Tag: public health

Americans Increasingly Sedentary, Not More Active

Americans are often portrayed as being lazy, and a new study finds that they are living up to that stereotype, getting more sedentary over time.

When the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services implemented their first Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans in 2008, it was an effort to make Americans move more and, thus, improve their health. However, that hasn’t happened, or so finds a new study published in JAMA Network Open. And while this may mean job security for those in the therapy profession, it does not bode well for the health of Americans.

The JAMA study, which analyzed results from the 27,343 adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2007 to 2016, set out to find out what percentage of Americans met the activity guidelines, and how that rate may have changed over time since the guidelines’ release. The results were not promising. The percentage of Americans who met the activity guidelines remained mostly unchanged during the 10-year period—starting at 63.2% in 2007-2008, and rising just 2% to 65.2% in 2015-2016. Atop this, researchers marked an increase in sedentary behavior during this time, as well, up from 5.7 hours per day in 2007-2008 to 6.4 hours per day in 2015-2016.

“Our study has significant public health implications. Both insufficient physical activity and prolonged sedentary time are associated with a high risk of adverse health outcomes, including chronic diseases and mortality,” the authors of the study wrote. “Our findings highlight a critical need for future public health efforts to aim for not only an increase in physical activity but also a reduction in sedentary time.”

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Physicians Take a Stand Against Gun Violence

Three days before a physician became a victim of the 372nd mass shooting in the U.S. in 2018, the American College of Physicians updated its position on firearms.

Three days before Nancy Van Vessem, MD would become a victim of the 372nd mass shooting in the United States in 2018, the American College of Physicians updated its position on firearms in an effort to prevent further gun violence in a policy paper published on October 30th in Annals of Internal Medicine.

The organization, which has advocated for the need to address firearm-related injuries and death for over 20 years, first published its policy on gun violence in 2014, which included nine evidence-based methods to reduce firearm-related injuries and deaths—the 2018 update retains six of the original recommendations, as well as suggesting new strategies.

Updates to the policy include:

  • Strengthening and enforcing state and federal laws to prohibit domestic violence offenders, including dating partners, cohabitants, stalkers, and those who victimize other family members, from purchasing or possessing firearms.
  • Supporting legislation to regulate and limit the manufacture, sale, transfer, and possession of firearms designed to increase rapid killing capacity, including large-capacity magazines and devices such as bump stocks.
  • Supporting extreme risk protection order laws which allow family members and law enforcement to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who are at risk of harming themselves or others while providing due process protections.

“The U.S. has one of the highest rates of gun violence in the world, and as physicians, we have a responsibility to advocate for firearms measures that will keep our patients and their families safe and healthy,” ACP President Ana María López, MD, said in a press release.

To read the policy in its entirety, please click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Thriving as a Nurse in Underserved Communities

What’s it like working as a nurse in an underserved community? What skills and qualities should nurses have in order to succeed in this area?

from FierceHealthcare

Many rural and urban communities face a shortage of qualified health professionals to meet the population’s needs. These underserved communities face unique challenges and nurses working in these areas need unique skills to meet those challenges.

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.