Latest news with #HealthyPeople2030
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
IN Department of Health celebrates decrease in infant mortality rate
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Officials say data from the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) indicate there are fewer babies dying. IDOH says according to provisional data, the 2024 infant mortality rate (IMR) in Indiana is 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is a decrease from 6.6 in 2023. Officials say if this IMR remains the same when finalized, it would be the lowest rate of infant deaths in Indiana since 1900. The previous lowest rate for infant mortality was 6.5 deaths per 1,000 births in 2019. 'With Indiana's infant mortality rate at its lowest in over a century, we see the real impact of everyone who is focused on protecting our most vulnerable Hoosiers,' said Gov. Mike Braun. 'We are committed to ensuring that even more babies have a healthy start and a strong future.' Rep. Tim O'Brien announces law keeping biological males out of female sports IDOH says infant mortality is the death of a child before his or her first birthday and is measured by the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births. Several factors contribute to infant mortality, many of which are directly tied to the health of the mother. Conditions such as maternal stress, obesity, smoking during pregnancy and delayed prenatal care can increase the risk of poor health outcomes. 'We are ecstatic that more Hoosier babies are celebrating their first birthdays,' said State Health Commissioner Lindsay Weaver, MD, FACEP. 'Seeing these efforts pay off is something to celebrate, and we are grateful to clinicians, healthcare centers and affiliates, local health departments and all our other partners for their collective efforts.' The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) has set the Healthy People 2030 goal of a nationwide infant mortality rate of 5.0 deaths per 1,000 births. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most current rate of infant mortality in the United States was 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023. 'The critical work to further reduce infant mortality continues,' Dr. Weaver said. 'The Indiana Department of Health is committed to our role to decrease the number of infant deaths in Indiana and give the next generation of Hoosiers the best possible start.' Eggs sold at Walmart, other grocers in 9 states recalled amid salmonella outbreak IDOH says it has multiple initiatives focused on improving infant mortality including: Reviewing data to ensure that moms and babies have the opportunities to receive care at the best facility to meet their risk factors prior to delivery Checking hospital discharge data to identify specific 'opportunities for improvement' in maternal and neonatal care practices Working with a number of community-based programs through Health First Indiana Supporting services, including home visiting, breastfeeding programs and infant safe sleep education Conducting comprehensive reviews of fetal and infant deaths to identify opportunities for interventions Partnering with birthing facilities to be prepared for potentially challenging health outcomes through Levels of Care People can find more information about programs and resources available to families here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Indiana health department reports potential record-low infant death rate in 2024
A preliminary report from the Indiana Department of Health showed an infant mortality rate of 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024, down from 6.6 deaths in 2023. (Getty Images) An early review of Indiana's 2024 infant death records showed a year-over-year decline — potentially reaching a historic low, according to provisional data from the state health department. Indiana's Department of Health (IDOH) reported an infant mortality rate of 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births, down from 6.6 deaths in 2023. If the rate holds after final review, it would be Indiana's lowest since the state began tracking the measure in 1900. The previous low was 6.5 deaths in 2019, according to IDOH data. 'With Indiana's infant mortality rate at its lowest in over a century, we see the real impact of everyone who is focused on protecting our most vulnerable Hoosiers,' Gov. Mike Braun said in a Tuesday statement. 'We are committed to ensuring that even more babies have a healthy start and a strong future.' CONTACT US Infant mortality refers to the death of a child before their first birthday and is often seen as a key indicator of overall public health. Indiana has long struggled to lower its rate, particularly among marginalized populations and in rural areas. For years, the state ranked among the worst in the nation. 'We are ecstatic that more Hoosier babies are celebrating their first birthdays,' said State Health Commissioner Dr. Lindsay Weaver. 'Seeing these efforts pay off is something to celebrate, and we are grateful to clinicians, healthcare centers and affiliates, local health departments and all our other partners for their collective efforts.' Indiana's rate still remains above the national average, however. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the national infant mortality rate was 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023. The federal 'Healthy People 2030 goal' is to lower the national rate to 5 deaths per 1,000 births. IDOH officials pointed to ongoing efforts through Health First Indiana. The initiative supports partnerships between the state health department and local groups to improve prenatal care access, support home visiting services, promote breastfeeding, and expand education on infant safe sleep practices. IDOH also reviews hospital discharge and fatality data to guide future interventions. Health First Indiana funding was slashed in the new state budget, however. A final analysis of the 2024 numbers is expected later this year. 'The critical work to further reduce infant mortality continues,' Weaver said. 'The Indiana Department of Health is committed to our role to decrease the number of infant deaths in Indiana and give the next generation of Hoosiers the best possible start.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Many unaware of links between HPV, cancer, poll finds
Many Americans remain unaware of the cancer risk for both men and women posed by human papillomavirus, a new Ohio State University poll has found. Most people don't know much about HPV and its long-term cancer risks, and also have key misperceptions about how the virus is spread, the poll found. For example, the majority of people are unaware that the virus is more common among men than women, and is associated with rising rates of cancers that directly impact men. Instead, people still see HPV as mostly associated with cervical cancer risk in women, and shrug off the importance of vaccination for men, results show. This lack of awareness might explain why HPV vaccination rates have been slow to increase, researchers said. "We have a vaccine that has been shown to reduce the risk of HPV infection by up to 90%," Electra Paskett, a cancer control researcher with the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, said in a news release. "This is a powerful tool for cancer prevention that has only been available to us in the past few decades, and we are seeing the impact of those vaccines now through the scientific data," she added. The federal Healthy People 2030 goals call for at least 80% of teens to be vaccinated against HPV by the end of the decade, according to the National Cancer Institute. But only about 57% of boys and 61% of girls have gotten the HPV vaccine, the NCI says. For the survey, Ohio State researchers asked people if they agree or disagree with basic statements about HPV. Responses showed an astonishing lack of knowledge. For example, about 42% of people believe HPV is more common in women than in men, the poll found. "This is concerning because more men are infected with HPV than women and they could unknowingly spread it to their partners," Paskett said. Likewise, nearly half of respondents (45%) didn't know that HPV is linked to cancers other than cervical cancer in women. In fact, HPV does cause more than 9 out of every 10 cases of cervical cancer, but the virus also causes cancers of the penis, anus, head and neck among men, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 4 out of every 10 cases of cancer caused by HPV occur among men, the CDC says. Every year, more than 15,000 American men develop cancers caused by HPV. There also have been rapidly rising rates of HPV-related tonsil and tongue base cancers, noted Dr. Matthew Old, a head and neck surgeon with the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. These cancers could become one of the top three cancers among middle-aged U.S. men 45 to 65 by 2045, and the most common cancer in elderly men in the next 10 years, recent estimates suggest. In the new survey, 40% of poll respondents believed that people with HPV have symptoms. In truth, HPV infections are largely silent for years, with symptoms developing only after the virus has caused cancer. "It can take years or even decades for the genetic changes caused by HPV to take effect and transform into cancer," Old said in a news release. CDC stats show that the vaccine has been effective in cutting down on HPV since its approval for girls in 2006 and subsequent approval for boys in 2009. Infections with the HPV strains that cause most cancers have dropped 88% among teen girls and 81% among young adult women, the CDC says. HPV is sexually transmitted, and once someone is infected there are no drugs that will rid them of the virus, experts said. The HPV vaccine, Gardasil 9, is recommended between ages 9 and 12 for maximum effectiveness, prior to potential exposure, Paskett said. However, she added that the vaccine also is now available to adults up to age 45. "Many who are unvaccinated unknowingly carry and spread high-risk strains of the virus," Old said. "That's why vaccination is so important." More information SOURCE: Ohio State University, news release, March 4, 2025 Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
WSJ asks Kennedy to cast aside ‘antivax hooey' amid Texas measles outbreak
The Wall Street Journal's editorial board published an op-ed Monday calling on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to set aside his anti-vaccine activist positions in light of the nearly 50 measles cases that have been confirmed among mostly unvaccinated children in Texas. 'We are on record as skeptical of RFK Jr.'s nomination. The Senate confirmed him. Now the best-case scenario would be for Mr. Kennedy to internalize that he is no longer an activist outsider who needs to take provocative potshots to get attention,' the Journal's editorial board wrote. As of last week, 48 children in the South Plains region of Texas have confirmed cases of measles, and 13 have been hospitalized. The disease is so transmissible that up to 9 out of 10 people who come into contact someone with measles can be infected, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, all the children who have been infected are either unvaccinated or have unconfirmed vaccination statuses. The department has stated 'additional cases are likely' due to how contagious measles is. 'The tragedy is that this doesn't have to keep happening. In 2000 measles was declared eliminated from the U.S., meaning 12 months with no continuous spread,' the Journal's op-ed read. 'Yet for some people, the reality of measles feels like a sepia-toned history lesson, whereas the antivax hooey featured on podcasts these days sounds current,' the Journal added. 'RFK Jr., an environmental lawyer by trade, has long been part of the problem, and at his Senate confirmation hearings he presented himself as just asking questions, man. That undersells his role in spreading doubt and confusion.' The op-ed additionally noted the falling vaccination rates among kindergarteners in recent years. All states and D.C. require vaccinations for school attendance, but exceptions are often permitted. During the 2023-2024 school year, vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergarteners fell to 92.7 percent when it came to the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Federal health authorities have long maintained a 'Healthy People 2030' target of achieving 95 percent MMR immunization coverage. This level of coverage is considered ideal for maintaining herd immunity in a population. Whether this aim for vaccine coverage will continue now remains unclear as Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, has signaled he will prioritize work on chronic illnesses as opposed to infectious disease. The Hill has reached out to the HHS for comment on the Journal's op-ed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
17-02-2025
- Health
- The Hill
WSJ asks Kennedy to cast aside ‘antivax hooey' amid Texas measles outbreak
The Wall Street Journal's editorial board published on op-ed on Monday calling on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to set aside his anti-vaccine activist positions in light of the nearly 50 measles cases that have been confirmed among mostly unvaccinated children in Texas. 'We are on record as skeptical of RFK Jr.'s nomination. The Senate confirmed him. Now the best-case scenario would be for Mr. Kennedy to internalize that he is no longer an activist outsider who needs to take provocative potshots to get attention,' wrote the Journal's editorial board. As of last week, 48 children in the South Plains region of Texas have been confirmed to have measles and 13 have been hospitalized. The disease is so transmissible that up to nine out of 10 people who come into contact someone with measles can be infected, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, all the children who have been infected are either unvaccinated or have unconfirmed vaccination statuses. The department has stated 'additional cases are likely' due to how contagious measles is. 'The tragedy is that this doesn't have to keep happening. In 2000 measles was declared eliminated from the U.S., meaning 12 months with no continuous spread,' the Journal's op-ed read. 'Yet for some people, the reality of measles feels like a sepia-toned history lesson, whereas the antivax hooey featured on podcasts these days sounds current,' the Journal added. 'RFK Jr., an environmental lawyer by trade, has long been part of the problem, and at his Senate confirmation hearings he presented himself as just asking questions, man. That undersells his role in spreading doubt and confusion.' The op-ed additionally noted the falling vaccination rates among kindergarteners in recent years. All states and D.C. require vaccinations for school attendance, but exceptions are often permitted. During the 2023-2024 school year, vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergarteners fell to 92.7 percent when it came to the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Federal health authorities have long maintained a 'Healthy People 2030' target of achieving 95 percent MMR immunization coverage. This level of coverage is considered ideal for maintaining herd immunity in a population. Whether this aim for vaccine coverage will continue now remains unclear as Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, has signaled that he will be prioritizing work on chronic illnesses as opposed to infectious disease.
