In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.
That timelapse masterpiece you've been planning just got a whole lot less daunting thanks to Elijah Parker over at Kickstarter. Go through a few niceties, like handing over at least $99 and helping him reach his $20,000 funding target, and you'll take proud ownership of a Timelapse+ (previously called the Timelapse Pro) -- a photographer's intervalometer that does a lot to deserve its name. It'll come with a choice of adapters to match the standard cable release on your DSLR (or even SLR, if that's how you roll), and once hooked up it'll let you configure everything from delayed starts to incremental exposures and even multiple exposures per interval for a much-needed dose of HDR. The firmware will be open source to leave scope for user mods, and there'll also be the option of a Bluetooth interface for wireless controls -- although that'll require an extra $40 and a smidgen of FCC approval. The video after the break reveals more, and the source link has more+.
Outside temperatures, sun exposure and gender may trigger glaucomaPublic release date: 1-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mary Leach Mary_Leach@meei.harvard.edu 617-573-4170 Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Study published in January 2012 issue of Ophthalmology
BOSTON (Jan. 1, 2012) When it comes to whether or not you will develop exfoliation syndrome (ES) -- an eye condition that is a leading cause of secondary open-angle glaucoma and increased risk of cataract as well as cataract surgery complications -- age, gender and where you live does matter.
"Although many studies from around the world have reported on the burden of the disease, some aspects of the basic descriptive epidemiologic features, which may help shed light on the cause, are inconsistent," said Louis Pasquale, M.D., study co-author and director of Massachusetts Eye and Ear's Glaucoma Center of Excellence. "In this study we found that women are more vulnerable to this disease then men, that ES is not a disease of Norwegian descent, and that where you live does matter when it comes to developing the disease."
Researchers from the Mass. Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., Department of Medicine, Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass., Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich., set out to find out how demographic and geographic risk factors are associated with ES. Their study, the "Demographic and Geographic Features of Exfoliation Glaucoma in two United States-Based Prospective Cohorts" are published in the January 2012 issue of Ophthalmology.
Researchers used data from 78,955 women in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and 41,191 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) residing throughout the continental United States who were prospectively followed for 20 years or more and who provided lifetime residence information to examine the descriptive epidemiologic features of ES or exfoliation glaucoma suspect (EGS).
This study confirmed established associations with age and family history and exfoliation glaucoma or exfoliation glaucoma suspect (EG/EGS), as well as provided new data on associations with gender, eye color and ancestry.
"Importantly, those with a lifetime residential history of living in the middle tier and south tier of the United States was associated with 47% and 75% reduced risks, respectively, compared with living in the northern tier, and across the life span, residence at age 15 was the most strongly associated with risk, followed by current residence," the authors wrote.
The study showed an increased risk in females, but it was unclear as if gender-specific differences in the eye, such as axial length differences or environmental factors related to lifestyle, account for why women are more at risk for this disease.
Other findings include:
A positive family history of glaucoma was associated with a more than doubling of risk.
Neither Scandinavian decent nor Southern European ancestry was associated with risk when compared with the larger reference group of mainly other white persons in the study, which indicates that there may be strong environmental factors that may increase risk among populations in Scandinavian countries. Overall the study lacked adequate power to determine whether incidence rates differed by minority groups.
Iris (eye) color did not seem to be a risk factor.
"This large prospective cohort study demonstrates that there is a positive association between latitude and ES risk that is robust and not related to demographic features or other systemic covariates," Dr. Pasquale explained. "Another manuscript we published recently suggests that lower ambient temperature interacts with increased solar exposure to increase the risk of ES. This new work demonstrates a relation between increasing latitude and a condition with a strong predisposition to glaucoma. More work is needed to determine how environmental factors conspire to contribute to ES."
According to the National Eye Institute, ES is the major known cause of open-angle glaucoma, and is one of the leading causes of blindness. With the rapid aging of the U.S. population, the number of individuals affected by the disease will increase to more than three million by 2020.
###
About Mass. Eye and Ear: Founded in 1824, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is an independent specialty hospital providing patient care for disorders of the eye, ear, nose, throat, head and neck. Mass. Eye and Ear is an international leader in Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology research and a teaching partner of Harvard Medical School. Under the direction of Mass. Eye and Ear's board of directors, the Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Schepens Eye Research Institute recently formed the world's largest and most robust private basic and clinical ophthalmology research enterprise. For more information, call 617-523-7900 or visit http://www.masseyeandear.org/.
This research was made possible by a Physician Scientist Award from Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc., New York, NY,( supports Dr. Pasquale). NIH grant nos: EY09611, HL35464, EY019511, EY015473; the Arthur Ashley Williams Foundation, Holliston, Mass., and the Harvard Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Boston, Mass.
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Outside temperatures, sun exposure and gender may trigger glaucomaPublic release date: 1-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mary Leach Mary_Leach@meei.harvard.edu 617-573-4170 Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Study published in January 2012 issue of Ophthalmology
BOSTON (Jan. 1, 2012) When it comes to whether or not you will develop exfoliation syndrome (ES) -- an eye condition that is a leading cause of secondary open-angle glaucoma and increased risk of cataract as well as cataract surgery complications -- age, gender and where you live does matter.
"Although many studies from around the world have reported on the burden of the disease, some aspects of the basic descriptive epidemiologic features, which may help shed light on the cause, are inconsistent," said Louis Pasquale, M.D., study co-author and director of Massachusetts Eye and Ear's Glaucoma Center of Excellence. "In this study we found that women are more vulnerable to this disease then men, that ES is not a disease of Norwegian descent, and that where you live does matter when it comes to developing the disease."
Researchers from the Mass. Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., Department of Medicine, Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass., Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich., set out to find out how demographic and geographic risk factors are associated with ES. Their study, the "Demographic and Geographic Features of Exfoliation Glaucoma in two United States-Based Prospective Cohorts" are published in the January 2012 issue of Ophthalmology.
Researchers used data from 78,955 women in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and 41,191 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) residing throughout the continental United States who were prospectively followed for 20 years or more and who provided lifetime residence information to examine the descriptive epidemiologic features of ES or exfoliation glaucoma suspect (EGS).
This study confirmed established associations with age and family history and exfoliation glaucoma or exfoliation glaucoma suspect (EG/EGS), as well as provided new data on associations with gender, eye color and ancestry.
"Importantly, those with a lifetime residential history of living in the middle tier and south tier of the United States was associated with 47% and 75% reduced risks, respectively, compared with living in the northern tier, and across the life span, residence at age 15 was the most strongly associated with risk, followed by current residence," the authors wrote.
The study showed an increased risk in females, but it was unclear as if gender-specific differences in the eye, such as axial length differences or environmental factors related to lifestyle, account for why women are more at risk for this disease.
Other findings include:
A positive family history of glaucoma was associated with a more than doubling of risk.
Neither Scandinavian decent nor Southern European ancestry was associated with risk when compared with the larger reference group of mainly other white persons in the study, which indicates that there may be strong environmental factors that may increase risk among populations in Scandinavian countries. Overall the study lacked adequate power to determine whether incidence rates differed by minority groups.
Iris (eye) color did not seem to be a risk factor.
"This large prospective cohort study demonstrates that there is a positive association between latitude and ES risk that is robust and not related to demographic features or other systemic covariates," Dr. Pasquale explained. "Another manuscript we published recently suggests that lower ambient temperature interacts with increased solar exposure to increase the risk of ES. This new work demonstrates a relation between increasing latitude and a condition with a strong predisposition to glaucoma. More work is needed to determine how environmental factors conspire to contribute to ES."
According to the National Eye Institute, ES is the major known cause of open-angle glaucoma, and is one of the leading causes of blindness. With the rapid aging of the U.S. population, the number of individuals affected by the disease will increase to more than three million by 2020.
###
About Mass. Eye and Ear: Founded in 1824, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is an independent specialty hospital providing patient care for disorders of the eye, ear, nose, throat, head and neck. Mass. Eye and Ear is an international leader in Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology research and a teaching partner of Harvard Medical School. Under the direction of Mass. Eye and Ear's board of directors, the Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Schepens Eye Research Institute recently formed the world's largest and most robust private basic and clinical ophthalmology research enterprise. For more information, call 617-523-7900 or visit http://www.masseyeandear.org/.
This research was made possible by a Physician Scientist Award from Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc., New York, NY,( supports Dr. Pasquale). NIH grant nos: EY09611, HL35464, EY019511, EY015473; the Arthur Ashley Williams Foundation, Holliston, Mass., and the Harvard Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Boston, Mass.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
TEHRAN (Reuters) ? Iran dismissed on Sunday Washington's move to impose new sanctions on financial institutions dealing with the Islamic state's central bank over the country's disputed nuclear program, the Students news agency reported.
President Barack Obama signed the bill, approved by Congress
last week, which aims to reduce Tehran's oil revenues but gives the U.S. president powers to waive penalties as required.
The head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Mohammad Nahavandian, rejected the move as "unjustifiable," saying such sanctions would have reciprocal consequences.
"The Iranian nation and those involved in trade and economic activities will find other alternatives," said Nahavandian.
Washington and the European Union have already pushed four rounds of sanctions through the United Nations over Iran's nuclear program and imposed unilateral measures that have deterred Western investment in Iran's oil sector, making it harder to move money in and out of the country.
Imposing sanctions on the central bank would tighten that screw and make it more difficult for Iran to receive payments for exports -- particularly oil, a vital source of hard currency for the world's fifth-biggest crude exporter.
Iranian officials insist that foreign sanctions have had no impact on the country's economy.
"The sanctions have raised the cost of trade and economic transactions but it has not managed to change Iran's political behavior," Nahavandian said.
So far, Iran's leaders have shown no sign of changing the country's nuclear course despite mounting international pressure to force it to stop.
U.S. financial institutions are already generally prohibited from doing business with any bank in Iran, including the central bank, so the new measure by Washington would have to be carried out with international agreement.
Nahavandian said European countries should not miss the investment opportunity in an emerging market like Iran.
"Considering the economic crisis in Europe, the European companies are after finding new markets ... political disputes should not have an impact on trade relations," he said.
Senior U.S. officials said Washington was engaging with its foreign partners to ensure the sanctions can work without harming global energy markets and stressed the U.S. strategy for engaging with Iran was unchanged by the bill.
Washington and its allies say Iran is trying to build nuclear bombs under the cover of a civilian program. Tehran denies that, saying it needs nuclear technology to generate power.
(Reporting by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Paul Tait)
These Q&As are part of a handful of columns that we YOU Docs consider among the most important stories we covered in 2011. Happy 2012 to all our readers.
Q: I?m allergic to aspirin. What can I take instead to lower my heart attack risk?
VICTOR, via email
A: Roughly 10 percent of people are allergic to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin. This allergy can trigger breathing trouble and the severe reaction called anaphylaxis, which can be fatal.
Prescription blood thinners do some of aspirin?s heart-protecting job but aren?t worry-free. Some require frequent checks to be sure you don?t develop internal bleeding.
However, there are other, much safer things that, like aspirin, decrease inflammation: DHA omega-3s, lycopene, lutein, vitamin D-3, coffee and caffeine, small amounts of alcohol, physical activity and bright-colored fruits and veggies.
Protecting your heart isn?t all aspirin does. About 12 months ago, impressive research confirmed evidence that had been growing for a while and concluded that low-dose aspirin can prevent colon, prostate and esophageal cancer; for women, add breast and ovarian cancer to this list. If you develop prostate cancer, taking aspirin cuts your risk of dying from it by more than half, compared to people who don?t take it.
If your doctor thinks you?d get substantial heart or cancer protection from aspirin, ask about aspirin desensitization, a procedure that gradually exposes you to increasing levels of aspirin. Do NOT try this on your own. Medical supervision is a must.
We both take two low-dose tablets (81 mg each) ? one in the morning, one at night ? and don?t miss a day. We hope it?s possible for you.
The You Docs are authors of ?YOU: Losing Weight.? To submit questions, go to www.RealAge.com. King Features syndicate.
HONOLULU (Reuters) ? President Barack Obama signed into law on Saturday a defense funding bill that imposes sanctions on financial institutions dealing with Iran's central bank, while allowing for exemptions to avoid upsetting energy markets.
The sanctions target both private and government-controlled banks - including central banks - and would take hold after a two- to six-month warning period, depending on the transactions, a senior Obama administration official said.
Under the law, the president can move to exempt institutions in a country that has significantly reduced its dealings with Iran and in situations where a waiver is in the U.S. national security interest or otherwise necessary for energy market stability. He would need to notify Congress and waivers would be temporary, but could be extended.
Sanctioned institutions would be frozen out of U.S. financial markets.
"Our intent is to implement this law in a timed and phased approach so that we avoid repercussions to the oil market and ensure that this damages Iran and not the rest of the world," the senior U.S. official told Reuters.
Iran's central bank is the main conduit for Tehran's oil revenues.
Obama signed the bill during his vacation in Hawaii, just hours after Tehran said it had delayed planned long-range missile tests in the Gulf and signaled it was ready for fresh talks on its disputed nuclear program.
Senior U.S. officials said Washington was consulting with its foreign partners to ensure the new sanctions can work without harming global energy markets. They stressed the U.S. strategy of both isolating and remaining open to engagement with Iran was unchanged.
DETAINEE PROVISIONS
Obama did not single out Iran sanctions in his statement released by the White House, but did express concern about a number of provisions in the defense bill that relate to the treatment and transfer of detainees.
"The fact that I support this bill as a whole does not mean I agree with everything in it," Obama said, suggesting limits on the ability to move terrorism suspects from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Cuba to the United States for trial or to a foreign country were ill-conceived.
"The executive branch must have the flexibility to act swiftly in conducting negotiations with foreign countries regarding the circumstances of detainee transfers," he said, also calling federal courts "legitimate, effective and powerful" means by which to prosecute some militants.
Reuters reported this week that the Obama administration is considering transferring to Afghan custody a Taliban official suspected of major human rights abuses as part of a long-shot bid to improve the prospects for a peace deal in Afghanistan, a move that has set off alarm bells on Capitol Hill.
Obama also raised concerns in the statement about a requirement that he must notify Congress before sharing any classified U.S. ballistic defense missile information with Russia.
In his statement, he said he intended to keep Congress informed of U.S.-Russia cooperation on ballistic missile defense, he would interpret the rule in a way that does not limit his ability to conduct foreign affairs "and avoids the undue disclosure of sensitive diplomatic communications."
"Should any application of these provisions conflict with my constitutional authorities, I will treat the provisions as non-binding," he said, referring to a number of sections of the defense bill, which is more than 500 pages long.
SIGNING STATEMENT
The legislation authorized U.S. defense programs from war fighting to weapons building. That included $662 billion for defense in fiscal 2012, including the Pentagon's base budget and the war in Afghanistan, although appropriators must still approve the numbers before money is spent.
Obama said he signed the bill because he wanted to ensure key services and defense programs get the financing they need. But he followed in the footsteps of previous presidents in using a "signing statement" to indicate he disagreed with or planned to sidestep certain statues within a broad piece of legislation he did not want to veto.
His predecessor, George W. Bush, was criticized for using signing statements to expand executive power, including against the ban on torture. Obama, who taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago, has issued 20 signing statements since his presidency began in 2009 compared with 36 in the final three years of Bush's White House.
In a 2009 memo, Obama stipulated he would limit deployment of the tool to circumstances where he had a "well-founded constitutional objection" to a provision in a bill. But he also defended signing statements as a legitimate way to ensure laws are faithfully executed, while promoting "dialogue" between the executive branch of government and Congress.
(Additional reporting by Alister Bull in Washington; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
*Uh oh, Riva Tims? backers and fans aren?t gonna like this news.
The Christian Post reports that New Destiny Christian Center?announced Thursday morning that?Paula White?is the new?senior pastor?of the?Florida megachurch?the late?Zachery Tims?founded 15 years ago with his ex-wife, Riva Tims, who is also suing the?Florida?megachurch.
RELATED: Protesters Want Zachery Tims? Ex-Wife Riva as New Leader of New Destiny Church
After weeks of speculation that White, who currently leads?Without Walls?International Church in Tampa,?would be taking over?leadership?duties for the Apopka church, NDCC administrators confirmed the rumors in a press release.
RELATED: Zachery Tims Church to Move On
?We celebrate the continuation of a vision, a vision launched back in 1996 with the founding of New Destiny Christian Center as a non-denominational church with a multi-cultural mission,? read the statement attributed to Board of Directors member Elder Marguerite Esannason, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Read the full story at ChristianPost.com.
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Mayor Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda I. Gibbs and Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas A. Farley today announced that, surpassing national figures, New Yorkers are living longer than ever before. Influenced by New York City?s aggressive public health initiatives and improvements in the quality of the health care delivery system, babies born in New York City in 2009 have the record high life expectancy of 80.6 years, an increase of nearly three years since 2000 and nearly two and a half years more than the most recently reported national rate of 78.2 years. Life expectancy for 40-year-olds in New York City increased by 2.5 years (79.5 to 82) from 2000 to 2009, a substantially greater gain than the 1.2 year increase for the same age group in the U.S. as a whole. At the same time, life expectancy for 70 year-olds in New York City increased 1.5 years, compared with .7 years for the nation.
Not only did the City?s life expectancy rate surpass the national rate, it improved faster than any major city for both women and men. The City?s health interventions ? including its smoking prevention programs and expanded HIV testing and treatment ? have contributed to this success, with improved outcomes in HIV infection, heart disease and cancer prevention and treatment playing the largest role in the increase in life expectancy. The gains the Mayor, Deputy Mayor Gibbs and Dr. Farley announced today come before any future improvements in medical science are taken into account. The Mayor made the announcement at the maternity ward of Lincoln Hospital, which delivered 2,574 babies during 2010, where he was joined by State Senator Jose M. Serrano, Lincoln Hospital Deputy Executive Director, William Hicks, and Medical Director, Dr. Melissa Schori.
?If you want to live longer and healthier than the average American, then come to New York City,? said Mayor Bloomberg. ?By investing in health care and continuing to encourage more New Yorkers to take charge of their own health, we?ve experienced dramatic improvements in life expectancy. This news really does make it a happy, healthy New Year.?
?New York City residents are healthier than ever,? said Deputy Mayor Gibbs. ?Cleaner air, safer streets, healthier food ? these all contribute to improved quality of our lives, and added years of life. This has come about through the creative ideas and determined implementation across many City agencies.?
?Fewer New Yorkers are dying from HIV-related illness and smoking-related illnesses,? said Health Commissioner Farley. ?People with HIV infection are increasingly being identified through expanded HIV testing, and advances in the treatment of HIV infection are being made available to everyone with HIV sooner. Since 2002, nearly half a million New Yorkers have quit smoking and dramatically reduced their risk of heart disease and cancer that result from smoking. We will keep working to make New York City a healthier environment, which will not only lengthen life expectancy but also improve the quality of life of New Yorkers.?
?As the nation's largest public healthcare system that serves one in eight New Yorkers and delivers nearly one quarter of the city's babies, HHC has played a critical role in making New York a healthier place to live,? said HHC President Aviles. ?Our investments in primary and preventive care, and our public health interventions that focus on helping patients manage their chronic medical conditions are making it possible for more and more New Yorkers to stay healthy and live longer.?
?Mayor Bloomberg has consistently taken cancer prevention knowledge and turned it into effective policy," said Donald Distasio, CEO of the American Cancer Society of New York and New Jersey. ?Programs that have prioritized access to cancer screenings, required calorie information at restaurants, made our bars and restaurants smoke-free and offered free nicotine patches all give New Yorkers the tools they need to live longer. It's certainly no surprise that the same year our city hits record lows for smoking rates, we also hit record highs life expectancy. The Mayor is to be applauded for his policies and their life-extending results.?
From 2000 to 2009, New York City life expectancy rate at birth increased by nearly 3 years, far greater than the nationwide increase of nearly 1.5 years. The life expectancy of both men (78 years) and women (83 years) increased. The 2010 death rate reached an all-time low of 6.4 deaths per 1,000 New Yorkers. This marks a 13.5 percent decline from 7.4 deaths per 1,000 in 2002. In 2009, the life expectancy for a 40-year old in New York City was 82, compared with 80.1 in the United States, while the life expectancy for a 70 year old in New York City 86.9, compared to 85.1 nationwide.
The Health Department analyzed data from death certificates and determined that improvements in prevention and treatment among the following diseases and conditions contributed the most to the increase in life expectancy. Recent trends through 2010 in mortality rates for these conditions are included below, in order of significance.
HIV infection-related disease ? Early identification and treatment of HIV infection has greatly reduced AIDS and HIV-related mortality. The mortality rate from HIV infection is declining at a faster rate than other causes of death in New York City; the rate is down by 11.3 percent since 2009 and 51.9 percent since 2002.
New York City has led the way in HIV health interventions; the City?s Health and Hospitals Corporation, the largest provider of HIV primary care in New York City began offering HIV testing as a routine part of medical care five years before New York State began requiring that medical providers do so. The City?s ?The Bronx Knows? borough-wide HIV testing initiative has partnered with community organizations to conduct more than 600,000 HIV tests in three years and ?Brooklyn Knows? in just one year?s time has conducted nearly 115,000 tests that have enabled people from Williamsburg to Coney Island to learn their HIV status. Since 2005, HHC has diagnosed 10,700 HIV positive individuals, and linked and retained thousands in HIV primary care, improving their health and the health of the community.
More New Yorkers are getting tested than ever before, and those testing positive are getting into treatment faster, with more consistent care and treatment; more than 90 percent of patients diagnosed positive at HHC facilities are linked to life-saving HIV medical care and treatment within 90 days of being diagnosed. In Fiscal Year 2011 alone, HHC facilities tested 195,516 patients ? more than three times the number tested just six years earlier and preliminary data suggests that fewer than 3,500 new cases of HIV were diagnosed in New York City for 2010, a more than a 30 percent decrease from 2002.
Heart disease & cancer ? Deaths from heart disease are down by 27.9 percent since 2002. This sharp decrease is attributable in part to a 35 percent decrease in the number of smokers since 2002, and in part to improvements in care for people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease. Overall cancer mortality rates have decreased by 4.3 percent since 2002 from 170.2 to 162.9 deaths per 100,000 people in 2010.
The Mayor?s anti-smoking efforts ? including hard-hitting public health education campaigns, changes in legislation such as the 2002 Smoke-Free Air Act and excise taxes on cigarettes, and the 311 Quit-line, ? have resulted in the City?s 2010 all-time smoking low, with only 14 out of 100 New Yorkers still smoking. Smoking among teenagers has also dropped dramatically from 2001 to 2010 with the proportion of public high school students who smoke cut by more than half, from 18 percent to 7 percent.
Drug-related deaths - Deaths from overdose from heroin, cocaine/crack use, and other illicit drugs have fallen overall since 2002. Among people 15 years old and older the death rate from unintentional drug overdose declined to 9 deaths per 100,000 in 2010, a 24 percent decrease since 2002.
Infant mortality - Infant mortality rates have fallen, reflecting healthier mothers and better obstetric and pediatric care. In 2010, the City?s infant mortality rate fell to a historic low of 4.9 deaths per 1,000 live births ? the lowest rate since 1898 when the five boroughs were combined to form the modern City of New York. This improvement surpassed the city?s Take Care New York goal of reducing the infant mortality rate to 5 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2012 and also surpassed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service Healthy People 2020 goal of 6 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The Health Department works on many fronts to help women stay as healthy as possible before pregnancy, obtain quality health care during pregnancy, and provide the care and support their babies need to thrive. For example, citywide efforts such as smoke-free air policies and educational campaigns to reduce smoking rates have contributed to a dip in smoking rates among women, from 19.8 percent in 2002 to 12.2 percent in 2010. Programs to increase accessibility of healthy foods are also contributing to a positive impact on the eating habits of women. The agency?s key maternity initiatives include breastfeeding education, safe-sleep education, providing cribs for families that cannot afford them, and nurse home-visiting during pregnancy and early childhood.
Despite this progress, heart disease, cancer and influenza/pneumonia continue to rank as the top three leading causes of death, followed by lung disease and diabetes, and 30 percent of all deaths in New York City occur before age 65, with more than 15,000 New Yorkers dying prematurely.
The Annual Summary of Vital Statistics, the Health Department?s yearly report of births and deaths in New York City, is compiled by the agency?s Bureau of Vital Statistics. The most up-to-date statistics are available by searching for 2010 Vital Statistics on nyc.gov. Vital Statistics summaries dating as far back as 1961 are also available on that site. To learn how to obtain a birth or death certificate, visit nyc.gov or call 311.
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Public release date: 1-Jan-2012
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