August 2010 Briefing - Nursing

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Nursing for August 2010. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.

Neonatal Mortality Risk Higher at Unspecialized Hospitals

TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Very low-birth-weight (VLBW) and very preterm (VPT) infants born at hospitals without specialized neonatal care have higher mortality risks than those born at specialized level III hospitals, according to a meta-analysis published in the Sept. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Gestation Linked to Cerebral Palsy Risk Even in Term Births

TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- An increased risk of cerebral palsy is seen in individuals who were delivered at 37 or 38 weeks of gestation or at 42 weeks or later, compared to 40 weeks, according to research published in the Sept. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Biobehavioral Approach Linked to Benefits in Dementia

TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- A biobehavioral environmental intervention -- Care of Persons with Dementia in their Environments (COPE) -- is associated with better functioning in patients with dementia after four months, as well as benefits for caregivers, according to research published in the Sept. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Diverse Veggie Intake May Lower Lung Cancer Risk

TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Eating a variety of vegetables and fruits may reduce the risk of lung cancer in current smokers, according to research published online Aug. 31 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

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Costs of Vehicle-Related Injury Exceeded $99 Billion in 2005

TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- In 2005, motor vehicle crashes in the United States resulted in more than 3.7 million deaths or injuries requiring medical care, as well as loss of productivity and medical costs reaching nearly $100 billion, according to research published in the August issue of Traffic Injury Prevention.

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Nearly One in Three Deliveries in U.S. Is Cesarean Section

TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Almost a third of deliveries in the United States are by cesarean section, and more than 30 percent of cesareans can be attributed to pre-labor repeat cesarean delivery due to a previous uterine scar, according to research published online Aug. 13 in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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Non-Physiologic Factors Sway Growth Hormone Decisions

TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians' decisions to initiate growth hormone (GH) therapy in children with idiopathic short stature are mostly consistent with established guidelines, but their recommendations regarding GH continuation are more strongly influenced by contextual and attitudinal factors than by growth response to therapy, according to research published online Aug. 30 in Pediatrics.

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Pediatricians Can Often Manage Gynecologic Issues

TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Among pediatric patients, most medical gynecologic issues can be managed in the primary care office setting, usually without a pelvic examination; although, when a pelvic exam is required, the primary care office may be the best setting, according to a clinical report published online Aug. 30 in Pediatrics.

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No Benefit Seen for Vitamin Use With Colon Cancer Chemo

TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients with stage III colon cancer, the use of multivitamins during and after adjuvant chemotherapy is not associated with a lower recurrence rate or improved survival, according to a study published online Aug. 30 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Somatic Depression Symptoms Show Heart Risk Link

TUESDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Somatic symptoms of depression appear to more strongly predict cardiovascular events than cognitive depressive symptoms in individuals with stable coronary heart disease (CHD), according to research published in the Sept. 7 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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AHA/ASA Stroke Program Likely Applicable Outside U.S.

MONDAY, Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) -- The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With the Guidelines-Stroke program (GWTG-Stroke) may be useful for assessing and improving the quality of stroke care and outcomes outside the United States, according to research published online Aug. 30 in Circulation.

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Screening Guidelines Offered for Urinary Tract Conditions

MONDAY, Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) -- The American Urological Association (AUA) has published new guidelines for the screening of siblings and offspring of index patients with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and infants with prenatal hydronephrosis (PNH) in the September issue of The Journal of Urology.

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Pediatricians, Parents Urged to Address Sexuality in the Media

MONDAY, Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Pediatricians and parents have the opportunity to help address unhealthy messages related to sexuality that young people receive from the media, according to a policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics published online Aug. 30 in Pediatrics.

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Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Recommendations Updated

MONDAY, Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) -- The American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Infectious Diseases has updated its recommendations on the routine use of trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine as well as antiviral medications for the prevention and treatment of influenza among children; the recommendations are part of a policy statement published online Aug. 30 in Pediatrics.

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Sports-Related Concussions Often Occur in Younger Kids

MONDAY, Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Children ages 8 to 13 account for a considerable portion of sports-related concussions (SRCs) that occur among young people, according to research published online Aug. 30 in Pediatrics.

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Post-Op Delirium Linked to Cerebral Vascular Disease

MONDAY, Aug. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Delirium after spinal fusion in elderly patients is more common in those with a history of cerebral vascular disease, low hemoglobin and hematocrit levels after surgery, and poor nutrition, according to a study in the Aug. 15 issue of Spine.

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Collar Preferable to Imaging in Unevaluable Trauma Patients

FRIDAY, Aug. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Imaging tests used for cervical spine clearance in unevaluable trauma patients lack sensitivity and are not cost-effective compared with empirical immobilization by a semi-rigid collar, according to research published in the Aug. 15 issue of Spine.

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Vaccination Coverage Estimate Shrinks With New Method

FRIDAY, Aug. 27 (HealthDay News) -- As the result of a recent change to the method for measuring Haemophilus influenzae serotype b (Hib) vaccination coverage, the proportion of children aged 19 to 35 months considered fully vaccinated has dropped by nearly a third, according to an article published in the Aug. 27 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Multiple Sclerosis Program Improves Drug Adherence

FRIDAY, Aug. 27 (HealthDay News) -- A specialty care management program for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients may improve medication compliance and reduce both MS-related hospitalizations and MS-related medical costs, though total costs may still increase over time, according to research published in the August issue of Multiple Sclerosis.

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Youth Tobacco Use Down Since 2000; No Drop Since 2006

FRIDAY, Aug. 27 (HealthDay News) -- The use of cigarettes and tobacco products by youths has declined substantially over the past decade -- though not from 2006 to 2009 -- but nearly one in four high school students still used tobacco products in 2009, according to a report in the Aug. 27 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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CDC's Revised Influenza Death Estimates Show Wide Variation

FRIDAY, Aug. 27 (HealthDay News) -- From 1976 through 2007, the number of annual influenza-related deaths in the United States ranged from 3,349 to 48,614, according to a report published in the Aug. 27 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Vitamins Don't Reduce Preterm Births in Low-Risk Women

THURSDAY, Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Supplementation with vitamins C and E starting at nine to 16 weeks of gestation in nulliparous women at low risk for delivering prematurely is not associated with a reduced risk of spontaneous preterm birth, according to research published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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Underinsured Children More Prevalent Than Uninsured

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- In the United States, there are more underinsured children than uninsured children, and both groups have suboptimal health care quality and access, according to research published in the Aug. 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Stress Biomarker Linked to Lower Probability of Conception

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Elevation of a stress biomarker, salivary alpha-amylase, is associated with a reduction in a woman's chances of conceiving during the fertile part of her monthly cycle, according to research published online Aug. 5 in Fertility and Sterility.

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Shorter Cervical Length Tied to Problems in Placenta Previa

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Shorter cervical length during the third trimester of pregnancy among women with placenta previa is linked to a higher risk of hemorrhage, uterine activity, and preterm delivery, according to a study published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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ACOG Makes Recommendations for Use of HPV Vaccination

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Girls should be routinely vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) at the age of 11 or 12, though vaccination may be advisable in girls as young as 9, according to recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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ACOG Recommends Antibiotics Before Cesarean Delivery

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- All women undergoing cesarean delivery should receive antimicrobial prophylaxis within 60 minutes of the start of the delivery unless they're already receiving appropriate antibiotics for issues such as chorioamnionitis, according to recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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Most Low Weight Infants at 24 Weeks Gestational Age Live

TUESDAY, Aug. 24 (HealthDay News) -- The majority of low birth weight infants with a gestational age (GA) of 24 or more weeks survive, but this population continues to have high rates of morbidity, according to a report published online Aug. 23 in Pediatrics.

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Rotavirus Vaccine Effective in Preventing Hospitalizations

TUESDAY, Aug. 24 (HealthDay News) -- High three-dose coverage with a universal infant pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (RV5) is effective in preventing rotavirus and non-rotavirus acute gastroenteritis (AGE) hospitalizations in vaccinated children and older individuals who are unvaccinated, according to a study published online Aug. 23 in Pediatrics.

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Spouse's Deployment Status Tied to Depression Risk

TUESDAY, Aug. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Deployment of a spouse during pregnancy or the postpartum period is associated with an increased risk of a positive depression screening, according to research published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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Adult Victims of Violence More Likely to Spank Children

MONDAY, Aug. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Corporal punishment (CP) is still a prevalent form of child discipline in the United States, and it appears to be meted out more often by adult victims of intimate partner aggression or violence (IPAV), according to research published online Aug. 23 in Pediatrics.

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Thousands of Children Treated for Sledding Injuries Yearly

MONDAY, Aug. 23 (HealthDay News) -- From 1997 to 2007, an average of more than 20,000 children and adolescents per year were treated in U.S. emergency departments for sledding-related injuries, according to research published online Aug. 23 in Pediatrics.

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Surgery for Undescended Testes Often Occurs After Age 2

MONDAY, Aug. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Clinical guidelines recommend orchidopexy by age 1 for treatment of congenital undescended testes, but a substantial number of boys do not undergo the surgery even by age 2, according to research published online Aug. 23 in Pediatrics.

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More HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants Have Group B Strep

MONDAY, Aug. 23 (HealthDay News) -- HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants may be more susceptible to invasive group B streptococcal (GBS) infections in terms of incidence and severity than babies born to HIV-uninfected mothers, according to research published online Aug. 23 in Pediatrics.

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Tobacco Depictions in Popular Movies Down Since 2005

MONDAY, Aug. 23 (HealthDay News) -- The number of onscreen smoking incidents depicted in top-grossing U.S. movies has decreased substantially since 2005, though nearly half still contain tobacco imagery, according to research published in the Aug. 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Thousands of Heat Illnesses Occur in Teen Athletes Yearly

FRIDAY, Aug. 20 (HealthDay News) -- On average, high school athletes in the United States have an estimated 9,237 time-loss heat illnesses annually, and the highest rate is among football players, according to a report in the Aug. 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Recommended Vaccinations Up Among U.S. Teens

FRIDAY, Aug. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Vaccination rates in U.S. adolescents for the vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices have increased since 2008, but there is still room for improvement, according to research published in the Aug. 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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MRSA Infection Risk Found Higher Among Illicit Drug Users

FRIDAY, Aug. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who use illicit drugs are three times more likely to acquire USA300 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia than patients who don't use illicit drugs, according to a study conducted in veterans hospitals and reported in the September issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

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Diet Soft Drinks May Increase Risk of Preterm Birth

THURSDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthDay News) -- The consumption of artificially sweetened soft drinks, both carbonated and noncarbonated, is associated with an increased risk for births occurring before 37 weeks' gestation, according to research published online June 30, ahead of the print issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

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Lifestyle Choices Affect Headache Frequency in Teens

THURSDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Low physical activity, smoking, and being overweight all significantly increase the odds of recurrent headache in adolescents, according to research published online Aug. 18 in Neurology.

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Early Palliative Care Beneficial in Metastatic Lung Cancer

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 18 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer, early palliative care is associated with longer survival and improvements in quality of life and mood, according to research published in the Aug. 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Steroid Doses in Tonsillectomy Compared for Bleeding Risk

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Giving the steroid dexamethasone to children undergoing tonsillectomy is not associated with a dose-dependent increased risk of postoperative hemorrhage, according to a review in the August issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery.

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Surgery in Developing Countries Has Low Mortality

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Operative mortality is generally low in surgical programs in resource-limited countries, according to a study in the August issue of the Archives of Surgery.

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Cancer Care Differs by Race, Language, and Health Status

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Patients' ratings and reports of care for lung or colorectal cancers differ significantly by language, health status, and race, with Asian and Pacific Islander patients and those in worse health reporting worse care experiences, according to research published online Aug. 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Prevalence of Hearing Loss Up in U.S. Adolescents

TUESDAY, Aug. 17 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of hearing loss in U.S. adolescents rose significantly between 1988 to 1994 and 2005 to 2006, and adolescents from impoverished households appear to be at higher risk of hearing loss, according to research published in the Aug. 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Simple Assessment Score May Predict Critical Care Needs

TUESDAY, Aug. 17 (HealthDay News) -- A prediction score based on out-of-hospital factors may be useful for stratifying non-trauma patients and predicting who will develop critical illness during hospitalization, according to research published in the Aug. 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Same-Day Discharge After PCI Safe for Some

TUESDAY, Aug. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Patients carefully selected for elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may be able to safely return home the same day as the procedure, according to research published in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions.

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Psoriasis Linked to Non-Light Beer and Mental Health Risks

TUESDAY, Aug. 17 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of psoriasis is increased for female non-light beer drinkers, and the skin condition in turn increases mental health risks, according to studies in the August issue of the Archives of Dermatology. Another study in the same issue found that narrowband ultraviolet-B (NB-UV-B) can increase serum vitamin D levels while clearing psoriasis.

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Lactobacillus Reuteri Is Safe, Effective for Colicky Infants

MONDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) appears to be a safe and effective treatment for infantile colic in breast-fed infants, and gut microbiota changes induced by this probiotic may play a role in symptom improvements, according to research published online Aug. 16 in Pediatrics.

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Mortality Lower for Hip Surgery Patients With Home Care

MONDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Most elderly patients who are discharged home after hemiarthroplasty do not receive home care, but those who do are 43 percent less likely to die within three months than those who are sent home without home care, according to research published online Aug. 16 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.

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Ella Emergency Contraceptive Approved

MONDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- The ella (ulipristal acetate) emergency contraceptive has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It's been available in Europe for more than a year under the brand name ellaOne.

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Racial Disparities Seen in Obesity Prevalence in Children

MONDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Among children in California, the prevalence of high body mass index (BMI) has declined among some groups, but ethnic/racial disparities exist, according to research published online Aug. 16 in Pediatrics.

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Fish, Fatty Acid Intake Tied to Lower Depression Risk in Boys

MONDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Higher levels of fish and fatty acid consumption may protect against adolescent depression in boys but not in girls, according to research published online Aug. 16 in Pediatrics.

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Shoulder Height Markings Aid in Car Seat Decisions

MONDAY, Aug. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Shoulder height markings on restraints significantly increase the odds of parents selecting an appropriately-sized child's car seat, according to research published online Aug. 16 in Pediatrics.

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FDA: Aseptic Meningitis Risk Related to Lamictal Use

FRIDAY, Aug. 13 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a drug safety communication to warn that the seizure and bipolar disorder medication Lamictal (lamotrigine) can cause aseptic meningitis. The FDA is revising the Warnings and Precautions section of the drug label as well as the patient Medication Guide to include this information.

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CDC: Expand Food Fortification to Prevent Birth Defects

FRIDAY, Aug. 13 (HealthDay News) -- New opportunities for folic acid fortification in foods may be highly effective in preventing neural tube defects (NTDs), as food fortification makes folic acid accessible to women of childbearing age in a safe, cost-effective manner, according to a report published in the Aug. 13 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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1,097 Foodborne Outbreaks Occurred in U.S. in 2007

FRIDAY, Aug. 13 (HealthDay News) -- In 2007, nearly 1,100 foodborne outbreaks were reported in the United States, resulting in 21,244 cases of illness and 18 deaths, according to data published in the Aug. 13 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Decline Seen in Peptic Ulcer Disease Hospitalizations

FRIDAY, Aug. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitalization rates for peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection have decreased substantially since 1998, according to an analysis in the September issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

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Screening, Eradication Curtail Post-Surgery Staph Infections

FRIDAY, Aug. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) colonization is more prevalent among orthopedic surgeons than a high-risk patient group, but an institution-wide prescreening program for detecting and eradicating methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant S. aureus among orthopedic surgery patients is feasible and can reduce surgical site infection rates, according to a pair of studies in the Aug. 4 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

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Cell Phones Offer New Tool in Infectious Disease Surveillance

THURSDAY, Aug. 12 (HealthDay News) -- A survey invitation sent to hundreds of thousands of cell phone subscribers in Mexico during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic demonstrates a new model for enlisting new technology for surveillance during outbreaks of infectious disease, according to a letter published in the September issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

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Most Useful Marfan Syndrome Diagnostic Criteria Identified

THURSDAY, Aug. 12 (HealthDay News) -- While features of Marfan syndrome can be found in the general population, clinicians should be alert for craniofacial, thumb and wrist, and other indicators that are highly specific to the condition, according to a study in the Aug. 4 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

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Specialist Retrieval Teams May Increase Pediatric Survival

THURSDAY, Aug. 12 (HealthDay News) -- The use of specialist retrieval teams to move children from one hospital to another with a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) may result in reduced mortality for those children, according to research published online Aug. 12 in The Lancet.

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Patients Prefer Tablet Over Chocolate for BP Control

THURSDAY, Aug. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Chocolate may be more effective than placebo at controlling blood pressure, but it seems patients would rather swallow a capsule than eat a chocolate bar, according to a letter published Aug. 10 in BMJ.

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Culturally Guided Diet Changes May Help Diabetes Prevention

THURSDAY, Aug. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Identification of dietary trends, such as levels of carbohydrate, protein, and fiber intake, in African-Americans without diabetes, with pre-diabetes, and with diabetes could potentially guide culturally-targeted diabetes prevention and treatment methods, according to research published in the Spring issue of Ethnicity & Disease.

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Antibiotic Use Rose With Better Drug Coverage After Part D

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- The use of antibiotics in older adults increased after their drug coverage improved with the implementation of the Medicare Part D drug benefit, and Part D has been linked to a drop in beneficiaries' out-of-pocket expenses on drugs, especially if they previously lacked drug coverage, according to research published in the Aug. 9/23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Some Adversity Exposure May Improve Back Pain Outcomes

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Among individuals with chronic back pain (CBP), those with some lifetime exposure to adverse events report less impairment and health care use than those with a high level of exposure to adverse events or no exposure to adversity, according to a study in the September issue of PAIN.

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Earlier Weaning of Preterm Infants From Incubator Is Safe

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Transitioning moderately preterm infants from incubators to open cribs when the infants weigh as little as 1,600 g is safe and associated with earlier hospital discharge, according to a study published online Aug. 9 in Pediatrics.

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Travel Linked to Spread of Antibiotic Resistance Gene

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- A gene that creates antibiotic resistance has been found to be widespread in Enterobacteriaceae of patients in India and Pakistan and in patients from the United Kingdom who have visited India or Pakistan for elective surgery; this could indicate an emerging public health threat, according to research published online Aug. 11 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

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Patients, Doctors Often Have Communication Discrepancies

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitalized patients and physicians may have differing beliefs regarding patients' knowledge and aspects of their care, suggesting a need for improved patient-physician communication, according to research published in the Aug. 9/23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Simplified Tool Assesses Death Risk in Pulmonary Embolism

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- A simplified version of the Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) has clinical utility and prognostic accuracy that is similar to those of the original index, according to a study published in the Aug. 9/23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Consumer Drug Information Shows Areas of Concern

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Consumer medication information (CMI) accompanying prescription drugs dispensed at retail pharmacies is often subject to concerns about format, comprehensibility, and excessive length, according to research published in the Aug. 9/23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Visits to ERs Increasing; Medicaid May Be Playing Role

TUESDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Rates of emergency department visits increased during a recent 10-year period, with findings suggesting that emergency departments are growing in importance as a safety net for adults with Medicaid and other underserved patients, according to research published in the Aug. 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Health Care-Linked MRSA Rate Shows Recent Decline

TUESDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- In a recent four-year period, rates of invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections declined in patients thought to have hospital-onset infections and those thought to have health care-associated infections that began in the community, according to research published in the Aug. 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Some Vena Cava Filters Prone to Fracture, Embolization

TUESDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- There is a high rate of fracture and embolization with potentially devastating sequelae associated with two types of Bard filters, according to research published online Aug. 9 in the Archives of Internal Medicine. In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is recommending that physicians in care of patients with retrievable inferior vena cava filters consider removing the filters as soon as protection from pulmonary embolism is no longer necessary.

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Warning System May Reduce Orders for Inappropriate Meds

TUESDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- The implementation of a computerized provider order entry (CPOE) drug warning system can reduce orders for potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in hospitalized older patients, according to a study published in the Aug. 9/23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Research Confirms Violence Linked to Shaking Infants

TUESDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Cases of infants referred for abusive head trauma (AHT) are usually, if not always, associated with extremely violent shaking, and shaking is repeated in more than half of cases, according to research published online Aug. 9 in Pediatrics.

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Non-White Breast Cancer Patients May Face Chemo Delay

TUESDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Most breast cancer patients receive adjuvant chemotherapy in a timely fashion, but African-American and Hispanic patients are more likely than white patients to experience delays to adjuvant chemotherapy in excess of 60 or 90 days, according to research published online Aug. 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Medication Compliance Three Months After Stroke Is Poor

TUESDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly one quarter of stroke patients discontinue at least one of their prescribed secondary prevention medications within three months after hospital discharge, leaving this group at higher risk of another stroke, according to research published online Aug. 9 in the Archives of Neurology.

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Upgraded Child Restraint Law Cuts Traffic Injury Rate

MONDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) -- After the implementation of a 2005 New York State law requiring 4- to 6-year-old children to use a booster seat or restraint system, traffic injuries in the age group fell by 18 percent, according to a study published online Aug. 9 in Pediatrics.

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Dry Pet Food May Be Contaminated With Salmonella

MONDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Household use of dry dog and cat food manufactured at a specific plant has been linked to illness among young children over a three-year period, demonstrating for the first time that dry pet food may be associated with Salmonella infection in humans, according to research published online Aug. 9 in Pediatrics.

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Menstrual Phase Linked to Tracheal Intubation Response

MONDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Menstrual cycle phase appears to influence the hemodynamic response to tracheal intubation (TI), according to research published in the August issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia.

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Strep Accounts for 37 Percent of Pharyngitis in Children

MONDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Group A Streptococcus (GAS) accounts for 37 percent of pediatric pharyngitis cases, though prevalence varies by age, and clinical scoring systems could reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing for non-GAS pharyngitis in low-resource settings, according to research published online Aug. 9 in Pediatrics.

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Few Procedures Account for Most Ortho Adverse Events

MONDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Most adverse events that occur within 30 days after orthopedic surgery arise from a small number of procedures, according to research published in the Aug. 4 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

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Nurse Liaisons Smooth Perioperative Experience

FRIDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Perioperative nurse liaisons for family members of patients undergoing surgical procedures may help family members manage stress and view the process in a more positive light, according to an article in the August issue of the AORN Journal.

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Fractures Comprise Sizable Portion of HS Sports Injuries

FRIDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Fractures are a common type of injury among high school athletes, with potentially serious repercussions for the students and their families, according to research published in the July issue of the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine.

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Two Surveillance Systems in Haiti Monitor Disease Trends

FRIDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Two national surveillance systems established in Haiti after the magnitude-7.0 earthquake on Jan. 12 aim to enable government and community organizations to better monitor disease trends and coordinate relief efforts, according to two reports published in the Aug. 6 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Podiatric Care Reduces Amputation Risk in Diabetes

FRIDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Foot amputation or hospitalization resulting from foot ulcers in diabetes patients can be prevented or delayed with timely care from a podiatrist, and increased podiatry use by diabetes patients may result in substantial health care cost savings, according to research presented at the annual scientific meeting of the American Podiatric Medical Association, held from July 15 to 18 in Seattle.

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Specific Factors Sway Nurses' Smoke Evacuation Compliance

FRIDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Perioperative nurses' adherence to surgical smoke evacuation recommendations tends to be inconsistent, and key factors influencing levels of compliance are identified in research published in the August issue of the AORN Journal.

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Study Supports Early Second Pregnancy After Miscarriage

FRIDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Women who have a miscarriage in their first pregnancy and get pregnant again within six months have better odds of a successful second pregnancy than with a longer interpregnancy interval, according to a study published Aug. 5 in BMJ.

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Prayer Approach Positively Affects Hearing, Vision Impaired

FRIDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Proximal intercessory prayer (PIP), a complementary and alternative medicine approach, may improve auditory and visual function in patients with impaired hearing and vision, according to a study published online Aug. 3 in the Southern Medical Journal.

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Cost to Train Personnel in Sterile Processing Has Doubled

FRIDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Since 1998, the cost required to train sterile processing personnel to a competent level has increased substantially, according to research published in the August issue of the AORN Journal.

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ASA Survey Finds Exaggerated Anxiety About Anesthesia

THURSDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- As many as one in four patients might postpone surgery because of anxiety about anesthesia, according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) "Vital Health Report," a survey of the attitudes and beliefs the general public has about anesthesia.

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Sponges Do Not Prevent Surgical-Site Infections

THURSDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- The use of gentamicin-collagen sponges in patients undergoing colorectal surgery is not an effective method for preventing surgical-site infection, and even appears to increase the risk of infection, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Smoking Tied to Increased Risk for Breast Abscesses

THURSDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of developing primary or recurring breast abscesses increases with smoking, and subareolar breast abscesses may be associated with nipple piercing, according to research published in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

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Aerobic Training for Asthma Shows Psychosocial Benefits

THURSDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- In adults with asthma, an aerobic training program may reduce anxiety, depression, and asthma symptoms and improve health-related quality of life, according to research published in the August issue of Chest.

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Grand Multiparity Associated With Diabetes

THURSDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Grand multiparity (giving birth to five or more children)is associated with diabetes in elderly women, but the relationship may be mediated by sociodemographic factors, according to research published in the August issue of Diabetes Care.

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Diabetes Education for PCPs Improves Disease Management

THURSDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Diabetes patients from clinics where primary care physicians (PCPs) participate in a program of computer-based diabetes case studies improve glucose control better than patients from clinics where PCPs do not undergo the learning intervention, according to a study in the August issue of Diabetes Care.

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Antiepileptics Don't Raise Risk of Suicide in Epilepsy Patients

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Use of antiepileptic drugs isn't linked to a higher risk of suicide-related events in patients with epilepsy, but it is linked to higher risk in patients with depression and those without epilepsy, depression, or bipolar disorder, according to research published in the Aug. 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Rural Collaborative Depression Care May Not be Cost-Effective

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Rural clinic-based collaborative interventions for depression delivered via telemedicine are more costly in terms of quality-adjusted life year (QALY) ratios than similar programs delivering collaborative depression care in urban areas, according to research published in the August issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

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Quality-Adjusted Life Years Lost Due to Obesity Swells

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4 (HealthDay News) -- The quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost among U.S. adults as the result of obesity more than doubled from 1993 to 2008, a period during which the nation's obesity prevalence increased by 89.9 percent, according to a report published online Aug. 3 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

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Supportive Intervention May Help Maltreated Foster Children

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Participation in a mentoring and skills group program may have a positive impact on the mental health and quality of life of maltreated children placed in foster care, according to research published in the August issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

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U.S. Obesity Prevalence Among Adults Increased in 2009

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4 (HealthDay News) -- In 2009, no U.S. state met the Healthy People 2010 adult obesity prevalence target of 15 percent, and the number of states with an obesity prevalence ≥30 increased from zero in 2000 to nine in 2009, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vital Signs report published Aug. 3 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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B Vitamins Do Not Prevent Vascular Events After Stroke

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Supplementation with folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 is safe but does not appear to reduce the incidence of major vascular events in patients who have experienced a recent stroke or transient ischemic attack, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in The Lancet Neurology.

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ER Intervention Addresses Aggression, Alcohol in Teens

TUESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Among adolescents seen in the emergency department and reporting recent alcohol use and aggression, a brief intervention may reduce both aggression and alcohol consequences, according to research published in the Aug. 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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FDA: Nimodipine Should Never Be Administered Intravenously

TUESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reminding health care professionals that nimodipine should never be administered intravenously but only given by mouth or through a feeding or nasogastric tube, as intravenous administration may lead to cardiac arrest, severe decreases in blood pressure, other cardiac adverse events, or death.

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Fruit-Flavored Rehydration Solutions Preferred by Children

TUESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Children appear to have a preference for fruit-flavored, sucralose-sweetened oral rehydration solutions over rice-based solutions, according to research published in the August issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

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Nurse Anesthetists Give Safe Care Without Supervision

TUESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Certified registered nurse anesthetists providing anesthesia services without supervision by a physician do not put patients at increased risk of death or complications, according to research published in the August issue of Health Affairs.

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Industry-Funded Clinical Trials Yield More Positive Outcomes

TUESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Drug clinical trials supported by industry are more likely to produce favorable results than trials supported by government or nonprofit/nonfederal organizations, and they are less likely to be published within two years of the study being completed, according to research published in the Aug. 3 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Diet Appears to Influence Gut Bacteria Types

TUESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Gut bacteria may be different in children who eat a high-fiber, vegetation-based diet than in those who consume a typically Western, high-fat, high-sugar, low-fiber diet, and the bacteria may play a role in vulnerability to obesity and allergies, according to research published online Aug. 2 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Deodorant Sprays Can Damage Skin When Used Incorrectly

TUESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Deodorant sprays can cause skin-damaging cold burns if improperly applied, according to a case report published online Aug. 10 in Pediatrics.

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Pediatric Injuries From Household Products Declining

MONDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- The number of annual household cleaning product-related injuries in children treated in U.S. emergency departments decreased nearly 50 percent between 1990 and 2006, though the overall number of injuries remains high, according to research published online Aug. 2 in Pediatrics.

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FDA Issues Label Change for Afluria Influenza Vaccine

MONDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has updated the Warnings and Precautions sections of the Prescribing Information for the influenza virus vaccine Afluria, as the vaccine has been associated with an increased incidence of fever and febrile seizure in children younger than 5 years of age in Australia.

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Most Pediatricians, Family Doctors Offering HPV Vaccine

MONDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly all pediatricians and most family physicians were offering human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine by 18 months after licensure, though fewer strongly recommend the vaccine for 11- and 12-year-olds than for 13- to 15-year-olds, according to research published online Aug. 2 in Pediatrics.

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Peers May Strongly Influence Breast-Feeding Duration

MONDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Attendance at groups for first-time parents where peers breast-feed infants of a similar age appears to strongly influence whether mothers continue breast-feeding to six months, according to research published online Aug. 2 in Pediatrics.

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