American journal of preventive medicine
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CONTENT/OBJECTIVES: No recent national studies have been published on age at death and causes of death for U.S. physicians, and previous studies have had sampling limitations. Physician morbidity and mortality are of interest for several reasons, including the fact that physicians' personal health habits may affect their patient counseling practices. ⋯ These findings should help to erase the myth of the unhealthy doctor. At least for men, mortality outcomes suggest that physicians make healthy personal choices.
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Federal, state, and private-sector investments in vaccine purchases and immunization programs are lagging behind emerging opportunities to reduce the risks of vaccine-preventable disease. Although federal assistance to the states for immunization programs and data collection efforts rapidly expanded in the early part of the 1990s, significant cutbacks have occurred in the last 5 years that have reduced the size of state grant awards by more than 50% from their highest point. During this same period, the vaccine delivery system for children and adults has become more complex and fragmented. ⋯ The committee also recommends that the Congress replace the current discretionary Section 317 grants with a formula approach for state immunization grant awards to improve the targeting and stability of federal immunization grants. The formula should provide a base level of support to all states, as well as additional amounts related to each state's need, capacity, and performance. The committee further recommends that Congress introduce a state match requirement for the receipt of increased federal funds to help strengthen and stabilize the infrastructure that supports long-term public health assessment, assurance, and policy development efforts. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)
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Biography Historical Article
Building a foundation for suicide prevention: the contributions of Jack C. Smith.
Among his many other accomplishments, Jack C. Smith nurtured the early development of efforts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to address suicide as a public health problem. Smith's vision was to achieve suicide prevention through epidemiology, and his vision shaped the emergence of suicide as a public health issue. ⋯ In this paper we document Smith's role in the development of the public health approach to suicide prevention. We also articulate the conceptual basis for a public health approach to suicide and discuss future directions for public health in the prevention of suicide and suicidal behavior. While Smith also made important contributions to development of CDC efforts to address homicide, his special interest was suicide; therefore, this article will emphasize his contributions to this area.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Effects of a short-term health promotion intervention for a predominantly African-American group of stroke survivors.
The study examined the effects of a 12-week health promotion intervention for a predominantly urban African-American population of stroke survivors. ⋯ A short-term health promotion intervention for predominantly African-American stroke survivors was effective in improving several physiological and psychological health outcomes.