Category: Health

  • First Presumptive Positive Measles Case in Alabama for 2019

    First Presumptive Positive Measles Case in Alabama for 2019

    The Alabama Department of Public Health received notification of a case of presumptive positive measles the morning of May 2 in an infant in St. Clair County. Currently, this is the only presumptive measles case under investigation in Alabama. The infant was considered contagious from April 23, 2019, through May 1, 2019. ADPH is working…

  • SURVEY: Prior Authorization Obstacles Unnecessarily Delay Patient Access to Cancer Treatments

    ARLINGTON, Va., April 25, 2019 — Restrictive prior authorization practices cause unnecessary delays and interference in care decisions for cancer patients, according to a new survey of nearly 700 radiation oncologists — physicians who treat cancer patients using radiation– released today by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). Nearly all radiation oncologists (93%) said that their…

  • National Health Survey Underway in Marengo County

    National Health Survey Underway in Marengo County

    The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the most comprehensive survey of the health and nutritional status of the U.S. population, is underway in Marengo County through April 20. This is an “invitation-only opportunity” in which randomly selected participants will receive a free and comprehensive health and nutrition evaluation. Respondents will be compensated for…

  • How Can Physicians Effectively Address Burnout?

    How Can Physicians Effectively Address Burnout?

    How many of your colleagues are complaining that they are doing more work and getting less for it? How many of them are experiencing ever-increasing levels of frustration brought on by outside influences: governmental regulation, insurance regulation, increased concern about medical malpractice, increasingly negative attitude by society towards physicians, and weakened physician-patient relationships? Most individuals…

  • ‘Through With Chew Week’ Highlights Dangers of Smokeless Tobacco Use

    ‘Through With Chew Week’ Highlights Dangers of Smokeless Tobacco Use

    Smokeless tobacco may not be getting as much press as e-cigarettes and vaping, but it is as addictive and has many harmful side effects. The Medical Association is joining with the Alabama Department of Public Health to encourage smokeless tobacco users to quit the spit during “Through With Chew Week,” Feb. 18-22. The education campaign…

  • Alabama’s Infant Mortality Rate Lowest Ever in 2017

    Alabama’s Infant Mortality Rate Lowest Ever in 2017

    The Alabama Department of Public Health announced the infant mortality rate of 7.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017 is the lowest in Alabama history and is an improvement over the 2016 rate of 9.1. A total of 435 infants born in Alabama died before reaching 1 year of age in 2017; 537 infants…

  • National Rural Health Day is Nov. 15!

    National Rural Health Day is Nov. 15!

    National Rural Health Day is an annual observance that emphasizes the importance of rural America and promotes the need for accessible, high-quality health care. National Rural Health Day falls on the third Thursday in November each year and recognizes the efforts of those serving the health needs of over 60 million people across the nation.…

  • Call It Quits Nov. 15! Join the Great American Smokeout!

    Call It Quits Nov. 15! Join the Great American Smokeout!

    Smokers who want to quit tobacco can use their fingers to dial for free help instead of lighting up a cigarette. On Thursday, Nov. 15, the Great American Smokeout challenges smokers and vapers to take the first step by quitting for the day or making a plan to quit for good. Callers in Alabama can…

  • Estimated 1.9 Million Vapers in U.S. and Growing

    Estimated 1.9 Million Vapers in U.S. and Growing

    A research team including experts from Johns Hopkins conducted a survey to determine trends in e-cigarette use. Based on more than 400,000 responses from the national telephone survey led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the researchers estimate that 1.4 percent of the population in the U.S. vapes. Yet these roughly 1.9 million…

  • REPORT: Nearly Half of Resident Physicians Report Burnout

    REPORT: Nearly Half of Resident Physicians Report Burnout

    ROCHESTER, Minn. – Resident physician burnout in the U.S. is widespread, with the highest rates concentrated in certain specialties, according to research from Mayo Clinic, OHSU and collaborators. The findings appear in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Physician burnout is a dangerous mix of exhaustion and depersonalization that contributes to physicians making mistakes while administering…