Fed: technology advances not giving us healthier kids - Stanley
Australian of the Year, FIONA STANLEY, says the health of Australian children is worseningas the country's wealth and technological trappings improve.
Professor STANLEY, a child health specialist, says it's disturbing that the incidenceof low birthweight babies is increasing despite medical advances.
She told the National Press Club that women are 1.7 times more likely to have a lowbirthweight baby if they are disadvantaged compared with being advantaged.
Professor STANLEY says if birthweight is such an important indicator of later health,disability and other problems, the situation is of enormous concern.
She also says infant deaths were 250 per cent more likely for poorer people in 1984-86,rising to 320 per cent more likely in 1996-98.
Professor STANLEY says it's obvious that economic reforms and technological changeshave not delivered the improvements in society that were expected.
AAP RTV dep/sw/jas
KEYWORD: STANLEY (CANBERRA)
No comments:
Post a Comment