“Top 9 Health Stories of 2010 - ABC News” plus 1 more

Haiti Earthquake

The immediate damage to infrastructure and the death toll seemed apparent across the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Although more than a billion aid dollars funnelled in to repair Haiti, many experts braced for a public-health aftershock.

And they were right.

Nearly 10 months after the January earthquake, cholera spread to many rural areas and quickly creeped into the capital city, Port-au-Prince. In just a few months, nearly a thousand Haitians died from the waterborne disease.

"What we are seeing now may be the tip of the iceberg," Dr. Georges Dubuche, adviser to Haiti's Ministry of Health, said in a news conference early October.

Many experts did not know then the extent of the epidemic.

Indeed, Cholera spread faster than many public health experts anticipated. Relief workers continue to ramp up efforts to manage the outbreak amid the more than 2,000 people who have now died from the disease.

Health Care Overhaul

Affordable health care for all became the buzz phrase for the Obama Administration. Indeed, with the Affordable Care Act signed into law in March, the Obama Administration may have its way.

The $938 billion health care bill will expand coverage to 32 million Americans, but many of the provisions -- with the exception of prescription drug coverage for older Americans and children who have been denied insurance because of pre-existing conditions -- are not expected to go into effect until 2014.

Omnibus Ruling on Vaccines and Autism

The U.S. Court of Federal Claims concluded in March that thimerosal -- a preservative found in some vaccines -- does not cause autism. The courts reviewed previous scientific studies and found no correlation between vaccination rates, mercury levels and the incidence of autism in children.

This so-called landmark decision followed many rulings in previous years that cited no association between vaccines and autism. Previous rulings by the court also dismissed the autism-vaccine connection. Still, it's likely there may be more cases because many parents of children with autism are unconvinced.

Indeed, the 2008 settlement for Hannah Polling became the staple case for many families of children with autism. The Polling family received compensation for Hannah's "vaccine injury" when the court settled, because, according to settlement documents, the vaccinations she received, "significantly aggravated an underlying mitochondrial disorder [...] and manifested as a regressive encephalopathy with features of autism spectrum disorder."

Many people say that regardless of the 2010 omnibus rulings, there will be more cases such as Polling's to come.

FDA Oversight on Food Safety

An estimated 87 million Americans are sickened by contaminated food, and 5,700 die from food-related disease each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But supporters of the Food Safety Modernization Act, which has already passed in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, hope greater food industry oversight by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will change that.

Among the provisions of the bill, the FDA would have authority to order mandatory recall of tainted foods and set safety standards for raw produce, such as fresh fruit and vegetables. The agency would also increase inspections of domestic and foreign food facilities.

But many food industry companies are particularly concerned with the Tester Amendment, a part of the bill that would exempt smaller food producers and those that distribute locally.

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Minimize Winter Health Hazards -- Some Unlikely - CBS News

Posted: 28 Dec 2010 08:26 AM PST

(CBS) From shoveling snow to taking down decorations, the holidays and months that follow can be filled with health hazards.

Those are obvious - but there are many that aren't as apparent.

For instance - did you know getting kissed on New Year's Eve could be a problem?!

Special Section: Dr. Jennifer Ashton
Dr. Jennifer Ashton's Twitter page

On "The Early Show" Tuesday, CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton shed light on the activities to beware of:

Shoveling snow

For the rest of us, before going out, warm up with some stretching. The best way to clear the snow is to push it to the side -- instead of lifting it. If you do have to lift it, use your legs, not your back muscles -- squat with your legs apart, knees bent, and back straight. Lift by straightening your legs, without bending at the waist. Then walk to where you want to dump the snow, holding the shovelful of snow close to your body. Holding it with outstretched arms puts too much weight on your spine. Also, don't throw snow over your shoulder -- it may strain your back muscles.

Don't forget to pace and hydrate yourself -- it's easier to get dehydrated in the cold. Drink plenty of water or other warm beverages -- not alcohol, because it will make you feel colder once the "warm glow" wears off.

Taking down holiday decorations requires care. I know the holidays can be tiring, but just as we practiced safety going into the season, we need to be safe cleaning and packing up. Every year, about 12,500 people are treated for falls, cuts, shocks, and burns due to incidents with holiday decorations.

When you're removing outdoor lights, never pull or tug on them -- they could unravel and inadvertently wrap around a power line. It's a good time check on your lights for any damage -- like frayed wires or cracked lights - and throw out damaged sets.

Christmas trees are generally dried out by this time, so either continue watering yours or get it recycled ASAP -- the longer a tree stays up, the greater a fire hazard it can be. Never burn your Christmas tree in the fireplace -- the trees can have a lot of sap, which is highly flammable and can explode.

Another word of advice: Plan ahead for a designated driver. It's a festive time of year -- and you need to plan ahead before you party. If you will be drinking, plan to have a designated driver -- someone who won't be drinking and can safely transport you back home. One-in-three fatal car accidents involve alcohol or drugs. Remember, after just one drink, your decision-making abilities can become impaired. After two drinks, reasoning and memory are affected. It's important to remember alcohol takes time to metabolize out of your system -- coffee won't help sober you up.

If you're tired, rest up before you hit the road -- sleepy driving can be just as dangerous.

Also: Be careful about that New Year's kiss! If you or your date is sick -- that midnight smooch may be hazardous to your health or his or hers! You could be jumpstarting your 2011 with a cold or flu. If you show signs of a flu-like illness, then the Centers for Disease Control recommends staying home for at least 24 hours AFTER your fever is gone. It might not be as festive or romantic, but if you are sick, close contact with people is not advised. There's also a lot of socializing, so don't forget to wash your hands and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth too much.

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Health Autism

Wednesday, December 29, 2010