May 10, 2012
[VIDEO] By Sammy Mack – A network of Florida facilities that supports people with disabilities will lose nearly $1.6 million this year – just as the social services provided by the network are needed most. Florida’s Centers for Independent Living, or CILs, help people with disabilities navigate job placement, housing, transportation, health care and other services.
April 29, 2012
By Sarah Pusateri – Healthystate.org presents its newest documentary entitled Uniform Betrayal: Rape in the Military. The hour-long film examines the problem of rape and sexual assault in the military from the viewpoint of the survivors as well as from experts who are studying this issue. Filmmakers Jennifer Molina and Sarah Pusateri traveled to the Pentagon to find out what the Department of Defense says it’s doing to combat what even they call “a very big problem.”
[VIDEO] By Sarah Pusateri – When Stacie King finished up 10 years of service in the United States Navy, she was assured by her Navy TAP class instructor – a class that helps soldiers transition into civilian life and find jobs – that she would be a hot commodity for many employers. “They were just like, ‘everyone wants to hire a veteran,’” recalls King. “Everyone wants to hire a veteran. You’re so marketable!” King says for her, the exact opposite was true. She applied for dozens of jobs but got no response.
By Sarah Pusateri – Intensified investigations, heightened training and more resources. These are some of the changes that will be made to combat sexual assault in the military, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta recently announced. “General Dempsey and I consider this a serious problem that needs to be addressed. It violates everything the U.S military stands for,” Panetta told reporters in Washington D.C.
[VIDEO] By Sarah Pusateri – It is often noted that the military is responsible for bringing about change in society. From widespread use of the so-called “miracle drug” – that is, penicillin – to the basic computer and thereafter the internet, the military is often the breeding grounds for what is to become “the norm” of today. With an increasing number of men and women in uniform returning home with post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, mental health professionals view the military and their approach to treating PTSD as the gateway to removing the stigma of mental disorders and psychiatric drugs.
April 26, 2012
[VIDEO] By Sarah Pusateri – When Stacie King finished up 10 years of service in the United States Navy, she was assured by her Navy TAP class instructor – a class that helps soldiers transition into civilian life and find jobs – that she would be a hot commodity for many employers. “They were just like, ‘everyone wants to hire a veteran,’” recalls King. “Everyone wants to hire a veteran. You’re so marketable!” King says for her, the exact opposite was true. She applied for dozens of jobs but got no response.
April 20, 2012
By Sarah Pusateri – Healthystate.org presents its newest documentary entitled Uniform Betrayal: Rape in the Military. The hour-long film examines the problem of rape and sexual assault in the military from the viewpoint of the survivors as well as from experts who are studying this issue. Filmmakers Jennifer Molina and Sarah Pusateri traveled to the Pentagon to find out what the Department of Defense says it’s doing to combat what even they call “a very big problem.”
April 19, 2012
By Sarah Pusateri – Intensified investigations, heightened training and more resources. These are some of the changes that will be made to combat sexual assault in the military, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta recently announced. “General Dempsey and I consider this a serious problem that needs to be addressed. It violates everything the U.S military stands for,” Panetta told reporters in Washington D.C.
April 12, 2012
[VIDEO] By Sarah Pusateri – It is often noted that the military is responsible for bringing about change in society. From widespread use of the so-called “miracle drug” – that is, penicillin – to the basic computer and thereafter the internet, the military is often the breeding grounds for what is to become “the norm” of today. With an increasing number of men and women in uniform returning home with post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, mental health professionals view the military and their approach to treating PTSD as the gateway to removing the stigma of mental disorders and psychiatric drugs.
April 5, 2012
[VIDEO] By Sarah Pusateri – It’s been called a “black eye” to the military, as well as an “epidemic.” Sexual assault, military leaders would agree, is a serious problem within the U.S. armed forces. Acknowledging that was the first step, and now the government is working towards a solution.
March 19, 2012
[VIDEO] By Sarah Pusateri – Dental health miracle or deadly toxin? After more than 60 years the debate over water fluoridation rages on. If you’ve ever been to a major city in the U.S. and drank the tap water there, chances are, it was fluoridated. HealthyState.org takes a deeper look into the controversy over water fluoridation, as one county in Tampa Bay decided to pull the plug on what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls one of the “top 10 great public health achievements of the 20th Century.”
January 17, 2012
[VIDEO] By Sarah Pusateri – Experts say as many as 20% of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from post traumatic syndrome disorder, or PTSD. Nightmares, flashbacks and anxiety are all symptoms of the disorder. Less publicized, however, is the effect PTSD has on the children growing up in the homes of veterans suffering from the disorder. The Department of Veteran’s Affairs says studies of Vietnam veterans’ families reveal that children of veterans with PTSD are at a higher risk for behavioral, academic and interpersonal problems. Also, research has linked PTSD to an increased likelihood of violence in the home.
December 12, 2011
By HealthyState.org Staff – Buddha famously said, “Health is the greatest gift.” You can’t tie a bow around health, per se, but this holiday season, there are plenty of gift ideas to keep your loved ones well all year long. Check out our staff picks:
December 8, 2011
By Sarah Pusateri – The holiday spirit may have some people throwing back more spirits this time of year, experts say. With the combination of parties and family get-togethers, festivities and stress could cause some to reach for a third (or fourth) glass of eggnog. However, there are ways to not over drink or avoid alcohol, altogether. “It’s considered a high risk situation around the holidays just in general but even more specifically around family members because that’s typically the place where people drink.” says University of South Florida College of Medicine professor Dr. Ryan Estevez.
December 6, 2011
By Sarah Pusateri – When soldiers are raped, sexually assaulted or harassed in the military, they’re required to report that abuse to their immediate supervisors. The problem is, sometimes that supervisor is the one committing the abuse. A new bill introduced to Congress addresses this issue – as well as others.
November 21, 2011
[VIDEO] By Sarah Pusateri – Diabetes, cancer, obesity and depression. Researchers at the University of South Florida College of Nursing believe there’s a strong link between these problems and post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Now, they’re getting a chance to prove the theory with the help from a grant from the U.S. Army. “We were aware of literature showing that women veterans in the current conflicts were coming back with higher levels of PTSD. They are suffering difficulties in sort of transitioning back to civilian life,” says nursing professor Maureen Groer. “They are having marital problems. And from the trauma literature, we know that those women are probably at risk for later mid-life diseases.”
November 16, 2011
[VIDEO] By Sarah Pusateri – The rhetoric of abstinence – you’ve heard it: “It’s great to wait.” And “true love waits.” But does it work? While the state has refused millions of dollars in federal grants for many health care programs, they have accepted money for abstinence education – $2.6 million each year through 2014. So what exactly is Florida doing with those federal tax dollars?
November 14, 2011
[VIDEO] By Sarah Pusateri – Patients suffering from diabetes can now get their care all in one place at the University of South Florida. The new state-of-the-art facility at the Carol & Frank Morsani Center on the USF Tampa campus features clinical care, research and education all under one roof.
November 10, 2011
By Sarah Pusateri – While most people’s exposure to military sexual violence may have come from Hollywood, it’s actually a very real problem. Soldiers may expect shootings and even bombings in war, but they also face a more personal type of threat. It’s called MST, or military sexual trauma and often times, the perpetrator is a fellow soldier. Statistics from Veterans Affairs show nearly one in four women have experienced MST.
November 4, 2011
By Sarah Pusateri – Finger waving, talking and using imagery. Could these seemingly simple actions hold the key to cracking PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder? The University of South Florida’s Dr. Carrie Elk thinks so. Using a grant funded by the Department of Defense, Dr. Elk is currently treating veterans suffering from PTSD through a process called accelerated resolution therapy.