CNN posted a story today highlighting a new US government web site addressing a new strategy to address Alzheimer’s Disease.

It’s an exceptional moment in the struggle to find effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, says one expert. Why? Take a look at these disturbing Alzheimer’s statistics projected for 2050:
• 11 million additional people will have the condition in the United States
• 115.4 million will have it worldwide, compared to the current figure of about 35.6 million
• $1.1 trillion will be spent in the U.S. on caregiving costs, compared with $200 billion this year.
Staring in the face of these sobering numbers, the Obama administration offered details Tuesday of how it plans to take on this mysterious disease that destroys the brain.

The new strategy supports a $7.9 million dollar study on an insulin nasal spray treatment. Separately, researchers will work on the first-ever Alzheimer’s prevention trial in people with a genetic predisposition to develop the condition. The strategy also offers solutions for collaborating across federal and state agencies and for informing the public through a one-stop website, www.alzheimers.gov

Read the entire story here: http://bit.ly/IW4QEA

Bringing together the nation’s leading research institutions, The Weight of the Nation is a presentation of HBO and the Institute of Medicine (IOM), in association with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and in partnership with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and Kaiser Permanente.

The centerpiece of The Weight of the Nation campaign is the four-part documentary series, each featuring case studies, interviews with our nation’s leading experts, and individuals and their families struggling with obesity. Parts 1 and 2 of the Documentary air on HBO today, May 14. Parts 3 & 4 air on May 15, 2012.

For more information and to watch the trailer:  http://bit.ly/J3ZlYs

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend, as its first recommendation, that people in the path of a tornado find a shelter or a tornado-safe room. The safest place in the home is the interior part of a basement. If possible, get under something sturdy such as a heavy table or workbench. If outdoors, lie down in a gully or ditch.  Head injuries are common   causes of death during tornadoes, and individuals may decide to use helmets to protect their heads. However, because the time to react may be very short, people who choose to use helmets should know where they are and have them ready. Helmets should not be considered an alternative to seeking appropriate shelther considered just one part of their overall home tornado preparedness kit.

For more information:  http://bit.ly/K9KcyR [CDC Press Release, May 3, 2102]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced a series of prevention-based policy measures that will better protect consumers from foodborne illness in meat and poultry products. These measures will significantly improve the ability of both plants and USDA to trace contaminated food materials in the supply chain, to act against contaminated products sooner, and to establish the effectiveness of food safety systems.

More information:  http://1.usa.gov/KlfQxV  [USDA News Release, May 2, 2012]

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently announced the availability of funding for the construction and renovation of school-based health centers. These new investments, totaling up to $75 million, are part of the School-Based Health Center Capital (SBHCC) Program, which was created by the Affordable Care Act.

School-based health centers are an important component of the nation’s health care safety net. The centers enable children with acute or chronic illnesses to attend school as well as help to improve the overall health and wellness of children and adolescents through health screenings, health promotion and disease prevention activities.

Read more: http://1.usa.gov/J4kEbV  [HHS Press Release, May 9, 2012]

The National Library of Medicine is now offering mobile versions of many of its most popular websites.  Some are mobile websites, available through a web browser, and some are downloadable apps. See a gallery of mobile apps and sites here: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mobile/index.html

A sampling of NLM mobile products:

MedlinePlus: Authoritative consumer health information from MedlinePlus.gov in a mobile-optimized Web site that includes summaries for over 800 diseases, conditions and wellness topics as well as the latest health news, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, and information on prescription and over-the-counter medications. Available via the Web browser of any mobile device.

AIDSInfo: The latest federally approved HIV/AIDS medical practice guidelines, HIV treatment and prevention clinical trials, and other research information.

LactMed: Find information about maternal and infant drug levels, possible effects on lactation and on breastfed infants, and alternative drugs to consider.

WISER: Stand-alone application (or downloadable application) to assist emergency responders in hazardous materials incidents.

Drug Information Portal: A mobile interface to information for over 31,000 drugs. Names, usage, and structures are displayed, as well as search links to key NLM and government sites, using their mobile version when available.

Want even more no-cost, reliable health apps? Browse USA.gov’s Gallery of Mobile Applications: http://apps.usa.gov/

This is National Nurses Week.

This year’s theme is Nurses Answer the Call: Expand Access to Care.  This week provides an opportunity to recognize the multitude of ways the nursing profession contributes to the health of the nation.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has made available a document titled “National Nurses Week: A Discussion” and an archived chat of The White House Office Hours: National Nurses Week as well as a video featuring  HRSA Administrator Mary K. Wakefield, PhD, RN

To learn more, hear the chat, or watch the video go to http://1.usa.gov/LkqUdI

This blog will have some new contributors!

Kate Flewelling is our newest addition and will be posting tomorrow!  She is the Outreach Coordinator for the Middle Atlantic Region of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine.

We will slowly be adding new contributors in the coming weeks.  They will take turns posting on Fridays – so keep your eyes peeled for new authors and look forward to getting content 4 days a week!

Also, the blog will take a week off as all of the contributors will be attended a conference.

There will be no new posts from May 16 to May 23.  on May 24 posting will resume as normal.

National Women’s Health Week is a week-long health observance that brings together communities, businesses, government, health organizations, and other groups in an effort to promote women’s health.  The theme for 2012 National Women’s Health Week is “It’s Your Time.”  National Women’s Health Week empowers women to make their health a top priority.  It also encourages women to take the following steps to improve their physical and mental health and lower their risks of certain diseases:

• Visit a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings
• Get active
• Eat healthy
• Pay attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress
• Avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt or bicycle helmet

Fact sheets and related resources are available online: http://1.usa.gov/ISgP9A

Over the last decade, the National Academies have been actively engaged in questions related to biosecurity, biodefense, relevant aspects of public health, and broader discussions of the relationship between science and security. This website pulls together information about National Academies’ reports, ongoing projects, and activities and links to some of the growing number of biosecurity websites in the United States and overseas.

To visit the site: http://bit.ly/JPdB5R