Author: Matt

Putting out cigarettes in Wisconsin bars and restaurants did not have a detrimental effect on the hospitality industry, according to a study released Monday. The study, conducted by the Carbone Cancer Center at UW-Madison, looked at five Wisconsin cities, including Madison, where smoking bans went into effect before the statewide ban took hold last summer. (CAPITAL TIMES, 1/24)

Waukesha County researchers have identified 100 babies who'll be part of a landmark study of children's health - a tiny fraction of the 100,000 nationwide who may eventually be identified for the largest long-term study of children's health ever conducted in the country. Waukesha County is among the first seven pilot locations, the only one in Wisconsin and part of 105 centers eventually who'll participate in the National Children's Study, the Journal Sentinel reports. (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 1/24)

A Dane County jury has awarded $1 million to a former Madison couple who claimed therapists created in their daughter false memories of childhood sexual and physical abuse, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 1/24)

Public health experts have long considered the infant mortality rate to be an essential indicator of a community's well-being. In Milwaukee, babies die during their first year of life at a rate greater than all but six of the nation's 53 largest cities. In Milwaukee, babies die at rates associated with the Third World, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in a new yearlong series examining the issues. (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 1/24)

Meriter and UW Health, longtime collaborators on services such as maternity care, are competing like never before. It's not just a battle over clinics. Meriter is hiring dozens of doctors - including some, such as pediatricians, who vie with UW Health doctors for patients the systems used to share, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. (WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, 1/24)

At a time when the need is growing for mental health services, many states are cutting back on spending. According to the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, last year spending on mental health services decreased nearly 5 percent compared to 2009. Early indications are that mental health budgets may decrease by 8 percent or more this year, according to a Gannett Wisconsin article. (OSHKOSH NORTHWESTERN, 1/24)