West Nile Virus

Causes & Prevention

What Does It Mean When Medical Experts Say "Race" Is A Risk Factor For Certain Diseases?

Editor's Note:

"Race" is sometimes mentioned as a risk factor in the development of certain cancers and a number of other diseases. When you read this in a discussion about an illness, note that the explanation seldom refers to anything biological. Instead, it usually refers to behavior, such as eating habits. The kinds of behavior usually mentioned as risk factors are culturally determined. They are not genetic or biological.

Global Warming Linked to Illness, From Asthma to Malaria

Listening to the NPR program Fresh Air yesterday (June 26, 2006), I heard a remarkable interview with Dr. Paul Epstein, the associate director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School.