According to HHS, an estimated 87,000 fewer patients died of hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) between 2010 and 2014 thanks to national patient safety efforts.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) analyzed the incidence of adverse drug events, (ADEs) catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line–associated bloodstream infections, pressure ulcers, surgical site infections, and other HACs and compared those with baseline data from 2010.

The HACs' numbers have steadily dropped 17% from 2010 to 2014, but the reasons  are not fully understood. Possible contributing causes include financial incentives created by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and other payers’ policies, public reporting of hospital-level results, and technical assistance offered to hospitals.

The “major strides in patient safety are a result of strong, diverse public-private partnerships and active engagement by patients and families,” HHS says. One of those partnerships, the Partnership for Patients, was launched in 2011 to target specific HACs for reductions via systematic quality improvement. “Crucially,” the report notes, progress was made possible by AHRQ’s efforts in gathering evidence about how to make care safer, investments in tools and training to “catalyze improvement,” and investments in data and measures to track change.

Most of the improvements between 2010 and 2014 were seen in reducing ADEs, which accounted for 40% of the change: from 1,621,000 to 1,360,000 ADEs. (The AHRQ study looked at hypoglycemic agents, IV heparin, low-molecular weight heparin and Factor X an inhibitor, and warfarin.) The next largest category was pressure ulcers, which saw a 28% change. Interim data show an estimated 16,760 deaths due to ADEs were averted, as were 42,716 deaths due to pressure ulcers. “These new numbers are impressive and show the great progress hospitals continue to make,” said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association.        

As the improvements hold steady, their impact accumulates, AHRQ says. However, the AHRQ report points out, “There is still more work to be done.” The interim 2014 HAC rate of 121 HACs per 1,000 discharges is the same as it was in 2013 (some patients had more than 1 HAC). Moreover, in 2014, almost 10% of hospitalized patients experienced 1 or more of the HACs measured. “That rate is still too high,” the report panel concludes.

According to HHS, an estimated 87,000 fewer patients died of hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) between 2010 and 2014 thanks to national patient safety efforts.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) analyzed the incidence of adverse drug events, (ADEs) catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line–associated bloodstream infections, pressure ulcers, surgical site infections, and other HACs and compared those with baseline data from 2010.

The HACs' numbers have steadily dropped 17% from 2010 to 2014, but the reasons  are not fully understood. Possible contributing causes include financial incentives created by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and other payers’ policies, public reporting of hospital-level results, and technical assistance offered to hospitals.

The “major strides in patient safety are a result of strong, diverse public-private partnerships and active engagement by patients and families,” HHS says. One of those partnerships, the Partnership for Patients, was launched in 2011 to target specific HACs for reductions via systematic quality improvement. “Crucially,” the report notes, progress was made possible by AHRQ’s efforts in gathering evidence about how to make care safer, investments in tools and training to “catalyze improvement,” and investments in data and measures to track change.

Most of the improvements between 2010 and 2014 were seen in reducing ADEs, which accounted for 40% of the change: from 1,621,000 to 1,360,000 ADEs. (The AHRQ study looked at hypoglycemic agents, IV heparin, low-molecular weight heparin and Factor X an inhibitor, and warfarin.) The next largest category was pressure ulcers, which saw a 28% change. Interim data show an estimated 16,760 deaths due to ADEs were averted, as were 42,716 deaths due to pressure ulcers. “These new numbers are impressive and show the great progress hospitals continue to make,” said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association.        

As the improvements hold steady, their impact accumulates, AHRQ says. However, the AHRQ report points out, “There is still more work to be done.” The interim 2014 HAC rate of 121 HACs per 1,000 discharges is the same as it was in 2013 (some patients had more than 1 HAC). Moreover, in 2014, almost 10% of hospitalized patients experienced 1 or more of the HACs measured. “That rate is still too high,” the report panel concludes.

According to HHS, an estimated 87,000 fewer patients died of hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) between 2010 and 2014 thanks to national patient safety efforts.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) analyzed the incidence of adverse drug events, (ADEs) catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line–associated bloodstream infections, pressure ulcers, surgical site infections, and other HACs and compared those with baseline data from 2010.

The HACs' numbers have steadily dropped 17% from 2010 to 2014, but the reasons  are not fully understood. Possible contributing causes include financial incentives created by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and other payers’ policies, public reporting of hospital-level results, and technical assistance offered to hospitals.

The “major strides in patient safety are a result of strong, diverse public-private partnerships and active engagement by patients and families,” HHS says. One of those partnerships, the Partnership for Patients, was launched in 2011 to target specific HACs for reductions via systematic quality improvement. “Crucially,” the report notes, progress was made possible by AHRQ’s efforts in gathering evidence about how to make care safer, investments in tools and training to “catalyze improvement,” and investments in data and measures to track change.

Most of the improvements between 2010 and 2014 were seen in reducing ADEs, which accounted for 40% of the change: from 1,621,000 to 1,360,000 ADEs. (The AHRQ study looked at hypoglycemic agents, IV heparin, low-molecular weight heparin and Factor X an inhibitor, and warfarin.) The next largest category was pressure ulcers, which saw a 28% change. Interim data show an estimated 16,760 deaths due to ADEs were averted, as were 42,716 deaths due to pressure ulcers. “These new numbers are impressive and show the great progress hospitals continue to make,” said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association.        

As the improvements hold steady, their impact accumulates, AHRQ says. However, the AHRQ report points out, “There is still more work to be done.” The interim 2014 HAC rate of 121 HACs per 1,000 discharges is the same as it was in 2013 (some patients had more than 1 HAC). Moreover, in 2014, almost 10% of hospitalized patients experienced 1 or more of the HACs measured. “That rate is still too high,” the report panel concludes.

Can a mobile application be a health care assistant? The designers of the Virtual Hope Box believe it can. Nigel Bush and his colleagues won a 2014 DoD Innovation Award for their smartphone app, which helps regulate emotions and reduce stress through personalized supportive audio, video, games, mindfulness exercises, activity planning, and other tools. The app is a virtual representation of a therapeutic tool known as a “hope box,” “crisis kit,” “self-soothing kit,” or the like: often an actual box filled with things that represent coping for the patient, such as a favorite CD or family photographs.

In an article for health.mil, Bush, a research psychologist and program manager for the Research, Outcomes and Investigations program at the National Center for Telehealth & Technology, said service members are “highly mobile,” and personal cellphone use is extremely high. The design team recognized that a mobile application could complement the care of a provider. Plus, “[w]e kept hearing from clinicians that patients need a customizable accessory to care.”

To that end, the Virtual Hope Box is “constantly and privately accessible,” Bush noted. The privacy is a boon for users who are reluctant to seek care due to stigma or inaccessibility. Moreover, he said, the app provides a widely varied suite of tools: “Clinicians appreciate that the content can be tailored to the unique needs of each patient.” Patients and providers work together to customize the content.

After a successful pilot, the app has been downloaded more than 50,000 times by service members and civilians alike, Bush said. Next steps include broadening the promotion of the app from one specialist clinic to an entire regional VA behavioral health system.

Can a mobile application be a health care assistant? The designers of the Virtual Hope Box believe it can. Nigel Bush and his colleagues won a 2014 DoD Innovation Award for their smartphone app, which helps regulate emotions and reduce stress through personalized supportive audio, video, games, mindfulness exercises, activity planning, and other tools. The app is a virtual representation of a therapeutic tool known as a “hope box,” “crisis kit,” “self-soothing kit,” or the like: often an actual box filled with things that represent coping for the patient, such as a favorite CD or family photographs.

In an article for health.mil, Bush, a research psychologist and program manager for the Research, Outcomes and Investigations program at the National Center for Telehealth & Technology, said service members are “highly mobile,” and personal cellphone use is extremely high. The design team recognized that a mobile application could complement the care of a provider. Plus, “[w]e kept hearing from clinicians that patients need a customizable accessory to care.”

To that end, the Virtual Hope Box is “constantly and privately accessible,” Bush noted. The privacy is a boon for users who are reluctant to seek care due to stigma or inaccessibility. Moreover, he said, the app provides a widely varied suite of tools: “Clinicians appreciate that the content can be tailored to the unique needs of each patient.” Patients and providers work together to customize the content.

After a successful pilot, the app has been downloaded more than 50,000 times by service members and civilians alike, Bush said. Next steps include broadening the promotion of the app from one specialist clinic to an entire regional VA behavioral health system.

Can a mobile application be a health care assistant? The designers of the Virtual Hope Box believe it can. Nigel Bush and his colleagues won a 2014 DoD Innovation Award for their smartphone app, which helps regulate emotions and reduce stress through personalized supportive audio, video, games, mindfulness exercises, activity planning, and other tools. The app is a virtual representation of a therapeutic tool known as a “hope box,” “crisis kit,” “self-soothing kit,” or the like: often an actual box filled with things that represent coping for the patient, such as a favorite CD or family photographs.

In an article for health.mil, Bush, a research psychologist and program manager for the Research, Outcomes and Investigations program at the National Center for Telehealth & Technology, said service members are “highly mobile,” and personal cellphone use is extremely high. The design team recognized that a mobile application could complement the care of a provider. Plus, “[w]e kept hearing from clinicians that patients need a customizable accessory to care.”

To that end, the Virtual Hope Box is “constantly and privately accessible,” Bush noted. The privacy is a boon for users who are reluctant to seek care due to stigma or inaccessibility. Moreover, he said, the app provides a widely varied suite of tools: “Clinicians appreciate that the content can be tailored to the unique needs of each patient.” Patients and providers work together to customize the content.

After a successful pilot, the app has been downloaded more than 50,000 times by service members and civilians alike, Bush said. Next steps include broadening the promotion of the app from one specialist clinic to an entire regional VA behavioral health system.

Two types of anthrax antitoxin drugs to treat inhalational anthrax are being added to the Strategic National Stockpile, according to HHS.

Anthim is a monoclonal antibody that binds to a key bacterial protein and reduces anthrax’s toxic effects. Through a $44.9 million agreement with the manufacturer, Anthim becomes the fourteenth product added to the stockpile since 2004.

The second drug, raxibacumab, is replacing expiring doses. Raxibacumab, also a monoclonal antibody, was the first anthrax antitoxin approved by the FDA. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority of the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response is providing $9.7 million to ensure a supply of raxibacumab through 2019.

Two types of anthrax antitoxin drugs to treat inhalational anthrax are being added to the Strategic National Stockpile, according to HHS.

Anthim is a monoclonal antibody that binds to a key bacterial protein and reduces anthrax’s toxic effects. Through a $44.9 million agreement with the manufacturer, Anthim becomes the fourteenth product added to the stockpile since 2004.

The second drug, raxibacumab, is replacing expiring doses. Raxibacumab, also a monoclonal antibody, was the first anthrax antitoxin approved by the FDA. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority of the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response is providing $9.7 million to ensure a supply of raxibacumab through 2019.

Two types of anthrax antitoxin drugs to treat inhalational anthrax are being added to the Strategic National Stockpile, according to HHS.

Anthim is a monoclonal antibody that binds to a key bacterial protein and reduces anthrax’s toxic effects. Through a $44.9 million agreement with the manufacturer, Anthim becomes the fourteenth product added to the stockpile since 2004.

The second drug, raxibacumab, is replacing expiring doses. Raxibacumab, also a monoclonal antibody, was the first anthrax antitoxin approved by the FDA. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority of the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response is providing $9.7 million to ensure a supply of raxibacumab through 2019.

Celebrating the “infinite potential of art” to help heal wounded warriors, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Jonathan Woodson, MD, spoke in support of art therapy at the 2015 Wounded Warrior Healing Arts Recognition “Show of Strength” event.

Nine service members received certificates of recognition for artistic achievement. In an interview with health.mil, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Warrior Care and Policy James Rodriguez said healing-arts therapy was a key part of their recovery and rehabilitation. “Art therapy is a lifeline,” Rodriguez said. He cited research showing that participating in the arts can reduce stress hormones even for those who are used to hypervigilance. Moreover, art can help them express complex feelings they might have repressed.

“It is safe to say we are all just beginning to understand how engagement in the arts can change lives of military members affected by traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress syndrome and other conditions,” Woodson said. “We know [the arts] can be an extremely powerful tool in assisting with recovery.”

The art therapy program, which includes music and writing in addition to the visual arts, is part of the Military Healing Arts partnership between the DoD and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Celebrating the “infinite potential of art” to help heal wounded warriors, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Jonathan Woodson, MD, spoke in support of art therapy at the 2015 Wounded Warrior Healing Arts Recognition “Show of Strength” event.

Nine service members received certificates of recognition for artistic achievement. In an interview with health.mil, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Warrior Care and Policy James Rodriguez said healing-arts therapy was a key part of their recovery and rehabilitation. “Art therapy is a lifeline,” Rodriguez said. He cited research showing that participating in the arts can reduce stress hormones even for those who are used to hypervigilance. Moreover, art can help them express complex feelings they might have repressed.

“It is safe to say we are all just beginning to understand how engagement in the arts can change lives of military members affected by traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress syndrome and other conditions,” Woodson said. “We know [the arts] can be an extremely powerful tool in assisting with recovery.”

The art therapy program, which includes music and writing in addition to the visual arts, is part of the Military Healing Arts partnership between the DoD and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Celebrating the “infinite potential of art” to help heal wounded warriors, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Jonathan Woodson, MD, spoke in support of art therapy at the 2015 Wounded Warrior Healing Arts Recognition “Show of Strength” event.

Nine service members received certificates of recognition for artistic achievement. In an interview with health.mil, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Warrior Care and Policy James Rodriguez said healing-arts therapy was a key part of their recovery and rehabilitation. “Art therapy is a lifeline,” Rodriguez said. He cited research showing that participating in the arts can reduce stress hormones even for those who are used to hypervigilance. Moreover, art can help them express complex feelings they might have repressed.

“It is safe to say we are all just beginning to understand how engagement in the arts can change lives of military members affected by traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress syndrome and other conditions,” Woodson said. “We know [the arts] can be an extremely powerful tool in assisting with recovery.”

The art therapy program, which includes music and writing in addition to the visual arts, is part of the Military Healing Arts partnership between the DoD and the National Endowment for the Arts.

In a study funded in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command, researchers compared survival rates among 23,709 adults with cardiac arrest treated by emergency medical services crews at 114 agencies. Survival to discharge was similar for both methods. But patients given standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)—compressions plus pauses for ventilation—had significantly more days alive and out of hospital during the first 30 days following cardiac arrest.

The CPR guidelines allow for either continuous chest compressions or “interrupted” compressions with ventilation. However, because both methods are accepted, treatment can vary from one community to another, a NHLBI report says, adding that such variation “could soon become a thing of the past.” The benefits of interrupted compressions, the researchers say, may be due to improved blood flow and oxygenation.

This study is the largest of its kind to evaluate CPR practices among firefighters and paramedics, says NHLBI. The findings were presented at the American Heart Association 2015 Scientific Sessions.

In a study funded in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command, researchers compared survival rates among 23,709 adults with cardiac arrest treated by emergency medical services crews at 114 agencies. Survival to discharge was similar for both methods. But patients given standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)—compressions plus pauses for ventilation—had significantly more days alive and out of hospital during the first 30 days following cardiac arrest.

The CPR guidelines allow for either continuous chest compressions or “interrupted” compressions with ventilation. However, because both methods are accepted, treatment can vary from one community to another, a NHLBI report says, adding that such variation “could soon become a thing of the past.” The benefits of interrupted compressions, the researchers say, may be due to improved blood flow and oxygenation.

This study is the largest of its kind to evaluate CPR practices among firefighters and paramedics, says NHLBI. The findings were presented at the American Heart Association 2015 Scientific Sessions.

In a study funded in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command, researchers compared survival rates among 23,709 adults with cardiac arrest treated by emergency medical services crews at 114 agencies. Survival to discharge was similar for both methods. But patients given standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)—compressions plus pauses for ventilation—had significantly more days alive and out of hospital during the first 30 days following cardiac arrest.

The CPR guidelines allow for either continuous chest compressions or “interrupted” compressions with ventilation. However, because both methods are accepted, treatment can vary from one community to another, a NHLBI report says, adding that such variation “could soon become a thing of the past.” The benefits of interrupted compressions, the researchers say, may be due to improved blood flow and oxygenation.

This study is the largest of its kind to evaluate CPR practices among firefighters and paramedics, says NHLBI. The findings were presented at the American Heart Association 2015 Scientific Sessions.

On December 9, VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson spoke to the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and criticized the push to fire VA officials accused of misconduct by the Office of Inspector General (OIG). He stated the VA shouldn’t “administer punishment based on IG opinions, Department of Justice, recycled and embellished media accounts, or external pressure.” OIG reports should serve only as a summary of the evidence that the agency acquired and reviewed. Gibson maintains that the VA must administer punishments based on its own judgment.

Instead of firing officials Gibson believes the VA should be focusing on “sustainable accountability,” and foster employees’ good conduct through positive reinforcement.

“In my many years in the private sector, I’ve never encountered an organization where leadership was measured by how many people you fired,” said Gibson during the hearing.

However, where discipline is needed, Gibson said that the VA would no longer wait for the conclusion of outside investigation before moving forward with punishment. The agency also will shorten the time punished employees are put on paid leave.

Congress passed 2 new rules to hasten dismissal of VA senior executives, but there have been complaints that the VA has been slow to enforce these rules.

For example, the agency had little success in disciplining Kimberly Graves and Diana Rubens, demoting their positions instead of firing the VA officials. The agency also allowed Graves and Rubens to keep the $400,000 gained in the relocation scheme.

The OIG released a statement clarifying their position within the report covered during the hearing: “The OIG’s role is to provide oversight of VA’s programs, operations, and people. Inspectors General have no authority or responsibility for program functions. It is a VA program function to take any type of action, be it writing a policy, educating and training staff, or taking disciplinary or performance based administrative action.”

Now that administrative errors have been assessed, the OIG expects the VA to “take appropriate steps to protect the due process rights of these individuals as well as all employees as they move forward with appropriate accountability actions.”

On December 9, VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson spoke to the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and criticized the push to fire VA officials accused of misconduct by the Office of Inspector General (OIG). He stated the VA shouldn’t “administer punishment based on IG opinions, Department of Justice, recycled and embellished media accounts, or external pressure.” OIG reports should serve only as a summary of the evidence that the agency acquired and reviewed. Gibson maintains that the VA must administer punishments based on its own judgment.

Instead of firing officials Gibson believes the VA should be focusing on “sustainable accountability,” and foster employees’ good conduct through positive reinforcement.

“In my many years in the private sector, I’ve never encountered an organization where leadership was measured by how many people you fired,” said Gibson during the hearing.

However, where discipline is needed, Gibson said that the VA would no longer wait for the conclusion of outside investigation before moving forward with punishment. The agency also will shorten the time punished employees are put on paid leave.

Congress passed 2 new rules to hasten dismissal of VA senior executives, but there have been complaints that the VA has been slow to enforce these rules.

For example, the agency had little success in disciplining Kimberly Graves and Diana Rubens, demoting their positions instead of firing the VA officials. The agency also allowed Graves and Rubens to keep the $400,000 gained in the relocation scheme.

The OIG released a statement clarifying their position within the report covered during the hearing: “The OIG’s role is to provide oversight of VA’s programs, operations, and people. Inspectors General have no authority or responsibility for program functions. It is a VA program function to take any type of action, be it writing a policy, educating and training staff, or taking disciplinary or performance based administrative action.”

Now that administrative errors have been assessed, the OIG expects the VA to “take appropriate steps to protect the due process rights of these individuals as well as all employees as they move forward with appropriate accountability actions.”

On December 9, VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson spoke to the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and criticized the push to fire VA officials accused of misconduct by the Office of Inspector General (OIG). He stated the VA shouldn’t “administer punishment based on IG opinions, Department of Justice, recycled and embellished media accounts, or external pressure.” OIG reports should serve only as a summary of the evidence that the agency acquired and reviewed. Gibson maintains that the VA must administer punishments based on its own judgment.

Instead of firing officials Gibson believes the VA should be focusing on “sustainable accountability,” and foster employees’ good conduct through positive reinforcement.

“In my many years in the private sector, I’ve never encountered an organization where leadership was measured by how many people you fired,” said Gibson during the hearing.

However, where discipline is needed, Gibson said that the VA would no longer wait for the conclusion of outside investigation before moving forward with punishment. The agency also will shorten the time punished employees are put on paid leave.

Congress passed 2 new rules to hasten dismissal of VA senior executives, but there have been complaints that the VA has been slow to enforce these rules.

For example, the agency had little success in disciplining Kimberly Graves and Diana Rubens, demoting their positions instead of firing the VA officials. The agency also allowed Graves and Rubens to keep the $400,000 gained in the relocation scheme.

The OIG released a statement clarifying their position within the report covered during the hearing: “The OIG’s role is to provide oversight of VA’s programs, operations, and people. Inspectors General have no authority or responsibility for program functions. It is a VA program function to take any type of action, be it writing a policy, educating and training staff, or taking disciplinary or performance based administrative action.”

Now that administrative errors have been assessed, the OIG expects the VA to “take appropriate steps to protect the due process rights of these individuals as well as all employees as they move forward with appropriate accountability actions.”

Rates of obesity have topped 35% in Arkansas, West Virginia, and Mississippi. In 22 other states, the rates are above 30%. In fact, the rate in every state is above 20%—even Colorado, with its healthy image, is at 21%. Those disturbing facts come from the CDC, as analyzed in the annual State of Obesity report by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

According to an article in Native Health News (NHN), of 25 states with data on Native Americans, all reported obesity rates above 50%. In Arizona, North Carolina, and New Mexico, at least 75% of Native American adults are overweight or obese, NHN says. More than half of American Indian and Alaska Native adults are obese compared with one-third of all U.S. adults.

Related: Stopping Obesity in Its Infancy

The problem starts early: 1 in 4 Native American children aged 2 to 5 years are obese. Nearly one-third of children aged 6 to 11 years and one-third of those aged 12 to 19 years are obese.

Contributing factors include lack of access to healthful, affordable food and a shift from a diet of traditional indigenous foods, such as fruits and vegetables, to one that’s higher in fat, sugar, and sodium.

Related: Siblings’ Impact on Obesity

Anti-obesity programs are trying to reverse the rising trend, though. The Native-American–led Notah Begay III Foundation focuses on community-driven efforts, providing grants for grassroots programs targeting children’s nutrition education, access to healthier foods, increased physical activity, and other areas.

Related: Walking to Wellness—Safely

Freda Carpitcher, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention coordinator for the IHS’ Oklahoma area, is also working to educate families about healthier lifestyles. “If you look back 60 to 70 years, our disease rates were much lower,” she says in the NHN article. “My hope is that [Native Americans] will return to indigenous foods. [That will] contribute to lowering disease rates.”

Rates of obesity have topped 35% in Arkansas, West Virginia, and Mississippi. In 22 other states, the rates are above 30%. In fact, the rate in every state is above 20%—even Colorado, with its healthy image, is at 21%. Those disturbing facts come from the CDC, as analyzed in the annual State of Obesity report by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

According to an article in Native Health News (NHN), of 25 states with data on Native Americans, all reported obesity rates above 50%. In Arizona, North Carolina, and New Mexico, at least 75% of Native American adults are overweight or obese, NHN says. More than half of American Indian and Alaska Native adults are obese compared with one-third of all U.S. adults.

Related: Stopping Obesity in Its Infancy

The problem starts early: 1 in 4 Native American children aged 2 to 5 years are obese. Nearly one-third of children aged 6 to 11 years and one-third of those aged 12 to 19 years are obese.

Contributing factors include lack of access to healthful, affordable food and a shift from a diet of traditional indigenous foods, such as fruits and vegetables, to one that’s higher in fat, sugar, and sodium.

Related: Siblings’ Impact on Obesity

Anti-obesity programs are trying to reverse the rising trend, though. The Native-American–led Notah Begay III Foundation focuses on community-driven efforts, providing grants for grassroots programs targeting children’s nutrition education, access to healthier foods, increased physical activity, and other areas.

Related: Walking to Wellness—Safely

Freda Carpitcher, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention coordinator for the IHS’ Oklahoma area, is also working to educate families about healthier lifestyles. “If you look back 60 to 70 years, our disease rates were much lower,” she says in the NHN article. “My hope is that [Native Americans] will return to indigenous foods. [That will] contribute to lowering disease rates.”

Rates of obesity have topped 35% in Arkansas, West Virginia, and Mississippi. In 22 other states, the rates are above 30%. In fact, the rate in every state is above 20%—even Colorado, with its healthy image, is at 21%. Those disturbing facts come from the CDC, as analyzed in the annual State of Obesity report by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

According to an article in Native Health News (NHN), of 25 states with data on Native Americans, all reported obesity rates above 50%. In Arizona, North Carolina, and New Mexico, at least 75% of Native American adults are overweight or obese, NHN says. More than half of American Indian and Alaska Native adults are obese compared with one-third of all U.S. adults.

Related: Stopping Obesity in Its Infancy

The problem starts early: 1 in 4 Native American children aged 2 to 5 years are obese. Nearly one-third of children aged 6 to 11 years and one-third of those aged 12 to 19 years are obese.

Contributing factors include lack of access to healthful, affordable food and a shift from a diet of traditional indigenous foods, such as fruits and vegetables, to one that’s higher in fat, sugar, and sodium.

Related: Siblings’ Impact on Obesity

Anti-obesity programs are trying to reverse the rising trend, though. The Native-American–led Notah Begay III Foundation focuses on community-driven efforts, providing grants for grassroots programs targeting children’s nutrition education, access to healthier foods, increased physical activity, and other areas.

Related: Walking to Wellness—Safely

Freda Carpitcher, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention coordinator for the IHS’ Oklahoma area, is also working to educate families about healthier lifestyles. “If you look back 60 to 70 years, our disease rates were much lower,” she says in the NHN article. “My hope is that [Native Americans] will return to indigenous foods. [That will] contribute to lowering disease rates.”

Driven by scientific evidence that supports the nutritional and health benefits of breast milk for mothers and children, breast-feeding rates have trended higher in the U.S. in the past decade. However, these rates decline once children reach 6 to 12 months. Nonsupportive work environments may contribute to this decline. A recent study in Military Medicine analyzed how active-duty women perceive support for breast-feeding in a military setting and concluded that the DoD could improve breast-feeding rates by implementing and adhering to lactation policies.

Related: Female Service Members in the Long War

The study’s authors polled 318 women soldiers using adapted questions from the Workplace Breastfeeding Support Scale (WBSS), which measures mothers’ perceived support for breast-feeding in the workplace. Responses were measure on a Likert scale, ranging from 12 to 84 points. A high score indicated a more positive perception of support for breast-feeding in the workplace.

Across all branches, 65% of respondents said they were able to meet breast-feeding goals in the workplace, while 34% were not. The study also found some discrepancies between officers and enlisted personnel: Officers across all branches averaged 7.5 points higher on the WBSS.

Related: Diabetes on the Rise Among Other Pregnancy Problems

Except for the Army, each branch of the military has an official policy in place that dictates how to accommodate active-duty mothers who are still breast-feeding while at work. The Air Force, for example, allows pump breaks of 15 to 30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours in a private, clean room.

Because Air Force guideline are explicitly stated, women in the Air Force reported the highest levels of perception for breast-feeding support, followed by women in the Navy and Marines. However, women in the Army reported low perception levels of breast-feeding support, possibly due to the lack of a formal lactation policy in the Army, which prompts members to work with supervisors/commanders to work together to find a workable plan.

Related: All IHS Hospitals Now Baby-Friendly

“Military health care providers are in key positions to promote and support lactation programs as well as provide education on the importance of breast-feeding from patients to policy makers,” wrote the study’s authors. “Nurses and other leaders in military settings can improve perceptions of breast-feeding support by focusing efforts to improve workplace support programs.”

Source:
Martin S, Drake E, Yoder L, et al. Mil Med. 2015;180(11):1154-1160.

Driven by scientific evidence that supports the nutritional and health benefits of breast milk for mothers and children, breast-feeding rates have trended higher in the U.S. in the past decade. However, these rates decline once children reach 6 to 12 months. Nonsupportive work environments may contribute to this decline. A recent study in Military Medicine analyzed how active-duty women perceive support for breast-feeding in a military setting and concluded that the DoD could improve breast-feeding rates by implementing and adhering to lactation policies.

Related: Female Service Members in the Long War

The study’s authors polled 318 women soldiers using adapted questions from the Workplace Breastfeeding Support Scale (WBSS), which measures mothers’ perceived support for breast-feeding in the workplace. Responses were measure on a Likert scale, ranging from 12 to 84 points. A high score indicated a more positive perception of support for breast-feeding in the workplace.

Across all branches, 65% of respondents said they were able to meet breast-feeding goals in the workplace, while 34% were not. The study also found some discrepancies between officers and enlisted personnel: Officers across all branches averaged 7.5 points higher on the WBSS.

Related: Diabetes on the Rise Among Other Pregnancy Problems

Except for the Army, each branch of the military has an official policy in place that dictates how to accommodate active-duty mothers who are still breast-feeding while at work. The Air Force, for example, allows pump breaks of 15 to 30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours in a private, clean room.

Because Air Force guideline are explicitly stated, women in the Air Force reported the highest levels of perception for breast-feeding support, followed by women in the Navy and Marines. However, women in the Army reported low perception levels of breast-feeding support, possibly due to the lack of a formal lactation policy in the Army, which prompts members to work with supervisors/commanders to work together to find a workable plan.

Related: All IHS Hospitals Now Baby-Friendly

“Military health care providers are in key positions to promote and support lactation programs as well as provide education on the importance of breast-feeding from patients to policy makers,” wrote the study’s authors. “Nurses and other leaders in military settings can improve perceptions of breast-feeding support by focusing efforts to improve workplace support programs.”

Source:
Martin S, Drake E, Yoder L, et al. Mil Med. 2015;180(11):1154-1160.

Driven by scientific evidence that supports the nutritional and health benefits of breast milk for mothers and children, breast-feeding rates have trended higher in the U.S. in the past decade. However, these rates decline once children reach 6 to 12 months. Nonsupportive work environments may contribute to this decline. A recent study in Military Medicine analyzed how active-duty women perceive support for breast-feeding in a military setting and concluded that the DoD could improve breast-feeding rates by implementing and adhering to lactation policies.

Related: Female Service Members in the Long War

The study’s authors polled 318 women soldiers using adapted questions from the Workplace Breastfeeding Support Scale (WBSS), which measures mothers’ perceived support for breast-feeding in the workplace. Responses were measure on a Likert scale, ranging from 12 to 84 points. A high score indicated a more positive perception of support for breast-feeding in the workplace.

Across all branches, 65% of respondents said they were able to meet breast-feeding goals in the workplace, while 34% were not. The study also found some discrepancies between officers and enlisted personnel: Officers across all branches averaged 7.5 points higher on the WBSS.

Related: Diabetes on the Rise Among Other Pregnancy Problems

Except for the Army, each branch of the military has an official policy in place that dictates how to accommodate active-duty mothers who are still breast-feeding while at work. The Air Force, for example, allows pump breaks of 15 to 30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours in a private, clean room.

Because Air Force guideline are explicitly stated, women in the Air Force reported the highest levels of perception for breast-feeding support, followed by women in the Navy and Marines. However, women in the Army reported low perception levels of breast-feeding support, possibly due to the lack of a formal lactation policy in the Army, which prompts members to work with supervisors/commanders to work together to find a workable plan.

Related: All IHS Hospitals Now Baby-Friendly

“Military health care providers are in key positions to promote and support lactation programs as well as provide education on the importance of breast-feeding from patients to policy makers,” wrote the study’s authors. “Nurses and other leaders in military settings can improve perceptions of breast-feeding support by focusing efforts to improve workplace support programs.”

Source:
Martin S, Drake E, Yoder L, et al. Mil Med. 2015;180(11):1154-1160.

Two different studies from VHA researchers conducted among female veterans seek to increase health care provider knowledge of intimate partner violence (IPV) and understand its relationship to military service.

The first study, conducted by Katherine M. Iverson, PhD, and colleagues, was published in the November-December 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. After distributing a survey to 700 female VHA patients in New England, 160 women indicated that they had been involved in an intimate relationship within the past year. The survey screened for 4 measures: IPV; mental health (depression, PTSD, alcohol dependence, mental health multimorbidity), military sexual trauma (MST), and demographics (race, education, marital status, service branch, and rank).

Related: Does Childhood Abuse Impact the Health Care Use of Women Veterans?

About 37% of respondents reported IPV. These respondents were 3.21, 2.75, and 3.06 times more likely to experience PTSD, depression, and alcohol dependence, respectively; and 3.67 times more likely to experience mental health multimorbidity than women who didn’t report IPV.

The second study, conducted by Melissa E. Ditcher, PhD, MSW, and colleagues, was published in the November 2015 edition of Military Medicine. Results of a face-to-face survey at the Philadelphia VAMC showed IPV was associated with deployment. Women who had been deployed were more than twice as likely to experience psychological IPV during service. 

Related: What to Do When You Suspect Domestic Violence

Both studies push for reforming the training of health care individuals who work with female veterans and for more support for those who have experienced IPV before, during, and after military service in the hopes of protecting them from physical and mental health conditions.

According to Ditcher and colleagues, military service may be associated with “unique forms or impacts of IPV, and is also associated with high rates of sexual assault.” Iverson and colleagues agree, urging the screening for IPV among female veterans and ensuring their access to mental health services.

Related: PTSD in Women and Men

Sources:
Iverson KM, Vogt D, Ditcher ME, et al. J Am Board Fam Med. 2015;28(6):772-776.
doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2015.06.150154.

Ditcher ME, Wagner C, True G. Timing of intimate partner violence in relationship to military service among women veterans. Mil Med. 2015;180(11):1124-1127.
doi: 10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00582.

Two different studies from VHA researchers conducted among female veterans seek to increase health care provider knowledge of intimate partner violence (IPV) and understand its relationship to military service.

The first study, conducted by Katherine M. Iverson, PhD, and colleagues, was published in the November-December 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. After distributing a survey to 700 female VHA patients in New England, 160 women indicated that they had been involved in an intimate relationship within the past year. The survey screened for 4 measures: IPV; mental health (depression, PTSD, alcohol dependence, mental health multimorbidity), military sexual trauma (MST), and demographics (race, education, marital status, service branch, and rank).

Related: Does Childhood Abuse Impact the Health Care Use of Women Veterans?

About 37% of respondents reported IPV. These respondents were 3.21, 2.75, and 3.06 times more likely to experience PTSD, depression, and alcohol dependence, respectively; and 3.67 times more likely to experience mental health multimorbidity than women who didn’t report IPV.

The second study, conducted by Melissa E. Ditcher, PhD, MSW, and colleagues, was published in the November 2015 edition of Military Medicine. Results of a face-to-face survey at the Philadelphia VAMC showed IPV was associated with deployment. Women who had been deployed were more than twice as likely to experience psychological IPV during service. 

Related: What to Do When You Suspect Domestic Violence

Both studies push for reforming the training of health care individuals who work with female veterans and for more support for those who have experienced IPV before, during, and after military service in the hopes of protecting them from physical and mental health conditions.

According to Ditcher and colleagues, military service may be associated with “unique forms or impacts of IPV, and is also associated with high rates of sexual assault.” Iverson and colleagues agree, urging the screening for IPV among female veterans and ensuring their access to mental health services.

Related: PTSD in Women and Men

Sources:
Iverson KM, Vogt D, Ditcher ME, et al. J Am Board Fam Med. 2015;28(6):772-776.
doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2015.06.150154.

Ditcher ME, Wagner C, True G. Timing of intimate partner violence in relationship to military service among women veterans. Mil Med. 2015;180(11):1124-1127.
doi: 10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00582.

Two different studies from VHA researchers conducted among female veterans seek to increase health care provider knowledge of intimate partner violence (IPV) and understand its relationship to military service.

The first study, conducted by Katherine M. Iverson, PhD, and colleagues, was published in the November-December 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. After distributing a survey to 700 female VHA patients in New England, 160 women indicated that they had been involved in an intimate relationship within the past year. The survey screened for 4 measures: IPV; mental health (depression, PTSD, alcohol dependence, mental health multimorbidity), military sexual trauma (MST), and demographics (race, education, marital status, service branch, and rank).

Related: Does Childhood Abuse Impact the Health Care Use of Women Veterans?

About 37% of respondents reported IPV. These respondents were 3.21, 2.75, and 3.06 times more likely to experience PTSD, depression, and alcohol dependence, respectively; and 3.67 times more likely to experience mental health multimorbidity than women who didn’t report IPV.

The second study, conducted by Melissa E. Ditcher, PhD, MSW, and colleagues, was published in the November 2015 edition of Military Medicine. Results of a face-to-face survey at the Philadelphia VAMC showed IPV was associated with deployment. Women who had been deployed were more than twice as likely to experience psychological IPV during service. 

Related: What to Do When You Suspect Domestic Violence

Both studies push for reforming the training of health care individuals who work with female veterans and for more support for those who have experienced IPV before, during, and after military service in the hopes of protecting them from physical and mental health conditions.

According to Ditcher and colleagues, military service may be associated with “unique forms or impacts of IPV, and is also associated with high rates of sexual assault.” Iverson and colleagues agree, urging the screening for IPV among female veterans and ensuring their access to mental health services.

Related: PTSD in Women and Men

Sources:
Iverson KM, Vogt D, Ditcher ME, et al. J Am Board Fam Med. 2015;28(6):772-776.
doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2015.06.150154.

Ditcher ME, Wagner C, True G. Timing of intimate partner violence in relationship to military service among women veterans. Mil Med. 2015;180(11):1124-1127.
doi: 10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00582.