Friday Roundup

Here is a listing of articles published in the last 7-10 days that may be of interest:

Health
1. Dietary supplements risky for older women, study finds; Los Angeles Times, October 10, 2011
Brief Introduction: In an analysis of about 39,000 women tracked over 19 years, researchers led by a team at the University of Minnesota found that those who took multivitamins, vitamin B6, folic acid, magnesium, zinc, copper and especially iron died at higher rates during the course of the study than those who did not take supplements.

2. Physicians treating Latinos have high hurdles to jump, study shows; UCLA, October 10, 2011
Brief Introduction: Research out of UCLA and the City University of New York has found that primary care physicians who treat Latinos are less likely than physicians treating primarily white patients to believe they can provide high-quality care. Among the reasons: inadequate time with patients, patients' lack of ability to afford care, patients not adhering to recommended treatments, and difficulties in communicating.

Education
1. Proposal stirs charter school debate: choice vs. quality?; Detroit Free Press, October 11,2011
Brief Introduction: A legislative proposal to lift the state cap on charter schools would provide parents unprecedented options for K-12 education, but some critics fear it would litter the state with ineffective, profit-minded operators.

2. DPS special ed program gains; Detroit Free Press, October 7, 2011
Brief Introduction: It took two years of state pressure and the threat of losing millions in funding, but Detroit Public Schools has reformed its special education evaluation system to comply with state and federal laws. As a result, more of the 12,000 disabled students across the district are getting more time in regular classrooms, a goal shared by state education officials.

Race
1. Downsides of cancer rarely seen in black media; Reuters, October 5, 2011
Brief Introduction: Since people often get medical information from the media, Fishman and her colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia looked at whether there might be racial differences in how the media cover cancer care.

2. Hopkins researchers find place, rather than race, may be greater determinant of health; Stanford.edu, October 6, 2011
Brief Introduction: Of all the variables that contribute to health disparities, where patients live may be more significant than their race, according to findings published in the latest issue of Health Affairs.