CDC
15 Feb Hepatitis C Screening of Baby-Boomers Still Underutilized
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Cheryl Isenhour, DVM, MPH Epidemiologist |Prevention Branch Division of Viral Hepatitis | NCHHSTP Centers for Disease Control and Prevention MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: It is estimated that there are over 3 million people in the United States living with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Risk factors for infection include, but are not limited to, injection drug use, history of incarceration, HIV coinfection, and blood transfusion prior to July 1992. Several direct acting antiviral medications have recently been approved to treat, and in the majority of cases, cure HCV. The first step in identifying infected persons so that they may be cured of this infection is a blood test for antibodies to HCV. The greatest burden of HCV is among persons born from 1945 through 1965; the baby boomer birth cohort. Therefore, in 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published updated HCV antibody testing recommendations to include one-time testing of persons in the birth cohort. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published similar recommendations the following year. Additionally, in recent years there has been an increase in HCV infections related to injection drug use among younger people. We used commercial insurance claims data to describe trends in HCV antibody testing over a 10-year period (2005 – 2014), both to assess the impact of the CDC and USPSTF testing recommendations, and to better understanding how trends varied by gender, age group, and geography.11 Feb Almost 40% of Assisted Reproductive Infants Are Multiple Births
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Saswati Sunderam, PhD Division of Reproductive Health National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion CDC. MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance – United States, 2014, the surveillance summary published this week in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), presents state-specific data on assisted reproductive technology (ART) use and outcomes. The report compares ART infant outcome data with outcomes for all infants born in the U.S. in 2014, and provides data on the contributions of Assisted Reproductive Technology to total infants born, multiple birth infants, low birth weight infants, and preterm infants for each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.09 Feb African American Women Remain Disproportionately Affected By HIV
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Donna Hubbard McCree, PhD MPH, RPh Association Director for Health Equity/Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: HIV diagnosis rates among women declined 40% between 2005 and 2014 with the largest decline, 42%, occurring in black women. However, in 2015 black women represented 61% of HIV diagnoses among women. Our goal in this analysis was to determine whether the decline resulted in a decrease in the disparities among African American, Hispanic and white women between 2010 and 2014. There is currently not a standard method for measuring HIV-related disparity. However, for this analysis we used three different measures – the absolute rate difference (the difference between the group with the lowest rate and the group with the highest rate); 2) the diagnosis disparity ratio (the ratio of the difference between the group rate and the overall population rate to the overall rate); and 3) the Index of Disparity (the average of the differences between rates for specific groups and the total rate divided by the total rate, expressed as a percentage). The absolute rate difference between black women and white women decreased annually, from 36.9 in 2010 to 28.3 in 2014. The diagnosis disparity ratio for black women compared to the total population decreased from 1.7 in 2010 to 1.2 in 2014. The Index of Disparity increased during 2010–2011, and then decreased each year during 2012–2014. Although disparities still exist, these findings indicate improvement.19 Jan Do Financial Conflicts Influence CDC Guidelines For Prescription Opioids?
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dora Lin, MHS Sr. Research Assistant Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness Baltimore, MD 21205 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: In response to the opioid epidemic and growing number of overdose deaths each year, the CDC released draft guidelines to improve the safe use of opioids in primary care. The draft guidelines were open to public comment, and many organizations, ranging from professional societies to consumer advocates to local governmental organizations, submitted comments regarding the guidelines. We examined the levels of support or non-support for the draft guidelines among the 158 organizations who submitted comments. We also examined each organization’s relationship to opioid manufacturers. Most organizations supported the guidelines, regardless of whether or not they had a financial relationship to a drug company. However, organizations receiving funding from opioid manufacturers were significantly more likely to be opposed to the guidelines than those who did not receive such funding.17 Jan Lyme Disease Ticks Common in Eastern US National Parks
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Tammi L. Johnson PhD, Microbiologist Division of Vector-Borne Diseases CDC MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks. Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vectorborne illness in the United States, with approximately 300,000 humans becoming infected each year. While Lyme disease infections are highly concentrated in the northeast and upper Midwest, the number of counties in which the blacklegged tick has become “established” has more than doubled in the past two decades. Established populations of these ticks are found in 35 states. Knowing that Lyme disease is increasing both in numbers of infections and in geographic range in the United States, we did this study to determine if people are at risk of encountering infected ticks while recreating in eastern national parks. This is the first large-scale survey in multiple national parks, and though suspected, it had not been confirmed that ticks in many of these parks were infected. So the purpose of the study was to survey national park units across six Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic States and the District of Columbia, ranging from Maine in the north to Virginia in the south and characterize the risk of human exposure to ticks-borne bacteria. Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Park Service evaluated frequently used trails in Acadia National Park, Catoctin Mountain Park, Fire Island National Seashore, Gettysburg National Military Park, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, Prince William Forest Park, Rock Creek Park, and Shenandoah National Park.09 Dec Fewer African Americans, More Whites Injecting Drugs
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_30338" align="alignleft" width="142"]
Dr. Cyprian Wejnert[/caption]
Cyprian Wejnert, Ph.D.
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention
CDC
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Our country is dealing with a devastating epidemic of opioid misuse and overdose that affects individuals, families and communities. We have long known that sharing needles and syringes is an incredibly efficient route for HIV, hepatitis and other infections to spread.
Yet, about 10% of annual HIV diagnoses in the United States occur among people who inject drugs, and there are clusters of hepatitis C infections across the country. These infections can be prevented when people who inject drugs use sterile needles, syringes and other injection equipment. One of the main findings of this study is that use of syringe services programs (SSPs) has increased substantially during the past decade, but most people who inject drugs still don’t always use sterile needles.
The analysis finds that more than half (54%) of people who inject drugs in 22 cities with a high number of HIV cases reported in 2015 they used an SSP in the past year, compared to only about one-third (36%) in 2005. Although syringe services program use has increased, findings indicate that too few people who inject drugs use only sterile needles. One in three (33%) reported in 2015 that they had shared a needle within the past year – about the same percentage that reported sharing a decade ago (36% in 2005).
The report also highlights some successes in HIV prevention among African Americans and Latinos who inject drugs, as well as concerning trends in whites who inject drugs. From our study of 22 urban areas, it appears that fewer African Americans are injecting drugs. However, it also appears there has been an increase in white Americans injecting drugs.
02 Dec 17 States Have More White Deaths Than Births
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_30123" align="alignleft" width="133"]
Dr. Rogelio Saenz[/caption]
Rogelio Saenz PhD
Dean, College of Public Policy
University of Texas at San Antonio
Senior Fellow
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: My colleague, Kenneth M. Johnson, and I conducted research based on mortality and birth data from the Center for Disease Control. These data allow us to assess natural decrease, i.e., greater number of deaths compared to births. We find that 17 states had more white deaths than white births in 2014, the most historically, compared to only four in 2004. We find that the 17 states with white natural decrease tend to have relatively high percentages of their populations being elderly (65 and older), low proportions of women being in childbearing ages (15-44), and relatively low fertility rates.
02 Dec Americans Continue To Have Better Lipid Profiles
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Asher Rosinger, PHD, MPH Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Health and Examination Nutrition Examination Surveys, Analysis Branch National Center for Health Statistic MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels are linked to coronary heart disease and cardiovascular events. Between 1999 and 2010, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL levels declined among U.S. adults. We used new data from the 2011-2014 nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to determine if earlier trends continued.21 Nov Despite Recent Modest Declines, Childhood Obesity Prevalence Remains High
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Liping Pan, MD MPH Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, GA MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: This CDC report is the first to use the WIC Participant Characteristic (WIC PC) data from the USDA to monitor trends in obesity among young children aged 2 to 4 years in the WIC program. The main findings of the study are: • 34 of 56 (61%) WIC state agencies reported modest decreases in obesity among young children from 2010 to 2014. • From 2000 to 2010, the prevalence of obesity among 2-4 year olds increased from 14.0% to 15.9%, then dropped to 14.5% from 2010 to 2014. • Obesity prevalence varied by state, ranging from 8.2 percent in Utah to 20.0 percent in Virginia. • From 2010 to 2014, obesity prevalence decreased among all major racial/ethnic groups, including non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics, American Indians/Alaska Natives, and Asians/Pacific Islanders. • From 2000 to 2014, obesity prevalence decreased significantly among Asian/Pacific Islanders, from 13.9 percent to 11.1 percent.14 Nov Smoking Deaths Disproportionately Affect Poor and Black Americans
Posted at 17:50h
in Author Interviews, Cancer Research, CDC, Race/Ethnic Diversity, Tobacco Research
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Jane Henley MSPH Epidemiologist Division of Cancer Prevention and Control MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The Surgeon General concluded that cigarette smoking causes at least 12 types of cancer: oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum, liver, pancreas, larynx, lung, bronchus and trachea, bladder, kidney and...
08 Nov Children Eating Too Much Salt At Every Meal
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_29511" align="alignleft" width="133"]
Zerleen S. Quader[/caption]
Zerleen S. Quader, MPH
CDC
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Sodium reduction is considered a key public health strategy to reduce cardiovascular disease nationwide, and this study is the latest in ongoing CDC efforts to monitor U.S. sodium intake.
Eating habits and taste for salt are established early in life by what children eat. Eating too much sodium can set them up for high blood pressure now and health problems later. Previous evidence suggests that one in nine children already has blood pressure above the normal range, and strong evidence has shown that reducing sodium intake reduces blood pressure – and lowering blood pressure lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease among adults. With voluntary efforts already underway by some manufacturers to lower the sodium and added sugar content in some of their products, these findings help provide a baseline to monitor changes in the food industry, as well as sodium intake among U.S. youth.
We examined data from the 2011-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to determine sodium intake by major food category, place and eating occasion. We found that average sodium intake among participants was 3,256 mg, and that doesn’t include salt added at the table. On the day of assessment, nearly 90 percent exceeded the upper level of sodium recommended for a healthy diet.
• There were some variations based on age and gender. For example:
o Average intake was highest among high school-aged children
o Girls had significantly lower daily intake than boys (for example, 2,919 mg versus 3,584 mg)
• In addition, we found that ten types of food make up nearly half of youth sodium intake nationwide, including pizza, bread, lunch meats and snack foods.
We also analyzed where the foods were obtained and found that approximately 58 percent of sodium comes from store foods, 16 percent from fast food and pizza restaurants and 10 percent from school cafeteria foods. And when we looked at occasion, we discovered that 39 percent of sodium intake was consumed at dinner, 31 percent at lunch, 16 percent from snacks and 14 percent from breakfast.
08 Nov CDC Reports On First Seven US Cases of Resistant Fungal Infection
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Snigdha Vallabhaneni Medical epidemiologist Mycotic Diseases Branch CDC MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: This report is the first to describe U.S. cases of C. auris infection. C. auris is often resistant to antifungal drugs and tends to occur in hospitalized patients. In June 2016, CDC issued a clinical alert describing the global emergence of C. auris and requesting that laboratories report C. auris cases and send patient samples to state and local health departments and CDC. Since then, CDC has been investigating reports of C. auris with several state and local health departments. Seven of the cases occurred between May 2013 and August 2016 and are described in this report. Among the seven cases detailed in the report, patients with C. auris were reported in four states: New York, Illinois, Maryland and New Jersey. All of the patients had serious underlying medical conditions and had been hospitalized an average of 18 days when C. auris was identified. Four of the patients died; it is unclear whether the deaths were associated with C. auris infection or underlying health conditions.07 Nov Death Rate Higher In C.diff Patients Who Do Not Receive Guideline-Adherent Therapy
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_29447" align="alignleft" width="200"]
Dr. Shannon Novosad[/caption]
Dr. Shannon Novosad, MD
Epidemic Intelligence Service, CDC
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Clostridium difficile can cause an infection in the colon called colitis. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, nausea, and abdominal pain. It is an important cause of healthcare associated infections with approximately half a million C. difficile infections and 29,000 associated deaths in 2011. The Infectious Diseases Society of America and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America published guidelines in 2010 advising clinicians on appropriate antibiotic regimens to treat C. difficile infection. Prior studies have found that provider adherence to these guidelines, particularly in those with severe disease, is poor. However, these studies primarily involved patients treated at a single healthcare facility. We were interested in examining CDI treatment practices in a larger group of patients with C. difficile infection located across geographically diverse areas. Further we wanted to learn more about what patient characteristics might be associated with receiving guideline-adherent therapy for C. difficile infection.
We used data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Emerging Infections Program (EIP) which performs active population and laboratory-based surveillance for C. difficile infections in 10 U.S. sites and examined how 11,717 patients including 2006 with severe disease were treated. We found that provider adherence to national treatment guidelines was low with only around 40% of those with severe disease being prescribed the appropriate antibiotic treatment. Our analysis suggests that those who were tested for C. difficile in the hospital or who were admitted to the hospital around the time of diagnosis were more likely to receive recommended antibiotic therapy.
In addition, patients greater than 65 years old or with more underlying comorbidities were more likely to receive the right antibiotic treatment. We also found that after adjusting for age and underlying comorbidities, the odds of death within 30 days of diagnosis was almost 400% higher in patients who did not receive guideline-adherent therapy compared to those who did.
04 Nov Fewer Births To Preteen Mothers Means Lower Preterm Birth Rates
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Cynthia Ferre MA PhD Division of Reproductive Health National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion CDC MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Reductions in births to teens and preterm birth rates are two recent public health successes in the United States. To date, however, we haven’t had data to indicate whether these two declines are associated. So, we used age-specific data on trends in births overall and in preterm births to determine the effects of changes in maternal age on preterm birth.12 Oct Adverse Life Experiences are a Major Risk Factor for Youth Firearm Violence
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28833" align="alignleft" width="133"]
Dr. Steven A. Sumner[/caption]
Steven A. Sumner, MD, MSc
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Violence Prevention
Atlanta GA
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: In 2014, CDC was invited to Wilmington, Delaware, to conduct a study because the city had been experiencing a high level of homicides and shootings. Our investigation looked at multiple risk factors for youth violence involvement across a wide variety of areas of young people’s lives. For example, youth who had previously experienced a gunshot wound injury were 11 times more likely to later commit a gun crime than youth who had not been similarly injured. Study investigators looked at histories of violence victimization, educational problems, unemployment histories, child welfare experiences, and prior criminal involvement. The more adverse life experiences a young person had, the more likely they were to commit firearm violence.
06 Oct Syphilis Skyrockets Among MSM
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28584" align="alignleft" width="200"]
Dr. Alex de Voux[/caption]
Alex de Voux, PhD, Epidemiologist
Centers for Disease Control
Division of STD Prevention
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Reported cases of primary and secondary syphilis have been increasing steadily in the United States since 2001, with men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) accounting for 83% of male primary and secondary syphilis cases with information on sex of sex partner in 2014.
However calculating the true disparity of primary and secondary syphilis cases relative to the MSM population size has been difficult because census data does not routinely collect information on sexual orientation or same-sex behavior. Through a recent collaboration with Emory University and CDC, Grey and colleagues developed refined estimates of the population size of MSM by state allowing us to calculate state-specific rates of primary and secondary syphilis for the first time. Looking at data from 44 states that had information on sex of sex partner for at least 70% of their male primary and secondary syphilis cases, the overall rate of syphilis was 309 per 100,000.
The state level data found syphilis rates among gay and bisexual men ranged widely among the 44 states, from 73.1 per 100,000 in Alaska to 748.3 per 100,000 in North Carolina. Some of the highest rates among MSM were in states in the Southeast and the West.
Comparing rates of syphilis among MSM to men reporting sex with women only (MSW), the overall rate for MSM was 107 times the rate for MSW. By state, the rate among MSM was at least 40 times the rate among MSW – and at most, 340 times the rate among MSW.
23 Sep Health and Economic Burden of Falls Expected To Surge
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28318" align="alignleft" width="144"]
Dr. Gwen Bergen[/caption]
Gwen Bergen, PhD
Division of Unintentional Injury
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
CDC
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Older adult falls are the leading cause of injury death and disability for adults aged 65 years and older (older adults). In this study, we analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. Our study found that, in 2014, older Americans reported 29 million falls. Almost a quarter of these or 7 million falls required medical treatment or restricted activity for at least one day. Women reported a higher percentage of falls (30%) compared with men (27%). Whites and American Indian/Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) were more likely to fall compared with Blacks and Asian/Pacific Islanders; and AI/AN were more likely to report a fall injury compared with all other racial/ethnic groups. The percentage of older adults who reported a fall varied by state, ranging from 21% in Hawaii to 34% in Arkansas.
19 Sep Some US Regions and Ethnicities At Greater Risk of Non-Adherence to Blood Pressure Medications
Posted at 23:32h
in Author Interviews, Blood Pressure - Hypertension, CDC, Compliance, Race/Ethnic Diversity
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
[caption id="attachment_28130" align="alignleft" width="142"]
Dr. Matthew Ritchey[/caption]
Matthew Ritchey, DPT, PT, OCS, MPH
Epidemiologist
Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and death. Unfortunately, almost one in three U.S. adults (around 75 million) has high blood pressure, and nearly half of that group (about 34 million) doesn’t have it under control.
As part of CDC’s ongoing efforts to monitor trends and risk factors contributing to cardiovascular disease, we collaborated with colleagues at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to look at blood pressure medicine nonadherence among Medicare Part D enrollees ages 65 and over. Being nonadherent means that patients skip doses of their medicine or stop taking it altogether.
19 Sep 33% Rise In ‘Last-Resort’ Antibiotics Use in Hospitals
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28031" align="alignleft" width="180"]
Dr. James Baggs[/caption]
James Baggs, PhD
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, Georgia
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: We used medical claims data to estimate the amount of antibiotics used in US hospitals from 2006 - 2012. Data came from the Truven Health MarketScan Hospital Drug Database, which included about 300 hospitals and more than 34 million discharges. Antibiotic use in hospitals was very common with more than half of patients receiving at least one antibiotic during their hospital stay. Overall rates of antibiotic use in U.S. hospitals did not change over time; however, there were significant changes in the types of antibiotics prescribed.
Importantly, the types of antibiotics with the largest increases in use were the types of antibiotics often considered to be the most powerful. Of particular concern, there was a 37% rise in the use of carbapenems, commonly referred to as “last resort” antibiotics.
15 Sep Costs of Prescription Opioid Overdose, Abuse and Dependence Top $75 Billion
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_27960" align="alignleft" width="180"]
Curtis Florence, PhD[/caption]
Curtis Florence, PhD
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control and
Assistant professor, Department of Health Policy Management
Rollins School of Public Health
Emory
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response:
- This study presents most recent CDC estimates of the economic burden of prescription opioid abuse, dependence and overdose in the United States.
- In 2013, over 16,000 persons died of prescription opioid overdoses, and almost 2 million people met the diagnostic criteria for abuse and/or dependence.
12 Sep Roundworm Infection Transmitted By Raccoons Has Serious Neurologic Complications
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_27834" align="alignleft" width="193"]
Dr. Anita Sircar[/caption]
Anita D. Sircar, MD
Epidemic Intelligence Service
Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria
Center for Global Health
CDC
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Baylisascaris procyonis is a roundworm commonly found in raccoons. It can be found anywhere in the United States where raccoons live. People, especially children, can be infected by this roundworm when they accidentally ingest contaminated raccoon feces. Infection with Baylisascaris procyonis can have severe outcomes in people such as blindness and even death if not treated promptly.
Despite expansion of the geographic distribution of Baylisascaris procyonis in the last 14 years and probable increasing human exposure, baylisascariasis is likely an underreported disease: only 22 documented cases were reported in the United States during 1973–2010.
During May 2013–December 2015, seven additional cases of baylisascariasis were identified among patients in the United States through testing at CDC, including six cases of central nervous system disease and one of ocular disease. Laboratory and clinical information for each patient was gathered and reviewed in a case series to contribute to knowledge about Baylisascaris procyonis infection. All seven patients survived, although approximately half had residual neurologic sequelae.
11 Sep Many Congolese Refugees Applying for Resettlement to the US Have Marked Splenomegaly
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Matt Goers Internal Medicine Resident at UMN MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this report? What are the main findings of the evaluations of refugee populations in western Uganda? Response: In 2014, International Organization of Migration (IOM) reported an unusually high number of Congolese refugees in western Uganda had palpable, enlarged spleens detected during their routine refugee pre-departure medical examinations. Due to this trend, the IOM, with the assistance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), implemented a diagnostic and treatment protocol to further evaluate and assist with management of refugees with splenomegaly during their pre-departure medical examinations. In March and June 2015, a total of 987 U.S.-bound refugees underwent medical examinations performed as part of their routine resettlement process. Of those evaluated, 145 (14.7%) had a detectable spleen on physical examination. In fact, 84.7% (122 people) were found to have marked or massive splenomegaly during their evaluation (classified based on a prior World Health Organization ultrasonography protocol). During the work-up for this condition, less than 33% were found to have an infectious cause of their condition including 26.9% (39 people) who had malaria.30 Aug Surge in Fentanyl Deaths in Florida and Ohio Linked to Illicitly Manufactured Opioids
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_27499" align="alignleft" width="125"]
Alexis B. Peterson, PhD[/caption]
Alexis B. Peterson, PhD
(Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer)
[caption id="attachment_27435" align="alignleft" width="125"]
Dr. R. Mathew Gladden[/caption]
R. Matthew Gladden, PhD (Behavioral Scientist)
MedicalResearch.com What is the background for this study?
Response: In March and October 2015, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued nationwide alerts identifying fentanyl, particularly illicitly manufactured fentanyl, as a threat to public health and safety. During 2013-2014, Ohio and Florida reported significant increases in fentanyl-involved overdose deaths (fentanyl deaths) and fentanyl submissions (drug products obtained by law enforcement that tested positive for fentanyl).
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50-100 times more potent than morphine. The University of Florida and the Ohio Department of Public Health with CDC assistance compared trends in fentanyl deaths, fentanyl submissions, and fentanyl prescribing during January 2013–June 2015.
In-depth review of medical examiner and coroner reports of fentanyl deaths occurring in Ohio’s 14 high-burden counties were performed to identify circumstances surrounding fentanyl overdose death.
30 Aug Injuries From Falls Cost Medicare Almost As Much As Cancer Treatment
Posted at 17:58h
in Accidents & Violence, Author Interviews, CDC, Cost of Health Care, Frailty, Geriatrics
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
[caption id="attachment_27484" align="alignleft" width="150"]
Elizabeth Burns MPH[/caption]
Elizabeth Burns, MPH
Health Scientist, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
CDC
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among Americans aged 65 and older. In 2000, the direct cost of falls were estimated to be $179 million for fatal falls and $19 billion for non-fatal falls. Fall injuries and deaths are expected to rise as more than 10,000 Americans turn 65 each day. Within the next 15 years, the U. S. population of older Americans is anticipated to increase more than 50%, with the total number of older adults rising to 74 million by 2030.
29 Aug Law Enforcement Agencies Report Large Increases in Synthetic Opioid–Involved Overdose Deaths
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_27435" align="alignleft" width="153"]
Dr. R. Mathew Gladden[/caption]
R. Matthew Gladden, PhD
Surveillance and Epidemiology Team, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: In March and October 2015, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and CDC, respectively, issued nationwide alerts identifying illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) as a threat to public health and safety.IMF is unlawfully produced fentanyl, obtained through illicit drug markets, includes fentanyl analogs, and is commonly mixed with or sold as heroin. Starting in 2013, the production and distribution of IMF increased to unprecedented levels, fueled by increases in the global supply, processing, and distribution of fentanyl and fentanyl-precursor chemicals by criminal organizations.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50?100 times more potent than morphine. Multiple states have reported increases in fentanyl-involved overdose (poisoning) deaths (fentanyl deaths). This report examined the number of drug products obtained by law enforcement that tested positive for fentanyl (fentanyl submissions) and synthetic opioid-involved deaths other than methadone (synthetic opioid deaths), which include fentanyl deaths and deaths involving other synthetic opioids (e.g., tramadol).
27 Aug Illicitly-Manufactured Fentanyl Contributing To Increasing Numbers of Heroin Deaths
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: John Halpin, MD, MPH, Medical officer Prescription Drug Overdose Epidemiology and Surveillance Team CDC Injury Center MedicalReseach.com editor’s note: Dr. Halpern discusses the CDC alert of August 25, 2016 regarding the increase in fentanyl-related unintentional overdose fatalities in multiple states. MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this alert? Response: The current health alert is an update to a previous alert in October, 2015 from CDC which described the geographic spread of states in which forensic labs were increasingly detecting fentanyl in the drug submissions that they receive from law enforcement, and how many of these same states were beginning to report fentanyl-related overdose deaths by their departments of public health. Further investigation by CDC and DEA have revealed that the great majority of fentanyl now present in the illicit drugs market is clandestinely-produced, and most commonly mixed with and sold as heroin, and is responsible for the great majority of fentanyl-related overdose deaths. Indications at the time of that alert pointed to a likely continuous rise in the supply of illicitly-manufactured fentanyl, and the potential for increasing numbers of fentanyl-related overdose deaths, particularly among those who use heroin.27 Aug Sexual Assaults More Common Against Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual High School Students
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_27398" align="alignleft" width="142"]
Dr. Laura Kann[/caption]
Laura Kann, Ph.D.
Chief of the School-Based Surveillance Branch
Division of Adolescent and School Health
CDC
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: CDC has been using the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to collect data on the sexual identity of high school students at the state and local levels and on the prevalence of health risk behaviors among gay, lesbian, and bisexual students for many years. Starting with the 2015 YRBS cycle, we had enough support to add questions to the national YRBS to provide the first ever nationally representative look at health risk behaviors among these students.
24 Aug CDC Reports Zika Has Spread to the Bahamas
Local mosquito transmission of Zika virus infection (Zika) has been reported on the island of New Providence in The Bahamas (which includes the city of Nassau). Local mosquito transmission means that mosquitoes in the area are infected with Zika virus and are spreading it to people...
23 Aug Contact Lens Infections Are Often Preventable With Proper Care
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_27239" align="alignleft" width="140"]
Dr. Jennifer Cope[/caption]
Dr. Jennifer Cope MD, MPH
Medical Epidemiologist
CDC
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Approximately 41 million people in the United States wear contact lenses, a safe and effective form of vision correction if worn and cared for as directed. Contact lenses are medical devices that are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Adverse events related to contact lenses are reported to FDA’s Medical Device Report (MDR) database.
During 2005–2015, a total of 1,075 Medical Device Reports describing contact lens–related corneal infections were reported to the FDA Medical Device Report database. Approximately 20% of these reports described a patient who suffered serious eye damage. More than 25% of the 1,075 reports described modifiable behaviors that might have put the patient at risk for a contact lens–related corneal infection, such as sleeping in lenses or wearing lenses longer than for the prescribed period.