According to a recently-completed, decades-long study published in the journal Health Physics, exposure to low-levels of radon commonly found in homes in the United States does not appear to contribute to the development of lung cancer and may actually reduce a person's risk of developing lung cancer.
Continue Reading...Spring and Summer are great seasons for cookouts and get-togethers of all kinds with friends and family. Unfortunately, they're also seasons when rodent populations reproduce continuously. Mice and other rodents are particularly effective carriers of a number of dangerous diseases, including hantavirus. This year, take some precautionary steps to protect yourself and your friends and family, and to ensure that unwanted, furry guests don't spoil your party. The following rodent prevention tips are provided courtesy of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
Continue Reading...One of the deadliest risks faced by motorists is the risk of a rollover accident -- particularly for those who drive SUVs, minivans and trucks, which tend to have a higher center of gravity and a greater propensity to tip. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 280,000 rollover accidents are reported each year. Those rollovers kill more than 10,000 motorists annually.
Continue Reading...The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final regulation which bars some cattle materials from all animal feed, including pet food. The new rule is aimed at protecting consumers against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE -- also known as Mad Cow Disease).
Continue Reading...Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are popular, spiral-shaped, energy-saving light bulbs, often touted as "green" alternatives to incandescents. The new bulbs tend to use much less energy and last several times longer than traditional bulbs, but unlike traditional incandescent bulbs, CFLs contain mercury, and when broken they represent a health hazard to consumers. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), broken CFLs can be cleaned-up and disposed of safely, but perhaps not as easily as you might expect. To reduce the likelihood of personal injury when handling broken compact fluorescent bulbs, be sure to keep the following safety tips in mind:
Continue Reading...A cruise ship vacation is a great, relaxing way to travel and see counties all over the world. As vacations go, cruises can also be very affordable. The close proximity of so many vacationers in an isolated environment can pose some unique public health risks, however. If a cruise ship vacation is on your agenda this season, take some time to familiarize yourself with the following tips for healthy cruising, courtesy of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
Continue Reading...The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning regarding persulfates -- common ingredients in denture cleansers -- and has asked manufacturers of denture cleansers to include a warning in the label about their use of persulfates. The ingredients are now known to cause allergic reactions in some users. The agency is also recommending that manufacturers begin searching for viable alternatives to persulfates. The chemicals are used in most denture cleansers to promote the cleaning and bleaching process.
According to the FDA, allergic reactions to persulfates don't always occur after the first use, and may not occur until after many years of use. Additionally, the symptoms of an allergic reaction may not appear for minutes or even hours after use of the cleansers. Those symptoms may include irritation, tissue damage, rash, hives, gum tenderness, breathing problems, and even low blood pressure.
Continue Reading...According to a new analysis of U.S. injury data, approximately 37,000 people over age 65 are injured annually while attempting to enter or exit a vehicle. Roughly 40% of these injuries were due to falls. Additionally, the same group was found more likely to be hospitalized as a result of falls than was the average driver. These findings are the result of new research published in a recent edition of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Continue Reading...The Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) -- a consumer advocacy division of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) -- has released the 2008 edition of its Consumer Action Handbook. The handbook is designed to empower consumers to interact productively with vendors and businesses and help all people to become smarter shoppers.
Continue Reading...If you've considered a deep cleaning of your home this spring, you may also be wondering how best to eliminate the disorganization of another year's worth of paperwork and financial records. Simply throwing them in the trash is not always the safest solution. According to the Better Business Bureau, 8.1 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2007, alone -- and surprisingly, only about 12% of that ID theft occurred on-line.
Before you throw away that next pile (or even piece) of identifiable personal financial information, take a minute to scan these helpful tips, designed to help you prevent the headache and financial injury associated with ID theft:
Continue Reading...Outdoor play equipment and playgrounds provide kids with great opportunities for fun and exercise, but they also pose a few safety hazards. Improper playground surfaces, faulty recreational equipment and dangerous behavior can all put playful children on a fast track to the emergency room.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently released an update to its Handbook for Public Playground Safety. Additionally, the agency has offered the following safety tips to avoid playground hazards and injuries, and to help make National Playground Safety Week the official kick-off of a safe and fun summer season:
Continue Reading...Record numbers of U.S. girls are participating in sports, but outside of organized sports, their physical activity levels are declining, especially as they become adolescents. The findings are the result of recent research conducted at the University of Minnesota Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, and presented in a new report titled Developing Physically Active Girls.
Continue Reading...Although many people with mild dementia (such as in early Alzheimer's Disease) may initially be able to drive safely, their driving skills predictably decline over 1 - 2 years to a level that often leaves them unsafe to drive. The finding is the result of new research published in a recent edition of the journal Neurology -- the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Continue Reading...Runners who take part in day-long "ultra-marathons" experience much of their fluid loss in the first 8 hours of the race, demonstrating the importance of early hydration, a study has found. Published in a recent edition of the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, researchers in this latest study repeatedly weighed 52 ultra-marathoners (runners in day-long marathons) over the course their race, which was either a 12- or 24- hour event.
Continue Reading...Conventional wisdom may hold that drunk drivers are habitual drinkers, but new research shows that people who get drunk only on occasion account for almost half of all DWI offenses. This latest study, published in a recent issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, draws its research data from the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey -- a survey involving interviews with more than 350,000 adults living in the U.S. each year.
Continue Reading...Malt-O-Meal has recalled two of its cereal products because of potential contamination with Salmonella. Full details for the recalled items are detailed on the company website.
As summarized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Salmonella is a bacteria that infects individuals who come in contact with infected food products, food handlers, or pets. Most persons infected with the Salmonella bacteria usually recover completely, although elderly, infants and individuals with weakened immune systems are prone to more serious and longer term health problems.
Following is the recall announcement by Malt-O-Meal, reproduced in its entirety for our readers:
"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Minneapolis, MN -- April 5, 2008 -- Malt-O-Meal announced today that it is voluntarily recalling its unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat Cereals produced with "Best If Used By" codes between April 8, 2008 (coded as "APR0808") and March 18, 2009 (coded as "MAR1809") because they may have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
The recalled product was distributed nationally, marketed under the Malt-O-Meal brand and as some private label brands including Acme, America's Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw's, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality. A comprehensive listing of impacted products can be found at www.malt-o-meal.com/recallinfo.
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this situation. All other Malt-O-Meal products are unaffected by this action and are safe for continued sale and consumption. The products affected by this recall represent less than one-half of one percent of the company's annual production of ready-to-eat cereal.
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/maltomeal04_08.html"
Contrary to popular belief, pregnant women should wear seat belts, not only to save themselves in the event of a car accident but also to save their fetuses. The finding is the result of recent research published in the April issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. According to the study, almost 200 fetuses each year -- half of all fetal losses in motor-vehicle crashes -- could be saved if pregnant women wore seat belts properly.
Continue Reading...Mild traumatic brain injury is often followed by post-concussion syndrome, but brain injuries, it turns out, aren't the only traumas which predict the neurological condition. The finding is the result of new research published in a recent edition of the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
Continue Reading...Efforts to teach young adults about food safety may not be hitting home, according to a new study of college student eating behaviors recently published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Continue Reading...Most people are aware of the importance of proper eye protection in sports such as hockey or racquetball, and wear face masks or appropriate safety goggles. Unfortunately, many people are injured each year in a variety of other "less dangerous" sports which also require proper eye protection. The American Academy of Opthalmic Executives (AAO) recognizes April 2008 as Sports Eye Safety Month to help increase public awareness of wearing protective eyewear when participating in team sports.
Continue Reading...Alcohol abuse is prevalent among many different demographic groups in the United States, including all of the following, to name just a few examples:
To help more Americans recognize the seriousness of alcohol abuse, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has designated April 2008 Alcohol Awareness Month.
Older people should walk cautiously on escalators and perhaps consider taking the elevator if they have trouble balancing. These recommendations and others are the result of new research into escalator safety conducted at the Indiana University School of Medicine and recently published in the journal Accident Analysis & Prevention.
Continue Reading...An increasing presence of insects and other pests is one of the earliest and most frustrating signs of Spring. While many people use pesticides to control insects in and around their homes, not all pesticides are safe -- particularly those which are only available on the street or in small neighborhood stores. Many such pesticides (for instance, Chalk or Tres Pasitos) are illegal and commercially unavailable precisely because they're too dangerous to use. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the following pest products are particularly dangerous, illegal, and unfortunately commonly available:
Continue Reading...According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an emergency call is made to U.S. poison control centers every 13 seconds, and 40% of those calls involve injuries to children under three years of age. More than 77,000 of those calls typically involve poisonings by common household pesticides. The EPA recognizes March 16 - 22 as National Poison Prevention Week, and offers the following home safety information to help prevent poisonings in the home this year:
Continue Reading...Eggs are an important part of Spring religious holidays, both as decorations and for dining. If you're planning an Easter egg hunt or cooking eggs for your Passover Seder, take time to educate yourself about the following common health and safety issues specific to eggs, courtesy of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):
Continue Reading...A head injury traumatic enough to cause unconsciousness can result in widespread, permanent destruction of brain tissue. The finding is the result of research recently published in the journal Neurology -- the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology -- and helps to explain why some people who suffer Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) often experience irreversible personality changes following their injuries.
Continue Reading...Each year, approximately one third of all senior adults in the U.S. fall, and the likelihood of their falling increases substantially with each year of age. Nearly 16,000 people 65 years of age or older died as a result of injuries from falls in 2005 alone. The number of older adults who fall without injury or who don't seek medical care is unknown. These findings were recently published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Continue Reading...Most of the United States will be changing to Daylight Saving Time (DST) on March 9, 2008. This will be the first season when the time change occurs so early in the spring. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and local fire departments remind consumers that DST changes are also the best times to change smoke detector batteries and reviewing home fire safety guidelines.
The following news release from the CPSC for March 6, 2008 is reproduced in its entirety for our readers:
NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2008
Release #08-211
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7800
CPSC Daylight Saving Time Alert: Working Smoke Alarms Are Key to Surviving Home Fires
WASHINGTON, D. C. – Smoke alarms are proven life savers. There are more than 300,000 residential fires every year, so when there is a fire, smoke alarms buy families valuable escape time.
Unfortunately, about two-thirds of fire deaths take place in homes with no smoke alarms or with non-working smoke alarms. The most common reasons why alarms did not work were missing, disconnected, or dead batteries. Consumers need to make sure that they have a working smoke alarm.
For better warning of fire, consumers should install smoke alarms on every level of the home, outside sleeping areas, and inside bedrooms. Replace batteries annually, and test the smoke alarms monthly. A good time to remember to replace batteries is when turning clocks ahead for daylight saving time on Sunday, March 9.
When shopping for smoke alarms, consumers should be aware of the two different types of smoke alarms: ionization and photoelectric. While both types are effective smoke sensors, ionization type detectors respond quickly to flaming fires, while photoelectric type detectors respond sooner to smoldering fires. Since consumers can’t predict what types of fires might break out, CPSC staff recommends (pdf) installing both ionization and photoelectric type smoke alarms (pdf) throughout the home for the best warning of a fire. This recommendation is also supported by the United States Fire Administration, the National Fire Protection Association, Underwriters Laboratories, and by research conducted by the National Institute for Standards and Technology. There are also dual sensor smoke alarms that have both ionization and photoelectric sensors in one unit.
Consumers should also consider interconnected smoke alarms. Interconnected alarms are connected to each other by a hard wire or by wireless technology. If one alarm is triggered, all interconnected alarms in the home sound, alerting consumers to the fire earlier.
Many residential fires are preventable. CPSC recommends consumers follow these safety steps:
A difficult-to-diagnose and once rare ankle injury is becoming more common with the increased popularity of snowboarding, according to a recent report by Reuters Health.
Continue Reading...March is Spring Break season for many college-age Americans, and one of the first opportunities of the year to set aside the books and vacation with friends. Too often, those vacations turn dangerous or deadly, due partly to risky behaviors frequently associated with Spring Break festivities. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified some common Spring Break risks, and recommends the following to keep you and those around you safe and healthy this spring:
Continue Reading...Spring weather and gardening season are just around the corner. While gardening can improve your sense of well-being and promote physical health, staying safe while working outdoors is still important. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 67,000 U.S. consumers visited emergency rooms due to injuries from push mowers, and 14,600 were injured by garden tractors in 2004 alone. The agency offers the following tips to help make your gardening season safe and enjoyable:
Continue Reading...Ankle braces are highly effective in preventing volleyball sprains, at least among female collegiate players. The finding is the result of research conducted at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and published in a recent issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Continue Reading...A recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) demonstrates that high levels of formaldehyde have been found in some travel trailers provided to disaster victims by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). There is some reason to believe that long-term exposure to formaldehyde could lead to serious health problems such as cancer. Unfortunately, travel trailers are not the only places where formaldehyde exposure could be a danger. To contribute to public understanding regarding the industrial uses of formaldehyde and its risks, the National Cancer Institute has issued the following fact sheet with questions and answers related to formaldehyde exposure:
Continue Reading...Snow-covered, icy, or cluttered stairways are a nuisance, but more importantly, they're dangerous. According to the Home Safety Council (HSC), falls account for approximately one-third of all home injury deaths annually, and falls involving stairs or steps are the second leading cause of fall-related death. Stairs are particularly dangerous this time of year, when the heights and depths of steps are often obscured by snow, and staircases may be wet or covered in ice. You can help to safeguard your health and the health of those around you by familiarizing yourself with the following stairways safety tips, courtesy of HSC:
Continue Reading...While the topics of water safety and drowning prevention typically receive some public attention during summer months, there are many people who prefer to use hot tubs, whirlpools and spas throughout the winter, when the weather is at its coldest. Although winter can be one of the most enjoyable seasons for hot tub use, it is equally dangerous. To help prevent personal injuries related to hot tubs, whirlpools and spas, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) offers the following historical data and recommendations for children and adults alike:
Continue Reading...When winter temperatures drop significantly below normal, staying warm and safe can become a challenge. Extremely cold temperatures often accompany a winter storm, so you may have to cope with power failures and icy roads. Although staying indoors as much as possible can help reduce the risk of car crashes and falls on the ice, you may also face indoor hazards, such as communication, heating and food complications. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reminds everyone to be safe throughout the rest of this winter season, and to check the following supply lists to prepare in advance of particularly nasty winter weather:
Continue Reading...Setting up a blog is an easy way to establish a presence on the Internet and host public discussions. While organizations or businesses might start blogs to interact with customers or provide a public service, many personal blogs hosted by teens are simply exercises in public journaling. Unfortunately, these personal blogs can attract an unwanted -- or even dangerous -- audience. One Internet safety organization, ConnectSafely.Org, offers the following general tips for teens to promote safe blogging and to help guard against Internet predators:
Continue Reading...Social networking sites such as MySpace, which offer unlimited opportunities for self-expression and self-promotion are particularly attractive to teenagers. Recently, public attention surrounding these sites has focused on the dangers of sexual solicitation or harassment of adolescents. Until recently, little verifiable data has existed to determine the scope of youth solicitation and harassment on-line. New research published in the journal Pediatrics demonstrates that while the incidence of solicitation and harassment is actually lower than has been suggested in the popular media, certain threats do exist, and greater safety risks actually may lie elsewhere on the net.
Continue Reading...February 3rd - 9th is National Burn Awareness Week -- a period of time designated to raise public awareness of burn injuries and how to prevent them. This year's primary theme is gasoline burn prevention. The Manassas Journal Messenger recently published an extensive compilation of gasoline safety tips to help prevent burn injuries and other burn-related accidents.
In Virginia alone, more than 1,500 burn-related hospitalizations occurred between 2001 and 2005. Worse, the hospitalization rate for children younger than age 4 was 5 times higher than the rate for all other ages combined. Regan Zambri & Long encourages readers to familiarize themselves with theses safety tips and share them with others to help prevent personal injuries related to gasoline:
Continue Reading...Foreign-born children living in the U.S. are 5 times more likely to have elevated blood levels of lead than U.S.-born children living in New York city, according to new research published in a recent issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
Continue Reading...Keeping your family safe and getting your life back to normal following a natural disaster depends on advance planning and time and energy devoted to preparation. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has developed The Injury Prevention Program (TIPP) -- four comprehensive steps to prepare your family for disasters, prevent personal injuries and promote safety readiness. Taking time as a family to prepare for the unexpected not only helps to ensure everyone's safety, but models responsibility. Use the following tips in your own preparation, courtesy of the AAP:
Continue Reading...Among kids and teens today, a cell phone is a virtual a social necessity. While the devices can facilitate easier communication with parents or family members and offer protection in some emergencies, they can also invite danger. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children warns that wireless devices can link children with criminals if used inappropriately, or without adequate adult supervision. To help prevent child expolitation, the organization offers the following cell phone and wireless device safety tips for parents and teens:
Continue Reading...Most people understand that extended exposure to the sun's rays can be damaging to the skin and eyes, and that safety precautions are in order during summer months. Unfortunately, many people fail to realize that the sun can be equally dangerous in the winter months, particularly when the ground is covered with a reflective layer of bright snow or ice. This winter, whether you're heading south in search of warmer weather, or just spending time outdoors in the cold, keep the following sun safety tips in mind, courtesy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
Continue Reading...Here in the metro area, an abundance of restaurants is the perfect solution to those meal times when you just don't feel like cooking. Particularly this time of year, however, when temperatures are cold, and you just don't feel like bundling up your family and facing the winter weather, placing a delivery or take-out order is likely to be an attractive option. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), take-out and delivery orders, while convenient, pose some special food safety concerns. Before you place that next meal order for carry-out or delivery, take a minute to review the following safety tips relating to transported food:
Continue Reading...There are many instances where a small, portable heater can be useful in a home or garage during the winter season. Portable heaters are available in many models, including those that burn propane, kerosene or other fuels. Many homeowners opt for electric models which don't produce noxious fumes or produce an open flame, because they appear safer. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), however, many homeowners exhibit a false sense of security related to electric space heaters -- appliances which can, in fact, be very dangerous when used improperly.
Continue Reading...Chronic medical conditions require a variety of routine medications. Unfortunately, many of those medications are known to cause drowsiness, sap energy and slow reaction times in drivers. In most areas of the U.S., it's necessary to drive to remain independent -- to get to the grocery store, the doctor, to visit friends, and even to get to work. Because our ability to drive safely can be affected by prescription medications and our health, in general, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers the following facts and tips regarding safe driving for individuals who take multiple medications:
Continue Reading...If you're working outside this winter or participating in outdoor recreational activities, you already know how uncomfortable the cold weather can become in the metro area. Too many people don't realize the safety challenges winter weather presents, however -- challenges such as the prevention of hypothermia. Hypothermia is different than frostbite, and it can quickly become a deadly medical condition, even in comparatively warm temperatures. Worse, you may never realize you're affected. Before you spend prolonged periods of time outdoors this season, take time to familiarize yourself with the following hypothermia safety facts, courtesy of the Mayo Clinic:
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