Child health
The American Academy of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy in February released their Physical Developmental Delays: What to Look For tool. The tool is a website that lists recommendations for how parents can intervene when they do not see their child doing activities such as rolling over, walking and holding her or his head up by certain ages. For more information, visit http://motordelay.aap.org.
Medical care
Merck in February released the online Spanish-language version of Merck Manuals. The Web version features tools such as quizzes, medical calculators and instructional videos translated into Spanish, as well as the option to switch back and forth between professional and consumer versions. For more information, visit www.merckmanuals.com.
Mental health
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in February published “Screening and Assessment of Co-Occurring Disorders in the Justice System.” The report highlights the best practices for assessing adults in the justice system who have co-occurring substance use and mental health issues. For more information, visit http://store.samhsa.gov.
Substance use
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in February published “Medication-Assisted Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder.” The pocket guide is aimed at health care providers and offers information on best practices for screening, assessment, patient care and approved medications. For more information, visit http://store.samhsa.gov.
Senior health
The American Geriatrics Society and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in February released the third edition of “Clinician’s Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers.” The guide focuses on topics such as ethical and legal issues older drivers face, warning signs that indicate a senior may be an unsafe driver and how to screen for driving ability. For more information, visit www.geriatricscareonline.org.
Health disparities
The National Center for Health Statistics in February published “Measuring Progress toward Target Attainment and the Elimination of Health Disparities in Healthy People 2020.” The document outlines the methods for targeting health disparities and charting progress on Healthy People 2020 objectives. For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/statnt/statnt27.pdf.
Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in March released new Prevention Status Reports for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The reports span 10 topics such as HIV and tobacco, and include recommendations and potential solutions from health experts. For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/psr.
Pharmacology
The American Pharmacists Association in March launched its Resource Center on the association’s website. The center benefits pharmacists interested in learning about opioid misuse and abuse. Available resources include training, publications, webinars and guidelines on best prescribing practices. For more information, visit www.pharmacist.com.
Addiction
St. Martin’s Press in April published “Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction.” Authored by Maia Szalavitz, the book looks at the author’s personal struggles with heroin and cocaine addiction and uses her life story to help readers understand the mind of an addict and how it can influence prevention, treatment and policy. For more information, visit www.stmartins.com.
- Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association