A recent evaluation of the Rhode Island Women's Health Screening and Referral Program (WHSRP) underscores how early detection of prenatal risks can support improvements in pregnancy outcomes.

The Department of Health has updated is web data page to include infant mortality data from 1973 to 2010.

Time is running out to get a two-week supply of nicotine patches through the QuitWorks program.Offer ends June 30, 2012 or while supplies last! All Rhode Island QuitWorks referred patients are eligible.

Collaborative investigation efforts of state, local, and federal public health agencies indicate that a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, known as Nakaochi Scrape, from Moon Marine USA Corporation is the likely source of this outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly infections, according to an ongoing joint investigation conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) has advised restaurants, grocery stores and markets, and seafood vendors in the state about the related product recall. HEALTH continues to work with the CDC and FDA in the ongoing investigation. Nakaochi Scrape is tuna backmeat that is scraped from the bones of tuna and may be used in sushi, sashimi, ceviche, and similar dishes. The product looks like raw ground tuna. To date, a total of 7 clusters at restaurants or grocery stores have been identified where 2 or more unrelated ill persons reported eating in the week before illness. In each cluster, at least one ill person reported eating sushi purchased at the restaurant or grocery store. These clusters are located in 5 states: Connecticut, Maryland, Rhode Island, Texas, and Wisconsin. For the latest updates: http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/bareilly-04-12/index.html

Winter may be over, but germs don't pay attention to the calendar. The best way to prevent germs from spreading in any season is hand washing. Wash Your Hands is the simple but effective title of a public health and awareness initiative to be launched in mid-April in schools statewide. The centerpiece of the initiative is a catchy tune by the same title. Wash Your Hands, composed by two-time GRAMMY® Award winning artist, Bill Harley, is a music video produced by WSBE Rhode Island PBS. The three-minute music video will debut on Rhode Island PBS at 9:30 A.M. on Saturday, April 14. "It's very simple. Washing your hands well is one of the easiest and best ways to avoid spreading germs," said Director of Health Michael Fine, MD. "Bill Harley has done a wonderful job at making this crucial public health message fun and memorable for kids through his music. Art and music are two ways to make public health compelling in a world with many distractions." In addition to the music video, the outreach to schools includes colorful posters with the song's hand washing instructions "by the numbers," as well as a Web site with links and more information at http://www.ripbs.org/kids/washyourhands/, which launches on April 14.