Heart disease and stroke deaths have declined, according to data reported in the just published American Heart Association’s (AHA) Heart & Stroke Statistics - 2020 Update, but that decrease has slowed significantly in recent years. Further discouraging is that more people are living in poor health, beginning at a younger age, as a direct result of risk factors that contribute to these leading causes of death worldwide.

To help service members perform better in the field, military training emphasizes the importance of certain traits associated with traditional masculinity, including suppression of emotion and self-reliance. But when veterans return home, strict adherence to these traits can become detrimental, leading to more severe post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and making it more difficult to treat, according to research published by the American Psychological Association (APA).

The Board of Certified Safety Professionals' (BCSP) Foundation received many applications for scholarships and, after much consideration, recently provided 37 determined safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) students with $5,000 each to support their continued dedication to the development of their knowledge and the improvement of safety practice.

As public health officials work to contain the mysterious, pneumonia-like virus that has gripped Asia, people are taking measures to protect themselves against the expanding outbreak. The yet-unnamed coronavirus, a family of viruses that affect the respiratory tract, has killed 41 people and sickened more than 1,000 at last count, including a man in Washington state and woman in Chicago who both had recently traveled to Wuhan.

Millions in OSHA fines for one roofing contractor, 2020 is off to a deadly start for the poultry industry and OSHA celebrates its 50th anniversary. These were among the top stories featured on ISHN.com this week.

The AIHA has published the second edition of Recognition, Evaluation, and Control of Indoor Mold. This second edition of the book provides health information which is aligned with the current epidemiology and medical information on environmental allergens, updated taxonomy of the fungi and mold remediation guidelines, and the most current and comprehensive discussion on the basic practice of identifying mold damage, the evaluation of the samples that are collected, and the process of remediation.

The National Safety Council is introducing a new scholarship program for women seeking post-secondary education to pursue a career in EHS – environment, health and safety – or related field. Lorraine Pack Memorial Scholarship winners receive a $2,000 tuition award and the opportunity to attend at no cost either NSC Congress & Expo or the Campbell Institute Symposium.

Luxembourg has become the first European Union (EU) country to completely ban products containing glyphosate, the controversial herbicide at the center of high-profile lawsuits, and conflicting scientific studies and health claims. Glyphosate has already been banned in Vietnam and Thailand. Mexico has announced plans to do the same.

As of Friday, Jan. 17, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began conducting enhanced health screenings to detect ill travelers traveling to the United States on direct or connecting flights from Wuhan, China. The CDC said the screenings are in response to an outbreak in China caused by a new and dangerous coronavirus.

“We are extremely disappointed that the USDA is once again rolling back nutrition standards in our schools. First, the Trump Administration weakened requirements for sodium and whole grains, and now these proposed changes would allow schools to serve fewer fruits and grains, a smaller variety of vegetables, and less healthy entrees that aren’t part of a balanced meal. These changes are unnecessary and put children’s health at risk."