Health Highlights: June 5, 2009

June 5, 2009 RSS Feed Print

Susan Boyle Leaves Mental Health Clinic
Puerto Rico Has High HIV Infection Rate: Study
Big Differences Among States in Drug Abuse, Mental Illness: Report
EPA Investigating Safety of Rubber Playgrounds, Sports Fields

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

Susan Boyle Leaves Mental Health Clinic

Susan Boyle, the British talent-show sensation, has left a London mental health clinic and is feeling better, according to her brother, the Associated Press reported.

Boyle, a frumpy-looking 47-year-old, won worldwide attention after her blockbuster performance on the television show "Britain's Got Talent."

Last week, after finishing a surprise second to a dance group, she collapsed and was whisked to the Priory Clinic. News reports said Boyle, a humble church volunteer who was living a quiet life in Scotland until six weeks ago, had cried for 24 hours following her defeat.

Her brother, Gerry Boyle, said his sister suffered an anxiety attack but now seems "a lot more like herself," the AP report said.

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Puerto Rico Has High HIV Infection Rate: Study

In 2006, the rate of new HIV infections in Puerto Rico was 45 per 100,000 people, two times higher than in the 50 states and Washington, D.C., according to a study published Thursday.

Injection drug use was the primary cause of transmission among the 1,440 people in Puerto Rico newly infected with HIV in 2006. The infection rate was 2.1 times higher among males than females. People ages 30-39 had the highest rates of infection, said researchers from the Puerto Rico Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the 50 states and Washington, D.C., most new HIV infections occur among gay and bisexual men and among younger adults. The differences noted in Puerto Rico highlight the need to tailor HIV-prevention efforts to meet local needs, the researchers said.

The study appears in the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published by the CDC.

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Big Differences Among States in Drug Abuse, Mental Illness: Report

Levels of substance abuse and mental illness vary widely among states, according to a U.S. government analysis.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration examined interviews with 135,672 people in 2006 and 2007. Among the findings:

The highest rate of marijuana use among those 12 and older was in Vermont (2.5 percent) and the lowest was in Utah (1.6 percent).
The highest rate of cocaine use among those 12 and older was in the District of Columbia (5.1 percent) and the lowest rate was in Mississippi (1.6 percent).
The highest rate of underage drinking was in North Dakota (40 percent) and the lowest was in Utah (17.3 percent).
The rate of people 18 and older who had experienced major depression in the past year was highest in Tennessee (9.8 percent) and lowest in Hawaii (5 percent).
In Iowa, the rate of current illicit drug use among those 12 and older was 5.2 percent, compared to 12.5 percent in Rhode Island. However, Iowa had one of the highest rates of people reporting alcohol dependence or abuse in the past year (9.2 percent).

"This report shows that while every state faces its own unique pattern of public health problems, these problems confront every state," Dr. Eric Broderick, acting administrator of SAMHSA, said in a news release. "By highlighting the exact nature and scope of the problems in each state, we can help state public health authorities better determine the most effective ways of addressing them."

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EPA Investigating Safety of Rubber Playgrounds, Sports Fields

Concerns about the possible health effects of sports fields and playgrounds made from ground-up tires prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a study of air and surface samples at four fields and playgrounds with recycled-rubber surfaces.

Government documents say the study began last year, and the results are expected within weeks, the Associated Press reported.

The EPA launched the limited study at the urging of some of its own scientists, who said there were gaps in scientific knowledge about how repeated exposure to bits of shredded tires might affect children's health.

"From everything I've been able to see, I'm not sure there's an imminent hazard, but it's something we're investigating," Michael Firestone, EPA's head of children's health protection, told the AP. "It's critical to take a look at all the data together."

Communities across the country have expressed concerns about children touching, swallowing or inhaling lead, metals and chemicals like benzene and zinc from artificial fields and play areas.

Results of a New York state study released last week found no significant health or environmental concerns about leaching and breathable air above the artificial sports fields, the AP said. Other local studies examining artificial grass or tire-crumb play areas have reached similar conclusions. Several have recommended more research, the AP said.

But New York City has announced its new sports fields no longer will use tire crumbs.

The EPA's limited study won't be definitive, but, along with studies in New Jersey, California, Connecticut and New York, it could help determine whether more research is needed, the AP said.

The ground covering under the Obama family's new play set at the White House is made of ground-up tire mulch, which was recommended by the National Recreation and Park Association.