Friday Roundup

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

Health
1. Cancer screenings in U.S. lags goals, ethnic disparities revealed; Los Angeles Times, January 27, 2012
Brief Introduction: Researchers with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday that percentages of Americans receiving recommended screenings for breast cancer, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer in 2010 did not reach targets -- with racial and ethnic populations lagging noticeably behind.

2. CDC: Home births rise nearly 30 percent in U.S.; USA Today, January 26, 2012
Brief Introduction: Births taking place outside of the traditional hospital setting increased 29 percent between 2004 and 2009, from 0.56 percent of all births to 0.72 percent — almost 30,000 births — according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Education
1. Michigan kindergarten funding requires full day; Detroitnews.com, January 30, 2012
Brief Introduction: In September, public schools must offer all-day kindergarten to receive full funding for each kindergarten pupil, under rules approved last year by the Legislature. Districts still can offer half-day programs but will lose half of their per-pupil funding for each student. That's a costly proposition for most districts, which get an average of $7,810 in state aid for each child and are battered by repeated cuts in state aid.

2. Michigan to host first ever Digital Learning Day Wednesday; Mlive.com, January 30, 2012
Brief Introduction: The state Department of Education is participating in a national campaign designed to celebrate innovative teaching and highlight practices that make learning more engaging for students. The department, in partnership with the Alliance for Excellent Education, announced Monday it would be a state host for the first-ever Digital Learning Day campaign on Wednesday, kicking off Michigan’s “Year of the Digital Learner.

Race
1. Segregation of blacks at record low, think tank report says; Los Angeles Times, January 30, 2012
Brief Introduction: Segregation of African Americans in the United States has declined to its lowest point in more than a century, but social and income disparities persist, according to a Manhattan Institute report released Monday. The report, coming days before the nation prepares to observe Black History Month, tracks how housing has changed over time. It was written by two fellows of the conservative think tank: Harvard University economics professor Edward Glaeser and Duke University professor Jacob Vigdor.

2. Telenovelas provide platform for public health messages; PBS.org, January 25, 2012
Brief Introduction: On the Los Angeles set of "Encrucijada: Sin Salud No Hay Nada," the title says it all: "Crossroads: Without Health, There Is Nothing." Like most storylines in this emerging brand of Spanish-language soap opera, or telenovela, Alicia's dramatic past and harrowing future are intertwined with more basic things, like the importance of visiting the doctor regularly, catching cancer in its early stages and planning for end-of-life care. Last year's pilot season tackled everything from diabetes to melanoma to dental care -- with each storyline crafted to deliver public health messages to a notoriously difficult-to-reach audience.