Basic health and day care policies and procedures should be implemented and closely monitored with the help of a health consultant, particularly in terms of respiratory tract, enteric, skin, invasive bacterial, and multiple system infections; Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; vaccine preventable diseases; and general safety procedures.…

Examines the cultural and social history of personal cleanliness. Discusses the cultural origins of U.S. washing habits and explores the question of why such practices spread throughout society. Describes how, between 1750 and 1900, washing became a regular practice of most people in the United States. (GEA)

Spurred by recent medical findings, the Environmental Protection Agency has initiated a program to help educators check their schools for asbestos-containing materials and correct any hazardous conditions which are found. (Author/RE)

Describes issues and solutions involving indoor air quality in school. Includes indoor air quality action plans, the role of the environmental consultant, and resources available to help school districts develop an indoor air quality action plan. (PKP)

Data from 348 patients (mean age 37) with postacute spinal cord injury revealed that 95% reported at least 1 secondary problem, and 58% reported 3 or more. The number and severity of complications varied with time since the injury. Obesity, pain, spasticity, urinary tract infections, pressure sores, and lack of social integration were common…

The present study tested the feasibility of an Internet-based method to obtain objective evidence of smoking abstinence and to deliver vouchers for evidence of abstinence. Four heavy smokers participated in this 4-week study. Twice daily, participants made video recordings of themselves providing a breath carbon monoxide (CO) sample with a Web…

In this investigation, we evaluated the effectiveness of surface electromyography (EMG) biofeedback to treat paradoxical vocal fold motion in a 16-year-old girl. EMG biofeedback training occurred once per week over the course of 10 weeks. In a changing criterion design, muscle tension showed systematic changes that corresponded with changes in the…

Objective: To estimate the impact of arthritis using a general health index and National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. Methods: Morbidity data came from NHIS Public Use data, from the years 19861988 and 1994. The data are 423 400 cases, representing 975 421 153 person-years. Quality of Well-being Scale (QWB) morbidity scores were imputed…

Background: Health status is an important domain of quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities. This paper describes the development of a self-report health status measure for use with people with intellectual disabilities living in staffed community-based accommodation, and reports preliminary reliability data for the schedule.…

This study investigates whether childhood health acts as a mechanism through which socioeconomic status is transferred across generations. The study uses data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to track siblings and to estimate fixed-effects models that account for unobserved heterogeneity at the family level. The results demonstrate that…

It is not surprising that the expanding American waistline is correlating to a growing need for health information. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity contributes to an increased risk for hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and some cancers. And though general medical books that list 100 different…

This article explores environmental health and epidemiology topics relating to international health, focusing on population issues, underdeveloped countries, and food supply problems. (CB)

"Sick building syndrome" results mainly from tightly sealed, poorly ventilated buildings with low levels of airborne pollutants. This article describes the problem at a Pennsylvania elementary school, examines roles of specific contaminants, and discusses credibility problems, prescriptions, and preventive measures. Insets explain causes…

Describes problems with the preservation of anatomy subjects (cadavers) for subsequent studies. Occasionally, the subjects are diseased, and the process of bacteriomycosis and entomobacteriomycosis makes them worthless as anatomy subjects. (Author/ABB)

Summarizes results of European studies relating the health of occupants to their type of dwelling, with particular emphasis on those people living in high-rise apartment buildings in England. (CS)