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

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/

Aprende a vivir (Learn to Live) is a new three-episode Spanish-language videonovela that provides information about diabetes management. The story reflects the reality of many Hispanics with diabetes who stop taking their medication due to unpleasant side effects or other reasons. [from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality]

Access the videonovela and other resources in Spanish (http://healthcare411.org/aprendeavivir.aspx) or English (http://healthcare411.org/videonovela.aspx).

The HHS Strategic Plan for Viral Hepatitis declared May 19th a the first ever national Hepatitis Testing Day.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Division of Viral Hepatitis is developing resources to support testing for chronic viral hepatitis, including the creation of a Hepatitis Testing Event page: http://bit.ly/INVVHU.  In addition, you can visit the Urban Indian Health Institute’s Viral Hepatitis and STI Prevention Project materials page where you can access new health promotion materials addressing HIV, sexually transmitted infections and viral hepatitis prevention: http://bit.ly/IZYw0D.

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

http://www.mufasser.com/

This website gives patients and their families access to patient education information, illustrated handouts, interactive tutorials, multimedia presentations and interactive quizzes to test knowledge. Selections based on content from www.medlineplus.gov

Al-Mufasser health education programs:

• Are up-to-date and include authoritative medical information
• Are unbiased and include no advertising
• Use multimedia (graphics, animations, and narration) to simplify and convey complex medical information
• Ask questions and give feedback to ensure understanding

At the bottom of each page is a link for either English or Arabic.  You can easily use this button to toggle back and forth between English and Arabic.

One of the Migration Policy Institute’s Data Hub’s more popular tools – the national and state-level profile of the foreign born in the United States — is also one of their most useful and in-depth offerings.  The data tool draws on the most recent one-year estimates of the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), examining four sets of immigration characteristics in the United States – demographic and social, language and education, workforce, and income and poverty.  And, it also provides 1990 and 2000 decennial Census data, giving a handy snapshot of how immigration has evolved.

Visit the Data Hub here: http://bit.ly/IqT4o5

The Administration on Aging (AoA) is promoting Older Americans Month (OAM) in May.

Help spread the word!  When you tweet, please use the hashtag #OAM2012.  This year the theme of OAM is “Never Too Old to Play”, which encourages older Americans to stay active and involved in their communities.

Also, AoA has developed a website in honor of Older Americans Month at www.OlderAmericansMonth.org  It offers resources for celebrating Older Americans Month, including an activities toolkit, Day of Play promotion flyers and OAM posters.  Also, people can share photos and videos of events that they organized for OAM on the OAM website.

Here are a few things to help get inspired!

Here’s a video the National Institute on Aging did with Dr. Varmus, NCI Director shot last year about seniors and physical activity.

http://bit.ly/IjYr9A

Also, a Senior Citizen Flash mob -

http://bit.ly/IbZ9D6

For Seniors: Here are some exercises and tips that can help improve balance.

Article available here: http://1.usa.gov/Ii6l4o

New free patient education resources from Health Roads Media.  Watch the videos online, available in both English and Spanish. New titles include Advanced Directives, Assisted Living, End of Life Issues and Hospice Care.

Available here: http://bit.ly/IzpnRw