1 in 4 grandparents keep meds where kids can reach them

A new poll shows nearly one in four grandparents say they store prescription medicines in places that can be accessed by children. Unintentional poisonings cause more visits to the emergency room for young children — one every 10 minutes — than car accidents, to say nothing of the threat of theft, a factor in the prescription-drug epidemic that is killing more Kentuckians than such accidents.

The most common type of prescriptions that are accidentally ingested are opioids, the poll found. The most common type of over-the-counter medicine ingested is acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, reports research-reporting service Newswise.

The poll found that 23 percent of grandparents and 5 percent of parents store prescription meds in easy-to-access places. Eighteen percent of grandparents and 8 percent of parents said they store over-the-counter medicine in easily accessible spots.

"Emergency room visits for accidental poisonings among young children have become much more frequent in the last decade," said Matthew Davis, director of the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health. "We hope the results of this poll are a reminder to parents, grandparents and all those who care for young children: check around your homes to make sure that medicines are safely stored out of reach." (Read more)

Though the numbers are on the rise, on the whole, American children are safer than they ever were, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rate of death from unintentional injuries dropped 29 percent from 2000 to 2009. Deaths dropped from 12,400 in 2000 to about 9,100 in 2009.

Poisoning death rates rose dramatically, however‚ going up 91 percent in youths aged 15 to 19, "a byproduct of the rising prescription-drug abuse among teens who either obtain the pills illegally or swipe them from medicine cabinets of their parents or others," reports Timothy Martin for The Wall Street Journal. (Read more)

Where you live can affect your weight, studies find

A child's weight can be determined in part by what neighborhood he or she grows up in, a new series of studies indicate. (Photo by Getty Images)

In one of the studies, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers examined neighborhoods in King County, Wash., and San Diego County, Calif., and rated them in terms of physical activity and nutrition for kids ages 6 to through 11. A neighborhood received a high rating if its residents could easily walk to places like stores, libraries and parks. They also got a good grade if they had several grocery stores where healthy foods are sold, reports Kim Carollo for ABC News.

Poor-rated neighborhoods had few grocery stores or had lots of fast food restaurants. They also had few parks. "The biggest difference we found in rates of obesity were in the places where the environment was good for both nutrition and physical activity, the rates were less than 8 percent, but if the nutrition and physical activity were not good, the rates went up to 16 percent," said Brian Saelens, a co-author and professor of pediatrics at Seattle Children's Research Institute. (Read more)

The findings, explored using geographic information systems, are in keeping with an op-ed piece by Susan Blumenthal, public-health editor for the Huffington Post. Making the link between poverty and obesity, she points out the difference an affordable housing project has made in Greenbridge in King County, an immigrant community where more than 54 percent of adults are overweight or obese and more than 85 percent of children in grades 8, 10 and 12 do not meet federal physical activity recommendations.

The neighborhood is "being designed and built as models for creating an environment that promotes healthy diets and active lifestyles for their residents," she explains. The neighborhood now boasts an elementary school, a Head Start program, a Boys and Girls Club, community gardens to grown fresh fruits and vegetables, a library, play areas, walking path, a food bank, a community center and a public health clinic.

"This integrative approach has turned a trouble neighborhood into a welcoming place to live," she writes. "Initiatives like this one that involve not only individuals but the entire family and community provide a model for how to improve the health of cities across our nation." (Read more)

A healthy recess during school can cut down on bullying, improve learning, study finds

New research shows a healthy recess period during the school day can cut down on bullying and strengthen the school climate.

The report from researchers at Mathematica Policy Research and Stanford University compared schools in five cities who used Playworks — a program that uses a full-time coach to work to engage students in safe, healthy play during recess and throughout the day — to similar schools who did not use the program.

Schools that used the Playworks method had less bullying; better recess behavior and readiness for class. Teachers reported quicker transition to learning activities after recess and the students felt safer and more included at recess. Nearly 100 percent of teachers in Playworks said they wanted to use the program again the next school year. (Read more)

University of Louisville delays choosing hospital partner

To allow time for more "discussions and negotiations," the University of Louisville has put off deciding on University Hospital's new health-care partner until the end of June.

It is not known how many entities are interested in partnering with the indigent-care hospital, nor have any entities been identified. The deadline for applications, which was last month, has not been extended. "The university has said it needs a partner with deep pockets that can inject cash required to expand the hospital and attract new patients," reports Andrew Wolfson for The Courier-Journal.

Kerri Richardson, chief spokeswoman for Gov. Steve Beshear, said he is hopeful the hospital will find "a suitable path forward to preserve its public mission and continue to successfully serve citizens in the region."

Last year, Beshear rejected a proposed merger between University Hospital, Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare and Saint Joseph Health System, which is owned by Catholic Health Initiatives. Because Saint Joseph would have had majority control in the initial deal, the other facilities would have had to adhere to Catholic health directives, which affect procedures like elective abortions, sterilizations, artificial insemination and euthanasia. Those limitations raised concerns and that the move would have been a loss of control of a public asset, meaning University Hospital.

After Beshear's decision, Jewish & St. Mary's and St. Joseph merged, forming KentuckyOne. (Read more)