Thousands of HIV-positive women give birth every year. Further, because many pregnant women are not tested for HIV and therefore do not receive treatment, the number of children born with HIV is still unacceptably high. What can we do to eliminate this tragic and costly inheritance? In response to a congressional request, this book evaluates the extent to which state efforts have been effective in reducing the perinatal transmission of HIV. The committee recommends that testing HIV be a routine part of prenatal care, and that health care providers notify women that HIV testing is part of the usual array of prenatal tests and that they have an opportunity to refuse the HIV test. This approach could help both reduce the number of pediatric AIDS cases and improve treatment for mothers with AIDS. Reducing the Odds will be of special interest to federal, state, and local health policymakers, prenatal care providers, maternal and child health specialists, public health practitioners, and advocates for HIV/AIDS patients. January

GAIN CLINICAL EXPERIENCE BY LEARNING SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT HEALTH SCREENING TECHNIQUES FOR ASPIRING HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, FROM TAKING BLOOD PRESSURE TO USING A ONE-LEAD EKG Here's why this is the ultimate basic health screening book: More than 10 must-know concepts for health screening success Over 12 health screening techniques Journal & reflection questions Learning and training tips Reference Charts Rapid Review ...and more!

An exposé on Big Pharma and the American healthcare system’s zeal for excessive medical testing, from a nationally recognized expert More screening doesn’t lead to better health—but can turn healthy people into patients. Going against the conventional wisdom reinforced by the medical establishment and Big Pharma that more screening is the best preventative medicine, Dr. Gilbert Welch builds a compelling counterargument that what we need are fewer, not more, diagnoses. Documenting the excesses of American medical practice that labels far too many of us as sick, Welch examines the social, ethical, and economic ramifications of a health-care system that unnecessarily diagnoses and treats patients, most of whom will not benefit from treatment, might be harmed by it, and would arguably be better off without screening. Drawing on 25 years of medical practice and research on the effects of medical testing, Welch explains in a straightforward, jargon-free style how the cutoffs for treating a person with “abnormal” test results have been drastically lowered just when technological advances have allowed us to see more and more “abnormalities,” many of which will pose fewer health complications than the procedures that ostensibly cure them. Citing studies that show that 10% of 2,000 healthy people were found to have had silent strokes, and that well over half of men over age sixty have traces of prostate cancer but no impairment, Welch reveals overdiagnosis to be rampant for numerous conditions and diseases, including diabetes, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, gallstones, abdominal aortic aneuryisms, blood clots, as well as skin, prostate, breast, and lung cancers. With genetic and prenatal screening now common, patients are being diagnosed not with disease but with “pre-disease” or for being at “high risk” of developing disease. Revealing the economic and medical forces that contribute to overdiagnosis, Welch makes a reasoned call for change that would save us from countless unneeded surgeries, excessive worry, and exorbitant costs, all while maintaining a balanced view of both the potential benefits and harms of diagnosis. Drawing on data, clinical studies, and anecdotes from his own practice, Welch builds a solid, accessible case against the belief that more screening always improves health care.

Screening for Good Health is a practical guide to help you make sense of the hundreds of health messages that we are bombarded with each year. Whether or not there is a family history of a particular illness, screening and immunisation are smart, simple steps anyone can take to counter preventable diseases. Prepared by experts in their field, Screening for Good Health gives an overview of the stages in life, the screening tests and immunisations that are relevant to each age bracket, and the importance of your own record-keeping. An alphabetical listing covers every illness from Alzheimer’s Disease through to Osteoporosis to Tuberculosis. For each preventable illness, the entry provides up-to-date information on: - its symptoms - risk factors - disease progression - protective lifestyle choices an individual may consider - the screening tests available - the health services at your disposal, and - the treatment available. Also included is a comprehensive travel health section, with a convenient checklist covering all aspects of health protection during travel, and a first-aid guide.

This innovative introduction to patient encounters utilizes an evidence-based step-by-step process that teaches students how to evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients based on the clinical complaints they present. By applying this approach, students are able to make appropriate judgments about specific diseases and prescribe the most effective therapy. (Product description).

Every day we make decisions about our health - some big and some small. What we eat, how we live and even where we live can affect our health. But how can we be sure that the advice we are given about these important matters is right for us? This book will provide you with the right tools for assessing health advice.

Learn the compelling reasons for pre-exercise screening and how to easily apply effective screening guidelines in your program. The Pre-Exercise Health Screening Guide provides detailed explanations of common risk factors and how they are addressed by the current ACSM screening system. The publication takes you through each step of the screening process, explaining the rationale underlying each stage of effective pre-exercise screening. You'll also learn how to identify clients who have medical conditions that increase risk during exercise or exercise testing. The Pre-Exercise Health Screening Guide features useful reference and professional tools including: - Sample letters and reports, making it easy to share information with clients, testing facilities, and physicians - A comprehensive pre-exercise screening questionnaire - Practice exercises offering an effective method to hone your skills in applying the ACSM screening system - A pharmacopoeia identifying the common actions of over-the- counter and frequently prescribed drugs that may affect pre- exercise screening decisions The Pre-Exercise Health Screening Guide will ensure efficient and effective pre-exercise screening by clarifying the process for you. You'll know when referrals for additional assessments are warranted, improving the quality of services you offer and decreasing your risk for liability. The guide was developed by Tim Olds, PhD, and Kevin Norton, PhD, of the University of South Australia, creators of HealthScreen. There's no better way to quickly learn the reasons for pre-exercise screening and how to apply them than with this valuable reference.