspective on Repetitive Stress Injuries

Mohit Bhasin Texters’ Thumbs and Knitters’ Knuckles: A Modern Perspective on Repetitive Stress Injuries Every day at work you execute thousands of precise, frenetic keystrokes while hunched painfully over a monitor. You text and type and staple and file until the stroke of five, performing a daily marathon with your forearms and fingers. And like a marathoner, your tireless performance comes at the cost of physical pain. If left unchecked, your low-impact daily tasks may be putting you at risk for a repetitive stress injury. Repetitive stress injuries, or RSIs, are caused by repeated everyday actions. The two most common RSIs are tendonitis, the inflammation of a tendon; and bursitis, the inflammation of a bursa sac. Some well-known examples include carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow. Though repetitive stress injuries often start as an inconvenient ache, the symptoms can become far more severe if they are ignored. People sometimes assume that their risk of RSI depends on the amount of time spent on a certain action. The time spent is actually less important than the number of repetitions. For example, if you spent two hours typing only one hundred words, your risk is far lower than a friend who typed an epic two thousand words in only twenty minutes.  Furthermore, if your friend repeated her typing binge several times daily over weeks and months, she might start to accumulate orthopedic damage if she didn’t rest prudently. This repetition of a task over time is what leads to RSI symptoms, even if the task is only done for a few hours every day.The most severe RSIs require physical therapy and medication. Yet the majority of RSIs are easily reversible. Paying attention to your posture and switching to more ergonomic products can help to prevent or alleviate the painful symptoms of repetitive stress.

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