President Obama nominates Thomas E. Perez for Secretary of Labor; a new study finds that Camp Lejeune water supplies had even more contamination that previously reported; and temp workers in China face worse conditions than permanent employees.
Education
Study finds high support for public health interventions, few worries about encroaching ‘nanny state’
A new study finds that the public does, indeed, support legal interventions aimed at curbing noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity. However, they’re more likely to support interventions that create the conditions that help people make the healthy choice on their own.
If you’ve followed the link from the New York Times Magazine’s letters page, welcome to The Pump Handle!
CDC Director Tom Frieden held a press briefing to warn about carapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), which are increasing at an alarming rate.
The Southern Poverty Law Center and Alabama Appleseed interviewed 300 Alabama poultry workers, and find that many have musculoskeletal problems linked to fast-moving processing lines. That problem could get even worse if a proposed USDA poultry rule to increase maximum line speeds takes effect.
Infectious Diseases & Vaccines
10 years after SARS: Are healthcare systems ready for the next global public health emergency?
On March 12, 2003, the World Health Organization issued a global health alert for an atypical pneumonia that was soon dubbed SARS, severe acute respiratory syndrome. Ten years later, the International Health Regulations have been revised, but the US isn’t doing enough to maintain its surveillance and response capabilities.
President Obama will likely nominate Thomas Perez, currently assistant US attorney general for civil rights, to head the Department of Labor; a new report describes exploitation of undocumented workers; and children working in India’s coal mines face on-the-job hazards while missing out on education.
Education
In tight fiscal times, National Public Health Week highlights the return on public health investments
In a little less than a month, public health workers in Macomb County, Mich., will set up at the local Babies”R”Us store to offer parents a free child car seat check. The Macomb County Health Department has been organizing such car seat checks for years, knowing that proper child vehicle restraints can save lives and prevent injury. The event also fits in perfectly with this year’s National Public Health Week theme of “Public Health ROI: Save Lives, Save Money.”
Haiti’s cholera epidemic began in late 2010, following the earthquake that devastated the country. Now, the country is requesting international funds for a 10-year-plan that can not only eliminate cholera transmission, but strengthen public health overall.
US Healthcare System
“If we expect the health care workforce to care for patients, we need to care for the workforce”
A Washington Post article and a new report from the National Patient Safety Foundation explore how healthcare workplace environments affect workers and patients.