Measles epidemics in Niger fluctuate wildly from one season to another but the timing of the outbreaks always coincides with the end of the annual rainy season, according to an international team of researchers.

The erratic nature of the outbreaks, they add, underlies the need for greater surveillance to detect potential epidemics and a quicker vaccination response to control the disease.

The lead author of the study is Matthew Ferrari, research associate at Penn State’s Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics.

Citation: Ferrari, M. J., Grais, R. F., Bharti, N., et al. (2008). The dynamics of measles in sub-Saharan Africa. Nature, 451(7179), 679-684. (Available online to the Penn State community)

Two new books chronicle public understanding of the causes of cancer, from the original focus on environmental issues to concentration on lifestyle and hereditary factors and a return to the environment. Sandra Steingraber discusses the books and her own experience with cancer in The Times Literary Supplement.

Biostatistician Andrew Vickers writes in the New York Times that many cancer researchers refuse to share their data, even when sharing it could potentially save lives.The National Institutes of Health (NIH) request that researchers they fund share their data:

The NIH expects and supports the timely release and sharing of final research data from NIH-supported studies for use by other researchers. Starting with the October 1, 2003 receipt date, investigators submitting an NIH application seeking $500,000 or more in direct costs in any single year are expected to include a plan for data sharing or state why data sharing is not possible. (NIH Data Sharing Policy)

NCHS has released the following new and updated NHANES data:

2005-2006 Data (New)
- Questionnaires: Early Childhood, Pesticide Use, Reproductive Health, Respiratory Health and Disease, Smoking (Cigarette Use, Household Smokers & Recent Tobacco Use), Social Support and Weight History, 8-15 years
- Labs: Erthyrocyte Protoporphyrin; Iron, TIBC, Transferrin Saturation; HDL Cholesterol, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and PSA

2003-2004 Data
- Urinary Iodine - Lab 6 (new)
- Ferritin and Transferrin Receptor Lab 6 (updated)

PRI researchers may request the above data from the Data Archivist.

DHS has published 3 new working papers:

• Internal Migration and the Use of Reproductive and Child Health Services in Peru (Lekha Subaiya)
• Trends in Primary and Secondary Abstinence among Kenya Youth (Chi Chiao & Vinod Mishra)
• Spousal Agreement on Waiting Time to Next Birth in Sub-Saharan Africa (Tesfayi Gebreselassie & Vinod Mishra)

Good marriages help women recover from work stress, according to a study conducted at UCLA. The researchers followed 60 working couples, taking daily surveys and collecting saliva samples to test for cortisol, a hormone released by the body under stress. (Washington Post)

The research will be published in the January issue of Health Psychology.

Cancer patients without health insurance are more likely to die, according to a new study forthcoming in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians (AP).

HRS has released the following products:

Income and Wealth Imputations for HRS 2006 Core - Early Release

2001 Consumption and Activities Mail Survey (CAMS) - Final v2.0

HRS 2006 Post-Exit - Final v1.0

Biomarker 2006 Data - Early Release

PRI researchers may request the above data from the Data Archivist.

A new report from the Commonwealth Fund makes policy recommendations for reducing health care costs (Bending the Curve: Options for Achieving Savings and Improving Value in U.S. Health Spending).

New & Noteworthy in Nutrition, a newsletter that got its start as a World Bank staff publication, has been revived and is now published by the Population Reference Bureau. The first PRB issue is available for download.