Penn Elm Medical Group
488 E. Valley Parkway
Suite 411
Escondido, CA 92025
(760) 745-2000

NEWSLETTER:
MAY 2005

  Happy Mother’s Day!

News You Can Use
Obesity Epidemic Could Slow, Even Reverse, Longetivity Gains
A recently published analysis of the effects of obesity on Americans' life expectancies paints a dismal portrait of the future if current population-wide trends continue. According to the authors of the study, published in the March 17 New England Journal of Medicine, "Unless effective population-level interventions to reduce obesity are developed, the steady rise in life expectancy observed in the modern era may soon come to an end and the youth of today may, on average, live less healthy and possibly even shorter lives than their parents." Health outcomes and life expectancies among minority populations may be hit hardest by the obesity epidemic, the study notes, "because within these subgroups, access to health care is limited and childhood and adult obesity has increased the fastest. In fact, if the negative effect of obesity on life expectancy continues to worsen, and current trends in prevalence suggest it will, then gains in health and longevity that have taken decades to achieve may be quickly reversed." Read an abstract of the study, "A Potential Decline in Life Expectancy in the United States in the 21st Century," and/or see an extract from a related editorial "Deadweight? — The Influence of Obesity on Longevity."

CDC Reports Rubella Virus No Longer a U.S. Health Threat
The rubella virus, which 40 years ago carved a wide swath of disease and disability across the United States, is no longer considered a major public health threat in this country. That announcement by CDC Director Julie Gerberding, M.D., came March 21 at the opening of the 39th National Immunization Conference in Washington, DC. "The elimination of rubella in the United States is a tremendous step in protecting the health and well-being of pregnant women and infants," Gerberding said. "A disease that once seriously harmed tens of thousands of infants is no longer a major health threat, thanks to a safe and effective vaccine and successful immunization programs across the country." In 1964 and 1965, a U.S. epidemic of rubella caused an estimated 12.5 million cases of the disease and some 20,000 instances of congenital rubella syndrome, resulting in more than 11,000 fetal deaths and thousands more infants born with birth defects. Today, immunization rates top 95 percent among U.S. children entering school. However, warned Stephen Cochi, M.D., M.P.H., acting director of the CDC's National Immunization Program, "the importance of continuing vaccination cannot be emphasized enough." Rubella cases continue to be brought into the United States from areas in which the disease remains active. See CDC press release on the announcement.

Important Announcements
Job Opportunities at Penn Elm
Physicians and Nurses Wanted! Penn Elm is looking for a physician and medical assistants or LVNs to join us in our ever-expanding practice! If you or someone you know is a doctor who might be interested in joining our team of family practice doctors, or an MA or LVN who has at least one year of nursing experience and might be looking for a new position, please leave your name with our Operations Manager, Judy Shaw, at 760-745-2000.

What’s New at Penn Elm?
Meet Us in the Street!
Come visit us at the Escondido Street Faire on Sunday, May 15 from 9 am to 5 pm! Meet our doctors and staff and learn more about our practice and what has changed with Penn Elm since you last visited us. Get more information about the Escondido Street Faire.

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