Cultural Competence

BOSTON — A study published on BMJ.com this week found that taking iron daily during pregnancy is associated with a significant increase in birth weight and a reduction in risk of low birth weight in babies.

The effects were seen for iron doses up to 66 mg per day. The World Health Organization currently recommends a dose of 60 mg per day for pregnant women.

RICHMOND, Va. — Misperceptions and stereotypes about opioid dependence that may affect how it's treated have persisted among the general public and physicians, despite increased attention devoted to the issue, according to a new survey.

Beverly Malone, CEO for the National League for Nursing, is not only among the country’s most vocal leaders in the national conversation about the nurse educator shortage and the role of nursing in ensuring access to safe, quality and culturally competent care to diverse patient populations. She is also the 2013 winner of the Loretta Ford CARE Lifetime Achievement Award.

For those suffering from heart or lung disease, cancer, systemic infections or other all-too-common conditions, the science of medicine has made extraordinary advances over the past few decades. But millions of patients afflicted with an uncommon and little-understood disorder often are consigned to the far margins of medical care, in many cases, for years.

Head lice have long been the scourge of schoolchildren and their families. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 6 million to 12 million lice infestations occur each year among children ages 3 to 11 years. Lice can spread quickly through direct contact with the hair of a person who had them — though personal hygiene, cleanliness of the home or school, and sharing of clothing and personal items is not usually the cause.

STAMFORD, Conn. — AmeriCares on Monday presented its annual Power of Partnership Award to Merck in recognition of the company’s commitment to helping disaster survivors and improving health in the developing world. Merck is one of AmeriCares most committed donors, providing both products and financial support for the global health and disaster relief organization’s aid programs, the organization stated. 

SAN ANTONIO — The Health and Wellness @ Retail 2013 kicked off on a strong note as National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner discussed, during his opening keynote presentation, his findings after traveling the globe to uncover the best strategies for longevity and happiness.

The session, sponsored by Cardinal Health, was titled “Integrating blue zones into communities to improve health outcomes.”

NEW YORK — Anthem Blue Cross patients with HIV can continue receiving their drugs through community specialty pharmacies under a settlement of a lawsuit filed against the healthcare company by an advocacy organization.

In mid-November, Anthem Blue Cross adopted a policy that would require specialty pharmacy patients in California, most of them HIV patients, to receive their drugs via mail order through CuraScript, pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts' in-house specialty pharmacy, in order to receive coverage.