Resources: August 2015

Climate change

Oxford University Press in July published “Climate Change and Public Health.” Edited by APHA members Barry Levy, MD, MPH; and Jonathan Patz, MD, MPH, the book features case studies and data on the adverse health effects of climate change and policies needed to address adaptation to climate change and improve public health. For more information, visit www.oup.com.

Environmental health

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in April released a dashboard on its website featuring information on the Safe Drinking Water Act. The dashboard features data on the rates of compliance with safe drinking water standards across states and territories. The data includes a history of violations and whether enforcement was necessary. For more information, visit http://echo.epa.gov.

Substance use

The National Institute on Drug Abuse in May debuted a new section of its website with information on college-age student drug use. The information, from the national Monitoring the Future survey, shows drug use data for students in two- and four-year colleges and young adults who are not in college but in the same age range. For more information, visit www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/college-age-young-adults.

HIV/AIDS

The World Health Organization in May released the “Consolidated Strategic Information Guidelines for HIV in the Health Sector.” The guidelines are a set of 10 indicators created by global agencies such as the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief to monitor HIV epidemics and methods of care, such as coverage of prevention services and viral suppression. For more information, visit www.who.int.

Global health

Oxford University Press in June published “CDC Health Information for International Travel 2016.” Edited by Gary Brunette, MD, MS, the book is a guide for travelers and health professionals on topics such as required vaccinations and disease risks. Also known as the “The Yellow Book,” the guide was made in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and CDC Foundation. For more information, visit www.oup.com.

Sexual health

The Human Rights Campaign, in collaboration with Whitman-Walker Health, released a new version of its “Safer Sex” guide in June. The guide provides information about steps sexually active people can take to prevent the spread of HIV and behaviors that may place people at higher risk for contracting sexually transmitted infections. For more information, visit www.hrc.org.

Minority health

Oxford University Press in June published “Cultural Considerations in Latino American Mental Health.” Edited by Harvette Grey, PhD, and Brittany Hall-Clark, PhD, the book looks at cultural factors that may fuel behavioral health issues such as depression and substance use among U.S. Hispanics. For more information, visit www.oup.com.

Infectious disease

Yale University Press in June published “Discovering Tuberculosis: A Global History, 1900 to the Present.” Authored by Christian McMillen, PhD, MA, the book covers a background history on the disease, such as the struggles with drug-resistant strains, finding a vaccine and controlling the spread across countries in continents such as Africa. For more information visit http://yalepress.yale.edu.

Marriage equality

New York University Press in June published “License to Wed: What Legal Marriage Means to Same-Sex Couples.” Authored by Kimberly Richman, PhD, MA, the book looks at the path to same-sex marriage in California and Massachusetts and the triumphs and challenges couples faced after being given the right to marry. For more information visit http://nyupress.org.