Although smoking rates have dropped dramatically in the U.S. - from 42% in 1965 to 14% in 2017 - some groups continue to have high prevalence of cigarette smoking. That’s according to the American Cancer Society (ACS), which is using the upcoming Great American Smokeout as an opportunity to highlight this “hidden epidemic.”

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria and fungi cause more than 2.8 million infections and 35,000 deaths in the United States each year, according to a report released recently by the CDC. That means, on average, someone in this country gets an antibiotic-resistant infection every 11 seconds and every 15 minutes someone dies.

The winter holiday season is a festive and eventful time, yet statistics show that home fires and electrical incidents increase during this time of year. In the spirit of the season, the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is reminding homeowners of safety tips and providing free resources to help them prevent household fires and accidents caused by improper cooking and heating practices.

Many companies are interested in the concept of "Culture of Health" to improve health and well-being throughout their organization. But some current definitions don't encompass the full range of social influences essential for building a Culture of Health, according to an editorial in the November Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

With fall in full swing, colder temperatures mean furnaces across Michigan are heating up homes and businesses. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Consumers Energy and DTE Energy joined together to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and how to prevent it by designating Nov. 4-10 as Michigan Carbon Monoxide Safety Awareness Week.

According to the National Indoor Air Survey by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, people believe that the health risks related to indoor air are greater and more serious than they actually are according to research data. Finns' knowledge and risk beliefs related to indoor air were surveyed for the first time.

The updated standards for ventilation system design and acceptable indoor air quality (IAQ), Standards 62.1 and 62.2, both include significant changes. ASHRAE has released updated editions of its standards for ventilation system design and acceptable indoor air quality (IAQ), Standard 62.1 and 62.2.

In California and other U.S. western states, wildfires have become more frequent and intense, adversely impacting air quality and human health. Smoke from wildfires contains many toxins and irritants, including particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter, which, due to their size, penetrate deep into the lungs and contribute to cardiopulmonary and respiratory illness.

If you thought potted plants purified air in your home or office, you are mistaken, according to researchers at Drexel University. A new study on decades of research into plants and air quality suggests the benefits of potted plants are vastly overstated. “Plants are great, but they don’t actually clean indoor air quickly enough to have an effect on the air quality of your home or office environment," said Michael Waring, an associate professor of architectural and environmental engineering in Drexel’s College of Engineering.

Eliminating exposure to asbestos and addressing the effect of climate change on mental health were two of the fourteen new policy statements adopted by the American Public Health Association’s (APHA) Governing Council at its 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo in Philadelphia this week. The ambitious agenda includes topics ranging from environmental justice to drinking water safety and attacks on health workers.