July 2011

Global Health: Make Contraception More Available

Improving maternal health has been a primary goal of the international community led by three United Nations Agencies (UN Populations Fund (UNFPA), the World Bank and the World Health Organization) since they launched the Safe Motherhood Initiative in 1987.  Over the years their goals have been reviewed and updated, and in 2007, in recognition to the close links between maternal health and other reproductive conditions, a second target–ensuring universal access to reproductive health services was added to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

Original Article

Facial Wrinkles May Predict Bone Density

“In postmenopausal women the appearance of the skin may offer a glimpse of the skeletal well-being, a relationship not previously described,” said Lubna Pal, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist at Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.

The study demonstrates only an association between bone density and skin wrinkling. However, Dr. Pal called these findings noteworthy.”This information,” Pal said, “may allow for the possibility of identifying postmenopausal women at fracture risk at a glance, without dependence on costly tests.”

Original Article

New Tools to Help People with Diabetes

New videos to help people make lifestyle changes and cope with the demands of diabetes were announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP). The series of three- to five-minute videos, which can be found HERE.  This site (Diabetes HealthSense) addresses topics such as setting goals to improve health, living with diabetes, finding the support you need, as well as segments on diabetes prevention and physical activity.

Original Article

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