Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.health From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: health Fri, Jun 26 1992 Date: Fri, 26 Jun 92 05:19:54 EDT Message-ID: 06-26 0000 DECISIONLINE: Health USA TODAY Update June 26-28, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network STATE OF USA'S HEALTH REPORTED: Overall life expectancy in the USA is at an all time high, 75.3 years, and infant mortality is down to only 8.9 deaths per 1,000 live births a year, says Health, United States, 1991 and Prevention Profile. The report, out Thursday, says life expectancy for black men has declined steadily since 1984 and is now only 64.8 years, says Diane Macuk, of the National Center for Health Statistics. (For more, see special USA package below.) AIDS EFFORTS CRITICIZED: The Bush administration plans nothing new to combat AIDS, the National Commission on AIDS charged Thursday. The group adds that governmental measure so far "fall tragically short of what is needed." Members criticized the administration after what they said was a fruitless meeting Wednesday night with Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sullivan. SULLIVAN DEFENDS AIDS RECORD: Criticism of the Bush administration's AIDS-fighting efforts by by the National Commission on AIDS totally misrepresents the facts, says Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sulivan. "AIDS continues to be one of the highest public health priorities," Sullivan added. Sullivan met with the panel eight months after it submitted a 165-page AIDS action plan. VETO SLOWS CANCER REGISTRY: A national cancer registry's progress was slowed after the House failed Wednesday to override a presidential veto. President Bush rejected the National Institutes of Health reauthorization bill that would have lifted a fetal tissue research ban. The bill would have also provided money to help states establish cancer-tracking systems and given research funds to states with high cancer rates. INTERNATIONAL AIDS EXPERTS MEET: Women in Third World countries are at a high risk of becoming HIV-infected because of their low status, international experts said Wednesday at the first Congressional Forum on the HIV:AIDS Pandemic. They told congressional leaders that women in developing countries have so little stature they can't refuse sex or even discuss using condoms to protect themselves. ILL. APPROVES NOTIFICATION BILL: The Illinois Senate approved an AIDS-notification bill Wednesday that would allow doctors of minors who test positive for HIV to notify parents without the consent of the youth. The bill will discourage teens from seeking tests and medical treatment for AIDS, critics charge. MD. BANS SMOKING IN SCHOOLS: The Maryland Board of Education has voted to ban smoking on school property during school hours. The ban should have been negotiated by teachers unions and school boards, says teachers unions, who plan to fight the ban. N.Y.C. PASSES AIDS EDUCATION: New York City public school students in grades K-6 will be provided AIDS education under the curriculum approved by the Board of Education Thursday, ending 4 years of debate. Abstinence will be emphasized as the best way to prevent AIDS. TB TESTS TO ACCOMPANY ARRESTS: A New York City task force studying the spread of tuberculosis has recommended that people arrested be subject to TB tests. The task force's proposal was spurred by figures showing that 15%-25% of the 120,000 people in correctional facilities are positive for a skin test showing TB virus infection. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON USA: BLACK DEATH RATES STILL HIGH: Although the infant mortality rate for black babies declined slightly during the 1980s, it remains more than twice as high as the rate for whites - 18.6 per 1,000 live births, according to report out Thursday. Progress was made on two-thirds of the goals the government set in 1979, the report says. Improvements: Infant and childhood mortality rates, fitness and smoking rates. SEATBELT CAMPAIGN PRAISED: Successful campaigns to promote seatbelt use helped lower childhood mortality by 23% during the 1980s. However, homicide rates jumped 79% in black males ages 15-24. AIDS also caused a rise in death rates among young blacks. The report shows HIV death rates are three times higher in black men than in white men and nine times higher in black women than in white women. (End of package.) Health Editor: Christopher Goldthwaite. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM