Michael Hiltzik says the medically uninsured iin America have become a political football. Opponents and supporters of healthcare reform toss assertions about them back and forth.
The report, which says 46.3 million people lacked coverage as of the end of 2008, makes the case for reform stronger than ever by punching holes in arguments that minimize the plight of the uninsured.
Includes comments by WUSTL social work and public health professor Timothy McBride.

References:

1. Sept. 17, 2009 — U.S. Census Bureau data on the medically uninsured simply can't be denied in the Los Angeles Times

In the last decade, there's been a boom in children running races that were once strictly for adults. Getting kids outside and active is obviously a good thing. But are the physical and mental demands of long-distance running safe for children? At what age is competition appropriate, and what do parents need to keep in mind? WUSTL pediatric sports medicine specialist Mark Halstead, who has been a distance runner for most of his adult life, offers advice.

References:

1. Aug. 30, 2009 — Girls Gotta Move in the Health.com

"There are a lot of mixed messages that are being sent to families," says pediatrician Rachel Moon, who has probed several widely read parenting and women's magazines and found that many photos in articles and advertisements clash with what the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents do to keep infants safe while asleep.
WUSTL pediatrics professor Bradley Thach comments.

References:

1. Aug. 17, 2009 — What's Wrong With This Picture? Baby Is in Danger in the U.S. News & World Report online

A child psychologist at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, treats tiny babies who have "flat affect" -- no joy in the things that a baby would normally delight in. Refrence made to a WUSTL study on childhood depression [led by WUSTL psychiatry professor Joan Luby].

References:

1. Aug. 4, 2009 — Can Toddlers Get Depressed? Yes, and Parents Can Help Them Feel Better in the U.S. News & World Report online

While a number of studies in recent years have found toddlers -- and even babies -- can suffer from major depressive disorder, doctors have debated whether preschool depression was an isolated blip in a child's development or a sign of future problems. According to a new WUSTL study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, preschoolers can suffer from major depression, and those children are likely to face depression again in elementary school.

References:

1. Aug. 3, 2009 — Toddler Depression -- Real or a Phase? in the ABCNews.com

The Princeton Review -- an education services company that helps students choose and get in to colleges -- this year collected a wealth of data to help applicants and parents find the highly-coveted financial aid that a majority of them will need to pay for college. WUSTL was among 13 of which received the highest possible score of 99.

References:

1. July 27, 2009 — The Princeton Review gives 623 colleges financial aid ratings in the The Princeton Review

Today, more than 85 percent of the babies born alive in this country each year are assessed by electronic fetal monitoring, amid continuing controversy over whether it does more harm than good. New guidelines on fetal monitoring, published this month, aim to bring more consistency to how doctors interpret the results and act on them. WUSTL ob-gyn professor George Macones comments.

References:

1. July 7, 2009 — Updating a Standard: Fetal Monitoring in the The New York Times

and 1 others.

Americans say they're still in a tunnel, but more are beginning to see a light at its end. Fewer people say they've prospered over the past year than in decades, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds. WUSTL social work professor Mark Rank comments on the 'American Dream.'

References:

1. June 23, 2009 — Despite everything . . . Americans are seeing better times ahead in the USA Today

and 2 others.

Parents' eating habits don't seem to influence their children's food choices as much as experts have thought, new research suggests. The findings suggest that other factors, such as peer influence and television viewing, may be more powerful influences. The results are something of a surprise, said Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at WUSTL and past president of the American Dietetic Association.

References:

1. June 5, 2009 — Parental Eating Habits Don't Rub Off on Kids in the U.S. News & World Report online

and 10 others.

Matthew Herper reports on the controversy surrounding the FDA and its policy for approving new schizophrenia drugs. Includes comments by WUSTL psychiatry professor John Newcomer.

References:

1. May 8, 2009 — Is The FDA Easing Up? in the Forbes

U.S. researchers suggest autism diagnoses are not occurring soon enough. WUSTL social work professor and study lead author Paul Shattuck comments.

References:

1. May 5, 2009 — Autism diagnosis may occur years late in the United Press International

and 4 others.

When it comes to swine flu, Obama is trying to strike the right balance between protecting public and economic health. That's resulted in some doublespeak and spin, evidence of the inextricable ties between a looming epidemic and a listing economy. Includes comments by WUSTL American culture studies director Wayne Fields, who is an expert on presidential rhetoric.

References:

1. May 2, 2009 — Flu control tests Obama balancing skills in the Associated Press

and 47 others.

Consumer behavior and psychological research has found all sorts of counterintuitive lessons about how we shop. So it's not surprising that a forthcoming study in the Journal of Consumer Research shatters some myths about materialism. Includes comments by WUSTL marketing professor Joseph Goodman, study co-author.

References:

1. May 1, 2009 — How Being Materialistic Can Actually Make You Happy in the U.S. News & World Report online

A new WUSTL social work study shows that comprehension and other critical skills improve dramatically with one-on-one help from Experience Corps' volunteers. WUSTL social work professor Nancy Morrow-Howell comments.

References:

1. April 8, 2009 — Students in urban schools get big boost from pioneering tutor program in the The Christian Science Monitor

For those who swear by antioxidant-rich food and drink, two new studies show those health benefits can wane if the products are stored for too long a time. Connie Diekman, a registered dietitian and director of nutrition at WUSTL comments.

References:

1. April 2, 2009 — Antioxidant-Rich Foods Lose Nutritional Luster Over Time in the U.S. News & World Report online

and 10 others.

Babies who gain weight quickly during the first six months of life may be more prone to obesity as toddlers, Harvard researchers report. The study suggests earliest intervention may reduce risk. WUSTL nutrition director Connie Diekman comments.

References:

1. March 30, 2009 — Rapid Infant Weight Gain Linked to Childhood Obesity in the MSN.com Health & Fitness

and 8 others.

Advice for parents explaining to children what changes may need to take place when a family faces economic hardship. WUSTL senior consultant and author Karen Levin Coburn.

References:

1. March 25, 2009 — Break It to 'Em Gently: Telling Kids About Financial Woes in the The Wall Street Journal

A screening regimen that combines ultrasound and a blood test to detect a marker for ovarian cancer, fails to discover the cancer in its early stages and often results in unnecessary surgery, a new study shows. WUSTL ob gyn professor David Mutch, who wrote an accompanying journal editorial, comments.

References:

1. March 20, 2009 — Combo Screening Doesn't Spot Early Ovarian Cancer in the U.S. News & World Report

and 3 others.

Some genetic traits are easier to defy than others. Others, such as cancer or diabetes, are not so simple to escape. Advice on how you can reduce your risk with proven tips for protecting your health from head to toe. WUSTL surgery professor Ming You, director of the Chemoprevention Program at WUSTL's Siteman Cancer Center, comments on the role heredity plays in asthma, allergies and lung cancer.

References:

1. March 12, 2009 — Control your DNA destiny in the MSNBC.com

The term boomerang children used to refer to young adults moving back in with their parents, but the recession is forcing people in their 30s and 40s and older--often with a spouse and kids in tow--to bunk in with the 'rents until they regain their financial footing. WUSTL psychology professor Brian Carpenter comments.

References:

1. Feb. 19, 2009 — Bunking In With Mom and Dad in the Time online