LA Faces Public Health Threats On Multiple Fronts
Along with a mumps outbreak, LA also has seen its first case of West Nile virus for the year.
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. County Health Officials Say 42 People Have Been Infected With Mumps
A mumps outbreak in Los Angeles County this year has infected 42 people, most of whom live on the Westside, health officials said this week. There have been several mumps outbreaks nationwide in recent years, including some that are ongoing in parts of Texas, Arkansas and Washington state. Last year there were 5,833 cases of mumps nationwide, the highest number in a decade, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Karlamangla, 6/17)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. County Reports 2017's First Case Of West Nile Virus
San Gabriel Valley resident was hospitalized with West Nile virus in what health officials say is the first case in Los Angeles County this year. The patient ended up in the hospital in March and has since recovered, officials announced this week. West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes, and officials say this winter’s heavy rains could breed more mosquitoes and lead to a higher chance of infection statewide. (Karlamangla, 6/16)
In other public health news —
San Francisco Chronicle:
Transgender Child, Parents Sort Through New Reality
Today, as politicians fight over which bathroom transgender people are legally allowed to use, health care professionals find themselves having to develop what is essentially a new field for a growing number of transgender children. This is a difficult task because, while there is considerable evidence that transgender adolescents, when given the space to transition early, go on to have health outcomes similar to nontransgender peers, there’s little empirical data to help guide the way for very young transgender children. (Kost, 6/18)
KPBS:
Fewer Kids Injured On Bikes, While More Senior Cyclists Suffer Severe Injuries
Injuries among children and teens riding bicycles have plummeted in California over the past decade, but at the other end of the age spectrum there’s worrisome news. Cyclists 55 and older are more often getting into crashes that result in a visit to an emergency room. (Clark, 6/19)
Sacramento Bee:
Extreme Heat Can Bring On Dehydration, Heat Exhaustion
As scorching temperatures usher the Sacramento region into summer, local emergency room doctors expect to see plenty of patients walk in with the types of complaints that many don’t normally associate with dehydration or heat exposure. Generally, people will directly link their sunburn or high body temperature to the heat, doctors said, but they are less likely to make that same connection to symptoms such as fatigue, muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, constipation or headaches. In the worst cases, people are either unconscious or too confused to fully grasp the gravity of their condition. (Anderson, 6/18)
Los Angeles Times:
Young American Women Are Poorer Than Their Moms And Grandmas, And More Likely To Commit Suicide
Young American women are poorer than their mothers and grandmothers were when they were young, more likely to commit suicide and be shut out of high-paying tech jobs — an overall demise in well-being since the Baby Boom generation, according to a new report. The report by the Population Reference Bureau, “Losing Ground: Young Women’s Well Being Across Generations in the United States,” found that social and structural barriers continue to obstruct the advancement of female members of Generation X and millennials. (Simmons, 6/19)