Month: December 2015
Risks of giving birth inside, outside hospitals
Women who give birth outside of hospitals face a higher risk of perinatal death, but delivering a baby in a hospital setting comes with its own set of risks, according […]
Childhood asthma rate plateaus, may be dropping
After three decades of rising, childhood asthma rates appear to have finally leveled off – and may even be declining. A new study found that childhood asthma prevalence increased from 2001 […]
Mosquito-borne diseases on the rise in WA
Mosquito bites aren’t typically a concern for Washington residents during the winter months. But this year, health officials are seeing more and more Washington residents contracting viral diseases from mosquitoes. The culprit: […]
Mothers-to-be, babies benefit from group prenatal care
A new study revealed that group prenatal care can substantially improve health outcomes for both mothers and their infants. The research was led by Yale School of Public Health and published […]
Higher alcohol taxes lead to lower STD rates
Researchers discovered that increasing taxes on alcohol can have a perhaps unexpected result: lower gonorrhea rates. University of Florida Health researchers found that increasing state alcohol taxes could help prevent sexually […]
Pet ownership saves billions in health care costs
Having a pet not only improves one’s health, it saves billions in health care costs, according to a new study. The Human Animal Bond Research Initiative Foundation announced this week the […]
Washington is ninth healthiest state
Washington is moving up in the health rankings. United Health Foundation’s annual America’s Health Rankings show that the Evergreen State has moved into the top 10 this year – climbing from […]
10 years of clean indoor air
Public health officials across the state are celebrating 10 years of clean indoor air today. On Dec. 8, 2005, the state’s Smoking in Public Places law went into effect, banning smoking […]
Laughing gas a new option for laboring moms
Laboring moms now have a new option for easing labor pains: nitrous oxide. Legacy Emanuel Medical Center is now offering women in labor nitrous oxide – more commonly called ‘laughing gas’ […]
Public health recaps Chipotle E. coli investigation
Health officials have yet to find a cause for the E. coli outbreak linked to Chipotle and conceded they may never know for sure what caused 40 people to become […]