National amyotrophic lateral sclerosis registry
The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in October launched the National Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Registry. The national database, online at www.cdc.gov/als, will be used to gather and organize information about potential and known risk factors and symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Health disparities resource
Oxford University Press in October published “Urban Health: Combating Disparities With Local Data.” Edited by APHA members Maureen Benjamins, PhD; Ami Shah, MPH; and Steven Whitman, PhD; the book provides a model for combating health disparities. To order, visit www.oup.com.
Influenza awareness tool
The American Lung Association’s Faces of Influenza program, online at www.facesofinfluenza.org, aims to raise awareness of the importance of flu shots and the seriousness of influenza. Online at www.facesofinfluenza.org, the campaign offers ready-to-use tools for ongoing influenza vaccination educational efforts.
Child mental health toolkit
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently released a new toolkit to help primary care clinicians more effectively identify and manage children’s mental health issues. The toolkit, “Addressing Mental Health Concerns in Primary Care,” includes screening tools, step-by-step care plans, parent handouts and other resources. For information, visit www.aap.org/commpeds/dochs/mentalhealth.
Spanish-language health information website
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in September unveiled a new website to help Spanish-speaking consumers connect to new information and resources that will help them access quality, affordable health care coverage. The partner site to HealthCare.gov, CuidadoDeSalud.gov provide consumers with both public and private health coverage options tailored specifically for their needs in a single, easy-to-use tool.
Spanish-language guides for patients
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in September released a series of free evidence-based guides designed to give Spanish speakers access to credible, easy-to-understand information about health care conditions and their treatment options. To access all of AHRQ’s Spanish-language comparative effectiveness guides for patients and consumers, visit www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm/informacion-en-espanol or call AHRQ’s Publications Clearinghouse at 800-358-9295.
New fact sheets
The Hormone Foundation, the public education affiliate of the Endocrine Society, in September released two new fact sheets to dispel myths about two conditions popularized through the Internet: adrenal fatigue and Wilson’s temperature syndrome. The new fact sheets are available online at www.hormone.org/public/myths_facts.cfm.
Pesticides guidelines
The World Health Organization in August released the latest version of “WHO Recommended Classification of Pesticides by Hazard.” Revised and reissued every few years, the book distinguishes between selected pesticides based mainly on their risks to human health. To order a copy, visit www.who.int/bookorders.
Emergency volunteer website
To make volunteering in an emergency easier for health professionals, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in September launched a national website for the Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals. The national network of state-based programs verifies the identity, licenses and credentials of health professionals before an emergency happens and provides a single point of entry for potential volunteers, so health professionals can volunteer quickly without losing time waiting to have their credentials verified. For more information, visit www.phe.gov/esarvhp.
- Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association
