Environmental Health
Latest articles on Environmental Health
"We take great pride in partnering with community organizations to address many of the major health problems facing Wisconsin citizens through the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program," says T. Michael Bolger, JD, MCW President and CEO.
Dr. Deidre Faust notes that even within small countries, diseases such as malaria might be a risk in one city, but not in another, so it makes a difference to know exactly where you will be going and what you will be doing.
First identified in the early 1960s, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus began infecting hospital and nursing-home patients in the mid-1970s. More recently, it's become a public health problem. Dr. Peter Sohnle explains why.
Fire-safe cigarettes are designed to self-extinguish when left unattended. At this time, 14 states have passed fire-safe cigarette laws, and 20 others have introduced such legislation.
It takes courage to put down that last cigarette and quit smoking - most people feel a combination of fear and excitement leading up to their quit date. If you want to quit, don't let that fear paralyze you.
Although there were more than 5,700 deaths from job-related injuries last year, the positive side of that grim total is that it translates to a rate of 3.9 deaths per 100,000 workers, down from a rate of 4.0 per 100,000 in 2005.
All thunderstorms are dangerous, and every thunderstorm produces lightning. Although most lightning victims survive, people struck by lightning often report a variety of long-term, debilitating symptoms.
"To prevent workplace injuries or harmful exposures, familiarize yourself with any potential hazards and think about how you can avoid them before you begin a task," says William W. Greaves, MD, MSPH.
"People providing outreach services are very concerned about the health and well being of those they serve, but often overlook their own health, and their own health is very important to those they serve," says Leslie F. Martin, MD, MPH.
A healthful, well-balanced diet is a necessity during pregnancy, but some foods have the potential to cause harm, says Michael Lund, MD. Women who are pregnant, nursing, or breastfeeding need to take extra measures to avoid them.
"Traumatic Brain Injury is more common than most people think," says Dr. Mark Klingbeil. While some patients go on to make a full recovery, more than five million Americans currently live with disabilities due to TBI.
People who camp, hike, or work on gardens and other leafy outdoor areas during the summer are at the greatest risk of being bitten by ticks, but you are vulnerable whenever the temperature at ground level is warm enough for ticks to be active.
Symptoms of heat illness might include fatigue, dizziness, headache, nausea, and confusion. High body temperature, changes in pulse or consciousness, and alterations in sweating - especially when it actually stops - require immediate medical attention.
"Everyone who takes care of a pregnant woman takes care of two patients at once, and we always treat both with equal importance," says Dr. Michael Lund.
A common and effective treatment for allergies is an antihistamine. This type of medication works quickly, and a wide variety is available without a prescription.
Like any chronic disease, asthma must be treated on a regular basis in order to be managed optimally, says Jordan Fink, MD. "Our goal is to keep the asthma under control so patients can live a normal life."
Rodney Willoughby, MD, led the team that, for the first time, saved the life of an un-immunized rabies patient. "The sense is that we're very close to a second survivor," he says.
Dr. Julie Mitchell explains why "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease," or COPD, is often the most efficient way to designate overlapping syndromes.
Pulmonary fibrosis, a hardening of the lungs caused by scarring, progressively impairs one's ability to breathe. Patients typically have symptoms for five years before they seek a doctor's advice, says Dr. Rose Franco.
Most sore throats are mild and will resolve on their own after a week or two, but not all sore throats are benign, Dr. William Prudlow says. Some are long-lasting, and might indicate a more serious condition.
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