In the practice of medicine, four measurements have long served as indicators of the body’s basic functions: pulse, breathing, temperature, and blood pressure. In 1999, the Veterans Health Administration — the country’s largest government-run health care system — proposed a fifth vital sign: pain. The concept was initially promoted by the American Pain Society. The VA […]
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LePage puts spotlight on drug-affected babies
Drug Abuse Maine FocusGov. Paul LePage is calling on Maine to reverse the “disturbing trend” of babies born affected by drug use. In his weekly radio address, the governor references a recent article he read detailing the problem in Tennessee, a state where 800 babies are expected to be born dependent on drugs this year. “What I find […]
Obamacare and drug abuse
Drug Abuse Maine FocusWith all the chatter about Obamacare, you may not have heard about health reform’s major implications for those struggling with drug abuse. (Check out our ongoing Affordable Care Act series with the Sun Journal for a primer on the law.) Today, our health system largely segregates treatment of our physical health from care for our mental […]
Drug-affected babies: Unwitting victims of Maine’s opiate problem
Drug Abuse Maine FocusNearly 800 babies born in Maine last year were exposed to drugs in the womb. Take one look at the chart in today’s story and it’s clear the problem has only worsened in recent years, as opiate addiction has ballooned into one of Maine’s top public health threats. Prescription painkillers intended to ease the burden […]