Personal Health, Public Health

Influenza Season 2009-10

If it seems that the 2008-09 influenza season was unusually long, perhaps it is just that we have had artificially short influenza seasons in past years. This year was marked by a generous supply of influenza vaccine, expanded recommendations from the CDC for who should receive vaccine, and a push to continue providing vaccine after the initial fall period traditionally associated with "flu" season.

Skin Cancer

Oftentimes when people refer to the “sun tax” in San Diego, they are referencing the fact that people are willing to receive a lower salary here and pay more for certain goods because of the beautiful weather. After all, according to the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, there is sunshine here 58–75 percent of the time each month. As physicians, however, the real sun tax we should be discussing is the risk of skin cancer.

Science of Addiction

When scientists first started to study drug abuse, people addicted to drugs were thought to be morally flawed and lacking in willpower. This view has shaped society’s response to drug abuse, treating it as a moral failing rather than a health problem and resulting in punitive rather than preventive and therapeutic actions. Due to groundbreaking scientific discoveries, we now recognize drug addiction as a brain disease that can be successfully prevented and treated.

What Is Drug Addiction?

Every Child, Every Time, Every Place

Hopefully, the title caught your attention and you’re wondering what the public health topic is this month. You would not be faulted for thinking that the title refers to immunizations (every kid needs them, physicians should update them at each appointment, and different models should be explored to reach adolescent patients where they are for their vaccinations) or even healthy eating (every child deserves nutritious food every day at home, in schools, and throughout their communities).

Family Violence

According to Reuters, March 14, 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states 23.6 percent of women and 11.5 percent of men reported being a victim of family violence at some time during their lives. In San Diego County in 2007, there were 18,839 reports of domestic violence incidents. Family violence is a major public health problem that affects the health and wellbeing of women, men, youth, and children. During pregnancy, family violence has been associated with poor outcomes for mother and infant.

Improving Oral Health: April is Oral Health Month

California is still struggling to address the dental needs of its residents. In 2003, a California report stated that 4 percent of the children in classrooms are unable to concentrate because they are actually in pain or suffering from a dental abscess. The report went on to call dental disease a hidden epidemic of California’s school children.