health More than $14 million in research grants awarded for health technology solutions focused on heart and brain health, including special projects related to COVID-19 and CVD By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:03:00 GMT DALLAS, April 2, 2020 – The American Heart Association — the world’s leading voluntary organization dedicated to a world of longer, healthier lives — announced today more than $14 million in scientific research grants are being awarded to four... Full Article
health Maternal hypertensive disorders may lead to mental health disorders in children By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Mon, 20 Apr 2020 09:00:00 GMT Research Highlights: Hypertensive pregnancy disorders, especially preeclampsia – may increase the risk of psychological development disorders and behavioral and emotional disorders in children. This is the first study to show that preeclampsia... Full Article
health Nearly $17 million invested in research to fast-track studies on health impacts of e-cigarettes and nicotine on youth By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2020 17:14:05 GMT Full Article
health Patient groups urge court to reject rule weakening health insurance standards By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Fri, 20 Mar 2020 15:27:00 GMT Washington, D.C.—March 20, 2020—Patient groups representing millions of people with serious health conditions are urging a U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to reject a federal rule expanding the availability of short-term limited-duration... Full Article
health Leading Health Care Groups Issue Urgent Call for Federal Action to Address Medical Equipment Shortages By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Mon, 30 Mar 2020 13:00:00 GMT WASHINGTON, D.C., March 30, 2020 — As longstanding organizations representing and supporting those on the front lines who are risking their lives caring for the world’s most vulnerable patients, we stand united in voicing our concern over the ... Full Article
health 28 Patient and consumer groups urge the administration to implement a special enrollment period for Healthcare.gov By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Wed, 01 Apr 2020 19:50:00 GMT WASHINGTON, D.C., April 1, 2020 – 28 patient and consumer groups representing millions of people nationwide with pre-existing health conditions issued the following statement regarding the administration’s decision not to initiate a special enrollment... Full Article
health 28 grupos de pacientes y consumidores instan a la administración a implementar un período de inscripción especial para Healthcare.gov By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Wed, 01 Apr 2020 19:50:00 GMT WASHINGTON, D.C., 1 de abril del 2020 – 28 grupos de pacientes y consumidores que representan a millones de personas en todo el país con afecciones de salud preexistentes emitieron la siguiente declaración sobre la decision de la administración de no... Full Article
health Public health CEOs: Open health care enrollment to save lives By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Fri, 10 Apr 2020 15:51:00 GMT AHA COVID-19 newsroom DALLAS, April 10, 2020 — Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary organization focused on heart and brain health, joined the chief executives of other leading national public... Full Article
health 21 health and medical groups speak out against EPA finalizing a rule that could undermine the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Fri, 17 Apr 2020 13:55:00 GMT Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule that threatens to undermine the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. The American Lung Association, Allergy & Asthma Network, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, American... Full Article
health Higher economic status does not always translate to better heart health By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2020 09:00:00 GMT Research Highlights: Upward income mobility is associated with a trade-off between well-being and cardiometabolic health. Reaching a higher income status is not always beneficial for cardiometabolic health, even if it improves economic standing and... Full Article
health COVID-19 has unmasked significant health disparities in the U.S.; essay on behalf of the Association of Black Cardiologists suggests solutions By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 19:03:45 GMT Full Article
health For older adults, more physical activity could mean longer, healthier lives By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Thu, 05 Mar 2020 18:15:00 GMT Full Article
health Eating more plant protein and dairy instead of red meat may improve heart health By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Thu, 05 Mar 2020 21:00:00 GMT Full Article
health New oxygenation and ventilation management training for health care providers By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Fri, 03 Apr 2020 19:31:00 GMT DALLAS, April 3, 2020 — With the COVID-19 pandemic, more patients are having difficulty breathing and requiring ventilators to help them breathe. As hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) volumes increase with COVID-19 patients, health care ... Full Article
health Free, online health lessons available for all faith communities By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Wed, 08 Apr 2020 21:54:00 GMT DALLAS, April 8, 2020 – Approximately 120 million people in the United States have one or more cardiovascular conditions that may increase their risk for COVID-19 complications and those with hypertension, diabetes or cardiovascular disease are... Full Article
health 12 scientific teams redefining fast-tracked heart and brain health research related to COVID-19 By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:53:13 GMT Full Article
health Students receive scholarships to help address health disparities By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 03:26:00 GMT DALLAS, May 5, 2020 — Ten college students are receiving $10,000 scholarships from the American Heart Association for their work to help close health disparity gaps – which appear to contribute to disproportionately high rates of sickness and death among... Full Article
health Health Problems Precede Traumatic Brain Injury in Older Adults By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Sep 2019 12:54:56 EDT Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability. Older adults are more likely than younger individuals to sustain TBIs and less likely to survive them. TBI has been called the “silent epidemic,” and older adults are the “silent population” within this epidemic. This study evaluates whether indicators of preinjury health and functioning are associated with risk of incident traumatic brain injury (TBI) with loss of consciousness (LOC) and to evaluate health‐related factors associated with mortality in individuals with incident TBI. Full Article
health Why universal basic health care is both a moral and economic imperative By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 07:03:33 PDT Several hundred cars were parked outside a food bank in San Antonio on Good Friday — the food bank fed 10,000 people that day. Such scenes, increasingly common across the nation and evocative... Full Article Guest Columnist
health Marion coronavirus recovery task force wants residents to come out of this healthy and to ‘a vibrant economy’ By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 19:57:10 PDT MARION — Marion’s 14-member COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force is beginning to work on recommendations of how to get people back to work, while keeping everyone... Full Article Government
health Campgrounds reopen in Iowa Friday, see takers despite some health limitations By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 17:34:01 PDT Some Eastern Iowans are ready to go camping. With Gov. Kim Reynolds allowing campgrounds across the state to open Friday, some people wasted little time in heading outdoors. “They’re... Full Article News
health Fear: Focus on substance abuse, mental health and human trafficking By www.thegazette.com Published On :: Tue, 5 May 2020 08:51:07 -0400 I am a longtime resident of Johnson County, currently in my 25th year of law enforcement. I worked for the Coralville Police Department in the late 1990’s and transferred to the Cedar Rapids Police Department in 1999 where I am a sergeant of the patrol division. I have degrees in criminal justice and organizational leadership and have advanced leadership training from Northwestern University in the School of Police Staff and Command.Working in the second-largest city in the state has offered me many opportunities to lead. I have taught in the police academy and defensive tactics and as a field training instructor. I was the director of the Eastern Iowa Heroin Initiative, where I founded CRUSH of Iowa (Community Resources United to Stop Heroin). CRUSH is a community-based, grassroots organization helping all those affected by substance abuse disorder.My passion has been community outreach. Currently I am a member of the Johnson County Human Trafficking Coalition and the Johnson County Prevention Partnership. Through these partnerships I will create a criminal interdiction team to fight the trafficking of humans, weapons and narcotics.As sheriff, my top three concerns are substance abuse, mental health and human trafficking. I believe in creating long-lasting relationships with the community. I believe in common sense solutions without the haze of political bias. I believe that every citizen has a voice and should be heard. I believe in building a proactive and progressive law enforcement agency that serves with professionalism, compassion and dedication to the citizens. I believe we need to place the community back into community policing. I am ready to be sheriff of Johnson County. I am a proven leader who is determined to build bridges with the citizens of the county and lead with accountability, trust and transparency. I will fight for all of Johnson County as sheriff because I have done so all of my life. This election is not just about me, it is about us. We, together, will make a positive impact on Johnson County. The status quo is not working. It’s time for change!I would love to have your vote on June 2. We work better when we work together. People before politics!Al Fear is a candidate in the Democratic primary for Johnson County sheriff. alfearforsheriff.com Full Article Guest Columnist
health Iowa’s health care system is not overwhelmed. Why is our economy still closed? By www.thegazette.com Published On :: Tue, 5 May 2020 14:42:29 -0400 In response to the coronavirus, Americans were told by their federal and state governments to shut down their businesses, stop going to church, work, school or out to eat, travel only when necessary and hunker down at home. Originally, Americans were led to believe this was for a two- or three-week period, in order to flatten the curve and not overwhelm our health care system.At seven weeks and counting, with staggering economic loss that will leave families and thousands of small businesses and farmers with profound devastation, the question must be asked, are we trying to flatten the curve or flatten our country?The initial models that pointed to staggering loss of life from the coronavirus have proved wildly inaccurate. As of May 2, the CDC placed the number of deaths in the U.S. from the virus at 66,746. While all loss of life is deeply regrettable, these numbers cannot be considered in a vacuum. For perspective, deaths from pneumonia in the U.S. during the same period were 64,382, with average yearly deaths from influenza in the same range.The original goal of closing much of the U.S. economy and staying at home was to flatten the curve of new coronavirus cases so that our hospital systems would not be overwhelmed. Hospitals built by the Army Corps of Engineers to handle the increased volume have mostly been taken down. Except for a few spots in the U.S. the health care system was not overwhelmed. As the medical models of casualties from the coronavirus continue to be adjusted down, it is clear the curve has been flattened, so why do we continue to stay closed and worsen the economic devastation that tunnel vision has thus far kept many of our leaders from acknowledging?Many health experts say 80 percent of Americans will get the coronavirus and experience only mild symptoms. The curve has been flattened. Our health care system is not overwhelmed. Why is our economy, for the most part, still closed?A University of Washington study recently revised the projected number of deaths from the coronavirus in Iowa from 1,367 to a much lower estimate of 365. While all loss of life is horrific, we must also consider the devastation being done to our economy, our families and our way of life by actions taken to combat the coronavirus.It must be noted that 578 Iowans died from the flu and pneumonia in 2017, a greater number than are likely to pass away from the coronavirus. We also know that many who die from the virus are elderly with underlying health conditions, increasing the likelihood that any serious illness could result in their death. Are draconian government restrictions in response to the coronavirus still needed and economically sustainable? The data shows that the answers to both questions is no. We are no longer flattening the curve; we are flattening our state and nation.We have seen the medical data. What has been less visible in news conferences and in the overall reporting of the coronavirus and our response to it, are the economic and human costs of what we are doing:• 30 million Americans are out of work and the number grows daily.• Dairy farmers are pouring out milk they have no market for.• Pork producers are euthanizing hogs they have no market for.• According to a study by Iowa State University, the losses to Iowa Agriculture are at a staggering $6.7 billion and growing, with the largest losses in pork production and ethanol.• In Iowa, the economic loss for corn is estimated to be $788 million, $213 million for soybean and $34 million for cattle.• The Iowa Restaurant Association estimates that between 10 & 25% of Iowa’s restaurants will not reopen.• Iowa’s public universities are predicting a $187 million loss.• Iowa is spending $200 million or more per month on unemployment claims, with over 171,000 Iowans unemployed.• 29 percent of the U.S. economy is frozen as a result of government action, with U.S. economic output down 29 percent.• U.S. unemployment could soon hit 47 million.• Losses to U.S. tourism are predicted to top $910 billion.• Retirement plans for millions of Americans are being decimated, with recent reports projecting the average 401(k) loss at 19 percent.• Drug and alcohol addiction and relapse are increasing.• Testing for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease are being delayed, which could lead to increasing health problems and life-threatening illnesses in the future.• Economic damage to rural hospitals could lead to hospital closures and less access to health care in some areas.• Warnings of a possible meat shortage in the U.S. have been issued by executives of Farmland and Tyson, with reports that the food supply chain is under stress. Several grocery store chains are now limiting meat purchases and some national restaurant chains are no longer offering certain meat products on their menus. Higher meat prices are almost certain in the months to come.• Huge U.S. debt increases unlike anything seen since World War II, to the tune of over $3 trillion and counting, are adding to the already monstrous $22 trillion in U.S. debt. This does not bode well for our children or future economic stability.The list of consequences goes on and on, and behind each of the statistics is a family struggling to survive, a father and mother fearful of how they will care for their children, a small-business owner seeing their dreams and hard work destroyed overnight by draconian government mandates, a restaurant owner deciding never to reopen, a dairy farmer throwing in the towel and a business owner postponing indefinitely plans for expanding.Behind these numbers is an economy greatly impacted by the government response to the coronavirus, with implications for our economic well-being profound and long lasting. Expansion projects delayed, business closures, layoffs and contraction for many businesses will likely keep unemployment numbers high and depress economic expansion for an unknown amount of time.Let us be clear, it grows worse every day we remain closed.Steve Holt represents District 18 in the Iowa House. Full Article Guest Columnist
health Graham: Health care is a human right By www.thegazette.com Published On :: Tue, 5 May 2020 16:54:08 -0400 Canusa Street in Vermont is the border between the United States and Canada. Roughly 200 years ago, when the border was decided, no one could have imagined that breaking your leg on one side of that street would have vastly different consequences than breaking it on the other. I’m Kimberly Graham. I’m an advocate and attorney for abused kids and for parents in Iowa’s juvenile courts. I’m also a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Iowa. On one side of Canusa Street, that nation has a universal single-payer health insurance system. For 20 years, I’ve been friends with an international circle of moms who met in an online mommies group when our kids were infants. Some of us have had medical events requiring expensive care. To this day, my Canadian (and Australian and British) friends are shocked when we American moms talk about $5,000 or $10,000 deductibles, plus astronomical premiums. We talk about medical debt and how we put off or avoid medical care. We talk about how our child’s broken leg and the resulting deductible has set us behind financially and will take years to pay off.A poll commissioned in 2018 by West Health Institute and the University of Chicago showed that 40 percent of Americans are more frightened by the cost of health care than getting sick. Are Canadians, Brits and Australians more deserving of health care without premiums, copays and deductibles than Americans? Of course not. In a moral and wealthy nation, health care should be a fundamental human right. Human rights are not for sale. Human rights are not commodities to be marketed, bought and sold. We need a universal, single-payer health care system (Medicare for All) that covers everyone. It should work like a public library. We value libraries and all of us can use them. But libraries aren’t free, so we all pitch in and pay for them. When I want a book, I go to the library, hand them my library card, check out the book and never hand them a debit card or receive a bill in the mail.Health care should work like that in a moral and wealthy nation. Please join me in working for the day when all of us truly have the health insurance system we deserve. You can learn more at www.kimberlyforiowa.com Onward to justice for all, Kimberly Kimberly Graham is a candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Full Article Guest Columnist
health Lensing: Leadership on education funding, mental health and accessible voting By www.thegazette.com Published On :: Wed, 6 May 2020 15:39:39 -0400 Serving as state representative of House District 85 for the past few years has been a privilege and an honor. I have worked hard to stand for the people of my district fighting for issues that are important to them and to the voters of Iowa City. I want to continue that advocacy and am running for another term in the Iowa House and ask for your vote.I vigorously support adequate funding for education from pre-school to our community colleges and universities. Our young people are Iowa’s future and deserve the best start available through our excellent education system in Iowa. But we need to provide the dollars necessary to keep our teachers in the classroom so our children are prepared for whatever may lie ahead of them.I have advocated for the fair treatment of workers in Iowa and support their right to organize. I have worked on laws for equal pay for equal work and whistle blower protection.I am for essential funding for mental health services for Iowans of all ages. Children and adults who are struggling with mental health issues should have services available to them no matter where they live in this state. I have fought to keep government open and accessible to Iowans. I support open records and open meetings laws to ensure that availability and transparency to all Iowans.Keeping voting easy and accessible to voters has been a priority of mine. I support a fair and balanced redistricting system for voting in Iowa.I have advocated to keep the bottle deposit law in place and expand it to cover the many new types of containers available.I have worked on oversight legislation after several investigations into defrauding government which involved boarding homes, government agencies and pharmacy benefit managers (the “middleman” between pharmacies/Medicaid and the healthcare insurance companies.) I cannot avoid mentioning the challenge of the coronavirus in Iowa. It has impacted our health, jobs, families and businesses. No one could have predicted this pandemic but as Iowans, we need to do our best to limit contact and the spread of this disease. My sincere appreciation goes to those workers on the frontlines of this crisis: the healthcare workers, store owners, businesses, farmers, teachers and workers who show up every day to keep this state moving forward. Thank you all!There is still much work to be done to keep Iowa the great place where we live, work and raise our families. I am asking for your vote to allow me the privilege of continuing that work.Vicki Lensing is a candidate in the Democratic primary for Iowa House District 85. Full Article Guest Columnist
health Why universal basic health care is both a moral and economic imperative By www.thegazette.com Published On :: Thu, 7 May 2020 10:03:33 -0400 Several hundred cars were parked outside a food bank in San Antonio on Good Friday — the food bank fed 10,000 people that day. Such scenes, increasingly common across the nation and evocative of loaves and fish, reflect the cruel facts about the wealthiest nation in the world: 80 percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, and 100 percent of Americans were unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. People are hungry due to macroeconomic and environmental factors, not because they did something wrong. Although everyone is at risk in this pandemic, the risk is not shared equally across socioeconomic classes. Universal basic health care could resolve this disparity and many of the moral and economic aspects associated with the pandemic.Increases in the total output of the economy, or the gross domestic product (GDP), disproportionately benefit the wealthy. From 1980 to 2020, the GDP increased by 79 percent. Over that same time, the after-tax income of the top 0.01 percent of earners increased by 420 percent, while the after-tax income of the middle 40 percent of earners increased by only 50 percent, and by a measly 20 percent for the bottom 50 percent of earners. At present, the top 0.1 percent of earners have the same total net worth as the bottom 85 percent. Such income inequality produces poverty, which is much more common in the U.S. than in other developed countries. Currently 43 million Americans, or 12.7 percent of the population, live in poverty. At the same time, 30 million Americans are uninsured and many more are underinsured with poorly designed insurance plans. The estimated total of uninsured and underinsured Americans exceeds 80 million. In addition, most of the 600,000 homeless people and 11 million immigrants in the U.S. lack health care coverage. Immigrants represent an especially vulnerable population, since many do not speak English and cannot report hazardous or unsafe work conditions. Furthermore, many immigrants avoid care due to fear of deportation even if they entered the country through legal channels.Most people in poverty and many in the middle class obtain coverage from federal programs. On a national level, Medicaid is effectively a middle-class program and covers those living in poverty, 30 percent of adults and 60 percent of children with disabilities as well as about 67 percent of people in nursing homes. In Iowa, 37 percent of children and 48 percent of nursing home residents use Medicaid. Medicaid also finances up to 20 percent of the care provided in rural hospitals. Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Hospital Insurance Program (CHIP) together cover over 40 percent of Americans. In addition to facilitating care, health care policy must also address the “social determinants of health,” since the conditions in which people live, work, and play dictate up to 80 percent of their health risks and outcomes. This means that health care reform requires programs in all facets of society. Winston Churchill first conceptualized such an idea in the early 20th century as a tool to prevent the expansion of socialism, arguing that inequality could persist indefinitely without social safety nets. Since that time most developed countries have implemented such social programs, but not the US.All developed countries except the U.S. provide some type of universal basic health care for their residents. Universal basic health care refers to a system that provides all people with certain essential benefits, such as emergency services (including maternity), inpatient hospital and physician care, outpatient services, laboratory and radiology services, treatment of mental illness and substance abuse, preventive health services (including vaccinations), rehabilitation, and medications. Providing access to these benefits, along with primary care, dramatically improves the health of the community without imposing concerns regarding payment. Perhaps not coincidentally, the U.S. reports a lower life expectancy and higher rates of infant mortality, suicide and homicide compared to other developed countries. Countries such as Canada, Great Britain, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, and Japan all produce better health care outcomes than the U.S. at a much lower cost. In fact the U.S. spends about twice the percentage of its GDP on health care compared to these countries. With that being said, the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA), which facilitated a decrease in the rate of the uninsured in the U.S. from 20 percent to 12 percent, also decreased the percentage of the GDP spent on health care from 20.2 percent to 17.9 percent in just 10 years. For this reason, most economists agree that universal basic health care would not cost more than the current system, and many would also argue that the total costs of the health care system cannot be further reduced unless everyone has access to basic care.Achieving successful universal basic health care requires a serious long-term commitment from the federal government — contributing to Medicaid and financing its expansion are not enough. It requires courage from our elected leaders. The ACA took several important steps toward this goal by guaranteeing coverage for preexisting conditions, banishing lifetime maximums for essential services, and mandating individual coverage for everyone, though Congress repealed this final provision in 2017. At present, the ACA requires refinement and a public option, thereby preserving private and employer-based plans for those who want them.Without universal basic health care the people living at the margins of society have no assurances that they will have access to basic health care services, especially during times of pandemic. Access to food and medications is less reliable, large families live together in small spaces, and public transportation facilitates frequent exposure to others. Childhood diseases such as asthma, chronic diseases such as diabetes, and diseases related to smoking such as COPD and cancer are all likely to worsen. Quarantine protocols also exacerbate the mental health crisis, further increasing rates of domestic violence, child abuse, substance abuse, depression, and suicide. In the last six weeks over 30 million Americans have applied for unemployment benefits, and as people become unemployed, many will lose health insurance. Access to basic health care without economic or legal consequences would greatly enhance all aspects of pandemic management and response, from tracing contacts and quarantining carriers to administering tests and reinforcing supply chains. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected minorities and the impoverished in both mortality and livelihood. Universal basic health care helps these vulnerable populations the most, and by reducing their risk it reduces the risk for everyone. In this way, universal basic health care supports the best interests of all Americans. Like a living wage, universal basic health care aligns with the Christian tradition of social justice and is a moral and economic imperative for all Americans. Nurses, doctors, and other health care providers often observe a sharp contrast between the haves and have-nots when seeing patients. The homeless, the hungry, the unemployed, the working poor, the uninsured; people without families, patients with no visitors, those who live alone or lack support systems; refugees and immigrants — all of these people deserve the fairness and dignity provided by universal basic health care and programs which improve the social determinants of their health. The ACA moved U.S. toward this goal, but now it requires refinement and a public option. The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the urgency of this imperative by demonstrating how universal basic health care could decrease the risks to those less fortunate, thus significantly decreasing the risks to everyone. James M. Levett, MD, serves on the board of Linn County Public Health and is a practicing cardiothoracic surgeon with Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa. Pramod Dwivedi, MS, DrPH (c), is the health director of Linn County Public Health. Full Article Guest Columnist
health Marion coronavirus recovery task force wants residents to come out of this healthy and to ‘a vibrant economy’ By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 19:57:10 PDT MARION — Marion’s 14-member COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force is beginning to work on recommendations of how to get people back to work, while keeping everyone safe.“It’s hard to know right now at the beginning the various outcomes that are going to come out of this,” Marion Mayor Nick AbouAssaly told task force members in a meeting held this week via Zoom. “Community sectors will work independently and report to the steering committee with ideas, strategies or policy recommendations,” he said.In turn, the task force will consider recommendations to the Marion City Council, and AbouAssaly said he will update the council on the task force meetings. “Unfortunately, we have to accept that the virus is here to stay,” AbouAssaly said. “It’s part of our life for the time being. We have to be able to plan for getting back to doing things and leading our lives in a way that allows us to exist with the virus in our community.” Elizabeth Cwik, a Marion resident who works for the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, said there’s a “strong interest” among task force members to provide accurate information to the public about the virus. “I see clear, consistent messaging from a variety of sectors from the schools, government, businesses and nonprofits. Then that message gets through,” Cwik said. “If that message is, ‘We care, and we want you to come out whole, and we want there to be a vibrant economy to be continued with every citizen’s effort,’ I think that’s a valuable contribution to the recovery.” In joining the task force, Dr. Jaclyn Price said she hopes to dispel inaccurate information about the coronavirus and help businesses find ways to safely bring their employees back to work. “I anticipate businesses will be operating at reduced capacities,” she said. “Maybe doing appointments rather than walk-in business, and cleaning more routinely.”If businesses require employees and customers to wear masks, it will protect others from asymptomatic spread of the virus, she said. “We will still see virus activity until we get a vaccine or herd immunity,” Price said. “This is going to be a problem for months to come. We’re trying to find ways to open slowly, but also understanding if we reopen everything and have to close it again, that could be more detrimental to people’s psychology or finances of businesses.”The Rev. Mike Morgan of Marion United Methodist Church said “greater conversation” with government, business, education and health care leaders will help. “Marion has become a town that is proactive,” Morgan said. “We really seek to have good things happen to our citizenry rather than let things happen and we react to them. ... As a person in the faith community, it’s important for us to be tending to people’s emotional, psychological, spiritual and, to some degree, physical needs.” Comments: (319) 368-8664; grace.king@thegazette.comMARION TASK FORCEThose serving on the Marion COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force, all Marion residents and volunteers, are:• Nick AbouAssaly, Marion mayor• Jill Ackerman, president, Marion Chamber of Commerce• Shannon Bisgard, Linn-Mar schools superintendent • Amber Bisinger, communications officer for the city• Elizabeth Cwik, Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation• Lee Eilers, executive committee member, Marion Economic Development Corp.• Nick Glew, president, Marion Economic Development Corp.• Amber Hoff, marriage and family therapist• Steve Jensen, Marion City Council member• Mike Morgan, pastor, Marion United Methodist Church• Brent Oleson, Linn County supervisorLon Pluckhahn, Marion city manager• Jaclyn Price, M.D., Mercy Clinic-Marion• Brooke Prouty, program director, Marion Chamber of Commerce Full Article Government
health Campgrounds reopen in Iowa Friday, see takers despite some health limitations By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 17:34:01 PDT Some Eastern Iowans are ready to go camping.With Gov. Kim Reynolds allowing campgrounds across the state to open Friday, some people wasted little time in heading outdoors.“They’re already starting to fill up,” said Ryan Schlader of Linn County Conservation. “By about 7 this morning, we had a dozen at Squaw Creek Park. People were coming in bright and early to camp. We’re not surprised.”Schlader said Linn County Conservation tried to have the campgrounds open at the county’s Squaw Creek, Morgan Creek and Pinicon Ridge parks at 5 a.m. Friday. He expected all of them would be busy.“I think people were ready to go,” he said.Lake Macbride State Park in Johnson County didn’t see quite as much of a rush for campsites, park manager Ron Puettmann reported Friday morning, saying he’d had six walk-ins for the park’s 42 campsites.Camping this weekend will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. Sites won’t be available for reservations until next week, though online reservations can be made now, Puettmann said. “I’m quite sure people were waiting anxiously to get on,” he said.While Reynolds’ campground announcement came Wednesday, Schlader and Puettmann said they had no issues having the campgrounds ready for Friday. Schlader said county staff have been in touch with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and other county conservation boards to discuss protocols for reopening to ensure a safe experience for campers and employers.“We anticipated at some point the order would be lifted,” Schlader said. “We were anticipating maybe May 15. The campgrounds were in good shape and ready to go.” For now, camping comes with some limitations:• Campers can camp only in a self-contained unit with a functioning restroom, such as a recreational vehicle. • Shower houses with restrooms will remain closed for the time being. • Campsites are limited to six people unless they are from the same household.• No visitors are allowed at the campsites.Puettmann said staffers and a DNR officer will be on hand to make sure guidelines are followed, but he didn’t anticipate enforcement would be an issue.“For the most part, we’re going to allow people to police themselves,” he said. It’s hard to gauge demand, Schlader said. The weather isn’t yet deal for camping, and some people might not be ready to camp, given the continuing coronavirus.“There is a lot of uncertainty,” he said. “Do people feel like they need to get out and enjoy a camping experience within their own campsite, or do people still feel under the weather and think it’s not a good idea for my family to go right now? ... We just want this to be an option for people.” Comments: (319) 339-3155; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com Full Article News
health Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida Website Design Launch By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Mar 2019 01:25:23 +0000 We recently completed a website design and development project for Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida. This National Health Service...continue reading Full Article Featured Fort Myers Web Design Naples Web Design Web Design Website Launches
health Could you get PTSD from your pandemic experience? The long-term mental health effects of coronavirus By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 20 Apr 2020 10:10:58 EDT Experiencing intense flashbacks, nightmares, irritability, anger, and fear? In the face of a traumatic event like the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s common to feel this way. Full Article
health Could you get PTSD from your pandemic experience? The long-term mental health effects of coronavirus By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Monday, April 20, 2020 - 10:10am Experiencing intense flashbacks, nightmares, irritability, anger, and fear? In the face of a traumatic event like the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s common to feel this way. Full Article
health Unwell: The Public Health Implications of Unregulated Drinking Water By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 06 Nov 2017 21:28:26 +0000 By Nate Seltenrich Environmental Health Perspectives Roughly one in seven U.S. residents relies on a private well for drinking water.1 Unlike the rest of the population served by the nation’s many public water systems,2 these 44.5 million Americans are not … Continue reading → Full Article Drinking Water safe drinking water water wells
health Could you get PTSD from your pandemic experience? The long-term mental health effects of coronavirus By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Monday, April 20, 2020 - 10:10am Experiencing intense flashbacks, nightmares, irritability, anger, and fear? In the face of a traumatic event like the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s common to feel this way. Full Article
health You Know Clean Air is Good for Your Health. It’s Good for the Economy, Too. By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Apr 2018 18:44:00 +0000 By Rachel Cernansky Ensia When the Clean Air Act of 1970 became law, members of the business community in the United States responded with opposition. Such regulations are a drag on growth, some economists say, for individual businesses and for … Continue reading → Full Article Business & Economy Business clean air act Human Health sustainable business
health Personal Health Knowledge Graphs for Patients. (arXiv:2004.00071v2 [cs.AI] UPDATED) By arxiv.org Published On :: Existing patient data analytics platforms fail to incorporate information that has context, is personal, and topical to patients. For a recommendation system to give a suitable response to a query or to derive meaningful insights from patient data, it should consider personal information about the patient's health history, including but not limited to their preferences, locations, and life choices that are currently applicable to them. In this review paper, we critique existing literature in this space and also discuss the various research challenges that come with designing, building, and operationalizing a personal health knowledge graph (PHKG) for patients. Full Article
health Dozens of Spokane, Coeur d'Alene events canceled due to public health concerns over COVID-19 By www.inlander.com Published On :: Thu, 12 Mar 2020 11:40:15 -0700 After Governor Jay Inslee announced a prohibition on gatherings of 250 people or more in three Washington counties (Snohomish, King, Pierce) on Wednesday, and with public health concerns growing over the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations in Spokane are following suit. The Inlander will be frequently updating its online calendar of events to reflect local cancelations as we hear of them.… Full Article Culture/Arts & Culture
health Health Officials Recommended Canceling Events with 10-50 People. Then 33,000 Fans Attended a Major League Soccer Game. By www.inlander.com Published On :: Sun, 19 Apr 2020 07:23:00 -0700 As COVID-19 fears grew, public officials and sports execs contemplated health risks — and debated a PR message — but let 33,000 fans into a Seattle Sounders soccer match, emails show. By Ken Armstrong, ProPublica, and David Gutman and Lewis Kamb, The Seattle Times On March 6, at 2:43 p.m., the health officer for Public Health — Seattle & King County, the hardest-hit region in the first state to be slammed by COVID-19, sent an email to a half-dozen colleagues, saying, “I want to cancel large group gatherings now.”… Full Article News/Local News
health Trump ignores his own public health guidelines, COVID-19 death-toll nears 70,000, and other headlines By www.inlander.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 09:24:20 -0700 ON INLANDER.COM NATION: Even as U.S. President Donald Trump urges states to reopen their economies, his own administration projects that the death toll from COVID-19 will spike to 3,000 people per day.… Full Article Local News
health Can harnessing the psychological power of video games make you healthier? By www.inlander.com Published On :: Wed, 08 Apr 2020 18:30:00 -0700 Growing up, Luke Parker played sports.… Full Article Health
health Inland Northwest politicians put pressure on governors, health officials to accelerate reopening By www.inlander.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 11:58:20 -0700 Yesterday, Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward and other local leaders urged Gov. Jay Inslee to allow Spokane County to open on a different schedule than the rest of the state. Inslee, however, wouldn't budge.… Full Article News/Local News
health Methods for promoting plant health By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for promoting the health of a plant comprises administering malic acid to the plant or the soil in an amount effective to recruit plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) to the plant. Administration of malic acid promotes biofilm formation of PGPR on the plant's roots, thereby restricting entry of a foliar pathogen through stomatal pores present in the leaves. Another method for promoting the health of a plant comprises administering acetoin to the plant or the soil in an amount effective to increase pathogen resistance in aerial parts of the plant. Full Article
health Variable drive health determination and data placement By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The relative health of data storage drives may be determined based, at least in some aspects, on data access information and/or other drive operation information. In some examples, upon receiving the operation information from a computing device, a health level of a drive may be determined. The health level determination may be based at least in part on operating information received from a client entity. Additionally, a storage space allocation instruction or operation may be determined for execution. The allocation instruction or operation determined to be performed may be based at least in part on the determined health level. Full Article
health Vertical back support health-enhancing device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An ergonomic back support device utilizing one or multiple vertical components that include layers (28,36), pressure distributing layers (34,38,50), and a single notched layer (48). These layers provide primary back support located behind and conforming to the Erector spinae muscles (124). The vertical components form an open channel (24) that is parallel to the prime neurological pathway of the spinal column (100). The vertical conforming support components and open channel facilitate physiological functions that promote health. The device accomplishes support without using any transverse, hard or continuous components across or against the back. Other embodiments include the following additional vertical components: a lateral pressure-adjusting device (14), heating layers (40,46), circulation stimulating layers (42,44), and massage layers (52,54). Embodiments include portable and permanently installed versions that can be utilized in the following applications, including, but not limited to, furniture, vehicles, trains, aircraft, boats, ships, and backpacks. Full Article
health System and method for improved detection of locomotive friction modifying system component health and functionality By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 Dec 2006 08:00:00 EST A system and method for assessing a health and functionality of a locomotive friction modifying system wherein the locomotive has a friction modifying applicator associated with a wheel of the locomotive for applying a friction modifying agent to a rail on which the wheel is traversing. The system and method comprise a sensor detecting a predetermined operational condition of the locomotive. The system and method also comprise a controller associated with the sensor and responsive to input from the sensor determining a per unit creep of an axle of the locomotive. The controller also determines a tractive effort of the axle of the locomotive and determines a friction modifying applicator state for the applicator associated with the axle. The controller further compares the determined per unit creep of the axle, the tractive effort of the axle and the state of the friction modifying applicator associated with the axle to a predetermined value indicative of the health and functionality of the locomotive friction modifying system. The controller provides an indication of the health and functionality of the locomotive friction modifying system. Full Article
health System and method for cardiac defibrillation response simulation in health training mannequin By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Configurations for simulation of motions or movement in a health training mannequin for teaching purposes are disclosed. A cardiac defibrillation response simulation apparatus is configured to be housed separately from but interfaced with a health training mannequin to induce motion symptomatic response to electrical shock in the mannequin. In one embodiment a system comprises a motion inducer comprising a housing, an interface structure, and an actuator, wherein the interface structure is coupled to the actuator, movable relative to the housing, and configured to interface with a portion of a health training mannequin to induce motion in at least one portion of the health training mannequin. In another embodiment a method comprises interfacing a portion of a health training mannequin with an interface structure, the interface structure being coupled to an actuator and movable relative to a housing coupled to the actuator, the housing not being housed within a portion of the health training mannequin. Various hardware configurations are presented. Full Article
health Removable surface-wave networks for in-situ material health monitoring By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A system for measuring properties of a surface under test with surface waves includes a surface wave network including a dielectric substrate, a reactive grid of a plurality of metallic patches on a first surface of the dielectric substrate, a plurality of electronic nodes on the first surface of the dielectric substrate, and a ground plane on a second surface of the dielectric substrate permeable to RF fields of the surface waves, and a controller configured for causing a respective one of the electronic nodes to transmit at least one surface wave and configured for collecting data for signals received by at least one other of the plurality of electronic nodes. Full Article
health Lighting fixture that self-estimates its power usage and monitors its health By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 08:00:00 EST Apparatuses, methods and systems for lighting fixture determining its power usage and monitoring its operational health are disclosed. One embodiment includes a method of a lighting fixture determining its power usage. The method includes sensing, by an ambient light sensor, an intensity of light emitted from the lighting fixture, and estimating power usage of the lighting fixture based on the sensed intensity of light. Full Article
health Hoist health and usage monitoring system and components thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT Health and usage monitoring systems for aircraft hoist systems are described herein. In some embodiments, a health and usage monitoring system comprises a capacitive load cell and a processing unit for communication with the capacitive load cell, the capacitive load cell comprising a load receiving surface and a capacitive assembly coupled to the load receiving surface, the capacitive assembly comprising parallel electrically conductive plates separated by a reversibly deformable spacer construction wherein the parallel plates comprise aligned apertures providing a passageway through the capacitive assembly for the hoist system cable. Full Article
health SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED HEALTH MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE DECISION SUPPORT By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A method of health management of a monitored system includes collecting component condition indicator data used to calculate a plurality of component health indicators. Component fault severity and potential failure modes are determined utilizing the component condition indicator data. The potential failure modes are ranked in order of likelihood to isolate the failure mode. A system of health management for monitored apparatus includes a fault severity module to derive a plurality of component health indicators from collected component condition indicator data, the plurality of component health indicators indicative of fault severity of a plurality of components. A fault isolation module separately derives a ranked listing of potential fault/failure modes utilizing the component condition indicator data. The system further includes a communication portion to which the plurality of component health indicators and the ranked listing of fault/failure modes are transmitted for review and/or action by cognizant personnel. Full Article
health Universally adjustable pillow for use in healthcare and therapy By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A universally adjustable pillow for use in healthcare and/or therapy includes a base board (1), and pillows for, respectively, right lateral recumbency (4), supine recumbency (2), left lateral recumbency (5) and for the neck (3) that are arranged on said base board (1). The pillows for left and right lateral recumbency (5,4) each include an external cushion, a mechanism enabling adjustment to fit vertebral curvature (52, 42), a mechanism enabling adjustment to inhibit too great an angle of lateral tilt (53, 43) and height adjustment members (51, 41). The longitudinal axes of the pillows for left and right lateral recumbency (5, 4) are set an angles α and β to the longitudinal axis of the pillow for supine recumbency (2). Full Article