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, Jul 10 1992 Date: Fri, 10 Jul 92 05:13:31 EDT Message-ID: 07-10 0000 DECISIONLINE: Health USA TODAY Update July 10-12, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network CARING FOR ELDERLY TOP ISSUE: By one estimate, roughly one of four American workers is providing some care for an older adult on top of earning a paycheck and meeting other family responsibilities. A growing number of U.S. businesses - and to some extent federal and state officials - are looking for ways to meet the needs of workers and their aging relatives. (For more, see special Elderly package below.) TEENS SMOKE WITH EASE: Local and state public health agencies aren't doing a good enough job of enforcing laws prohibiting cigarette sales to minors, according to a Centers for Disease Control survey of teens. Seventy-five percent of minors surveyed, who smoke regularly, buy their own cigarettes - usually at convenience stores, gas stations or grocery stores. BUSH GETS NO CONFIDENCE VOTE: Apparently many people don't think the presidential candidates would do a good job of fighting AIDS. Only 6% of adults in a new Roper poll think George Bush would do a good job fighting the disease. Bill Clinton and Ross Perot didn't fare much better. They got votes of confidence from 8% and 9%, respectively. DEVICE MAKERS TRY TO GET OVER: Makers of medical devices failed to report or reported late more than 1,000 problems with their products between July 1988 and August 1991, says a consumer health group. Ten people died and 140 were seriously injured by devices such as heart defibrillators and cardiac catheters, according to Public Citizen. MEN PREOCCUPIED WITH BALDNESS: More than 80% of men who have extensive hair loss admit being preoccupied with baldness and wish they had more hair, according to a recent survey by researchers at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. About half who had moderate hair loss said they were similarly preoccupied. SOME BALDING MEN GROW BEARDS: Men who admitted being preoccupied with baldness in a new survey said they frequently glanced in mirrors and noticed men with similar hair loss. They also admitted being envious of men with more hair. Almost 80% acknowledged being teased. Many reacted by growing a mustache or beard, trying new hairstyles, working out or dressing better. Some said they wore hats or caps. STATE ISSUES HAZARD ALERT: State Health Director Molly Joel Coye, M.D., M.P.H., issued a Hazard Alert Thursday to warn that hexavalent chromium, a chemical widely used in California workplaces, presents an extremely high risk of lung cancer to workers. Workplace exposures in California occur mainly among chrome platers, painters, paint manufacturers, and welders who may inhale chromium dust, mist, or fumes. TRANSPLANT ATHLETES COMPETE: The biannual U.S. Transplant Games, July 16-19, in Los Angeles, will draw nearly 1,000 athletes competing in 10 sports. All have received an organ transplant. Competitors include a three-year-old bicyclist and heart recipient and a 72-year-old kidney recipient entered in the golf event. The games are to highlight the need for more organ donors. Call 1-800-622-9010 for more information. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON ELDERLY: COMPANIES SEE ELDERLY NEED: Just as businesses reacted to the child care-needs of employees through the 1980s, corporate America is beginning to address the issue of elder care, experts say. "In the last six years there has been a growing recognition among employers that employees have care-giving responsibilities for older adults," said Robert Levin, director of the National Eldercare Institute on Business and Aging. DIFFERENT PROGRAMS OFFERED: Companies are responding to the needs of the elderly through a variety of programs. Examples: A Michigan furniture company will pay for a geriatric nurse to assess the needs of an employee's parent; and a bank in Hawaii and an insurance company in Connecticut are reimbursing - to some degree - employees' out-of-pocket expenses to care for an older relative. MANY OPTIONS OFFERED: Expanded leave policies, flexible work schedules, job sharing, part-time work options and alternative job redesign are options that an increasing number of companies are adopting. Despite the efforts of corporate America to address the elder care issue, more needs to be done, experts say. President Bush recently vetoed just such a "family leave" bill. (End of package.) Health Editor: Michele Coleman. (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