A Little Money Buys a Lot of Calories at City Corner Stores

Children in Philadelphia who attended public schools and shopped at corner stores before or after school purchased almost 360 calories of foods and beverages per visit, according to new research published in the journal Pediatrics.

The study, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's national program Healthy Eating Research, is the first to document both what foods and beverages children purchased in local corner stories on their way to and from school, and the nutritional content of those items. Chips, candy and sugar-sweetened beverages were the most frequently purchase items.

Consumer Confidence in Health Care Rises Slightly in September

Concern over losing health care coverage continues to grow, while three-fourths of Americans believe that health reform would improve access to care.

In September, 33.4 percent of Americans reported that they are worried about losing their health insurance at some point in the next 12 months, up from 29.0 percent in August. When the survey began in April, 21.6 percent of Americans reported worries about losing insurance.

More than two-thirds (67.4%) of Americans believe that access to health care for the nation will improve or stay the same under health reform. Additionally three-fourths (74.5%) believe that their personal access to care will improve or stay the same.

The Cost of Failure to Enact Health Reform

As policy-makers continue to debate comprehensive reform of the nation’s health care system, a new report commissioned by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) projects that if federal reform efforts are not enacted, the cost of failure would be substantial. In every state, the number of uninsured will increase, employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) coverage will continue to erode, spending on public programs will balloon and out-of-pocket health care costs for individuals and families could increase by more than 35 percent over the next decade.

While all income levels would be affected, middle-class working families would be hardest hit.

IOM Report Confirms Smoking Bans Prevent Heart Attacks

A new report by the Institute of Medicine confirms scientific evidence that smoke-free laws prevent heart attacks and save lives. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., RWJF president and CEO, calls the report a powerful reminder of why we need comprehensive smoke-free laws.

"As Congress debates health care reform," says Lavizzo-Mourey, "we now have conclusive evidence that smoke-free laws, which cost little to implement, can quickly reduce heart attacks, thereby saving lives and saving money by avoiding the costly treatments that often result. What's needed is the political will to implement these proven community prevention approaches so that all Americans can breathe clean, smoke-free air and lead healthier lives."

In a video prepared for the report's release, Danny McGoldrick, director of research, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, reflects on the significance of the report findings.

Trust for America's Health Report Finds Many States Could Be Short on Hospital Beds in an H1N1 Outbreak

Fifteen states could run out of available hospital beds during the peak of an H1N1 outbreak if 35 percent of Americans were to get sick from the H1N1 flu virus.

According to the report released by RWJF grantee Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), the number of people hospitalized could range from a high of 168,025 in California to a low of 2,485 in Wyoming, and many states may face shortages of beds or may need to reduce the number of non-flu related discretionary hospitalizations due to limited hospital bed availability. TFAH’s estimates are based on the FluSurge model developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report also examines other H1N1 outbreak concerns related to vaccines, antiviral medication, health care, and special needs of at-risk communities and makes recommendations for improving the nation’s overall capacity for preparing for health emergencies.
 

Roadmap Posed Key Questions for Advancing Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Policy

Substance abuse accounts for one in 14 hospital admissions and generates billions of dollars in health care costs annually. The Substance Abuse Policy Research Program (SAPRP) released four separate research roadmaps aimed at addressing substance abuse policy. The roadmaps identify existing evidence that can be acted upon now, and highlights the major outstanding questions that must be explored during the next five years in alcohol, tobacco and drug policy research.

Ten Leaders Honored for Working in Hard-to-Reach Communities

From making smiles brighter in rural Alaska, to protecting health access for the poor, to combating teen pregnancy and child abuse in rural Texas, to helping survivors of torture rebuild their lives, the 2009 Community Health Leaders are making a huge difference in their communities. Now in its 16th year, the Community Health Leaders are a distinguished and diverse group of award recipients representing the geographical, cultural, ethnic, social and economic diversity of America.

Institute of Medicine Announces 2009 Lienhard Award and Sarnat Prize

The Institute of Medicine presented the 2009 Gustav O. Lienhard Award to Thomas E. Starzl, Distinguished Service Professor of Health Sciences and director emeritus of the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh. The award honors Starzl for his foundational role in pioneering and advancing transplantation science. Starzl and his research teams are responsible for several of the most notable advancements in the development of organ transplantation, starting with the first successful liver transplant in 1967.

Additionally, Foundation grantee David Mechanic, Ph.D., has been awarded the Institute of Medicine's 2009 Rhoda and Bernard Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health.

The Foundation has supported Mechanic’s efforts to inform and shape health and health care policy debates since 1973.

Kaiser Permanente "Biobank" Receives $25-Million Grant from National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded the Kaiser Permanente Research Program on Genes, Environment and Health and the University of California, San Francisco Institute for Human Genetics a $24.8-million grant to conduct an expansive genotyping project. Once completed, the biobank will provide researchers an unprecedented ability to find out which genes and environmental factors, lifestyles and habits are linked with specific diseases and health conditions that affect millions of Americans, including cancer, heart disease, asthma, autoimmune diseases and mental health disorders.