Department of Health Reaches Out to Problem Gamblers

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board along with the Department of Health, Revenue and Agriculture is sponsoring “Problem Gambling Awareness Week” which aims to reach out to individuals who may not realize they have a gambling problem.

The board wants people to understand that while the public should enjoy the state’s casinos and lottery games, it can be a slippery slope for many gamblers. They believe the worst part for many gamblers is that they don’t realize they have a problem and therefore, don’t seek help, often at the cost of relationships, finances, and personal anguish.

In January the board launched a statewide campaign for a help website and the state's gambling addiction hotline takes calls 24 hours a day according to the Department of Health.

Robin Rothermel, director of the Health Department’s Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs, says the counseling service has a financial aspect.

“The majority of these individuals by the time they’re seeking service have destroyed themselves financially,” Rothermel says. “We do a lot of work with credit counselors and financial planning and those types of things to individuals back on their feet as well.”

The department of health has joined in the cause to raise awareness of problem gambling because gambling can be as much of a health issue as excessive drinking or smoking.

“Individuals who smoke gamble at a significantly higher rate than those who don’t. Individuals who are chronic users of alcohol gamble at a significantly higher rate than those who don’t,” Rothermel says. “We know that the public health issues are all intertwined so that why we feel it’s addressed by the health department.”

For those seeking help, the department of health encourages people to call the 24-hour hotline at 1-877-565-2112 or by accessing the new website www.paproblemgambling.com.

New PA Dept. Could Make Treatment More Accessible

A new cabinet-level state department opens its doors July 1. A law passed last year separates the Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, creating a new entity.

Republican Representative Gene DiGirolamo of Bucks County authored the 2010 law and says the new department will make substance abuse programs more accessible.

"I believe it's also a question about efficiency - government efficiency, fiscal efficiency. I think it's a big question of public safety. I think it's going to go a long way towards reducing crime in this state."

DiGirolamo says the new agency won't cost extra tax dollars.

"It's about saving money, it's about public safety. But I think it's about saving lives. And it happens every day in every one of our communities across this great state."

DiGirolamo says the department will save lives by making treatment programs more accessible. The department's initial staff will only have around ten positions. This will be the first new state department formed since 1995.

Benchmark Study Looks At Pgh Region & 14 Others

The Pittsburgh region is doing better than most others in cost of living, unemployment and job growth. That's according to a new benchmarking study released today by the Regional Indicators at Pitsburghtoday.org. The study, Pittsburgh Today and Tomorrow," measures a 22 county Pittsburgh region that includes some of eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia against 14 other cities: Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Richmond and St. Louis....in 10 categories: demographics, arts, education, economy, environment, housing, health, public safety, government and transportation.
The study looks at how the region rebounded since the early 1980's when unemployment topped 17%. Now the jobless rate remains well below the national average.
"We have by no means perfected the region, says Douglas Heuck, director of the Regional Indicators at Pittsburghtoday.org, "but after 30 years, we are poised to consider our regional future, not with a measure of fear, but from a position of strength."
While the Pittsburgh area experienced a net gain of 1,144 residents in domestic migration in 2009, the overall population declined by 434 due to more deaths than births.
The study indicates that in the transportation category 20% of road miles are listed in "poor" condition. Only Kansas City, Baltimore and Philadelphia have a higher percentage of poor or mediocre road miles.
Heuck says that Pittsburgh remains an arts rich region and the arts continue to attract visitors to the area.
The full report will be published in Pittsburgh Quarterly Magazine this week.

High Court Rules Against Mt. Lebanon Family

A Pittsburgh area family has lost its case before the U.S. Supreme Court over the side-effects from a childhood vaccine.. Russell and Robalee Bruesewitz of Mt. Lebanon sued the drug maker Wyeth in a state court over the health problems they claim their daughter Hannah, who is now 19, suffered as a result of Wyeth's Tri Immunol diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus vaccine.
The couple says their daughter experienced seizures after receiving the 3rd of 5 doses of the vaccine as a baby. The Bruesewitz's say Wyeth should have sold a safer vaccine that was available. By a 6-2 vote today, the high court ruled that a 1986 law preempts such claims. Under that law, vaccine makers fund a limited compensation program for vaccine injuries. In return, the manufacturers cannot be sued.
The Bruesewitz's challenged that law saying the vaccine was defective and a safer one was available. The family says Hannah will need care her entire life.
Writing for the court, Justice Antonin Scalia said the law sets up a special vaccine court to provide compensation without driving drug manufacturers from the vaccine market. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor dissented. Justice Elena Kagan did not take part in the ruling. This decision seems to block lawsuits from families who claim that vaccines are to blame for autism in their children.

Health Care Providers Urge City to Regulate Diesel Emissions

A number of physicians, health care professionals and organizations are sending a letter to Pittsburgh Council asking it adopt the "Clean Construction" Diesel emission regulation ordinance. Diesel emissions have been linked to heart attacks, asthma, lung cancer and premature deaths and the Pittsburgh Clean Air Act currently before council would require contractors working on large, publicly funded projects to retrofit their equipment and use cleaner fuels. Dr. Bernard Goldstein, Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health at the University of Pittsburgh says diesel emissions have been on the radar of health professionals for a long time, but it's been difficult to regulate because emissions come from so many small, local sources. Goldstein says he's happy to see a construction boom in the Pittsburgh region, "because it means we're coming out of our economic problems. As we do, we're going to have even more sources (of diesel emissions) -- the time to control them is now, the time to put in new controls to be sure people are using the most effective controls for their diesel sources is now."

Genetic Mutations may have link to Transplant Rejection in Patients

Transplant rejection may be linked to a genetic mutation found in some recipients, according to a recent study at Children's Hospital. Principal Investigator Dr. Rakesh Sindhi says these mutation can better predict who will experience rejection before having a transplant. These are all genes that "you and I carry," Sindhi explains, but certain ones may prove to have this correllation.

In the future, these predictions will provide more personalized anti-rejection treatment for patients. Those who carry the mutation will receive heavier medication does, while others who do not will receive the normal amount. Once more studies are done on genetic mutation, and FDA has approval of the technique, Sindhi says doctors can begin practicing the new treatment.