Women At High Risk for Cardiovascular Disease

Women over age 45 are not being screened for cardiovascular disease, says a survey conducted by Women First HealthCare. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women.

High cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for developing CVD, which kills over 500,000 women each year — more than all forms of cancer combined, according to the American Heart Association.

"Morbidity and mortality associated with heart disease is a major threat to women," said Daniel R. Mishell, Jr., MD, Chairman, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine.

For more information on the study, visit Women First HealthCare, Inc. Web site.

Study Finds Increase in Women Board Directors

America's 500 largest companies are significantly more likely to have at least one woman board director than the next largest group, according to a recent study conducted by Catalyst Census,

Since the first Catalyst Census in 1993, the number of Fortune 500 companies with at least one woman board director has increased by 21 percent. According to Catalyst President Sheila Wellington, "It is our belief that by shining a spotlight on the full Fortune 1000 list, we will eventually see similar growth."

For more information on the study, visit Catalyst's Web site.

Online Shopping Tips

This holiday season, no matter what you're in the market for - the latest high-tech gadget, a rare antique or even the tree you'll put it under - you're likely to find it online. But virtual shopping, like traditional shopping, isn't without risks. Here are some tips from the Federal Trade Commission to help you shop safely online.

For more information on consumer safety tips, visit the FTC's Web site.

Toy Safety Tips for Holiday Shoppers

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges gift-givers to keep safety in mind when choosing toys for young children.

The CPSC requires labels to be on all toys marketed for children from 3 years old up to 6 years old if the toys pose a choking hazard to children under age 3. These labels tell consumers two critical things: That a toy is not safe for younger children and why it is not safe.

The following tips will help consumers choose appropriate toys this holiday season and all year round:

• Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills, and interest level of the intended child. Toys too advanced may pose safety hazards to younger children.
  
  
• For infants, toddlers, and all children who still mouth objects, avoid toys with small parts which could pose a fatal choking hazard.
  
  
• Look for sturdy construction, such as tightly secured eyes, noses, and other potential small parts.
  
  
• For all children under age 8, avoid toys that have sharp edges and points.
  
  
• Do not purchase electric toys with heating elements for children under age 8.
  
  
• Be a label reader. Look for labels that give age recommendations and use that information as a guide.
  
  
• Check instructions for clarity. They should be clear to you, and when appropriate, to the child.
  
  
• Immediately discard plastic wrappings on toys, which can cause suffocation, before they become deadly playthings.

For more information, visit the CPSC's Web site.

Hazardous Products Sold in Thrift Stores

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently kicked off a national campaign to alert the public that many thrift stores are selling hazardous products that have been recalled, banned or do not meet current safety standards.

From May through September 1999, CPSC visited 301 randomly selected thrift stores nationwide. CPSC's study found that 69 percent were selling at least one hazardous product. The top three products found were children's jackets and sweatshirts with drawstrings presenting a strangulation hazard, hairdryers that do not protect against electrocution and cribs that do not meet current safety standards.

CPSC found that thrift stores nationwide, including those run by national organizations and local and independent stores, sell the following hazardous products:

• 51 percent sell children's jackets and sweatshirts with drawstrings, presenting a strangulation hazard.
  
  
• 20 percent sell hair dryers without protection against electrocution.
  
  
• 12 percent sell cribs that do not meet current federal and voluntary safety standards, presenting risks including entrapment and strangulation.
  
  
• 7 percent sell recalled play yards and playpens with protruding hardware or collapsible top rails, presenting a strangulation hazard.
  
  
• 4 percent sell recalled car seat carriers with handles that can unexpectedly disengage, causing the seat to flip forward and injure infants.
  
  
• 3 percent sell recalled toy basketball sets with nets that present a strangulation hazard to children.
  
  
• About 1 percent sell other hazardous products including banned lawn darts, recalled cedar chests and recalled bean bag chairs, all of which present injury and death hazards to children.

For more information, visit the CPSC's Web site.