Recently in Cultural Groups Category

Your immune system is a tremendously sustainable system! But we can exercise it with a dose of... laughter.

John Cleese takes us on a tour of a laughter therapy practice in India.

Laughter promotes stress reduction, community bonding, stronger immune system... and joy. What a simple solution!

Heavy backpacks place a measurable strain on the spines of children, with heavier loads causing greater spinal strain and increased back pain, reports a study in Spine, January 2010 

My husband and I started getting concerned about heavy backpacks when our son was required to carry a very heavy backpack weighted down with a year's worth of books when he was in gradeschool.  It just didn't make sense.  It's taken a long time to get the research to prove the problems.  But it's here now, and solutions need to be found -- such as eBook readers.

The next step in convincing schools to "lighten the load" is to show how expensive back pain and back care is to our society.  Maybe business and government can prevent that long term impact on healthcare costs by providing children is an alternative to heavy books.

Test Results for Children's Back Health 

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans show compression of the spinal discs and spinal curvature caused by typical school backpack loads in children, according to Dr. Timothy Neuschwander of University of California, San Diego, and colleagues.

Backpacks' Effects on Disc Height and Spinal Curve Linked to Back Pain

The study included eight children, mean age 11 years. A special upright MRI scanner was used to image the children's spines in standing position--first with an empty backpack, then with increasing weights of 9, 18, and 26 lb. These weights represented about 10, 20, and 30 percent of the children's body weight.

Two key spinal measurements changed as the backpack load increased.

• Heavier weights caused compression of the intervertebral discs, which act as a cushion between the vertebrae (bones of the spine).
  
• Especially in the lower spine, the disc height became smaller (reflecting greater disc compression) at heavier backpack weights.
• Heavier loads were also associated with increased curvature of the lower spine, either to the right or the left.
  

Half of the children had a significant spinal curve even with the 18 lb weight. Most of the children had to adjust their posture to bear the 26 lb backpack load.

As backpack weight increased, so did the amount of pain reported by the children. At the heaviest load, the average pain score was nearly five (on a ten-point scale).

Parents are increasingly concerned about the heavy backpacks their children have to carry. The new study is the first to use imaging techniques to see how backpacks affect children's spines.

More than 90 percent of U.S. children carry backpacks, typically with weights equal to 10 to 22 percent of their body weight.

Carry Backpacks on One Shoulder or Two?

The results suggest that heavy backpacks cause compression of the spinal disks and increased spinal curvature, both of which are related to back pain reported by the children. Although the children were wearing the backpack straps over both shoulders when the MRI scans were performed, the researchers note that spinal curvature could be even greater if the backpack was carried over one shoulder--as many children do.

Lower Back Pain for Children -- Through Adulthood

"Low back pain in children may be worsened by discogenic [disc-related] or postural changes," Dr. Neuschwander and colleagues write. This could have long-term implications, as children with back pain are at increased risk of having back pain as adults. The researchers call for similar studies to examine the effects of heavy backpacks in children with existing back pain.

About Spine
Recognized internationally as the leading journal in its field, Spine is an international, peer-reviewed, bi-weekly periodical that considers for publication original articles in the field of spine. It is the leading subspecialty journal for the treatment of spinal disorders. Only original papers are considered for publication with the understanding that they are contributed solely to Spine. According to the latest ISI Science Citation Impact Factor, Spine ranks highest among subspecialty orthopedic titles. Visit the journal website at www.spinejournal.com

Lead-based Paint Dangerous for Children

Young children are particularly susceptible to lead poisoning since they are more likely to ingest lead paint chips, flakes, or dust and are more sensitive to the adverse health effects of lead. Elevated lead levels in young children can trigger

• learning disabilities
• decreased growth
• hyperactivity
• impaired hearing
• brain damage

Lead can be found in a number of places inside and outside the home. For example, lead can be found in household dust from deteriorating lead-based paint or from soil tracked into the house. It can also be found in drinking water coming from old lead pipes, fixtures and solder.

"Childhood lead poisoning is easily preventable with the right information and awareness. This grant will help Arizona tribal communities raise awareness about preventing lead's adverse health effects," said Administrator Jackson. "This project is an important example of the efforts happening across the country to protect our children from a major health threat."

Lead-based Paint Outreach to Native American Tribes

The Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona is developing culturally specific outreach materials to educate tribal families, especially parents of young children, and tribal staff on the health risks to children from exposure to lead-based paint.

Lead Awareness for Facility Maintenance Personnel

The program specifically reaches out to facility maintenance personnel to stress the importance of using lead-safe work practices when renovating buildings.

The use of lead-based paint in U.S. residential housing was banned in 1978.

Approximately 75% of the U.S. housing stock built before 1978, or 64 million homes, contain some lead-based paint.

For information on EPA's lead paint program, go to: http://www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/lead

For information on lead in paint, dust and soil, visit: http://www.epa.gov/lead

For information on protecting your family from lead hazards, visit: http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadinfo.htm#where

Diabetes, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, blindness and amputation, is currently the fifth-leading cause of death among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (AA & NHOPIs).

The new online diabetes information database was developed for physicians, advocates, health educators, patients and their families who need high-quality materials in a variety of Asian and Pacific Islander languages.

Registered users and visitors alike can search and find diabetes information on different topics such as what traditional New Year's foods to eat or avoid, tips on foot care and diabetes during pregnancy. Most materials--fact sheets, brochures, booklets, posters, etc.--are available for download in a multitude of languages including Cambodian, Chamorro, Chinese, Chuukese, Gujarati, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Samoan, Tagalog, Thai, Tongan and Vietnamese.

High-Quality, Community-Reviewed Materials

The Gateway provides access to tested health materials from the National Diabetes Education Program and also community-contributed health materials. The Gateway's community-contributed health materials are reviewed through a unique two-pronged process that ensures not only medical accuracy, but also cultural and linguistic appropriateness. As a community-curated collection of high-quality, in-language diabetes information, Gateway provides free access to all materials; in fact, registered users can view both reviewed and still-to-be reviewed diabetes health materials to decide for themselves what is most appropriate for their needs. Users even have the option of rating a material based on their experience or adding comments, thereby enriching the database for future Gateway visitors.

AAPCHO is a national association representing 27 community health organizations dedicated to promoting advocacy, collaboration and leadership that improves the health status and access of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders in the United States. Since 1987, AAPCHO has advocated for policies and programs that improve the provision of healthcare services that are community driven, financially affordable, linguistically accessible and culturally appropriate.

More Information

AAPCHO