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The Community Information Guide provides the latest news, upcoming events and local city directories.
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www.slfp.com
St. Louis Front Page
P. O. Box 1354
St. Louis, MO 63188
www.slfp.com
Voice: 314-771-0200
Fax: 314-771-0300
To submit news, contact:
editor@slfp.com
Please e-mail
advertising@slfp.com
or call 314-771-0200 for information or questions about advertising opportunities in the Community Section.
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November is Missouri Family Health History Month
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), November 9, 2008 - When families gather this holiday season they can create a legacy that could help them and future generations live longer, healthier lives. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is urging families to record their personal health information when they get together for the holidays.
"A family health history could be one of the most valuable things you pass down to your children and grandchildren," said Jane Drummond, health department director, "Mapping your family's health history to create a medical family tree can help families identify health risks they may face in the years ahead."
The health department recommends documenting diseases and causes of death for at least three generations to gather medical information that could prove beneficial now and in the future. The information can assist health care providers in assessing a patient's risk of disease and recommending appropriate preventive measures or treatment.
Family history is considered one of the most important risk factors for health problems such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and certain psychiatric disorders. Family members also share more than genetic characteristics. They often share environments, lifestyles and personal habits, which can be factors for disease.
"Documenting the illnesses that have affected your grandparents, parents and other blood relatives can help your doctor predict the disorders for which you may be at risk and can help motivate you to change any unhealthy behaviors that could contribute to health problems," Drummond added.
Family health histories should be provided to all health care providers to be retained as a permanent part of a person's medical file, Drummond added.
Tweens and Teens Double Use of Diabetes Drugs
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), November 9, 2008 - America's tweens and teens more than doubled their use of type 2 diabetes medications between 2002 and 2005, with girls between 10 and 14 years of age showing a 166 percent increase. One likely cause: Obesity, which is closely associated with type 2 diabetes.
The finding is included in a study of chronic medication use in children ages 5 to 19 released today in the journal Pediatrics by researchers from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts and the Kansas Health Institute.
In addition to diabetes, the study found that utilization patterns for blood pressure, cholesterol, attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD), asthma and depression medications increased at varying levels during the four year period.
"Our study findings indicate that these increased levels of chronic medication use are symptoms of broader underlying issues affecting children today," said Emily R. Cox, Ph.D., RPh, senior director of research at Express Scripts. "These trends are worrisome given that many of these therapies are treating conditions with modifiable risk factors and if not addressed, many of these children will carry these chronic conditions into adulthood."
For example, the use of asthma medications increased 46.5 percent and ADD/ADHD medication use increased 40.4 percent. Cholesterol and blood pressure medications saw a more moderate growth of 15 percent and 1.8 percent, respectively.
Except for asthma medication, older teens age 15-19 years old account for the largest percentage of children taking these medications.
The bad news, according to Donna R. Halloran, M.D., MSPH, assistant professor of pediatrics at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, is that there is more disease, due in large part to the increasing prevalence of childhood obesity.
"Our findings show that childhood obesity not only has long-term health implications, but also impacts children's immediate health," Halloran said.
However, she says, the rise of prescription use also indicates that more children are being diagnosed and doctors are increasingly using medication to treat these conditions.
"Our findings indicate that we, the doctors, are doing a better job of screening children and diagnosing chronic conditions," Halloran said. "A great example of this is blood pressure, where there has been a big push to identify and treat children in need."
In several cases, the rates of growth were dramatically higher among girls than boys. While boys still take more medications for chronic conditions, the gap has become narrower due to these increases.
The huge increase in type 2 diabetes medication use was driven largely by girls who saw a 147 percent increase over the four year period, compared to boys who saw a 39 percent increase in medicine use. Researchers say they cannot explain this pattern, which is not consistent with the patterns of obesity among boys and girls. However, increased physician office visits and therefore screening rates -- particularly for females -- could be one contributing factor.
Archived St. Louis Community Health News:
 Missouri Receives Grants to Benefit Mothers, Babies
Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Brings Thousands to Downtown St. Louis for the 10th Annual Event
As Temperatures Heat Up, Cool Down St. Louis Receives Major Assistance from AmerenUE
Long Term Care Costs in Missouri Increased as Much as Three Times National Average
Washington University in St. Louis and AstraZeneca to Collaborate Alzheimer's Research
New Report Estimates 10 Million Baby Boomers Will Develop Alzheimer's Disease in the United States
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The Community Information Guide is presented in conjunction with the St. Louis Front Page and Southwest Illinois News. The sites are owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan St. Louis area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 1996 - 2009 Moore Design Group.
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