Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues

Wellness Programs Appeal as Business Investments

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 17:23:05 +0000

Businesses should like these numbers a lot: Invest $1, get $3 back. That's the latest math on the return on employee wellness programs and experts are saying that may just be the start for the financial returns they can expect from targeted prevention efforts. Mark Green of The Lane Report writes that no less of an expert than Dr. William Frist of Nashville -- doctor, policy specialist, former U.S. Senate majority leader and venture capitalist -- has said: “No question in my mind, if we are to invest a dollar to have the greatest value in terms of outcome and results, we should put that dollar in prevention and wellness."

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 17:18:08 +0000

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Although Kentucky's breast cancer rate is slightly lower than the nationwide rate, almost 600 women die every year from breast cancer in the Commonwealth. The American Cancer Society predicts approximately 3,160 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in Kentucky this year. Early detection and prompt treatment can significantly reduce suffering and death from the disease.

Group Forms to Combat Heroin Use in Northern Kentucky

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 17:12:28 +0000

Heroin use is reaching such high levels in Northern Kentucky that experts are calling it "a plague." The problem is so dire that local agencies are coming together to form the Northern Kentucky Heroin Impact and Response Workgroup. Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Terry DeMio reports that the group includes leaders from St. Elizabeth Healthcare, law enforcement, addiction treatment programs, the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and those who have been impacted by heroin.

UK Study Shows Correlation with Pseudoephedrine Sales and Meth Production

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 17:19:52 +0000

A University of Kentucky research study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association this week shows a direct correlation between pseudoephedrine sales and methamphetamine production in Kentucky counties. Pdeudoephedrine, the main ingredient in Sudafed and similar decongestants, is the key feedstock for meth labs. The General Assembly further limited its sale this year.

Board of Medical Licensure Looks to Amend House Bill 1

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:57:05 +0000

The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure wants to change some of the more controversial requirements for urine screenings and digital monitoring in the state’s new prescription drug regulations that stem from the passage of House Bill 1. Mike Wynn of The Courier-Journal reports that Dr. Preston Nunnelley, the licensing board’s president, told state lawmakers Wednesday that the board plans to submit amendments to the regulations by Nov. 1 to address the concerns of doctors that the new law is proving too burdensome, and because patients are being charged for urine tests that insurance companies are refusing to cover.

Children Prescribed Anti-Psychotic Drugs at Alarming Rates

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:54:14 +0000

In light of last week's news that the number of poor children on Medicaid in Kentucky are being prescribed anti-psychotic drugs at alarming rates for such diagnoses as attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder and depression, the New York Times reports that some doctors are making "no excuses" for prescribing psychostimulants in other locales for children of the poor.

Kaiser Study Estimates Medicaid Costs Under Premium Support System

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 19:21:44 +0000

A Kaiser Family Foundation study has looked into what Medicare beneficiaries might pay under a "premium support" system that relies on competitive bidding, like the one proposed by House Budget Committee Chairman and Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan. Presidential nominee Mitt Romney has also supported a premium-support system, which allows beneficiaries to choose among competing plans.

Calorie Counts on Soda Machines Coming in 2013

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 18:42:42 +0000

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and the Dr Pepper Snapple Group, for starters, will start displaying calorie counts on vending machines in an effort to encourage consumers to make lower-calorie choices, starting in 2013. The plan, explains Time magazine, falls in line with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s requirement that vending machines and restaurant chains with more than 20 locations display calorie information. The labels will be marked "Check Then Choose" or "Try A Low-Calorie Beverage."

270 UofL Freshman Forced to Move Because of Mold

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 19:43:46 +0000

The University of Louisville has told 270 freshmen they have to move out in the middle of midterm exams after high levels of mold were found in their residence hall. The students were told remove everything they brought with them to Miller Hall. The dorm will be closed the rest of the semester. Those displaced are being moved to other dorms, university-affiliated housing and hotel rooms near campus.

Study Reveals Stroke Victims Getting Younger

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 19:29:13 +0000

A study conducted on first-ever stroke patients in the Greater Cincinnati and northern Kentucky area may have some devastating repercussions for the nation. The results of the University of Cincinnati research, published this week in the online issue of Neurology, found that the average age of stroke victims has dropped and that this has great implications for lifetime disability. Study author Brett Kissela, MD, with the UC's College of Medicine explained that the rise in risk factors like diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol are the cause.

New School Lunch Guidelines Yields Unhappy Customers

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 21:52:59 +0000

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, the Obama administration's effort to mandate more fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains into the diets of school children, has some uphill climbing to do and it's not just the kids who are complaining. Though, admittedly, they were the first. Sarah Gonzales of Agri-Pulse took a look at some rural school districts trying to implement the law in advance of the law's implementation deadline, to see how the new science-based standards were working in real lunchrooms.

Study Shows Antipsychotic Drug Prescriptions Increasing in Children

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 21:46:38 +0000

A new report from the University of Kentucky has documented the rate at which the state's poor and disabled children are more and more frequently being prescribed very powerful drugs to treat what is assumed to be attention-deficit, schizophrenia, bi-polar disease and depression. The results indicate that males are more likely than females to be assigned those drugs by physicians, and minority males even more than their white counterparts.

State's Hospitals See Growth Spurts in Investments

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 18:36:41 +0000

Kentucky’s major hospital systems are going big, making high-profile, technology-forward capital investments across the commonwealth. Josh Shepherd of The Lane Report writes that every sector of the state is part of the hospital boom. The state's cumulative total of investment since 2010 is roughly a billion dollars, notes Shepherd, and has meant hundreds of construction and, soon, medical and other hospital-related jobs. Here's the list of the most notable construction projects now under way:

Jane Beshear Announces Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 19:23:35 +0000

Earlier this week, First Lady Jane Beshear publicly noted the accomplishments of the anti-domestic violence movement in Kentucky and spoke the names of 26 women who had died at the hands of their abusers this year. With that, she then announced that October would again be Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Kentucky. “Nearly one-third of all American women report being abused at some point in their lives. Abuse affects more than just individuals -- families and communities suffer, too,” said Beshear.

Employee Health Care Costs Increasing in Northern Kentucky

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 19:20:47 +0000

In an continuing effort to move health costs off the shoulders of employers and onto employees, workers in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky will likely pay an average $4,775 out of their own pockets for health care in 2013 -- about $400 more than this year. That's nearly $2,000 more than they paid in 2007. The payments include health care premiums through their employer, as well as office co-pays and deductibles, said Aon Hewitt, the consultant that produced its annual cost report. These payments reflect a slight savings from the the national average of $4,814.

Kentucky Circuit Judge was First Victim of Meningitis Outbreak

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 19:18:40 +0000

The first victim of the fungal meningitis outbreak in Tennessee was most likely Kentucky Circuit Judge Eddie C. Lovelace of Albany, 78, who died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center Sept. 17. John Dreyzehner, Tennessee's commissioner of health, said Friday that the number of Tennesseans affected by the meningitis outbreak has now risen to 29. The number of deaths is unchanged at three. The search for more affected patients will continue "for some time," he said. Investigators haven't found evidence that the clinics or clinicians in Tennessee did anything to cause the outbreak.

Anthem Plan to Serve as Benchmark for Insurance Exchange

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 17:01:49 +0000

The Kentucky Department of Insurance has recommended that the Anthem Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan serve as the “benchmark” plan for the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange, as well as for plans offered outside the exchange. The statement issued by the department states that "Anthem PPO is the largest small group plan currently offered in Kentucky and includes coverage for all state mandates and the 10 essential health benefits, or categories of care, specified by the federal government under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

UK Physiologist Helps Identify Usher Syndrome Gene

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 17:07:20 +0000

A University of Kentucky physiologist has teamed with researchers from several institutions to report a novel type of gene associated with Usher Syndrome, a hereditary disease that causes individuals to lose both hearing and sight. The work of Gregory Frolenkov, associate professor at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, and others led by Zubair M. Ahmed from the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, is being published in the November 2012 issue of Nature Genetics.

Study Measures Obesity Advertisement Effects

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 17:04:49 +0000

What about those anti-obesity ads? Is anyone listening? If so, is anyone motivated to do better? Might they be offensive to some? Educational? Helpful? Are they working at all? More importantly, why and why not? Researchers at Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity have stepped into the breach to measure Americans' attitudes about ads meant to encourage less girth and better nutrition.

Mayfield Appointed as Public Health Commissioner

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 20:41:08 +0000

Dr. Stephanie Mayfield has been appointed as the commissioner for the state Department for Public Health, making her the first woman and first African American to hold the position, which has typically been held by a physician. The appointment was made by Audrey Haynes, secretary of health and family services.

Extra Large Portion Sizes Play Important Role in Obesity

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 20:39:19 +0000

Yikes! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the "large" soda you order today is about six times as large as the one you ordered 60 years ago. "Food sizes have become larger over time," says Aradhna Krishna, a University of Michigan marketing professor who has been looking into portion size and perception. "So, that same hamburger has become bigger, the french fries have become bigger, and again this is leading to obesity."

Survey Reveals Parent's Concerns About Education

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 18:31:30 +0000

When asked, only about one in four Kentucky parents describe the meals served at their child's schools or day care centers as being nutritious. Fewer than 10 percent report that their child have ever walked or biked to school. And an overwhelming majority want information about sexually transmitted infections, human anatomy, abstinence education, birth control methods and condom use taught in Kentucky's high schools.

Walmart and Humana Team Up to Offer Healthy Discounts

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 18:48:46 +0000

Starting Oct. 15, more than 1 million members of Humana's healthy rewards program will start getting a 5 percent credit on about 1,300 healthy food items at all U.S. Walmart stores starting, the companies have jointly announced. If that weren't good enough news, reports Reuters, the credit can be used against future Walmart purchases.

Annual List Cites 18 Kentucky Hospitals as "Top Performers"

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 18:47:22 +0000

Eighteen Kentucky hospitals have been included on the annual list of hospitals that have excelled at adhering to basic procedures for treating common illnesses such as heart attacks and strokes. The Joint Commission, the nation’s major hospital accreditation board, has released this year's list which recognizes 620 hospitals -- only 18 percent of those it accredits -- as “top performers” for following recommended protocols at least 95 percent of the time.

Life Spans of Least Educated Shrinking

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 16:18:52 +0000

Here's some bad news for states like Kentucky, which are overwhelmingly white and have large shares of the population that did not graduate from high school: A new study "that looks separately at Americans lacking a high school diploma found disturbingly sharp drops in life expectancy for whites," and four previous studies support that case, reports Sabrina Tavernise of The New York Times.

Study Estimates Secondhand Smoke Kills 42,000 a Year

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 16:15:55 +0000

More bad news for smokers and those who love them: A report out this week in the American Journal of Public Health says secondhand smoke is accountable for 42,000 deaths of non-smokers each year in the U.S., including nearly 900 infants. Kentucky likely has more than its share of those deaths because the percentage of Kentuckians who smoke is the nation's highest.

UK Launches Study for Rural Women in Appalachia

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:02:59 +0000

Researchers at the University of Kentucky have embarked on a five-year study that aims to lower behavioral risks of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C (HCV) among disadvantaged, rural women in Appalachian Kentucky. With the help of a $2.7 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, investigators will examine the effectiveness of a brief intervention in reducing high-risk behaviors, including sexual practices and injection drug use.

Analysis Predicts Two-Thirds of Kentuckians Obese by 2030

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:56:34 +0000

Nearly two-thirds of adults in Kentucky will be obese by 2030 if rates continue to climb as they are now, an analysis reported Tuesday. The level of obesity, defined as being roughly 30 or more pounds overweight, is projected to reach 60.1 percent in Kentucky in 2030, up from 30.4 percent in 2011, according to an analysis commissioned by the nonprofit Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Report Shows American Obesity Increasing

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 16:41:32 +0000

The number of obese adults, along with related disease rates and health care costs, are on course to increase dramatically in every state in the country over the next 20 years, according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2012, a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Trust for America's Health.

Heart Specialists Featured on KET

Amy Wilson, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 18:39:26 +0000

Some nationally recognized heart specialists will speak directly to Kentuckians about heart disease tonight on the season premiere of Health Three60 on KET. Cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States and -- maybe surprisingly -- in women will get a thorough examination as the show will take on the history of the disease, what women should know about the disease and what the future looks like for all of us.