** Latest News ** - The Office of Minority Health

The following represents the content we have available in this category:


	HHS Releases Guidance on Syringe Services Programs HHS released guidance for programs using FY 2010 dollars to implement syringe services programs for injection drug users as part of comprehensive medical and substance abuse treatment and prevention services. Download the SSP Guidance [PDF \| 42KB]
	2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health The National Survey on Drug Use and Health, conducted annually by SAMHSA, surveys approximately 67,500 people in the United States and released a fact sheet [PDF \| 404 KB] with the 2009 survey results. Survey results indicate that current illicit drug use in America increased in 2009 compared to 2008 - with 8.7 percent of the population aged 12 years and older using illicit drugs in 2009 compared to 8 percent in 2008. Most of this increase was due to a rise in marijuana use. Also, the number of current nonmedical users of prescription drugs increased 12 percent in 2008 - from 6.2 million to 7 million Americans ages 12 and older.
	Grant Addresses Health Disparities The National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities grant was awarded to the University of Kansas Medical Center. The five-year, $7.5 million grant enables the university to start the Center for American Indian Community Health to study and address health disparities facing American Indians.
	CDC Survey: High School Students and Prescription Drugs A CDC survey has found that one in five U.S. high school students say they have taken a prescription drug without a doctor’s prescription, according to the 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
	Study Hints at Impact of Ethnicity on Alcohol Use Of the more than 4,000 people who were surveyed about their alcohol use habits, blacks and Hispanics were more likely to encounter negative consequences and report more symptoms of alcohol dependence.
	Smoking rules at Home A recent study has found that black Americans have fewer rules banning smoking in the house, compared to house rules of other ethnic groups. However, the rate of African-American teens smoking is lower than their white counterparts. The study will appear in the August issue of Health Education & Behavior.
	Study Pinpoints FASD Traits A study from a mental health team in Toronto has found that the characteristics of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder are similar to traits for attention deficit disorder. The study will appear in the October 2009 of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
	Study looks at Causes of Alcoholism A study about adolescents and alcohol scheduled to appear in the October 2009 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research finds that environmental factors play a role in highlighting how environmental factors interact with genetic predispositions for alcohol use.
	Study Shows Alcohol Consumption Persists A 15-year CDC study found that, on average, one out of eight women consumes alcohol during pregnancy and that number has not decreased, despite warnings from the surgeon general.
	Ritalin Leads to Brain Changes Methylphenidate, sold as Ritalin for treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, causes changes to neurons in the reward areas of the brain similar to those seen in cocaine users, according to new research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
	Study examines Mental Illness and Drug Abuse A research report released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse finds that individuals diagnosed with a mental disorder had higher rates of drug abuse and vice versa.
	Inmates not getting Needed Treatment Researchers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse have found that about half of all inmates are dependent on drugs, but only about 20 percent receive some type of treatment, according to the January article in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Alcohol Ads Affect Black Women A study out of Columbia University’s School of Public Health has found that outdoor ads for alcoholic beverages in New York City, increased survey participants’ drinking by about 13 percent.
	Study Finds Teens Susceptible A study appearing in the journal BMC Pediatrics found that teens who did not use drugs, but who smoke, drank alcohol and were sexually active were more likely to use methamphetamines.
	Mizzou Study Pinpoints Effective Messages Researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia have found that anti-smoking ads are more effective if they either disgust or scare viewers. If ads do both things, researchers found, messages do not stick with viewers as strongly.
	Addiction at 15-year High Researcher presented at this year’s 74th annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians found that nicotine addiction among Americans is at a 15-year high. They also found that the severity of addiction has also increased.
	Side Effects of Bipolar Disorder Scientists at the University of Granada have found that people with bipolar disorder not just have issues with mental health, but that their overall health tends to be compromised.
	Smell doesn’t Trigger Relapse Researchers found that after smokers, who find the smell of cigarettes pleasant, abstain from cigarettes, the smell of someone else’s cigarette doesn’t increase the likelihood of relapse.
	Study may Offer Hope for Emphysema Patients An experimental trial for people with emphysema has used stents to create and maintain pathways for air to move freely, in order to curb symptoms.
	Early Drug Exposure Leads to Health Risks Research out of Duke University has found a connection between drug use during a person’s teen years and health factors when that person is in their thirties. Although this may be considered common knowledge, the authors of the study classified their survey participants as “good” or “bad” kids and found that both groups incurred similar results, such as pregnancies, criminal convictions and sexually transmitted diseases, at similar rates.
	Marijuana’s effect on teenage brain Researcher presented at the annual American Academy of Pediatrics meeting on Oct. 12 revealed that brains of teens who use marijuana are working harder than teens who abstain from the drug. The effects were even more noticeable in females and resulted in a compromise of the prefrontal cortex, which is in charge of concentration, planning and decision making.
	Meth’s on the Brain Results of a study at Brookhaven Labs show that the effect of methamphetamines on the brain is similar to that of cocaine, but meth lingers longer in the brain while traces of cocaine clear the brain about 90 minutes after taking the drug.
	Nicotine Addiction May be Dictated by Genes Researchers at the University of Virginia have found that people who are genetically sensitive to bitter tastes, are less likely to develop an addition to nicotine, according to an article in Oct. 10 issue of American Journal of Human Genetics.

We're in!

We support health equity for all Americans.