Health

=** Before you make your final decision about a topic, get to know it a bit. Check out books and articles and/or follow the links when included below. **=

=== Questions to ask when selecting a topic: ===
 * 1) How much information is available? Is it readily available or do I have to dig deep?
 * 2) Is the information credible? written by an expert? current?
 * 3) Is the information written on a level I can understand?

Should biolabs be more strongly regulated to prevent the spread of dangerous, contagious diseases?
 * http://www.usatoday.com/longform/news/2015/05/28/biolabs-pathogens-location-incidents/26587505/

What can be done to increase the number of minorities going into medicine?
 * http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/13/magazine/a-prescription-for-more-black-doctors.html
 * http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/13/books/review/black-man-in-a-white-coat-by-damon-tweedy.html
 * http://radioboston.wbur.org/2015/09/16/black-doctors
 * http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/doctors-memoir-shows-race-matters-hospital-room/

Will medical care in the future be good for patients?
 * http://aaucm.org/about/future/default.aspx
 * http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/doc-in-a-box
 * http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-freudberg/medical-students-healthcare_b_4531929.html
 * http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-future-of-medicine-is-in-your-smartphone-1420828632
 * http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303471004579165470633112630
 * http://www.healthline.com/health-news/the-future-of-healthcare-could-be-in-concierge-medicine-063015
 * http://www.economist.com/node/21556227

What does new science and medical knowledge tell us about healthy aging and living a long life well?
 * http://www.afar.org/infoaging/biology-of-aging/
 * Discover magazine, October 2015
 * http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/aging-ask-the-experts-can-aging-be-controlled/

What is the potential for creating a wellness program for kids that will help them develop life-long healthy habits?
 * http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/09/08/surgeon-general-issues-call-action-tells-usa-start-walking/71879448/

Do nutrition labels give consumers the information they need to make wise eating choices?
 * http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/27/health/nutrition-labels-changes/
 * http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm385663.htm
 * http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Regulation/FDA-Nutrition-Facts-timetable-not-realistic-says-Kroger
 * https://cspinet.org/foodlabeling/
 * http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnmcquaid/2015/08/30/how-even-subtle-changes-in-food-and-nutrition-labels-exert-power-over-consumer-choices/

Do the benefits of online medical care or telemedicine outweigh its risks? > http://www.cato.org/events/removing-barriers-online-medical-care
 * http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/03/the-problem-with-online-doctors/index.htm
 * http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2012/07/24/pros-and-cons-of-telemedicine-for-todays-workers
 * http://www.c-span.org/video/?326286-1/discussion-online-medical-care-services

Should nurse practitioners be allowed to practice in North Carolina?
 * http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/05/15/doctors-reluctant-to-expand-nurse-practitioners-role-survey

Does the overuse of antibiotics contribute to our rising problems of childhood asthma and obesity?
 * http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2014-07-10/why-overuse-antibiotics-may-be-linked-asthma-and-obesity

What has been the impact of legalizing marijuana in some states?
 * http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobsullum/2014/07/10/how-is-marijuana-legalization-going-so-far-the-price-of-pot-peace-looks-like-a-bargain/
 * http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881
 * http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/rekha-basu/2014/08/17/colorados-marijuana-law-brought-tourists-tax-revenues/14178219/
 * http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/08/05/since-marijuana-legalization-highway-fatalities-in-colorado-are-at-near-historic-lows/
 * http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/us/after-5-months-of-sales-colorado-sees-the-downside-of-a-legal-high.html
 * http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-22/marijuana-law-mayhem-splits-u-s-in-two-as-travelers-get-busted.html

Should the average person get a DNA test?

What can be done to help people with mental disorders and keep them off the streets?
 * http://www.usatoday.com/longform/news/nation/2014/08/27/mental-health-homeless-series/14255283/

Are online/virtual medical examinations a good way to meet the expanding need for medical care?
 * http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-12-10/dr-dot-phil-backed-startup-launches-online-medical-exams
 * http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303678404579536332010487964
 * http://mobihealthnews.com/22215/five-reasons-virtual-doctor-visits-might-be-better-than-in-person-ones/

What would it take to make Winston-Salem one of the country's "Fittest Cities"?
 * http://time.com/124428/washington-d-c-is-the-fittest-city-in-the-u-s/
 * http://americanfitnessindex.org/report/

Do government policies and big business practices contribute to the nation and world's obesity problems?

What should be done to reduce the problem of antibiotic-resistant infections?

Should biopharming be promoted as an option in the development of new medicines/drugs?
 * http://online.wsj.com/articles/henry-miller-genetic-engineering-and-the-fight-against-ebola-1409007977
 * http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/8/21/plant-made-pharmaceuticals.html
 * http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/07/business/an-obscure-biotech-firm-hurries-ebola-treatment.html
 * http://www.smartbrief.com/12/23/02/food-industry-supports-biotech-foods-cautious-about-biopharming-1#.VAOkGkgmKoA

What can be done to prevent polio from once again becoming an international threat to world health?

How can companies like Nike balance cost and worker safety?

Does the U.S. government spend enough on health research?

Should funding be increased for research specifically on women's health issues?

Should we be putting more money into DNA studies?

Should new parents pay for cord blood storage?

Lyme Disease: Can the tick-borne illness be controlled?
 * http://library.cqpress.com.proxy067.nclive.org/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2013110800

Should America do a better job treating the mentally ill?

Should soft drinks be regulated more strictly or taxed at a higher rate than more healthy foods and drinks?
 * http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/new-tactic-in-war-on-obesity-attack-portion-size/2012/06/02/gJQA4wzi9U_story.html

What can be done to increase the number of students going into medicine and nursing?

Should individuals become more educated about and responsible for their own health?

What are the major causes of death in the U.S. and how can we reduce their incidence?

Is it possible to prevent allergies in children?
 * http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/20/us-food-allergies-idUSTRE75J0YJ20110620
 * http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/allergies/allergy.html
 * http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/smokingandyouth.html
 * http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/06/20/food.allergies.pediatrics/index.html
 * http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/asthma.htm

Do current drug industry policies and methods ensure a safe, adequate supply of drugs for U.S. consumers?
 * http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/03/27/2953522/drug-industry-problems-lead-to.html

Do processed foods cause an unhealthy addiction to excessive fats, sweets, and salt?

What can be done to protect the U.S. food supply from food-borne pathogens?
 * @http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129155261
 * http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/08/13/129174230/salmonella-and-norovirus-top-rogues-gallery-of-food-hazards>

What can be done to shake America’s salt habit?
 * @http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126556831

Should the selling of unpasteurized milk be prohibited?

Should people be informed about their gene-related health problems?

Should "bad food" be taxed higher than healthy food?
 * http://abcnews.go.com/International/europe-fighting-outlaw-obesity-fat-tax/story?id=9539339
 * http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/26/earlyshow/health/main20083373.shtml
 * http://www.economist.com/node/14120903

Do "health foods" and food supplements need certified testing for content and/or meeting their benefit claims?

Can alternative treatments like acupuncture and Reiki play a significant role in medical treatments?
 * http://www.reiki.org/faq/whatisreiki.html
 * http://www.wakehealth.edu/Recreation-Therapy/Massage-Therapy.htm
 * http://nccam.nih.gov/health/reiki/

Does the food stamp program contribute to obesity?

Is irradiated food safe and nutritious? Should the U.S. increase the availability of irradiated food?

Should fertility medicine be regulated more tightly?

Should the U.S. have a national plan for health care for all children?

Should safety regulations and inspection of fair and amusement park rides be standardized?

Is the U.S. health care system the world’s best?

Should more be done to improve patient care in America’s emergency rooms?

What can be done about the increasing number of superbugs and drug resistant diseases?
 * @http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15453093

Should there be a national registry of health data?

Are national parks safe places?
 * @http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129077571
 * http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88512175

2014-2015 Topics
Is the anti-inoculation movement a serious threat to public health?

2013-2014 Topics
Do genetically modified crops like "Golden Rice" have more benefits than risks? Is GMO (genetically modified food) labeling necessary and desirable? Should the US be doing more to prepare for the Alzheimer's epidemic? Should fast food companies be held responsible for the obesity epidemic?

2012-2013 Topics
Are organic products worth the extra cost? Can cats and dogs be trained to diagnose health problems? ALS - A mystery to treat Sleep Disorders Genetics vs. Environment Stomach Cancer Oxycodone Addiction in America Teen Suicide

2011-2012 Topics
Are beauty products safe? How do heart defects impact student athletes? What is the value of regenerative medicine? How does art therapy help people? Should marijuana be legalized? What effects do allergies have on kids' lives? Are soldiers getting the treatment they need for post-traumatic stress syndrome? What can be done to decrease the incidence of diabetes? What can be done to reduce teen drinking problems? Should more be done to discourage smoking among kids? Can more be done to prevent premature births? Can we do more to prevent lung cancer?

** 2010-2011 Topics **
Should organizations be held responsible for the series injuries and health issues of retired players that developed during their careers? Should more be done to properly diagnose and treat brain injuries in soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan? Should more be done to raise awareness about Macular Degeneration? What should colleges be doing to reduce binge drinking and alcohol overuse among students? How can the U.S. avoid the predicted health crisis caused by obesity? Should more be done to prevent breast cancer? Should more be done to teach minorities water safety? Should more be done to prevent binge drinking on campus? Should more be done to prevent teen pregnancy? What are the pros and cons for a sibling of living with an autistic child? Should more be done to prevent teens from developing eating disorders? Should every physically-able person run a half marathon in his/her lifetime? Are the health benefits of sports for teens worth the health risks athletes face?  http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/03/the-problem-with-online-doctors/index.htm

 http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/03/the-problem-with-online-doctors/index.htm

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/03/the-problem-with-online-doctors/index.htm Is GMO (genetically modified food) labeling necessary and desirable?