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Calif. Budget Cuts Threaten Prenatal Health Program For Women, Teens
County public health officials in California say proposed budget cuts could hurt or end the state"s Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, which provides care for high-risk women and teenagers during pregnancy and up to one year after giving birth, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reports. County health departments operate the program with oversight from the state Department of Public Health. Sarah Mack, a spokesperson for the Riverside County Department of Public Health, said the program provides a safety net for women who are uncertain about how to obtain prenatal care. The program"s nurses and social workers work to identify vulnerable groups with the goal of initiating care within the first trimester of pregnancy. The program aims to reduce incidences of low birthweight, premature delivery, maternal and infant mortality, preventable childhood diseases and disabling conditions.Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) has proposed eliminating more than $20 million in funding from the program to help reduce California"s estimated $24 billion budget deficit. Last week, the state Legislature"s joint budget conference introduced a counterproposal that would lower cuts to the program to $8 million.The most recent statistics from the state public health department show that nearly 16,000 California women who gave birth in 2006 had late or no prenatal care. More than 38,500 low-birthweight infants were born that year. Jim Lindley, director of the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, said that Schwarzenegger"s proposal would amount to the elimination of "the bulk of funding" for the program. Mack said that Riverside County officials have identified scenarios to continue providing services if the state funding is eliminated. However, without the funding, "[m]ore people could fall through the safety net," Mack said, adding, "Those who need the program the most would be the most likely to fall through."Schwarzenegger spokesperson Lisa Page has said that the governor believes the state"s budget situation leaves him with little choice about making cuts (Hines, Riverside Press-Enterprise, 6/22).

Large-Scale Analysis Finds Bariatric Surgery Relatively Safe
Advances in weight-loss surgery have made it as safe as any routine surgical procedure, according to a Duke University Medical Center researcher who reviewed data from nearly 60,000 patients and found it resulted in low complication and mortality rates.
News of the day
Asian Pneumonia Prevention Organization Calls For Required Pneumonia Vaccine In India
The Asian Strategic Alliance for Pneumococcal Disease Prevention (ASAP) is calling for the pneumonia vaccine to become an official part of India"s required list of immunizations, the Times of India reports. According to the newspaper, Nithin Shah, chairman of ASAP India chapter, said there is an "immediate need to take steps to control and prevent pneumonia morbidity and mortality," which is the leading cause of death among children younger than age five in India, according to international child health experts (7/26).
Oncology

To Maintain Normal Daily Function, Those With Insomnia Need Increased Brain Activation

According to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, patients suffering from chronic primary insomnia (PIs) have higher levels of brain activation compared to normal sleepers during a working memory test. Results show that PIs use increased brain activation relative to good sleepers during the working memory task, particularly in areas responsible for visual-spatial attention and coordination of cognitive processes. This activation may explain how PIs maintain performance on the task despite their sleep difficulties. PIs also were found to have decreased activation in visual and motor areas, which may suggest that PIs have higher baseline activation in these regions relative to good sleepers. According to principal investigator Henry Orff, MS, at the University of California in San Diego, Calif., these findings show that PIs, like individuals who are acutely sleep deprived, may be able to maintain performance on different tasks if they are able to compensate with increased brain activation. "The good news is that patients with insomnia are probably able to function well in their daily lives and likely do not show significantly impaired performance," said Orff. "That said, patients may have to work, concentrate, and attend more to tasks than people who sleep well." The study included 12 people with primary insomnia (six females) with an average age of 39.4 years, and nine good sleepers (four females) with an average age of 35.7 years. Performance was compared between the two groups on a working memory task. Functional MRIs (FMRI) taken during the task also were compared. Behavioral performance was measured by reaction time for correct responses, number of correct responses, and number of errors committed. The authors state that they do not know yet whether the findings suggest potential long-term implications for cognitive functioning in the future if primary insomnia is left untreated. Abstract Title: Insomnia Patients Show Increased Cerebral Activation when Compared to Good Sleepers during an NBack Working Memory Task Presentation Date: Tuesday, June 9 Category: Sleep Disorders - Insomnia Abstract ID: 0779 Kelly Wagner American Academy of Sleep Medicine


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