'9/11 Nine' To Receive Full Benefits Under Bill
Nine privately employed emergency medical technicians and paramedics who responded to the attacks of September 11, 2001, will receive full worker's compensation benefits under legislation signed by Governor Spitzer.
The "9/11 Nine," as they have been called, previously were limited to $400 in weekly compensation. Under the law signed last week, which had been vetoed three times before, the responders are eligible to receive benefits similar to those of their municipal counterparts. Their employers will pay for the benefits, which could add up to tens of thousands of dollars each year.
"To say this is a great and gratifying day for the nine of us and our families would be a huge understatement," a paramedic, Marvin Bethea, said. Mr. Bethea was buried two times under rubble when the towers collapsed.
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RALLY PLANNED FOR LOW-COST BIRTH CONTROL FOR STUDENTS
Students and others plan to rally next week in Washington Square Park to focus on the rising cost of birth control on college campuses.
The November 12 event, organized by Planned Parenthood of New York City and the New York University group Voices for Choices, will focus on the rise in the cost of contraceptives to $40 a month, up from about $5.
For decades, federal law enabled university clinics and other providers to purchase discounted birth control. However, a change in the Deficit Reduction Act, passed last year, has led to an increase in birth control prices.
Planned Parenthood has called on Congress to remedy the situation, and last week, Rep. Joseph Crowley of New York introduced a bill that would restore the eligibility of college clinics and other providers to buy low-cost birth control, the Prevention Through Affordable Access Act.
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STUDY: SOCIAL FACTORS INFLUENCE DEPRESSION
Social factors may play an important role for New Yorkers who develop depression, according to a new study.
The study, to be presented tomorrow by scientists from the New York Academy of Medicine at the 135th annual meeting of the American Public Health Association, sought to identify patterns and predictors of depression in New York City residents.
Conducted over a 30-month period, the study was based on phone interviews of 2,282 participants.
Among the main findings, researchers cited a correlation between recurring diagnoses and low levels of social support, poor physical health, and household incomes of less than $50,000.
Overall, 25% of participants met criteria for depression at least once, and 40% met criteria more than once.
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ALZHEIMER'S CONFERENCE TO FOCUS ON CARE GIVING
An annual conference on Alzheimer's disease scheduled for this week will focus on caregivers.
The 23rd Annual Mayoral Conference on Alzheimer's Disease, sponsored in part by the city's Department for the Aging, takes place Thursday. Workshops and exhibits are expected to focus on the financial, legal, and physical support of patients. The actor Dominic Chianese, who played Uncle Junior in the HBO series "The Sopranos," will address an estimated 1,000 attendees.
About 200,000 New Yorkers suffer from Alzheimer's disease. Five million individuals are said to have Alzheimer's nationwide.
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RESEARCHERS TO STUDY TREATMENT FOR SEVERE PMS
Researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center are studying new treatment options for women suffering from severe premenstrual syndrome.
The study will focus on premenstrual dysphoric disorder, a mood disorder that affects about 8% of women. PMDD is currently treated with anti-depressants, and researchers hope to alleviate symptoms with lower dosages.
The six-month study aims to enroll 300 women. It is funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and will be conducted in concert with Virginia Commonwealth University and Yale University.
"While it is common to trivialize premenstrual disturbances such as PMDD, the illness is serious for the women who are afflicted," the study's principal investigator, Dr. Margaret Altemus, said in a statement.
esolomont@nysun.com
