Category: Health
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Alabama’s Infant Mortality Rate Increased in 2016
According to the Alabama Department of Public Health the state’s infant mortality rate of 9.1 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2016 is the highest since 2008. This represents the deaths of 537 infants who did not reach 1 year of age. There were 59,090 live births in 2016. “Our infant mortality rate is…
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November is American Diabetes Month
November marks the annual observance of American Diabetes Month. Sponsored by the American Diabetes Association, this observance aims to focus our nation’s attention on the disease and the tens of millions of Americans affected by it. Judging by the numbers, it is imperative that individuals are informed about diabetes and the consequences associated with…
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Gov. Ivey Proclaims September Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month
If you suffer from the pain of arthritis, lupus or fibromyalgia, then you understand the scope of a rheumatic disease. Rheumatic diseases are the leading cause of disability in the United States and affect one-in-four Americans. By the year 2040, it’s estimated that more than 78 million American will be diagnosed with one of the…
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ProAssurance Establishes the Nation’s First Academic Research Program Dedicated to Physician Wellness
BIRMINGHAM – ProAssurance Corporation has announced the establishment of the ProAssurance Endowed Chair for Physician Wellness at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. This academic chair is the first of its kind in the United States and demonstrates ProAssurance’s commitment to its role as a leading advocate for America’s physicians. The initial $1.5 million gift…
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Public Health Warns of Increased Pertussis Cases in Alabama
The Alabama Department of Public Health’s Immunization Division is warning citizens that pertussis cases are significantly higher in Alabama and continue to be on the rise. Immunization data reveals an increase from 113 reported cases in 2016, to 151 reported cases thus far in 2017. Pertussis cases have occurred statewide in 2017, including multiple outbreaks…
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Report: Deaths from Cancer Higher in Rural America
Despite decreases in cancer death rates nationwide, a new report shows slower reduction in cancer death rates in rural America (a decrease of 1.0 percent per year) compared with urban America (a decrease of 1.6 percent per year), according to data released today in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The report is part of a series of…
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Opioids in Alabama: Where Do We Go From Here?
The numbers are staggering. In 2015 alone opioid-related overdoses accounted for more than 33,000 deaths — nearly as many as traffic fatalities. Today more than 2.5 million adults in the U.S. are struggling with addiction to opioid drugs, including prescription opioids and heroin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: About 91 Americans…
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Law Allows Alabama Students to Apply Sunscreen at School
A new law allows Alabama school students to apply personal sunscreen at school without the need for special permission from a doctor or parent. The law includes public and private schools and went into effect immediately. “Students will now be able to apply sunscreen to protect themselves from sunburn before going outside. We know that…
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Public Restrooms Become Ground Zero in the Opioid Epidemic
A man named Eddie threaded through the midafternoon crowd in Cambridge, Mass. He was headed for a sandwich shop, the first stop on a tour of public bathrooms. “I know all the bathrooms that I can and can’t get high in,” said Eddie, 39, pausing in front of the shop’s plate-glass windows, through which we…
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Diabetes Alert Day Focuses on Risk Factors of Prediabetes and Diabetes
In 2014, diabetes was the seventh-leading cause of death both in Alabama and the nation at large. According to statistics from the Alabama Department of Public Health, 13.5 percent of Alabama adults have diabetes. As part of the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) Alert Day® on Tuesday, March 28, make sure you know the dangers of…