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AJPH NEWS Release

EMBARGOED UNTIL Feb. 22, 2005, 4 PM (ET)
CONTACT: For copies of articles, call Natalie Raynor, (202) 777-2511

All articles are online at www.ajph.org. To view the preliminary table of contents, visit http://www.ajph.org/future/95.3.dtl

American Journal of Public Health March 2005 Highlights
· Truth campaign helping youth smoking rates decline
· Homicide a leading cause of death among pregnant and postpartum women
· School nutrition programs help reduce childhood obesity
· College binge drinking associated with state drinking rates
· Moderate drinking not likely to prevent depression
· Many maternal death go unreported
· Lessons learned from the anthrax emergency

The articles highlighted below appear in the March 2005 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, the Journal of the American Public Health Association.

Homicide still a leading cause of death among pregnant and postpartum women
Homicide is a leading injury-related cause of death among pregnant and postpartum women, second only to motor-vehicle accidents, according to a review of death certificates for U.S. women.

The study found that for every 100,000 live births in the United States from 1991-1999, at least two women were homicide victims during pregnancy or within one year of being pregnant. Being black, under age 20 and receiving late or no prenatal care increased a woman's chance of being a homicide victim while pregnant. And for 57 percent of pregnant homicide victims, the gun was their assailant's weapon of choice, followed by 17 percent of assailants who cut or stab victims.

Using a new CDC surveillance system called the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), timely data can be better captured about the scope and nature of pregnancy-related deaths. NVDRS can capture information about pregnancy status, victim-perpetrator relationship and the presence of an intimate partner. This information makes it an important information tool to better understand the scope and nature of pregnancy-associated violent deaths. [From: "Homicide: a Leading Cause of Injury and Deaths Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women in the United States, 1991-1999." Contact: Office of Communication, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, 770-488-5131.]

School nutrition programs help reduce childhood obesity
In the fight against rising childhood obesity rates, school-based nutrition programs are proving to be a powerful tool.

A study of 5,200 fifth-graders and their parents and school principals found that students from schools participating in a program that included Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for school-based healthy eating had significantly lower rates of overweight and obesity, had healthier diets and exercised more than students from schools without nutrition programs. Such programs need not be expensive to implement, according to the CDC.

The study's authors suggested not only did such program cut down on the number of overweight and obese children, but in the long run would reduce health problems and health care spending. [From:"Effectiveness of School Programs in the Prevention of Childhood Obesity: a Multilevel Comparison." Contact: Paul Veugelers, PhD, University of Alberta, Edmonton, paul.veugelers@ualberta.ca.]

College binge drinking associated with state drinking rates
Colleges concerned about binge drinking on campus should look to the broader environment to help frame their prevention efforts, and states should become more involved in efforts to reduce binge drinking.

A study of the relationship between college student and adult binge drinking rates found that college students were more likely to be binge drinkers in states that had high adult binge drinking rates and more lenient alcohol control policies. The alcohol-control policies associated with lower binge drinking rates included lower legal blood-alcohol limits and open-container restrictions, keg registration and restrictions on alcohol advertising. "State of residence is a predictor of binge drinking by college students," the study's authors said. "State-level alcohol control policies may help reduce binge drinking among college students and in the general population." [From: "The State Sets the Rate: The Relationship of College Binge Drinking to State Binge Drinking Rates and Selected State Alcohol Control Policies." Contact: Susan Laine or Monika Ellis at 301-652-1558.]

Moderate drinking not likely to prevent depression
That after-work glass of wine might be relaxing, but moderate drinking does not seem to affect a person's likelihood to develop depression.

A study of almost 14,000 young adults found that those who drank moderately, which was defined as consuming no more than two drinks daily, were no less likely to report depressive symptoms than those who never drank. Heavy drinkers, however, had a significantly higher risk for depression.

The study's authors suggested more research into the issue is needed to accurately determine whether moderate drinking should continue to be touted as having mental health benefits. [From: "Moderate Alcohol Use and Depression in Young Adulthood: Findings from a National Longitudinal Study." Contact: Mallie J. Paschall, PhD, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Berkeley, Calif., paschall@pire.org.]

Many maternal deaths go unreported
Almost 40 percent of maternal deaths go unreported on death certificates, making it difficult for health professionals to reduce maternal mortality. Complicating efforts to reduce maternal mortality is the fact that two groups of women at increased risk of death-older women and women with multiple gestation pregnancies-have been rising in recent years.

Researchers reviewed death records for 1993-2000 and found that half or more of maternal deaths were unreported for women who were pregnant at the time of their death, experienced a fetal death or therapeutic abortion, died more than a week following delivery or died as a result of a cardiovascular disorder. Cardiovascular disorders were found to be the leading cause of maternal death.

"Maternal deaths are relatively rare events today in developed countries," the study's authors wrote. "Nevertheless, maternal deaths still occur, frequently among young, apparently healthy women, and they have a devastating impact on the families left behind. Furthermore, maternal deaths represent only the tip of the iceberg of maternal morbidity. For each woman who dies, many more experience life- threatening and often long-lasting complications." [From: "Underreporting of Maternal Deaths on Death Certificates Underestimates the Magnitude of the Problem of Maternal Mortality." Contact; Isabelle L. Horon, DrPH, MPH, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, horoni@dhmh.state.md.us.]

Lessons learned from the anthrax emergency
Postal workers and Capitol Hill employees who were in the line of fire during the 2001 anthrax scare said the public health response to the emergency was inadequate. Researchers interviewed postal workers from the Brentwood facility and Capitol Hill employees about their feelings following anthrax-contaminated letters being found in both locations in October 2001. Those workers talked of an erosion of trust that could threaten the effectiveness of communication should such an emergency arise in the future. Among Brentwood employees, the mistrust involved feelings of unfair treatment based on race and socioeconomic status. Capitol Hill workers were most concerned about a lack of consistent and clear communication from public health leaders. [From: "In Their Own Words: Lessons Learned from Those Exposed to Anthrax." Contact: Janice C. Blanchard, MD, MPH, George Washington University, Department of Emergency Management, Washington, D.C., jblanchard@mfa.gwu.edu.]

The American Journal of Public Health is the monthly journal of the American Public Health Association, the oldest organization of public health professionals in the world. APHA is a leading publisher of public health-related books and periodicals promoting high scientific standards, action programs and policy for good health. More information is available at www.apha.org.

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