Report: CA needs work on air pollution, colorectal cancer screenings - Public News Service

Report CA needs work on air pollution colorectal cancer screenings / Public News Service

Former President Trump is disqualified in Colorado, but one expert says the case is likely headed to the SCOTUS, Texas Governor Abbott signs a bill allowing police to arrest migrants and Western state election officials continue to quit.

Rural America's jobs numbers are rebounding, but still below pre-pandemic days, a rural Oregon community has a new approach to affordable housing, the smallest communities benefit from the world's largest museum, and the dark nights give way to light.
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The 2023 America's Health Rankings report showed a 38% increase in the rate of premature death for people under 75 between 2018 and 2021. (sudok1/Adobe Stock)

In addition to reducing the risk of heart disease, studies have shed light on several other potential health benefits associated with vacationing, including decreased depression, less stress and improved productivity. (Mr. Bolota/Adobe Stock)

A new poll finds that 45% of voters with an advance directive or living will have shared it with their healthcare proxy but just 18% have shared it with their doctor as well. (WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

Researchers at the University of Montana are working on a vaccine for tuberculosis. While considered a serious problem in underdeveloped parts of the world, cases in the United States are up, having jumped to 8,300 in 2022 from 7,874 in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

California ranks worst among the states for high school graduation, colorectal cancer screenings and air pollution. Advocates for cleaner air blame the state's pollution problems primarily on the transportation sector.

Mariela Ruacho, clean air senior advocacy manager for the American Lung Association-California, noted the Environmental Protection Agency is currently considering strict limits on emissions from cars and heavy trucks.

"By meeting our clean air and climate goals, we will also be improving public health," Ruacho contended. "Especially for Californians who live close to highways, major roadways and warehouses."

The state has generated maps of regions with high colorectal cancer rates to promote screenings in those communities. And school districts offer counseling to help struggling students make it to graduation. The report also praised California's strong climate policies, comparatively lower rates of mental distress, and a lower percentage of people with multiple chronic health conditions.

Nationally, however, the data show eight chronic conditions have reached the highest prevalence in the report's history. They include arthritis, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression and diabetes.

Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer of employer and individual for United Healthcare, which sponsors the report, said the research revealed some bright spots.

"The number of mental health professionals in our country increased 7%," Randall outlined. "The number of dental professionals increased 7%. The percentage of uninsured decreased by 7%. Occupational fatalities went down. Smoking is now the lowest it's been. High speed internet is the highest we've measured it."

The report also found a 13% decrease in the number of primary care physicians during the pandemic.

Disclosure: UnitedHealthcare contributes to our fund for reporting on Health Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.

AAA is projecting a record 7.5 million air passengers will travel over the next two weeks. Cardiologists and the American Heart Association suggested some pre-travel planning for Missourians living with heart disease or stroke risks, and other chronic health conditions.

Cold temperatures and elevation can affect oxygen levels and circulation, and put extra strain on the heart.

Dr. Kim Perry, chief medical officer of Valor Health, said if your doctor said it is safe to travel, make a medical list -- and check it twice -- before heading out.

"Make sure your medications are clearly labeled, including dosages and pharmacy information, and you have enough for your entire trip; take more, just in case," Perry advised. "If you're on a plane, be in an aisle seat if you take a water pill or diuretic. If you're going to be sitting for a long period of time, compression socks may be suggested."

Perry added if you start to feel bad in transit, it is vital to notify travel and medical staff immediately. And for all travelers, she suggested staying hydrated, do not overindulge in food or drink, know your physical activity limits, pace yourself and rest as often as you need while on vacation.

Perry recommended patients who have had cardiac events within the past six months to clear any travel with both their primary and cardiac doctors. If you have an implanted device or use a special machine, like a C-PAP, talk to airlines, train or bus companies or cruise ships about what they allow, and know how to go through security checks properly. It is also important to keep device information cards with you.

"You don't need to avoid travel at all," Perry pointed out. "Just take the steps to prepare for a successful, fun trip and enjoy the holidays."

The Framingham Heart Study -- the longest-running and largest study of its kind -- suggested women who vacation at least twice a year reduce their heart attack risk by eight times compared to those who vacation no more than once every six years. And men who vacation are 30% less likely to have heart attacks compared to those who do not take time off.

In a new poll, 25% of voters say they have "personally experienced or witnessed discrimination in health care due to race, ethnicity, gender, disability, religion or sexual orientation." The poll, sponsored by Compassion & Choices, an end-of-life care advocacy group, included more than 1,600 voters from California and across the United States.

"It was striking that one-quarter of voters report that they personally experienced or witnessed discrimination in health care, with an even higher 35% among Black people, 29% among Hispanics and 41% among people who are LGBT," said pollster Amy Simon, a partner at Goodman Simon Strategic Research. "That translates to millions of people who are experiencing health-care discrimination."

Compassion & Choices President and CEO Kim Callinan said one way to reduce discrimination and solution is to make sure high-quality palliative care is available in low-income neighborhoods, not just in wealthier areas.

"Clinicians need to focus on improving their cultural intelligence so that they're able to effectively interact with people who are different from them," Callinan emphasized. "We also need to prioritize the recruitment of a more diverse clinician pool, so that people see other people that look like them."

The survey also addressed attitudes toward end-of-life care and found a huge majority think their end-of-life wishes will be respected, although only 37% had completed an advance directive or living will, and just 36% said they had appointed a health-care proxy.

On its website, Compassion & Choices offers a free End-of-Life Decisions Guide, information on advance-care planning and a dementia values and priorities tool.

Disclosure: Compassion & Choices contributes to our fund for reporting on Civic Engagement, Health Issues, Senior Issues and Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.

Researchers at the University of Montana have been awarded more than more than $12 million from the National Institutes of Health to continue their work on a tuberculosis vaccine.

It is the latest step toward developing the inoculation, which is especially important in the world's underdeveloped countries. The grant to the University of Montana's Center for Translational Medicine will be used to advance a promising vaccine candidate from the pretrial stage to clinical trials; the last stage before it is approved for clinical use.

Jay Evans, director of the Center for Translational Medicine at the University of Montana and chief scientific officer at Inimmune, said tuberculosis remains a potent killer in many parts of the world.

"TB, now behind COVID, was the world's leading infectious disease killer worldwide," Evans reported. "And the only one that surpassed that was COVID and that was just for the last few years of the pandemic that we all just experienced."

All told, the National Institutes of Health has awarded more than $25 million to university and private researchers to develop a commercial tuberculosis vaccine, which -- due to testing and clinical trials to ensure safety and effectiveness -- could still be a decade away.

Evans acknowledged ready access to antibiotics has made tuberculosis less of a problem in the United States, but in underdeveloped parts of the world, it remains hard to manage, highly contagious and often lethal.

"In areas where TB is endemic and antibiotics aren't as broadly used and available for it, it's a huge problem," Evans explained. "A lot of the people walking around are carriers of TB, and when that progresses to pulmonary disease, oftentimes it's deadly, especially for those people who don't have access to antibiotics."

Evans added a vaccine will help get ahead of the antibiotic-resistant strains of tuberculosis currently circulating. He and his fellow scientists have been pursuing a vaccine for 20 years.
Supporters of New Hampshire's possible enrollment in the Electronic Registration Information Center said it will reduce the workload for poll workers, who already face additional tasks in 2024 due to President Joe Biden's primary ballot write-in campaign. (Adobe Stock)