Princess Health and Princess Health andWith smoking ban dead for this year, its Senate sponsor holds a last-ditch discussion as she looks to another office.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Princess Health andWith smoking ban dead for this year, its Senate sponsor holds a last-ditch discussion as she looks to another office.Princessiccia

General Assembly legislation legislature smoking smoking ban smoking ordinances tobacco tobacco prevention

Gusty 20:53 Add Comment

By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News

Republican Sen. Julie Denton, sponsor of the Senate bill for a statewide smoking ban, held a last-ditch discussion Wednesday with the committee she chairs about why Kentucky needs such a law.

It was a discussion with no action possible because Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, who opposes Senate Bill 117, assigned it to the Judiciary Committee, of which he is a member, instead of the Health and Welfare Committee, headed by Denton, who is running for the Louisville Metro Council rather than re-election.

A frustrated Denton opened the discussion with personal stories about growing up with a grandfather who smoked heavily and the effects this has had on her father who has asthma and frequent respiratory infections. She said her daughter, who has asthma, cannot tolerate exposure to any smoke.

Denton (Legislative Research Commission photo)

"This is a public health issue, not about personal rights," Denton argued.

She said governments infringe on personal liberties "all the time" to support public health. She gave examples of speed-limit laws, seat-belt laws, laws that prohibit texting while driving, laws that prohibit drinking and driving, building codes and car-seat law requirements.

"To say this is different than all the others is disingenuous," she said.

As for the argument that non-smokers did not have to enter establishments that allow smoking, she said that is not an option for many who work in places that allow smoking: "People can't afford to just go to another job."

Denton said if the bill had been sent to her committee it would have been sent to the full Senate for a vote, but "Politics is standing in the way." Not only is Stivers against it, leaders of the House's Democratic majority blocked a vote on the House smoking-ban bill, citing members' concerns about political repercussions in the fall elections, when Republicans hope to take over the House.

Democratic Sen. Julian Carroll, a former governor, commended Denton, saying her comments were both "relevant and very important."

Carroll said "I am strongly in support of this bill" because of the cost Kentucky pays for people who smoke. He said the current state budget spends $9.5 billion on health care, and smoking is a strong contributor to that number.

Ashli Watts of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce said smoking costs Kentucky $1.5 billion every year, creates work absenteeism, raises tax and insurance costs and is bankrupting the state. She said more than 90 percent of Chamber members in a 2013 survey supported a ban, and it is time to join the other 24 states with such laws.

Dr. Sylvia Cerel-Suhl of the American Heart Association gave a long list of reasons to support the bill. "There is no longer any debate that second hand smoke causes death," she said, adding later, "Just in Kentucky, we are losing 1,000 people a year to secondhand smoke." Sherri Irwin of the Kentucky Rural Health Association cited the same number.

Smoke-Free Kentucky map; click on it for larger version

As a parting suggestion, Denton said Kentucky might consider allowing local governments to opt out of a statewide ban. Dozens of localities have bans, thought some have significant exemptions.

Denton acknowledged a collective frustration in the committee and said, "I won't be here next year; hopefully, you all will push through."

Sen. Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington said, "Perseverance does pay off. We will make this bill law one of these days."

Princess Health and Princess Health andSenate OKs bill to fund pediatric cancer and autism research.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Princess Health andSenate OKs bill to fund pediatric cancer and autism research.Princessiccia

autism cancer children's health federal spending politics research

Gusty 20:35 Add Comment

With the backing of Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, the U.S. Senate has passed a bill designed to assist in funding research of pediatric cancer and autism, funded by money now used to pay for presidential campaigns and party conventions.

The proposed Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act authorizes $12.6 million a year for 10 years, McConnell press secretary Robert Steurer said in an email.

McConnell's likely Democratic opponent in the November election, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, said he delayed passage of the bill, but McConnell's office blamed Democratic objections.

McConnell said in a floor speech, "As a survivor of polio as a child, I have always empathized with children battling life-threatening or disabling disorders," and it is "about time" this bill passed. It goes to President Barack Obama for his signature, reports Joseph Gerth of The Courier-Journal.

Grimes found fault with McConnell's written reply to an inquiry about the bill, telling the constituent he would "keep your support in mind." Gerth reports,  "McConnell's Senate office on Tuesday said that the Senate Republican Caucus had agreed to unanimously support the measure on Jan. 7."

Princess Health and Princess Health andStudents in 2 Appalachian Ohio high schools help reduce classmates' consumption of sugary drinks, a bane in the region.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Princess Health andStudents in 2 Appalachian Ohio high schools help reduce classmates' consumption of sugary drinks, a bane in the region.Princessiccia

Appalachia child obesity nutrition obesity research schools sugar youth

Gusty 10:38 Add Comment

In a region where sweet-tea and soda is more popular than water, student-led groups in Appalachian Ohio were successful in reducing the amount of sugary drinks students consumed, reports The Ohio State University's Center for Clinical and Translational Science.

As part of the study, student-led teen advisory councils in the two Southern Ohio high schools implemented a 30-day intervention called "Sodabriety" to reduce the amount of sugary drinks students consumed. Results of the study were published in the March issue of the Journal of School Health.

The councils informed students about the risks of sugary drinks, put green ribbons on students' cars to remind them of the dangers, offered daily "sugar facts" during the morning announcements, performed soda-themed rap songs at student events and gave away water bottles with a "What's in your cup?" slogan.

The efforts paid off. Not only did some teens completely give up sugared drinks, but water consumption nearly doubled. Some students even reported weight loss, less acne and increased energy, Smith said.

A typical 20-ounce soda contains 15 to 18 teaspoons of sugar and upwards of 240 calories. A 64-ounce fountain cola drink could have up to 700 calories, says a fact sheet from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Kentucky high-school students rank third in the U.S. in obesity, with 33.4 percent overweight or obese, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Consumption of sugary beverages is a problem in Appalachia, where obesity contributes heavily to the region's health issues.

�Teens who grow up in this region are ultimately more likely to die from cancer, diabetes and heart disease than any other place in the nation, and obesity is the common risk factor for all of those illnesses,� said nurse Laureen Smith, one of the researchers. �A child�s odds of becoming obese increases almost two times with each additional daily serving of a sugar sweetened drink, and Appalachian kids drink more of these types of beverages than kids in other parts of the country.�

Smith added, �Sugar sweetened beverages are the largest source of sugar in the American diet. For some teens, they account for almost one-third of daily caloric intake, and that amount is even higher among Appalachian adolescents. If we can help teens reduce sugared-beverage intake now, we might be able to help them avoid obesity and other diseases later in life.�

Princess Health and Princess Health andKentucky does well in national comparison of premiums and tax credits in new health-insurance system.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Princess Health andKentucky does well in national comparison of premiums and tax credits in new health-insurance system.Princessiccia

health care costs health care law obamacare Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act rural-urban disparities

Gusty 14:22 Add Comment

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, health-insurance costs vary from region to region and state to state, and federal subsidies won't remove all of the differences, Christopher Snowbeck and MaryJo Webster write for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. According to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and state-run health insurance exchanges, Kentucky's cost of coverage compares favorably; most areas in the state have prices that are between 2.63 and 8.68 percent of annual income. Of course, the lower prices in Kentucky�and in other states�might be correlated to narrower networks of health-care providers, which insurers are using to limit costs. Here's a screen grab of an interactive map showing costs of coverage for different ages and incomes; for the actual interactive map, click here.

In more urbanized areas, where insurance competition is greater and prices are lower, smaller tax credits are needed, but more subsidy is needed in places with higher premiums�such as rural areas of the South. "Because there is so much geographic variation in cost, the government does have to pitch in a larger portion of premium in higher-cost areas to make coverage affordable," said Cynthia Cox, a researcher at the California-based Kaiser Family Foundation.

Though some people feel that the law is unfair and that they don't receive the tax credits as high as in other areas, the PPACA exists to ensure that "people at certain income levels pay no more than a set share of income to buy the midlevel 'benchmark' health plan where they live," Snowbeck and Webster write. Some variation in price disappeared, though, because insurance companies can no longer refuse to cover people who have pre-existing health conditions, said Jonathan Gruber, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist who helped craft the law.

Coverage prices differ because of factors such as health status, cost of living and competition among insurance companies. However, though the same plan sells for $170 per month in Pittsburgh and $450 in areas of Georgia, federal subsidies based on income brign the latter cost below $300. "The tax credits can help us bring that premium cost down and say to people: 'It's now in the achievable range,'" said Tracy Brosius of the Wyoming Institute of Population Health.

Sometimes the tax-credit system actually allows people in higher-cost cities to pay less than those from lower-cost cities. "Assessing which consumers wind up with the 'better deals' can be complicated, policy experts say, because the lowest-cost silver plans available in different regions likely have different coverage details, such as deductibles and networks of doctors and hospitals," Snowbeck and Webster write. Though some argue that the new system doesn't offer incentives for regions that more provide more effective health care, Cox said "Insurers still have a financial incentive to keep premiums low to attract enrollees, particularly young enrollees who might not be tax-credit eligible." (Read more)

Princess Health and2014 Chilly Half Marathon.Princessiccia

Princess Health and2014 Chilly Half Marathon.Princessiccia

Gusty 13:48 Add Comment

For the second weekend in a row, we had athletes in action.  For some it was a training race, for others it was a hammerfest.  Here is how we did at the 2014 edition of the Chilly Half.  Full Results.

First up, RunnerRob (left side of picture) had an awesome return from training in Kenya.  He started out hard, going through 5K in 17minutes.  He simply wasn't able to hang on to that pace, but still managed an awesome time of 1:18!

Doritos Dave had an outstanding race.  We always expect him to race well...but not this well!  He manged a HUGE PB of 1:22:14.  This is especially impressive given the brutal winter, racing the weekend before, and the cold temps on race day.   This very well could be a break-through year for Dave!

The Mailman also delivered on race day!  A last minute sign-up, Aaron Mailman surprised himself with a new PB of 1:26:25. 

Kevin Post, who has perfected his pre-race smile (see right), also had an awesome race.  He managed a massive PB by almost 4.5 minutes!

Battling a shin injury, Holger put his high-mileage training to use, coming in at 1:28:46!

Despite just becoming a new Dad, and having very limited training, Will put together an awesome race, finishing just shy of his PB. 









Graham Dunn also laced it up for H+P, putting in a great training run, finishing in just over 1:30!

Princess Health and Princess Health andFamily dinners promote healthier eating, often with fewer calories, as part of an achievable strategy to battle child obesity.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Princess Health andFamily dinners promote healthier eating, often with fewer calories, as part of an achievable strategy to battle child obesity.Princessiccia

child obesity childhood obesity children's health food nutrition

Gusty 16:43 Add Comment

In celebration of National Nutrition Month, there is no better time to make a commitment to eat more meals together as a family.

Family meals offer a great opportunity to not only spend time together and strengthen family relationships, they are also a great time for parents to be good role models for health eating, Angel Ginn, a registered dietitian-nutritionist in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said in a news release distributed by Newswise, a research-reporting service.

�Research shows that family meals promote healthier eating � more fruits, vegetables and fiber; less fried food; and often fewer calories,� Ginn said.

Kentucky high-school students rank third in the U.S. in obesity, with 33.4 percent overweight or obese. Elementary and middle school students rank eighth, and pre-kindergarteners rank sixth. Only 11.6 percent of adolescents in Kentucky eat fruits and vegetables three or more times in an average week, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Suggestions to add more family meals to the household routine include:

• Start slowly. Add one more family meal a week to your family's normal schedule. This can be added on the weekends if the weekly schedule is too busy.
• Plan meals together; make sure everyone has something they like at the meal.
• Make a  ritual out of setting the table in a special way; for example, using candles or colored napkins.
• Talk to each other, choosing topics that are positive.
• No electronics at the table, and turn off the television. Playing background music is a nice way to create a relaxing atmosphere and also signals that it is time to eat.

Ginn also suggested the website Kids Eat Right ( www.KidsEatRight.org) as a resource to help families get on the path of shopping smart, cooking healthy and eating right.

Princess Health and Princess Health andTodd County weekly's editor-publisher wonders why so many uninsured locals haven't signed up for health insurance.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Princess Health andTodd County weekly's editor-publisher wonders why so many uninsured locals haven't signed up for health insurance.Princessiccia

health insurance health journalism health rankings health reform insurance exchange journalism newspapers obamacare

Gusty 16:27 Add Comment

With open enrollment in the new health-insurance exchanges ending March 31, at least one country editor is wondering why most people in his community who lack coverage haven't take advantage of the historic opportunity. And since he's in Kentucky, he used the state's next-to-last ranking in the latest Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index as the point of departure for an article that took up most of his editorial page.

"Kentucky is its own worst enemy . . . and if you think this is just an Eastern Kentucky problem, you aren't paying attention," Editor-Publisher Ryan Craig, right, wrote in last week's Todd County Standard, in Western Kentucky. "Our numbers suggest we are as miserable as anywhere in the state, i.e., the nation." Craig then listed statistics for poverty, income, education and health insurance and said bluntly, "We are near the bottom in all of these categories, which are the same categories that cause Kentucky to have such a dismal ranking in the Miserable Test year after year."

Craig says Todd County, "it, seems, is among the bottom of counties who signed up for the Affordable Care Act," and wonders why only 533 of the estimated 2,455 people in his county without health insurance have signed up for it: "Is it because of fear of the unknown? Politics? The prevailing answer people tell me is that they would rather pay the tax penalty and not have the insurance. What would happen if that person or someone in their family was in a car wreck? They readily admit that they are taking a big chance, but don't see how they can afford the insurance even when it is cheaper now, especially those who are very sick and couldn't get insurance before." One man told him he would have to declare bankruptcy.

"The deadline to apply for health insurance through the exchange is March 31," Craig writes. "If you don't have insurance, at least consider the process." The Standard has been judged Kentucky's best small weekly newspaper seven years in a row, but doesn't put news or editorials online. For a scan of the editorial as a PDF, click here.