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 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.
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 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.
November 22, 2011
[AUDIO] By Dalia Colón – If caregiving had a soundtrack, what genre would it be? Folk? Oldies? Gospel? How ’bout hip-hop with a reggae twist? That’s the feel of Perfect Harmony, a new song that celebrates caregivers. Here’s a taste:
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 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.
November 2, 2011
By Sarah Pusateri – In school, getting a ‘D’ grade on a report card wouldn’t make most students happy. But when talking about Florida, a “D” on a March of Dimes Premature Baby Birth Report Card is an improvement. Last year, the state got an ‘F’. Dr. Lewis Rubin, Chief of Neonatology at USF Health and Tampa General Hospital says, “The bad news is we rate a D. The good news is, we’re turning a corner. This is a reason to redouble our efforts.”
October 11, 2011
By Dalia Colón – It was the stuff of Twitter legends: “Having contractions now! Ooo- wee! It’s like WHOA!” Some say reality star Kimora Lee Simmons kept it a little too real in 2009 when she used Twitter to give a play-by-play of son Kenzo’s birth. But in this digital age, even average Janes are inclined to share the nitty-gritty of their pregnancy online.
September 7, 2011
By Dalia Colón – Driving in Florida is risky business, and there’s plenty of data to prove it. Vehicle crashes caused 2,601 deaths statewide in 2009, according to Florida Department of Health stats. More recently, Florida fared so-so in the seventh annual Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report. The report, which the insurance company released this month, ranks the country’s 200 biggest cities according to how often the average driver files an accident claim.
August 19, 2011
By Dalia Colón – I live next to an elementary school, and weekday mornings are like Carmageddon: kids bicycling on the sidewalk, drivers speeding through the school zone, vehicles waiting in the interminable carpool lane. And God help you if you’re making a left turn. School-related traffic is more than just an inconvenience. In the 2009-2010 school year, 12 people died and 248 were hurt in accidents involving school buses, according to data from the Florida Department of Education (FDOE).
August 4, 2011
By Dalia Colón – For 2008, the cost of hospice care in Florida is estimated at $1.2 billion, according to Florida Trend magazine. That year, nearly 100,000 Medicare patients with terminal illnesses received hospice care. “Providers of hospice services grew to meet the demand,” the publication reports. What follows is a primer on the state of hospice in Florida. Whether you work in the health field or are caring for a terminally ill loved one, you may want to give it a read.
July 13, 2011
[VIDEO] By Dalia Colón – About 1 in 110 children has autism, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But childhood is only the beginning of the story. Adults with Asperger’s syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder that impairs communication and social skills, often struggle to prove themselves in relationships and in the workplace.
May 21, 2011
[VIDEO] By Chip Hunt – Even though A Taste of Pinellas may be over, you can make your own healthy dish from a recipe by Dunedin-based company, Cool Juice. St. Petersburg’s annual food festival featured some of the area’s best cuisine with the proceeds benefiting All Children’s Hospital.
May 10, 2011
HealthyState.org and H.E.A.L. invite you to join us for a night of fun, networking and health advice with the Tampa Bay Rays! Tuesday, June 28th Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cincinnati Reds Tickets are only $25/person. 5p.m. – Behind the Scenes Tour of the Rays facility 5:30 p.m. – Speaker: Barbara Morris with USF Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine speaking about Health/Safety for Weekend Warrior Athletes. 6 p.m. – Networking 7:15 p.m. – Game Time! Please click on this link to purchase tickets and in the “notes” section, please put Rays Tickets. https://www.uch.org/foundation/onlinegiving.aspx Your tickets will be mailed to you. We look forward to having a great time with you while networking and promoting Health & Wellness!