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Risk Of Complications In Pregnancy Increased By Obesity, Study Shows
Expectant mothers who are obese are much more likely to suffer from minor complications such as heart burn and chest infections during pregnancy, a study suggests.
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'Complacency,' 'Stigma' Hindering Efforts To Reduce HIV/AIDS In Black Communities, Opinion Piece Says
"Nearly 30 years after the discovery of HIV and AIDS, the epidemic is still ravaging black neighborhoods in Baltimore and across the nation," Kevin Fenton -- director of CDC"s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention -- writes in a Baltimore Sun opinion piece. Fenton writes that "complacency about HIV and the continued stigma associated with the disease are hindering progress by preventing too many African-Americans from seeking either HIV testing and treatment or support from their friends and family," adding that "this is a challenge that can be overcome."According to Fenton, the Obama administration last month "took an important step in confronting the United States" HIV epidemic" when CDC and White House officials announced a five-year campaign called Act Against AIDS, which is "designed to refocus the nation"s attention on the HIV crisis here at home." Fenton notes that 14 black civic organizations -- including the NAACP, the National Urban League, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the National Council of Negro Women -- are "joining the CDC to increase knowledge, awareness and action within black communities across the country." He adds that the campaign "will harness the strength and reach of these organizations by enhancing their ability to make HIV prevention a core component of their daily activities." "By raising the visibility of HIV and AIDS, the new campaign also aims to confront and overcome the fear and stigma that help keep HIV alive in black communities," Fenton says. He adds that he has "been encouraged in recent years to see black leaders, including black faith leaders, speak out more openly across the nation about the need to confront HIV and the stigma that persists surrounding this disease." Fenton writes that "[e]nding this epidemic will require not only frank and difficult discussions about HIV but also a shared sense of responsibility and commitment," concluding, "All of us can and must be part of the solution" (Fenton, Baltimore Sun, 5/27).
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Students With Depression Twice As Likely To Drop Out Of College
College students with depression are twice as likely as their classmates to drop out of school, new research shows.
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White House Refines Health Reform Message

As the White House declines direct comment on pending health care reform bills in Congress, President Obama is readying his message ahead of his second town hall meeting in as many weeks, Roll Call reports. The White House"s avoidance of comment is a "policy of non-interference" being used by the White House, according to Roll Call, in hopes that it "will help staffers complete work on legislation in the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees." Also, the president"s spokesman, Robert Gibbs, refused to discuss Obama"s campaign pledge to not tax health care benefits or the possibility of using reconciliation to pass a reform package. "Gibbs also sought to explain the frustration that Obama expressed last week with Congressional Budget Office scoring of the health bill. Gibbs said it was not impatience with CBO itself, but rather unhappiness that CBO"s mission does not allow it to incorporate certain health system savings that Obama believes would eventually save on government spending and reduce the cost of the legislation" (Koffler, 6/30). People are increasingly taking to the Internet and bypassing the White House in discussing reform, CongressDaily reports. "But influential physicians, health IT vendors, insurers and patients have bypassed the White House to take the debate over health care reform to other Web sites. Popular interactive sites include Patients.net, which advocates patients empower themselves by becoming more informed about their illnesses; The Health Care Blog, where well-known health care experts post opinion pieces; and Fix Health Care Policy, a site supported by the conservative policy think tank the Heritage Foundation" (Sternstein, 7/1). The National Journal reports that the notion that Obama is hanging his popularity and presidential latitude on reform is overblown: "But those who observe the current push for health care reform and see dē©jē  vu all over again for a young Democratic president may be overlooking some important inconsistencies in the parallel. Lawmakers are still trying to find common ground on the shape of the legislation, but polls show public support remains squarely behind health care reform, and there are now 60 Democrats in the Senate, many of whom campaigned on passing it. No matter the bill"s final language, the bottom line is unchanged: Congress will almost certainly pass some sort of bill, and Obama will almost certainly sign it" (Herbert, 7/1). Obama also is preparing for his town hall meeting at the Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, Va. Wednesday, where he will take questions from the public via the Internet, USA Today reports (Jackson, 6/29). The White House, however, will be choosing the online questions for the president to answer, Politico reports: "In March, the White House designated questions through an online voting process. When users flooded the site with support for questions about marijuana legalization, it put White House aides in an awkward position. In the end, a drug-related (question) was asked and Obama laughed it off" (Parnes, 7/1). Voters remain split on Obama and congressional Democrats" reform proposal, according to a separate story by Politico, which quotes a new Rasmussen Reports poll: "The survey found 50 percent of U.S. voters at least somewhat favor the Democrats" health care reform plan, while 45 percent are at least somewhat opposed" (Allen 6/30). This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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