Advertisement: Baruch College School of Public Affairs
Gotham Gazette
Topics / Health
Health Newsletter
Sign up for our monthly Health newsletter:

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:


Plain-text HTML

The Topic
Health refers to the health issues facing the city, touching on everything from the mayor to Medicaid to managed care to mosquitoes.
The Context
New York City is one of the biggest public health challenges in the world. With 8 million residents--roughly 2 million of whom are uninsured--the city has the largest number of HIV cases and the largest number of intravenous drug users in the U.S. Efforts to contain a tuberculosis outbreak that threatened the city in the 1990's have been a major success--between 1992 and 1998, the deadly multi-drug resistant cases of TB declined by over 90 percent. New York City has 20 public hospitals which served 1.5 million people in 1998 alone.

This Month's Article ...

The city recently renewed its contract with the company that provides health care on Riker's Island -- even though the provider has repeatedly failed to meet the city's own standards.

Recent Health Articles from the Gotham Gazette:

Rating Health Care Behind Bars | Creating Healthy Bodegas | Language Barriers at the Drugstore | Grading the City's Public Hospitals

Researching Health ...

Unsafe Sex
A new survey by the Health Department reveals that 11 percent of New Yorkers have had sex with more than one partner in the past year. Of those, 60 percent said they used a condom the last time they had sex. Men were three times as likely than women to have had multiple partners and those with same-sex partners were three times as likely than opposite-sex partners to have multiple partners. (June 26, 2008)

Air Pollution, Ethnicity, and Birth Outcomes
African American newborns are affected by certain air pollutants while other ethnicities from the same area - specifically Dominican babies - are not, according to a recent study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Among Dominicans, developmental hazards were not associated with exposure to the pollutants - called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are formed by the incomplete burning of fossil fuels, wood, and tobacco products. But among African Americans, "exposure increased the risk of pre-term delivery and the likelihood of infants being born small." The authors of the study conclude that cultural differences, such as more nutritious diets and more supportive social networks among Dominicans, may have led to the difference and they call for further study. The study analyzed 616 pregnant mothers in Washington Heights, Harlem or the South Bronx. (June 19, 2008)

Helping the Mentally Ill
The city and state's systems for treating New Yorkers with severe mental illness are not coordinated, and the quality of care can be uneven, according to a report by a city-state panel on mental health and criminal justice. The group was created after several well-publicized incidents in which mentally ill people committed acts of violence. The panel reviewed some of these cases with an eye on improving care for mentally ill people who are at risk of violence. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. David Paterson have said they will implement the panel's recommendations. (June 16, 2008)

High Herpes Rate
More than one in four adult New Yorkers is infected with Herpes Simplex Virus-2, the virus that causes genital herpes, according to a report by the city health department. Although the virus can cause painful sores in some cases, most people with it have no recognizable symptoms. The condition, however, doubles the risk that a person will contract HIV when exposed to the AIDS virus. (June 11, 2008)

Teen Suicide Attempts Down
According to the Department of Health, 8 percent of teens attempted suicide in 2007, which is a decline from 10 percent in 2005. Incidents had repeatedly increased between 1995 and 2005. Cases were reported by adolescents in the New York City Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a self administered, anonymous questionnaire. In 2005, suicide attempts were about 25 percent higher in the city than nationally. National data for 2007 has yet to be released. (June 6, 2008)

Medscape
This site, aimed at doctors, allows you to search Medline, the database of medical journals, for free. Abstracts of most journal articles are available for free as well. Once you have some basic knowledge about a condition you are researching, you can look here to get a sense of what is going on in terms of study in the area. There is a companion consumer-focused site, CBSHealthWatch, which is linked.
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Includes health alerts (including West Nile info), information on restaurant sanitary conditions and information on various health-promotion programs. There are also many divisions, such as the childcare division that details the childcare industry in the city. The sites give health ratings and put inspection records into the hands of city residents.
American Cancer Society
Half of all Americans will face cancer at some point in their lives-- and the New York and Washington-based American Cancer Society web site provides a wealth of information for those dealing with the disease. Includes links to other major cancer sites and resources
AIDS Information
A sort of "AIDS central" for New York city with links to major HIV/AIDS organizations and information sites.
New York State Department of Health
More health data for New Yorkers including information on how to sign up for Child Health Plus and Family Health Plus-- the insurance programs for those who are presently not covered by other plans
The Coalition of Voluntary Mental Health Agencies
Coalition of community-based mental health providers in New York State, representing over 100 and serving more than a quarter of a million clients in NYC. Extensive site has info on the state's role in voluntary mental health agencies, action alerts, links to non-profits, member organizations and other useful resources.
The Living City NYC
This site is a timeline following issues of New York City's public health from the 1860s to the 1920s. Each decade has its own page. Major events, like the Great Blizzard of 1888 and the Tenement House Act of 1901 also get their own entries. There are also a few special exhibits on topics such as street cleaning. The site is a joint project by Columbia's school of public health, the National Science Foundation, and the Center for the History & Ethics of Public Health.
Protecting Health for 200 Years
The New York City Department of Health turns 200 in 2005 and it has set up a page on its Web site celebrating its bicentennial. Among other things, the site has a timeline of public health in New York City, and a chart comparing public health in the city today to what it was like in 1805 (when major concerns for the upstart department were wild hogs running through the streets and animal carcasses decaying in public spaces). The calendar of events lists some interesting-sounding lunch forums to be held throughout the year, but doesn't have dates for them.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Health, prevention, disease information from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
HabitSmart
"Warm Turkey," for those who aren't sure they want to quit, but want to cut down. Also, info on coping with other addictions in non-traditional, but research-supported ways.

Sites of Interest from Collegester:
Online Casino | Cross Tattoos | Place Your Link Here!