American journal of preventive medicine
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Better understanding the possible effects of vaccinating employees is important and can help policymakers and businesses plan vaccine distribution and administration logistics, especially with the current H1N1 influenza vaccine in short supply. ⋯ Timely vaccination of at least 20% of the large-company workforce can play an important role in epidemic mitigation.
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Data suggest that the prevalence of sun-protection behaviors is low (44%) among African Americans; the samples in such studies, however, tended to be small or nonrepresentative. ⋯ Tailored interventions to increase sun-protection behaviors among African Americans (men in particular) are needed.
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The prevalence and severity of obesity have increased among children and adolescents. Although the medical and psychosocial consequences of youth obesity have been well documented, comparatively less information exists on the association of overweight/obesity with health-risk behaviors, which are considered to be a primary threat to adolescent health. ⋯ Overweight and obese young people are at risk of developing health-compromising behaviors that may compound medical and social problems associated with excess weight.
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Tobacco use kills more than 400,000 Americans every year. For smokers, quitting is the biggest step they can take to improve their health, but it is a difficult step. Fortunately, policy-based interventions can both encourage smokers to quit and help them succeed. ⋯ Finally, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act has given the U. S. Food and Drug Administration new authority to regulate tobacco products and marketing, and to prevent tobacco companies from deceptively marketing new products that discourage smokers from quitting and keep them addicted.
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Communities with locally generated special healthcare taxes have demonstrated a generally favorable association with selected population health status outcomes. ⋯ In communities with health-related taxing authorities, reductions in health disparities between whites and blacks can be demonstrated. These differences are not uniform and vary by the specific type of outcome, race, and age. These findings support the need for studies that prospectively determine whether implementing new taxing strategies may help reduce health disparities.