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Healthy workplaces should integrate occupational health with public health: report

Central to this approach is the idea that work is a critical determinant of health and human development throughout a person’s life Leading experts in occupational health research have issued a set of recommendations aimed at safeguarding worker health and reducing health inequalities exacerbated by workplace conditions, a latest Lancet report00093-2/fulltext) said. The recommendations come in the face of emerging threats to worker health, such as those brought about by changing work environments and exposures over the last 25 years. The report makes following recommendations Table of Contents...

Aging: Physical activity can turn back the clock

Everyone ages, but with any dose of physical activity, we can mitigate declines in health and function with passing years Everything that worsens with age gets better with exercise,” Professor Ralph Paffenbarger, a pioneer in the field of physical activity epidemiology, used to remark to his students. Now a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, says there are seven decades of data showing physical activity to be crucial for health and well-being, buttressing Paffenbarger’s statement. “These findings, primarily from studies using self-reported physical activity...

The Lancet hits 200-year milestone

*An editorial in the journal terms “200 years,” a milestone, a brief moment in the long and erratic history of human endeavour* On October 5, 2023, the Lancet medical journal marked its 200th anniversary by publishing a special theme issue to reflect on what its history means and what the future might hold. In its editorial, “The Lancet’s 200 years: much more to do” the journal wrote that its founder, Thomas Wakley, intended to open medical knowledge to a wider readership and to engage politically with the health issues of his time. In their review article, Martin Gorsky and Agnes Arnold-Forst...

Running as effective as antidepressants for mental health

*Not only does running offer mental health benefits, but it also comes with added physical advantages, says a study* Running can be just as effective as antidepressant medication in improving mental health, a new study conducted by researchers from Vrije University in Amsterdam has revealed. Not only does running offer mental health benefits, but it also comes with added physical advantages, the study explains. The research involved 141 participants dealing with depression or anxiety.giving them the option to choose between two treatments over a 16-week period. Out of these, 45 individuals opt...

Beyond condoms: A pill after sex to prevent STIs

*The recommendation of doxycycline as an after-sex antibiotic is based on studies demonstrating that a single dose of the antibiotic, taken within 72 hours of act, significantly reduces the risk of infection* The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plans to recommend the use of the antibiotic doxycycline as a preventive measure after unprotected sexual encounters, but only for specific groups at higher risk. The proposed strategy, called doxy-PEP, will target gay and bisexual men and transgender women who have either had an STI within the past year or are at risk of contracting on...

Preterm births: 13 million cases annually recorded between 2010 and 2020

*A Lancet report highlights that approximately 15% of all preterm births occurred at less than 32 weeks of gestation* In 2020, an estimated 13.4 million babies were born prematurely worldwide, according to a new Lancet report. This represents 9.9% of all births globally. This number is only slightly lower than the 13.8 million preterm births recorded in 2010, showing a minimal reduction of 0.14% over the past decade. Preterm birth which means being born before 37 weeks of gestation is a significant global health issue as it is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and can lead to long-term h...

Sedentary lifestyle raises dementia risk in older adults, study warns

*Dementia remains a significant global health concern, affecting more than 55 million people worldwide* Older adults who spend a significant amount of time sitting may face an increased risk of dementia, as revealed by a study published in the JAMA medical journal. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Southern California and the University of Arizona, highlights the concerning link between sedentary behavior and dementia risk. The research gathered data from nearly 50,000 adults aged 60 and older in the United Kingdom, none of whom had been diagnosed with dementia when th...

‘Climate change already costing lives’

A piece published in the journal BMJ warns that climate change is contributing to antimicrobial resistance, vector-borne infectious diseases, and global climate migration, all of which strain healthcare services The impact of climate change is not a distant threat but a crisis that is already costing lives, says an opinion piece published in the journal BMJ. The piece written by Ramesh Arasaradnam, an academic vice president and consultant gastroenterologist, issues a stark warning about the immediate danger that climate change poses to public health. “Climate change is a public health emergen...

Inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene claim over 1.2 million lives annually

*The countries with the highest prevalence of open defecation also bear the heaviest burden of child mortality* Inadequate access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene continues to claim the lives of a staggering 1,245,000 people annually in low- and middle-income countries, constituting a troubling 89% of all WASH-related deaths, World Health Organization(WHO) has said in its new report. The startling statistics, based on the latest available data from 2019, reveal that poor sanitation is the primary culprit behind approximately 564,000 of these tragic fatalities. Moreover, it plays a signi...

Scientists harness gene editing of mosquitoes to battle malaria in Africa: report

*Genetic modification, however, is a contentious issue, and concerns include potential ecological impacts and unforeseen consequences* In a bid to combat malaria, scientists are using gene editing to create modified mosquitoes that are resistant to the malaria parasite, New York Times reported. The experiment being conducted by the scientists at the University of California, Davis, on the African island nation of São Tomé and Príncipet is expected to potentially transform the local mosquito population within a few months. The region has faced persistent challenges in eradicating malaria, despi...