Obesity: America's epidemic

The health risks of overweight and obesity have been well documented. For example, even a 15-lb. weight gain increases a person's risk of diabetes by 50%. In turn, losing as little as 11 lbs. can reduce a person's risk of diabetes by the same percentage. Why, then, aren't more Americans losing weight? This article explores the rising incidence of overweight and obesity in the United States, the reasons so many people fail to lose weight or maintain a weight loss, and the potential for nurses to turn the tide on this epidemic.     

America's tragedy: pediatric trauma

Resuscitation of the pediatric trauma patient involves immediate assessment of ABCs. Interventions are made immediately upon recognition of abnormalities during the primary survey. After initial assessment and management of life-threatening processes, consider the optimal destination for further care and resuscitation. Keep in mind pediatric considerations like anatomical differences and the need for pediatric-sized equipment. Avoid the common errors that occur when resuscitating a pediatric trauma patient.     

Health of America's newcomers

Newcomer health and health care are policy issues with major outcomes of cost shifting and enormous consequences for newcomers and the community health nurses who promise them care. Newcomers are persons entering U.S. borders who could be asylees, refugees, immigrants, legal or illegal aliens, migrants, international adoptees, and others. Described in this article are the role federalism has played on the interplay among policymakers regarding newcomer health. Also addressed is newcomer health policy, including immigration policies, and newcomer health issues such as infectious diseases and questionable health care. Additional newcomer health issues such as newcomers at high risk for health problems, issues of access to care for newcomers, and welfare reform policies are discussed. Newcomer health and special interest group activities such as those from medicine and nursing are also addressed. Finally, meaningful options and possible solutions for newcomer health care concerns are identified and shared.     

War on SARS: a Singapore experience

On Mar. 12, 2003, the World Health Organization issued a global alert regarding cases of a severe atypical pneumonia termed "severe acute respiratory syndrome" (or SARS). In Singapore alone, there have been 238 SARS cases and 33 deaths, including 5 health care workers. With modern global inter-connectivity, SARS rapidly spread to become a worldwide phenomenon. This article describes the Singapore "war on SARS" from an emergency physician's perspective, focusing on the "prevent, detect and isolate" strategy. Notable innovations include the use of home quarantine orders, mass temperature screening using thermal imaging, modular systems of hospital staffing, "virtual" hospital visits, and innovations in emergency department design. Most emergency departments, hospitals and health care systems appear to be psychologically and logistically unprepared for a massive infectious disease outbreak. In light of recent natural and terrorism-related threats, emergency care providers around the world must adopt a new paradigm. The current SARS outbreak may be merely a taste of things to come.     

Children and poverty: America's future at risk.

Growing numbers of America's children are living in poverty, deprived of their most basic needs for security, support, and a healthy future. Nurses can become part of the solution to this urgent problem by identifying poverty as a practice concern.     

America's Emphasis on Welfare: Is It Children's Welfare or Corporate Welfare?

States are facing a collective budget shortfall of dollar 40 billion and may have to cut millions from programs that serve children and families. The 2004 proposal exacerbates the state fiscal crisis. Because of linkages between federal and state taxes, federal tax cuts have added to the loss of state revenue coming into states to assist with programs. In addition, the federal government is likely to cut human service funding to shore up its dollar 157 billion deficit, and many non-profit agencies are seeing donations slow dramatically because of the lagging economy and stock market It seems evident that the proposed federal budget cutbacks exacerbate state reductions in children's services, worsen the federal budget deficit, greatly increase the nation's debt, and mortgage America's future by passing the lack of investments in youth potential onto the next generation.     

Simple truths about America's uninsured

Nurses deal with the fallout of a nation with more than 46 million uninsured. Affecting the patients and families they care for, the hospitals and clinics they work in and manage, and the communities they serve, nurses have a credible standing from which to debunk any myths about who the uninsured are, why they are uninsured, and the difference that health insurance makes in their health and well-being. This article on the uninsured and health insurance coverage among low-income Americans outlines key facts about the uninsured and the primary cause of the problem--the affordability of health insurance.