Insidermedicine in 60 - October 11, 2007

From Washington - A new study on over 1500 children from 12 metropolitan areas shows that in less than half of cases, children obtain appropriate medical care. While the children received necessary care nearly two-thirds of the time for acute medical problems, they received preventative treatment only a third of the time. For instance, less than half of children received their immunizations by the age of two. From California - A new model predicts that over one million Californians aged 15 to 24 develop an STD each year. While authorities expected high numbers they were surprised by the very high prevalence of chlamydia and gonorrhea. The rise in number of cases may be related to lack of use of barrier birth control. From Seattle - Despite sensational media claims, tasers appear to be safe. In a study of over 1000 documented cases of taser use, the instrument was otherwise safe in 99.7% of cases. In 2 of the 3 cases requiring hospitalization, the person who was tasered suffered head injuries from falling. And finally, from Copenhagen - A throat infection with bacteria in newborns may predict who will develop asthma later in life. In a study of over 300 babies, those who had certain species of bacteria growing in their throats were nearly 5 times more likely become asthmatics by the age of 5 years. Nearly 1 out of 5 children grew the bacteria at one month of age. For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.