Pre-chewed food for infants may increase HIV transmission in Africa

A new study from South Africa noted that two-thirds of mothers and other caregivers pre-chew food for infants, which can place the baby at risk for HIV. Of the caregivers interviewed, they said they did it to test the food's taste or temperature or to make it into a consistency that was easier for the baby to eat. Researchers believed that most probably didn't know the possible risks involved.

Friday Roundup

Here is a listing of articles of interest that have been published within the last 7-10 days:

Health

1. Walgreens, U.S. join to offer flu shot vouchers to uninsured, Los Angeles Times, Dec. 17, 2010:

Brief Intro: "The Obama administration and Walgreens on Friday announced a partnership to provide free flu shot vouchers to 350,000 uninsured Americans and others with inadequate health benefits."

2. Depression during pregnancy might affect baby, HealthDay, Dec. 14, 2010:

Brief Intro:"Babies born to mothers who are depressed during pregnancy have higher levels of stress hormones, decreased muscle tone and other neurological and behavioral differences, a new study finds."

3. Thousands on HIV drugs desperate amid budget woes, Associated Press, Dec. 16, 2010:

Brief Intro: Cash-strapped states are cutting back on a program that provides free medicine to people with HIV, leaving thousands of patients to wonder where their drugs will come from and stirring fears of a return to the days..."

Education

1. Unease grows about future of financing for Pell grants, NYT.com, Dec. 17, 2010:

Brief Intro:"With the lame-duck Congress winding down and a $5.7 billion gap in financing looming for next year’s Pell grants — and a further $8 billion gap for the following year — there is growing uncertainty about the future of the grants, the nation’s most significant financial-aid program for college students."

2. Los Angeles schools to seek sponsors, NYT.com, Dec. 15, 2010:

Brief Intro:"Facing another potential round of huge budget cuts, the Los Angeles school board unanimously approved a plan on Tuesday night to allow the district to seek corporate sponsorships as a way to get money to the schools.

The district is not the first to look for private dollars as a way to close public budget gaps — districts in Sheboygan, Wis., and Midland, Tex., for example, have offered up naming rights for their stadiums for years. But the Los Angeles school district is by far the largest to do so, and officials say the plan could generate as much as $18 million for the schools."

The role of incentives to change unhealthy behavior

Today, Newsweek published an article that takes a look at the role of health incentives meant to change behavior. The article describes research that was released at this week's International AIDS conference that shows that cash payouts made to young women in South Africa has been successful in deterring the spread of HIV.

Would a similar strategy of financial rewards help those in the U.S. engaging in unhealthful behaviors change their ways? Programs are being made use of by companies trying to reign in out of control healthcare costs. But do these programs provide meaningful gains in the long-run? One small study points out that while participants were enrolled in a program that provided financial incentives as well as lifestyle counseling, the average participant lost between 13-14 pounds while participants in another group that only received counseling lost almost 4 pounds. But for participants in both groups, the weight returned once the program was over.