[xlxmegxlx]

For my first term paper I am asked to select a consumer health issue, identify specifically how it affects all in society (w/ research, refrences, etc.) and society's curent response to the issue, as well as emphasize the significant contributions that nursing as a professional group had made or could make in influencing and implementing measures to impact on the selected consumer health issue.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a good topic? I know there are a bunch of obvious ones like smoking, contraception, etc., a lot of people are doing the HPV vaccine also, but I wanted to try and find a topic that not everyone was writing about, but still had a lot of usefull information and resources available. I would appreciate any suggestions! Thanks ~

[deeDawntee]

Obesity, childhood obesity, fast food, portions, school cafeteria food, vending machines.

[Daytonite]

I would go to the website of the National Institute of Health (http://www.nih.gov/) and see what they have there (there is a news link on the bottom menu bar) or in any of their 27 various institutes and see what's new or news on these sites.

There is also a huge U.S. government initiative called Healthy People 2010. Maybe you've heard of it. It is a national health promotion and disease prevention initiative bringing together many individuals and agencies to improve the health of all Americans. This is the home page: http://www.healthypeople.gov/. Explore the site. Pull up the site map. They currently have 3 major areas of focus (1) Reduce the number of new cancer cases as well as the illness, disability, and death caused by cancer. (2) Promote the health of people with disabilities, prevent secondary conditions, and eliminate disparities between people with and without disabilities in the U.S. population, and (3) reduce foodborne illnesses.

• http://www.healthypeople.gov/About/hpfact.htm - Health People 2010 Fact Sheet. Information on these various diseases that they are targeting can be found on the individual Institute of Health websites (http://www.nih.gov/icd/)

If you find a topic and use the search boxes on any of the sites you will get a return of all kinds of news releases and other articles pertaining to the subject.

Have fun!