Public Health Resources

Cancers Associated with Human Papillomavirus in American Indian and Alaska Native Populations — United States, 2013–2017   - In data from central cancer registries linked with Indian Health Service patient information, 740 (72%) of 1,030 HPV-associated cancers among AI/AN were estimated to be types targeted by 9-valent HPV vaccine. Oropharyngeal cancers were the most common HPV-associated cancers among AI/AN males, and cervical cancers were the most common among AI/AN females. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Case-Control Study of Use of Personal Protective Measures and Risk for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection, Thailand   - Study evaluated effectiveness of personal protective measures against severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label   - On May 20, 2016, the FDA announced the new Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods to reflect new scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease. The new label will make it easier for consumers to make better informed food choices. FDA published the final rules in the Federal Register on May 27, 2016. (U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HHS)

Characteristics and Maternal and Birth Outcomes of Hospitalized Pregnant Women with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 — COVID-NET, 13 States, March 1–August 22, 2020   - Among 598 hospitalized pregnant women with COVID-19, 55% were asymptomatic at admission. Severe illness occurred among symptomatic pregnant women, including intensive care unit admissions (16%), mechanical ventilation (8%), and death (1%). Pregnancy losses occurred for 2% of pregnancies completed during COVID-19-associated hospitalizations and were experienced by both symptomatic and asymptomatic women. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Coming Soon: NLM Classification Redesign   - There will soon be a new look and feel to the NLM Classification. The new interface will be released in late September as part of the 2020 Summer edition update. With this new design and modified organizational structure will come a new URL, which will be announced when it is available. The old URL will automatically be redirected to the new one. The new site functions best in Chrome or Firefox. Be on the lookout for more announcements. (National Library of Medicine (NLM), NIH)

Community Treatment Centers for Isolation of Asymptomatic and Mildly Symptomatic Patients with Coronavirus Disease, South Korea   - Article describes the operating processes of 3 community treatment centers near Daegu, South Korea, and analyzes the clinical characteristics and disease progression in admitted patients. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Community and Close Contact Exposures Associated with COVID-19 Among Symptomatic Adults ≥18 Years in 11 Outpatient Health Care Facilities — United States, July 2020   - Findings from a case-control investigation of symptomatic outpatients from 11 U.S. health care facilities found that close contact with persons with known COVID-19 or going to locations that offer on-site eating and drinking options were associated with COVID-19 positivity. Adults with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results were approximately twice as likely to have reported dining at a restaurant than were those with negative SARS-CoV-2 test results. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Community-derived recommendations for healthcare systems and medical students to support people who are houseless in Portland, Oregon: a mixed-methods study   - The objective of this study was to understand perceptions of how medical students and institutions can meet needs of the self-identified needs of the houseless community. (BioMed Central)

Comparison of Clinical Features of COVID-19 vs Seasonal Influenza A and B in US Children   - In this cohort study of 315 children with COVID-19 and 1402 children with seasonal influenza, there were no statistically significant differences in the rates of hospitalization, admission to the intensive care unit, and mechanical ventilator use between the 2 groups. More patients with COVID-19 than with seasonal influenza reported fever, diarrhea or vomiting, headache, body ache, or chest pain at the time of diagnosis. (American Medical Association (AMA))

Considerations for Use of SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Testing in Nursing Homes   - This document provides a summary of considerations for use of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) antigen testing in nursing homes and is intended for nursing home providers and state and local public health departments. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Contact Tracing: Training New Workers and Connecting with Rural Residents   - Across the country, contact tracing continues to be an important step in combatting the coronavirus pandemic, especially as schools and businesses open up and as community members become more active outside the home. (Rural Health Information Hub)

Conversations on Science: In Depth With Dr. Fauci   - In the first episode of our new season “Conversations on Science,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, discusses the importance of science in our daily lives, especially amid the pandemic, and shares his own story about how he fell in love with science. (Pew Charitable Trusts)

Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE   - An interactive web-based dashboard hosted by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University, to visualize and track reported cases of 2019-nCoV in real-time. The dashboard reports cases at the province level in China, city level in the US, Australia and Canada, and at the country level otherwise. (Johns Hopkins University)

Coronavirus Commission on Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes: Commission Final Report (September 2020)   - CMS asked MITRE to convene a commission of experts to address safety and quality in nursing homes in relation to the public health emergency. The main purpose of the independent Coronavirus Commission on Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes (Commission) was to solicit lessons learned from the early days of the pandemic and recommendations for future actions to improve infection prevention and control measures, safety procedures, and the quality of life of residents within nursing homes. This final report, prepared by MITRE, documents the Commission’s output. (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS)

Coronavirus Self-Checker   - The Coronavirus Self-Checker is an interactive clinical assessment tool that will assist individuals ages 13 and older, and parents and caregivers of children ages 2 to 12 on deciding when to seek testing or medical care if they suspect they or someone they know has contracted COVID-19 or has come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Coronavirus Tracker   - This tracker provides the number of cases and deaths from novel coronavirus by country, the trend in case and death counts by country, and a global map showing which countries have cases and deaths. The data are drawn directly from official coronavirus situation reports released regularly by the WHO. (Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF))

Coverage and Use of Fertility Services in the U.S.   - This brief examines how access to fertility services, both diagnostic and treatment, varies across the U.S., based on state regulations, insurance type, income level and patient demographics. (Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF))

Curriculum Recommendations for Disaster Helath Professionals: Disaster Behavioral Health   - This guidance document was created with the intent to 1) provide a framework upon which to build disaster behavioral health curricula and 2) compile and give access to up-to-date, credible resources to support such curricula. (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS))

Deaths, Hospitalizations, and Emergency Department Visits From Food-Related Anaphylaxis, New York City, 2000-2014: Implications for Fatality Prevention   - Study describes the epidemiology and trends of food-related anaphylaxis requiring emergency treatment during a 15-year span in New York City when public health initiatives to prevent deaths were implemented and to understand the situational circumstances of food-related deaths. (Public Health Reports)

Declaration Under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act for Medical Countermeasures Against COVID-19   - The Secretary is issuing this Declaration pursuant to section 319F-3 of the Public Health Service Act to provide liability immunity for activities related to medical countermeasures against COVID-19. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS))

Decreased Influenza Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, Australia, Chile, and South Africa, 2020   - Following widespread adoption of community mitigation measures to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, the percentage of U.S. respiratory specimens submitted for influenza testing that tested positive decreased from >20% to 2.3% and has remained at historically low interseasonal levels (0.2% versus 1–2%). Data from Southern Hemisphere countries also indicate little influenza activity. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Delay or Avoidance of Medical Care Because of COVID-19–Related Concerns — United States, June 2020   - By June 30, 2020, because of concerns about COVID-19, an estimated 41% of U.S. adults had delayed or avoided medical care including urgent or emergency care (12%) and routine care (32%). Avoidance of urgent or emergency care was more prevalent among unpaid caregivers for adults, persons with underlying medical conditions, Black adults, Hispanic adults, young adults, and persons with disabilities. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Dialogue About the Workforce for Population Health Improvement: Proceedings of a Workshop (2019)   - Proceedings from a March 2019 workshop to explore the broad and multidisciplinary nature of the population health workforce. (National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM))

Digital contact tracing technologies in epidemics: a rapid review   - Rapid review assesses the benefits, harms, and acceptability of personal digital contact tracing solutions for identifying contacts of an identified positive case of an infectious disease. (The Cochrane Collaboration)

Disparities in the Healthfulness of School Food Environments and the Nutritional Quality of School Lunches   - To better understand the extent of disparities in the school food environment after the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA), this paper examined differences in the healthfulness of school food environments and the nutritional quality of school lunches by the school poverty level and racial/ethnic composition of students using data from the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study. (Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.)

E-cigarette Unit Sales, by Product and Flavor Type — United States, 2014–2020   - During September 2014–May 2020, e-cigarette sales increased by 122.2%. Sales of prefilled cartridges increased during September 2014–August 2019; since then, sales of disposable products have increased. Prefilled mint cartridge e-cigarette sales increased from September 2014 to August 2019, then decreased, as menthol sales increased during August 2019–May 2020. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

E-cigarette Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2020   - In 2020, 19.6% of high school students (3.02 million) and 4.7% of middle school students (550,000) reported current e-cigarette use. Among current e-cigarette users, 38.9% of high school students and 20.0% of middle school students reported using e-cigarettes on 20 or more of the past 30 days; 22.5% of high school users and 9.4% of middle school users reported daily use. Among all current e-cigarette users, 82.9% used flavored e-cigarettes, including 84.7% of high school users (2.53 million) and 73.9% of middle school users (400,000). (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Ebola Outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Emergencies or Enduring Threat? (September 2020)   - The prolonged battle to contain the Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC, coupled with what appear to be more frequent outbreaks in the country, raise questions about the allocation of U.S. global health resources and bilateral aid for DRC. (Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress)

Effects of Cocooning on Coronavirus Disease Rates after Relaxing Social Distancing   - As coronavirus disease spreads throughout the United States, policymakers are contemplating reinstatement and relaxation of shelter-in-place orders. By using a model capturing high-risk populations and transmission rates estimated from hospitalization data, we found that postponing relaxation will only delay future disease waves. Cocooning vulnerable populations can prevent overwhelming medical surges. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Estimates of State Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participation Rates in 2017   - This report, part of an annual series, presents estimates, by state, of the percentage of eligible persons and working poor individuals who participated in SNAP during an average month in fiscal year (FY 2017) and the two previous fiscal years. (U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA))

Estimating Undercoverage Bias of Internet Users   - Study examined undercoverage bias of internet use by partitioning it into a product of 2 components: proportion of noninternet use and difference in the prevalences of interest (self-reported health, current smoking, and binge drinking) between internet users and noninternet users. (Preventing Chronic Disease, CDC)

Every Body Counts: Measuring Mortality From the COVID-19 Pandemic   - This article discusses the current difficulties of disaster death attribution and describes the strengths and limitations of relying on death counts from death certificates, estimations of indirect deaths, and estimations of excess mortality. (American College of Physicians)

Exposure to Secondhand Smoke in Homes and Vehicles Among US Youths, United States, 2011–2019   - Study reports the prevalence of self-reported secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in homes and vehicles among US middle and high school students in 2019 and changes in SHS exposure over time. (Preventing Chronic Disease, CDC)

Fast Food Intake Among Children and Adolescents in the United States, 2015–2018   - During 2015–2018, over one-third (36.3%) of children and adolescents consumed fast food on a given day. (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC)

Fighting Compassion Fatigue During Public Health Epidemics (August 2020)   - This brief will examine the opioid overdose epidemic as a case study in compassion fatigue during public health epidemics. (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO))

Fighting Together: National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day 2019   - National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) highlights the disproportionate impact of HIV on Hispanic and Latinx communities. The Latino Commission on AIDS—the lead organizer for this October 15 observance—notes, “the NLAAD 2019 campaign want[s] to address that people of either HIV status have a say on ending HIV, in stopping new diagnoses. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS))

Final Research Plan for Illicit and Nonmedical Drug Use in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults: Preventive Interventions   - The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force posted today a final research plan on interventions to prevent illicit and nonmedical drug use in children, adolescents, and young adults. (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF))

Food Insecurity Interventions in Health Care Settings: A Review of the Evidence (August 2020)   - To help inform health sector food insecurity efforts, this issue brief updates and summarizes the results of a published systematic review of peer-reviewed studies of food insecurity-related interventions in the context of health care delivery settings. (Social Interventions Research & Evaluation Network (SIREN))

Fourth large-scale COVID-19 vaccine trial begins in the United States   - A fourth Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating an investigational vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has begun enrolling adult volunteers. The trial is designed to evaluate if the investigational Janssen COVID-19 vaccine (JNJ-78436725) can prevent symptomatic COVID-19 after a single dose regimen. Up to 60,000 volunteers will be enrolled in the trial at up to nearly 215 clinical research sites in the United States and internationally. (National Institutes of Health (NIH), HHS)

From the Factory to the Frontlines: The Operation Warp Speed Strategy for Distributing a COVID-19 Vaccine (September 2020)   - This report to Congress details a strategy to achieve the principal purpose and objective of Operation Warp Speed (OWS): ensuring that every American who wants to receive a COVID-19 vaccine can receive one, by delivering safe and effective vaccine doses to the American people beginning January 2021. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS))

Funding and Service Delivery in Rural and Urban Local US Health Departments in 2010 and 2016   - In this repeated cross-sectional study, researchers examined rural–urban differences in funding and service provision among LHDs over time using 2010 and 2016 National Association of County and City Health Officials data. (American Public Health Association (APHA))

Genetics Home Reference Merged into MedlinePlus   - As of October 1, 2020, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) will no longer offer Genetics Home Reference as a stand-alone website. Most of the content from Genetics Home Reference will be available in MedlinePlus, the NLM flagship website for health information for patients, families, and the general public. Please visit https://medlineplus.gov/genetics to access genetics content in MedlinePlus. (National Library of Medicine (NLM), NIH)

Genome Data Help to Track COVID-19 Superspreading Event   - When it comes to COVID-19, anyone, even without symptoms, can be a “superspreader” capable of unknowingly infecting a large number of people and causing a community outbreak. That’s why it is so important right now to wear masks when out in public and avoid large gatherings, especially those held indoors, where a superspreader can readily infect others with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. Driving home this point is a new NIH-funded study on the effects of just one superspreader event in the Boston area: an international biotech conference held in February, before the public health risks of COVID-19 had been fully realized. Almost a hundred people were infected. But it didn’t end there. (National Institutes of Health (NIH), HHS)

Guidance to Improve Care for Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and Their Families   - Guidance includes states' best practices for innovative or evidence-based payment models, recommendations for states on financing opportunities through Medicaid and CHIP, guidance to state Medicaid agencies on additional flexibilities for screening, prevention, and post discharge services, and guidance on suggested terminology and ICD codes to identify infants with NAS and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS)

Guide to Infection Control in the Healthcare Setting: COVID-19, the 2019-Novel Coronavirus (2019-NCOV, SARS-COV-2)   - It is important to realize and adhere to the routine practice of early identification, triaging suspected patients, and promptly isolating them. Personnel at country entry ports who are taking the temperature of arrivals may only need hand hygiene (alcohol-based handrub/ABHR) if more than 1 meter away behind a desk or partition. For those coming in contact with asymptomatic contacts, a surgical face mask is adequate. In healthcare facilities where there is no high risk aerosol generating procedure involved, face mask, gloves, and aprons are recommended. (International Society for Infectious Diseases)

HHS To Begin Distributing $10 Billion in Additional Funding to Hospitals in High Impact COVID-19 Areas   - Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is announcing it will begin distributing $10 billion in a second round of high impact COVID-19 area funding to hospitals starting next week. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS))

HIV, STI, and Viral Hepatitis Sentinel Network   - The HIV, STI, and Viral Hepatitis Sentinel Network (Sentinel Network) was formed to increase NACCHO’s understanding of local health department efforts, needs, challenges, and successes. The Network is comprised of more than 100 LHDs from over 40 states and the District of Columbia who complete brief surveys on an approximately quarterly basis. The Sentinel Network is open to all local health departments and NACCHO aims to expand Sentinel Network membership to include at least two local health departments from each state and ensure a spectrum of jurisdiction sizes and geographic locations and settings are represented. (National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO))

HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Discusses Engaging the Criminal Legal System to End the HIV Epidemic   - The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB), which oversees the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP), convened a Technical Expert Panel (TEP) earlier this year to identify barriers and facilitators in providing HIV services to people who are incarcerated. Participants in the panel identified issues related to provision of HIV care in correctional settings and others specific to re-entry. (Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HHS)

Health Officials Worry Nation’s Not Ready for COVID-19 Vaccine   - Dozens of doctors, nurses and health officials interviewed by KHN and The Associated Press expressed concern about the country’s readiness to conduct mass vaccinations, as well as frustration with months of inconsistent information from the federal government. (Kaiser Health News (KHN))

Health of American Indian and Alaska Native Adults, by Urbanization Level: United States, 2014–2018   - This report examines differences in the percentage of selected health status and conditions by urbanization level between AIAN adults and all U.S. adults. (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC)

Heavy Drinking Among U.S. Adults, 2018   - In 2018, two-thirds (66.3%) of adults aged 18 and over consumed alcohol in the past year. Among adults aged 18 and over, 5.1% engaged in heavy drinking (consumption of an average of more than 14 alcoholic drinks per week for men or more than 7 drinks per week for women in the past year). (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC)

Housing for Health: Creating a Permanent Supportive Housing Program to Help People with Comlex Conditions Experiencing Homelessness   - The Los Angeles Department of Health's Housing for Health (HFH) division reflects the national movement for “housing first,” an approach that prioritizes providing individuals experiencing homelessness with housing, regardless of whether they are in treatment for their substance use, mental health, or physical health conditions (and, unlike most other housing programs outside this model, does not require sobriety as a condition of entry.) That view sees housing as necessary for the health of people experiencing homelessness. Additionally, HFH also embraces the philosophies of harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and, ultimately, “whatever it takes” to help individuals who are homeless. (Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS))

How COVID-19 Has Changed the Ways Health Centers Treat Diabetes and Other Underlying Conditions   - Though diabetes impacts about 11 percent of the general U.S. population, the disease is almost twice as prevalent among community health center patients. Health centers understand that proactive diabetes care management is key to producing meaningful improvements, in both patient outcomes and cost savings. This is why health center leaders are continuing to prioritize proactive care management while also adapting their systems to cope with the pandemic. As a result, health centers nationwide are moving toward significant — and potentially permanent — changes in how they treat underlying conditions such as diabetes. (National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC))

How COVID-19 is changing the world: a statistical perspective (2020)   - This report presents a snapshot of some of the latest information available on how COVID-19 is affecting the world today. The quantitative knowledge presented in this report covers different aspects of public and private life from economic and environmental fluctuations to changes that affect individuals in terms of income, education, employment and violence and changes affecting public services such as civil aviation and postal services. The report also puts a spotlight on the affects for some sub-population groups like women and children as well as geographical regions. (United Nations (UN))

How States are Handling School Vaccination Requirements in a Pandemic   - Beyond the beginning of the school year, effective vaccination practices and policies will be vital to reduce the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases, especially throughout the fall and winter months and among populations most vulnerable to serious illness or death. (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO))

How the Census Bureau Measures Income and Poverty   - The U.S. Census Bureau releases income, poverty and health insurance statistics from its Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement, known as CPS ASEC, every September. It also releases one-year statistics from the 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) later this month. The national statistics from these surveys are not identical because they collect income data differently. (U.S. Census Bureau)

How to Talk About Mental Health: Addressing Misunderstandings about Mental Health in the Media (September 2019)   - This tip sheet was developed as a collaboration between the Massachusetts Statewide Youth Advisory Council (SYAC) and the Learning and Working Center at the Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research (TACR) to clear up some common misunderstandings about mental health conditions and to share strategies to talk about mental health in a more accurate and more helpful way. (University of Massachusetts Medical School)

How to mitigate COVID-19 transmission in densely populated areas globally   - This document provides suggestions for community mitigation measures in densely populated, international, low-resource settings and describes implementation considerations associated with each measure. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Hurricane Evacuation Laws in Eight Southern U.S. Coastal States — December 2018   - Analysis of evacuation policies in eight southern U.S. coastal states found that all have laws to execute evacuation orders. However, only four have laws that require informing racially and ethnically diverse populations and persons with disabilities and functional needs of emergency evacuation plans. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine Prescribing Patterns by Provider Specialty Following Initial Reports of Potential Benefit for COVID-19 Treatment — United States, January–June 2020   - New prescriptions by specialists who did not typically prescribe these medications (defined as specialties accounting for ≤2% of new prescriptions before 2020) increased from 1,143 prescriptions in February 2020 to 75,569 in March 2020, an 80-fold increase from March 2019. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Impact of COVID-19 on multidimensional child poverty   - Using data on access to education, healthcare, housing, nutrition, sanitation and water from more than 70 countries, the authors find that around 45 per cent of children were severely deprived of at least one of these critical needs before the coronavirus pandemic even hit. And although the current data paint a dire picture, the situation for children living in multidimensional poverty is likely to worsen unless national governments and the international community step up to soften the blow. (United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF))

Improving Chronic Illness Management in Harlem: Leveraging Community Health Coaches to Address the Challenge of Medication Management   - Since 2012, City Health Works in Harlem, New York, has hired clinically supervised, neighborhood-based health coaches to support low-income patients manage chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension. Study presents the major reasons for medication issues, including those that required “escalations” to clinical supervisors, discusses the unique ways that community-based coaching can help address medication management challenges that emerge in patients’ daily lives, and recommends several action items for medical training and practice, aimed at improving the delivery of patient-centered care. (Urban Institute)

Improving Maternal Health Access, Coverage, and Outcomes in Medicaid: A Resource for State Medicaid Agencies and Medicaid Managed Care Organizations   - This report reflects the Institute for Medicaid Innovation’s ambitious national project to answer critical questions that are needed to advance maternal health, specific to the midwifery-led model of care, for the Medicaid population. (Institute for Medicaid Innovation)

In-Flight Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2   - Four persons with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection had traveled on the same flight from Boston, Massachusetts, USA, to Hong Kong, China. Their virus genetic sequences are identical, unique, and belong to a clade not previously identified in Hong Kong, which strongly suggests that the virus can be transmitted during air travel. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Indicators for Dynamic School Decision-Making   - This document proposes core and secondary indicators that STLTs can use to aid in their decision-making process regarding school reopening for in-person learning. This document is meant to assist STLT officials in making decisions rather than establishing regulatory requirements. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Infants with Congenital Disorders Identified Through Newborn Screening — United States, 2015–2017   - This first national report based on reported cases from all 50 states estimates that approximately 12,900 births might be identified each year with an NBS disorder included in the study (34.0 per 10,000 births). (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Insurance Coverage and Viral Suppression Among People with HIV, 2018   - A new data note looks at the rate of uninsurance among individuals with HIV. (Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF))

Integrating the Science of Aging and Environmental Health Research: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief (2020)   - Brief summary of a June 2020 workshop to explore how environmental exposures influence or mediate aging and how aging influences environmentally mediated health outcomes. (National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM))

Introducing the Long-Term Care COVID Tracker: Tracing COVID-19’s Dramatic Toll on a Uniquely Vulnerable Population   - This new dataset shows how COVID-19 has travelled through the nation’s long-term care facilities. The virus has killed one out of every 28 long-term care residents in the United States. (The Atlantic)

Key Questions About the Impact of Coronavirus on Long-Term Care Facilities Over Time   - This analysis evaluates trends of long-term care cases and deaths between April and August 2020 to evaluate where and when the pandemic has hit long-term care facilities the hardest, how the share of cases and deaths attributed to long-term care facilities has changed over time, and whether states continue to report new cases and deaths in these facilities at the same rate now as they did back in April. (Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF))

Kids Are Missing Critical Windows for Lead Testing Due to Pandemic   - Families skipping or delaying pediatric appointments for their young children because of the pandemic are missing out on more than vaccines. Critical testing for lead poisoning has plummeted in many parts of the country. In the Upper Midwest, Northeast and parts of the West Coast — areas with historically high rates of lead poisoning — the slide has been the most dramatic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Kaiser Health News (KHN))

Lack of Antigen Test Reporting Leaves Country ‘Blind to the Pandemic’   - So far, most of the COVID tests given in the U.S. have been PCR tests, which are processed in medical labs and can take days to return results. By contrast, antigen tests offer results in minutes outside of labs, appealing to everyone from medical clinics to sports teams and universities. Each relies on swabs to test patients. But unlike using tests run through labs, many providers who would use antigen tests don’t have an easy way to send data electronically to public health authorities. (Kaiser Health News (KHN))

Leading Health Indicators 2030: Advancing Health, Equity, and Well-Being (January 2020)   - Report identifies 34 LHIs that will serve as options for the Healthy People Federal Interagency Workgroup to consider as they develop the final criteria and set of LHIs for Healthy People 2030. (National Academies Press)

Lessons Learned from a Decade of Investigations of Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli Outbreaks Linked to Leafy Greens, United States and Canada   - Study reviewed epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data from STEC O157 and non–O157 outbreaks in the United States and Canada linked to leafy greens during 2009–2018. It also summarized epidemiologic findings, described barriers to solving outbreaks, and identified research needs to prevent future leafy green outbreaks. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Leveraging Laws and Policies to Help Achieve Healthy People 2020 Objectives   - The Healthy People 2020 Law and Health Policy project is developing resources that will provide practical information to a broad audience about the impact that laws and policies can have on health outcomes. (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), HHS)

Leveraging Partnerships: An Evaluation of the NACCHO Vector Control Collaborative Mentorship Program (May 2020)   - An evaluation of the Vector Control Collaborative Mentorship Program, a program for local vector control organizations that provides funding for capacity-building in one or more of the capabilities. (National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO))

LitCovid   - LitCovid is a curated literature hub for tracking up-to-date scientific information about the 2019 novel Coronavirus. It is the most comprehensive resource on the subject, providing a central access to 4379 (and growing) research articles in PubMed. The articles are updated daily and are further categorized by different research topics and geographic locations for improved access. (National Library of Medicine (NLM), NIH)

Loneliness Among Older Adults Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic   - The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging (NPHA) asked a national sample of U.S. adults age 50–80 about lack of companionship and isolation (loneliness), social interactions, and health behaviors in June 2020. This was a follow-up to a similar NPHA survey conducted in October 2018 among a different national sample. The comparisons that follow show a substantial increase in loneliness among older adults from before the COVID-19 pandemic to the period March–June 2020. (University of Michigan)

Marijuana Use and Adherence to Smoking Cessation Treatment Among Callers to Tobacco Quitlines   - The purpose of this observational study was to describe marijuana use among quitline callers in states with legalized marijuana. (Preventing Chronic Disease, CDC)

Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency   - This interim final rule with comment period (IFC) revises regulations to strengthen CMS' ability to enforce compliance with Medicare and Medicaid long-term care (LTC) facility requirements for reporting information related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), establishes a new requirement for LTC facilities for COVID-19 testing of facility residents and staff, establishes new requirements in the hospital and critical access hospital (CAH) Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for tracking the incidence and impact of COVID-19 to assist public health officials in detecting outbreaks and saving lives, and establishes requirements for all CLIA laboratories to report COVID-19 test results. (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS)

MedlinePlus to Become the NLM Home for Information in Multiple Languages   - Starting on October 1, 2020, materials that are part of the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) HealthReach will become part of MedlinePlus, NLM's flagship website for health information for patients, families, and the general public. (National Library of Medicine (NLM), NIH)

Months After Recovery, COVID-19 Survivors Often Have Persistent Lung Trouble   - A recent study of 55 people recovering from COVID-19 in China offers some early insight into the recovery of lung function. The results make clear that—even in those with a mild-to-moderate infection—the effects of COVID-19 can persist in the lungs for months. In fact, three months after leaving the hospital about 70 percent of those in the study continued to have abnormal lung scans, an indication that the lungs are still damaged and trying to heal. (National Institutes of Health (NIH), HHS)

Mortality Rates From COVID-19 Are Lower In Unionized Nursing Homes   - Study used a cross-sectional regression analysis to examine the association between the presence of health care worker unions and COVID-19 mortality rates in 355 nursing homes in New York State. Health care worker unions were associated with a 1.29 percentage point mortality reduction, which represents a 30% relative decrease in the COVID-19 mortality rate compared to facilities without health care worker unions. (Health Affairs)

Mortality, Admissions, and Patient Census at SNFs in 3 US Cities During the COVID-19 Pandemic   - Study examined outcomes at skilled nursing facilities in 3 metropolitan areas from March-May 2020. (American Medical Association (AMA))

NIH continues to boost national COVID-19 testing capacity   - The National Institutes of Health today announced $129.3 million in scale-up and manufacturing support for a new set of COVID-19 testing technologies as part of its Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative. NIH is awarding contracts to nine companies for technologies that include portable point-of-care tests for immediate results and high-throughput laboratories that can return results within 24 hours. (National Institutes of Health (NIH), HHS)

NIH establishes Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases   - The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, yesterday announced that it has awarded 11 grants with a total first-year value of approximately $17 million to establish the Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases (CREID). (National Institutes of Health (NIH), HHS)

NIH expands clinical trials to test convalescent plasma against COVID-19   - Two randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are expanding enrollment to further evaluate convalescent plasma as a treatment for patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Preliminary observational studies indicate that convalescent plasma may improve outcomes among severely ill and hospitalized patients with COVID-19. (National Institutes of Health (NIH), HHS)

NIH funds community engagement research efforts in areas hardest hit by COVID-19   - The National Institutes of Health yesterday announced a $12 million award for outreach and engagement efforts in ethnic and racial minority communities disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The award to RTI International, a non-profit research institution, will support teams in 11 states established as part of the NIH Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities. These teams have received initial funding to immediately create CEAL programs, and RTI will serve as the Technical and Administrative Support and Coordination (TASC) center. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS))

NIH-supported study to track prevalence and impact of SARS-CoV-2 among pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries   - The National Institutes of Health has launched a study to track the prevalence and impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection among approximately 16,000 pregnant women in seven low- and middle-income countries. The study will follow women through pregnancy and 12 months after childbirth to compare maternal, fetal and newborn outcomes of participants who have been infected with the virus to those of pregnant women who have not been infected. (National Institutes of Health (NIH), HHS)

NNIP Partners' Role in the Social Determinants of Health   - This brief explains how cross-sector partnerships can help; describes the significant role of locally embedded, data-driven organizations like the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP) Partners; and provides examples of NNIP Partners that are already taking action on the social determinants of health. (Urban Institute)

New CDC data finds adult obesity is increasing   - The 2019 Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps show that twelve states now have an adult obesity prevalence at or above 35%: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. This is up from nine states in 2018 and six states in 2017. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

New Data Compares Adult Obesity Rates Across States   - According to the new data, Mississippi has the highest adult obesity rate in the U.S. at 40.8%; Colorado and DC are tied for the lowest at 23.8%. Twelve states have adult obesity rates above 35%: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. As recently as 2012, no state had an adult obesity rate over 35%. (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))

Newborn Screening Practices and Alpha-Thalassemia Detection — United States, 2016   - A 2016 survey of NBS programs found that although most programs report at least one form of suspected alpha-thalassemia, the methodologies, thresholds used, forms of disease reported, and processes for reporting vary widely. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Nonalcoholic Beverage Consumption Among Adults: United States, 2015–2018   - This report provides estimates of the contribution of beverage types to total nonalcoholic beverage consumption, by grams, for U.S. adults. (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC)

Nonfatal Drug and Polydrug Overdoses Treated in Emergency Departments — 29 States, 2018–2019   - Rates of ED-treated suspected nonfatal drug overdoses involving opioids, cocaine, and amphetamines, and of polydrug overdoses co-involving opioids and amphetamines increased from 2018 to 2019. Rates of suspected benzodiazepine-involved overdoses declined. Opioids were substantially co-involved with cocaine, amphetamine, and benzodiazepine overdoses in 2019; 23.6%, 17.1%, and 18.7% of cocaine-, amphetamine-, and benzodiazepine-involved overdoses, respectively, involved opioids. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Novel Coronavirus Information Center   - Elsevier’s free health and medical research on novel coronavirus (COVID-19). (Elsevier)

Number of Physically Inactive Adults With Arthritis in the United States Who Could Improve Physical Function and Pain Control by Exercising   - Study estimated the number of physically inactive US adults with arthritis by state and nationally who could improve their physical function and pain control by participating in an exercise program. (Preventing Chronic Disease, CDC)

Overview and Methods for the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System — United States, 2019   - This overview report describes the surveillance system and the 2019 survey methodology, including sampling, data collection procedures, response rates, data processing, weighting, and analyses presented in this MMWR Supplement. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Patterns of COVID-19 testing and mortality by race and ethnicity among United States veterans: A nationwide cohort study   - Study investigated racial and ethnic disparities in patterns of COVID-19 testing (i.e., who received testing and who tested positive) and subsequent mortality in the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States. (Public Library of Science)

Preemption and Its Impact on Policy Responses to COVID-19   - This brief explores whether there is a relationship between a state's general tendency to preempt municipal laws and the extent of policymakers’ responses to COVID-19. (Urban Institute)

Preparing for the Worst, Health Agencies Mount Unprecedented Flu Shot Drives   - Since the mid-1940s, public health officials have tried every year to ensure the entire U.S. population 6 months and older get vaccinated. And every year, only half do. State and local health agencies want this year to be different.This year, every state is launching some type of program to address those longstanding disparities in the distribution of flu shots. (Pew Charitable Trusts)

Prevalence of Underlying Medical Conditions Among Selected Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 31 States, 2017–2018   - High prevalences of underlying medical conditions increase risks for severe COVID-19 illness among home health aides, other health care support workers, and nursing home, trucking, and transit industry workers. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Preventing COVID-19 Outbreaks in Long-Term Care Facilities Through Preemptive Testing of Residents and Staff Members — Fulton County, Georgia, March–May 2020   - LTCFs in which testing was conducted after a confirmed case of COVID-19 were found to have significantly higher proportions of infected residents and staff members at initial testing and after 4 weeks of follow-up compared with those testing as a preventive measure. The majority of LTCFs testing as a preventive measure identified an infection, although initial prevalence was significantly lower and fewer cases occurred during follow-up. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication — Pakistan, January 2017–September 2018   - A report on polio immunization activities in Pakistan.

Progress Toward Poliovirus Containment Implementation — Worldwide, 2019–2020   - Wild poliovirus type 2 was declared eradicated in 2015; 25 countries have designated 73 poliovirus-essential facilities to retain poliovirus type 2 materials. Wild poliovirus type 3 materials have been subject to containment requirements since the virus was declared eradicated in 2019. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Promoting Equitable Access To COVID-19 Vaccines—The Role Of Medicaid   - Immediate increases in Medicaid vaccine administration payments to providers would be a valuable first step to prepare for COVID-19 vaccination and to support ongoing efforts to reverse recent COVID-19-related declines in routine vaccination (Health Affairs)

Promoting mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic: A Policymaker's Guide (August 2020)   - This document draws on scientific evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic and from prior public health research on behavior change, with the purpose of empowering governments to measure face mask use in their jurisdictions and promote widespread adoption of masks in the general population. (Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security)

Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations: Availability, Use, and Public Health Impact of Emergency Supply Kits among Disaster-Affected Populations   - The goal of this study is to determine the efficacy and public health impact of emergency supply kits among disaster-affected populations to understand how emergency supply kits are used during and after a natural disaster, if public health outcomes are associated with access to emergency supply kits, and what the most useful items to include in an emergency supply kit are across different types of disasters. Written comments must be received on or before October 27, 2020. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Protecting Young People From E-cigarettes   - As back-to-school season begins—whether that means in-person or virtual classes—parents and teachers must juggle many roles and many different concerns about students’ health. Protecting youth and young adults from the harms of using e-cigarettes is one important way you can help keep them healthy. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Public Comment on Draft Recommendation Statement and Draft Evidence Review: Screening for Vitamin D Deficiency in Adults   - The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force seeks comments on a draft recommendation statement and draft evidence review on screening for vitamin D deficiency in adults. The Task Force found more research is needed to make a recommendation for or against screening. The draft recommendation statement and draft evidence review are available for review and public comment from September 22, 2020 to October 19, 2020. (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF))

Public Health Preparedness: Information on the Use of Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers during Emergencies   - This report describes (1) the number and type of Medical Reserve Corps volunteers; (2) the types of public health emergencies volunteers have participated in; and (3) how HHS has assisted in developing volunteer capabilities. (U.S. Government Accountability Office)

Pulse survey on continuity of essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic: interim report, 27 August 2020   - The Pulse survey on continuity of essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic aimed to gain initial insight from country key informants into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on essential health services across the life course. The survey results in this interim report can improve our understanding of the extent of disruptions across all services, the reasons for disruptions, and the mitigation strategies countries are using to maintain service delivery. (World Health Organization (WHO))

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Fetal Deaths — United States, 2015–2017   - During 2015–2017, the fetal mortality rate among non-Hispanic Black women was more than twice that among non-Hispanic White women and Hispanic women. Fetal mortality rates varied by state and cause of death category. The rate of fetal death attributable to maternal complications among non-Hispanic Black women was three times that among White women. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Rapid real-time tracking of non-pharmaceutical interventions and their association with SARS-CoV-2 positivity: The COVID-19 Pandemic Pulse Study   - Study sampled 1,030 individuals in Maryland from June 17 – June 28, 2020 to capture socio-demographically and geographically resolved information about non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) adoption, access to SARS-CoV-2 testing, and examine associations with self-reported SARS-CoV-2 positivity. (Oxford Journals)

Revised 10 Essential Public Health Services Framework Centers Equity and Propels the Field into the 21st Century   - On September 9, 2020, the Public Health National Center for Innovations (PHNCI), de Beaumont Foundation, and a Task Force of public health experts revealed a revised 10 Essential Public Health Services (EPHS) framework, updating the recognizable graphic and Essential Services to meet the needs of current and future public health practice. Perhaps the most notable update, and the one that was most requested, is the centering of equity – literally in the graphic and throughout the Framework itself, embedding it as essential in the field in order to protect and promote the health of all people in all communities. (Journal of Public Health Management and Practice)

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars   - Clinical Scholars fellows include pharmacists, physical therapists, veterinarians, dentists, social workers, nurses, physicians, and many others working in clinical or academic settings. Through mentoring, networking, and an intensive curriculum centered on equity, they deepen their influence and impact as leaders with the power to transform their workplaces and communities. Working in teams of two to five representing diverse disciplines, they design an innovative project to address a complex health problem in their area. Teams receive annual grant funding up to $525,000 so members can participate in the three-year program at no cost to themselves or their organizations. Clinical Scholars is one of several programs created by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to develop a network of strong, interdisciplinary leaders from every sector working to create a nation where everyone can reach their best possible health and well-being. Clinical Scholars, a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a national leadership development program for experienced health practitioners. Applications open each January and are in March.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows 2021-2022 Call for Application   - Fellows will attain and use leadership experience to improve health, health care, health policy, and health equity. The fellowship requires a full-time commitment with a minimum 12-month residence in Washington, D.C., which prepares individuals to influence the future of health and health care in the nation. (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))

Rural Versus Urban Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence Related Emergency Department Visits, 2009-2014 (August 2020)   - The purpose of this study was to determine rural-urban disparities in prevalence of intimate partner violence-related emergency department visits using a nationally representative sample of emergency room visits for the years 2009-2014. Differences by U.S. Census region and gender were also analyzed. (Southwest Rural Health Research Center)

SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Hospitalized Pregnant Women: Reasons for Admission and Pregnancy Characteristics — Eight U.S. Health Care Centers, March 1–May 30, 2020   - Prevalences of prepregnancy obesity and gestational diabetes were higher among pregnant women hospitalized for COVID-19–related illness (e.g., worsening respiratory status) than among those admitted for pregnancy-related treatment or procedures (e.g., delivery) and found to have COVID-19. Intensive care was required for 30% (13 of 43) of pregnant women admitted for COVID-19, and one pregnant woman died from COVID-19. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

SARS-CoV-2 Infections and Serologic Responses from a Sample of U.S. Navy Service Members — USS Theodore Roosevelt, April 2020   - Among a convenience sample of 382 young adult U.S. service members aboard an aircraft carrier experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak, 60% had reactive antibodies, and 59% of those also had neutralizing antibodies at the time of specimen collection. One fifth of infected participants reported no symptoms. Preventive measures, such as using face coverings and observing social distancing, reduced risk for infection. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence among Healthcare, First Response, and Public Safety Personnel, Detroit Metropolitan Area, Michigan, USA, May–June 2020   - The CDC collaborated with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Region 2 South and North Healthcare Coalitions to invite personnel working onsite in hospital, first response, and public safety settings to be tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and to complete a web-based survey about workplace, occupation, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and selected exposures. The primary study objective was to estimate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among this population. A second objective was to describe associations between seroprevalence and participant and workplace characteristics. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

SARS-CoV-2 Testing and Changes in Primary Care Services in a Multistate Network of Community Health Centers During the COVID-19 Pandemic   - Study describes SARS-CoV-2 testing, individuals with positive test results, and changes in select primary care services in a multistate network of CHCs in the first weeks of the pandemic. (American Medical Association (AMA))

SARS-CoV-2 in Quarantined Domestic Cats from COVID-19 Households or Close Contacts, Hong Kong, China   - Researchers tested 50 cats from coronavirus disease households or close contacts in Hong Kong, China, for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA in respiratory and fecal samples. They found 6 cases of apparent human-to-feline transmission involving healthy cats. Virus genomes sequenced from 1 cat and its owner were identical. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

SARS-CoV-2–Associated Deaths Among Persons Aged <21 Years — United States, February 12–July 31, 2020   - Among 121 SARS-CoV-2–associated deaths among persons aged <21 years reported to CDC by July 31, 2020, 12 (10%) were infants and 85 (70%) were aged 10–20 years. Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaskan Native persons accounted for 94 (78%) of these deaths; 33% of deaths occurred outside of a hospital. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Schools Find Success in Reducing Sodium in Meals   - This new issue brief from Healthy Eating Research examines the recent history of sodium standards for school meals. (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))

Seattle’s Sugary Drink Tax Helps Feed Local Families Hit Hardest by COVID-19   - Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Seattle’s sugary drink tax has put $5 million worth of grocery vouchers into the hands of those who need them most. (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))

September is National Childhood Obesity Month   - About 1 in 5 (19%) children in the United States has obesity. Certain groups of children are more affected than others. National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month provides a chance for all of us to learn more about this serious health condition. While there is no simple solution, there are many ways communities can support children with their journey to good health. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Serial Testing for SARS-CoV-2 and Virus Whole Genome Sequencing Inform Infection Risk at Two Skilled Nursing Facilities with COVID-19 Outbreaks — Minnesota, April–June 2020   - Serial facility-wide testing at two Minnesota SNFs identified COVID-19 cases among 64% of residents and 33% of HCP. Genetic sequencing found facility-specific clustering of viral genomes from HCP and residents’ specimens, suggesting intrafacility transmission. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Among Frontline Health Care Personnel in a Multistate Hospital Network — 13 Academic Medical Centers, April–June 2020   - Among 3,248 personnel observed, 6% had antibody evidence of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection; 29% of personnel with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were asymptomatic in the preceding months, and 69% had not previously received a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was lower among personnel who reported always wearing a face covering while caring for patients (6%), compared with those who did not (9%). (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Sodium Reduction Learning Collaborative   - The National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is pleased to invite you to a Sodium Reduction Learning Collaborative (SRLC) to help us work together to reduce the burden of excess sodium intake in our communities! (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

State Levers to Support Dental Care in COVID-19’s Public Health and Economic Emergency   - COVID-19 has greatly impacted dental care and oral health access in the United States. From closed offices to an increased need for personal protective equipment (PPE), states and providers are both facing challenges to connect patients to dental care. With reduced tax revenue and looming budget crises, states are also facing difficult budget decisions – despite the knowledge that dental benefits can lead to health care savings. As states confront these challenges, they are using innovative solutions, such as teledentistry, to support providers and connect patients with dental care. (National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP))

State Suicide Rates Among Adolescents and Young Adults Aged 10–24: United States, 2000–2018 (September 2020)   - This report presents suicide death rates among persons aged 10–24 for the United States and by state for 2000 through 2018 and percent change between 3-year periods of 2007–2009 and 2016–2018. Suicide rates are compared among states for 2016–2018. (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC)

State Watchdogs Plan to Monitor COVID-19 Data Accuracy   - Concerned about the accuracy and uniformity of COVID-19 data, a bipartisan coalition of fiscal watchdogs have banded together to try to help make sure states are compiling and tracking information the same way. (Pew Charitable Trusts)

Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on advancing new policies aimed at preventing youth access to, and appeal of, flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and cigars   - FDA is proposing to end current compliance policy as it applies to flavored electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products such as electronic cigarettes (other than tobacco-, mint-, and menthol-flavored products), and prioritize enforcement of such products offered for sale in ways that pose a greater risk for minors to access these tobacco products. In addition, FDA expects manufacturers of all flavored ENDS products (other than tobacco-, mint-, and menthol-flavored) that remain on the market under these new conditions to submit premarket applications to the agency by Aug. 8, 2021. (U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HHS)

States Explore Pivoting Hospital Community Benefit Requirements to Address Disparities Exposed by COVID-19   - States are eager to address the inequities driving disparities in COVID-19 outcomes among racial and ethnic minorities and other historically marginalized populations. One lever available to state policymakers is to require nonprofit hospitals to address health inequities in the community investments they must make in exchange for their significant tax exemptions. (National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP))

States Take Action to Expand Access to PrEP Through Telehealth   - In July 2019, the PrEP Access and Coverage Act (H.R.3815) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that aimed to expand access to PrEP to by addressing structural barriers to cost. The bill also aimed to initiate a public education campaign to raise awareness about PrEP among high-need and disproportionately affected communities. Several states (including New Jersey, Utah, and New York) have also proposed and/or passed legislation to ensure insurance coverage of PrEP and/or to allow pharmacists to prescribe and dispense it. In addition to efforts addressing cost-related challenges, states can also employ innovative approaches—such as telehealth—to expand access to PrEP services to those in need. (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO))

Statistics in the Time of Coronavirus: COVID-19-related Nonresponse in the CPS Household Survey   - The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected data collection for the nation's primary source of household-level labor force data, the Current Population Survey (CPS). In the first four months of the pandemic (March-June 2020) the average month-over-month nonresponse rate increased by 62 percent, while the size of newly entering cohorts declined by 37 percent relative to the prior 18 months. Together, these factors reduced the overall sample size of the CPS by around 17 percent. (RAND Corporation)

Steeply rising pandemic activity led by India, surges elsewhere   - The pace of global COVID-19 cases showed an ongoing surge in India, some Middle East countries logging record numbers, and some European hot spots reporting more worrying developments.

Stories from the Field: Essentials for Childhood Framework   - Post shares five stories of health departments engaged in projects based on the Essentials for Childhood Framework. The framework calls for creating safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children, with the aim to prevent child abuse and neglect and to assure that all children reach their full potential. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Strategies to Advance Racial Equity in Housing Response and Recovery: A Guide for Cities during the Covid-19 Pandemic:   - This brief provides a set of recommendations to advance racial equity in housing through the implementation of Covid-19 relief and recovery strategies, organized into four areas of action: prevent evictions and protect tenants; address homelessness and advance housing as a human right; sustain and increase community ownership and permanently affordable housing; and divest from the police and invest in racial equity. (PolicyLink)

Substance use disorders linked to COVID-19 susceptibility   - A National Institutes of Health-funded study found that people with substance use disorders (SUDs) are more susceptible to COVID-19 and its complications. (National Institutes of Health (NIH), HHS)

Substantial underestimation of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the United States   - Accurate estimates of the burden of SARS-CoV-2 infection are critical to informing pandemic response. Confirmed COVID-19 case counts in the U.S. do not capture the total burden of the pandemic because testing has been primarily restricted to individuals with moderate to severe symptoms due to limited test availability. Study uses a semi-Bayesian probabilistic bias analysis to account for incomplete testing and imperfect diagnostic accuracy. (Springer)

Sugary Drinks Harm Kids’ Health   - This special feature highlights the latest data and trends on sugary drink consumption and facts about how sugary drinks impact kids’ health. It summarizes efforts and recommendations for reducing consumption, recent research, and stories of communities taking action. (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))

Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP): changes to inventory in six food pantries over one year   - The aim of the Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) system is to rank, label, and organize food pantry items according to whether they should be consumed often (green), sometimes (yellow), or rarely (red), using a stoplight system in accordance with the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This study assessed the nutritional quality of inventory available at six food pantries before and after implementing SWAP. The hypothesis was that the intervention would encourage efforts to procure healthier foods. (University of Connecticut, Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity)

Supporting a Nation in Crisis: Solutions for Local Leaders to Improve Mental Health and Well-Being During and Post-COVID-19 (August 2020)   - This action guide is intended for local policymakers and civic institutions. It provides recommendations that can be implemented to address mental health in both the immediate response and recovery phases of the pandemic. This guide also highlights a handful of focus populations uniquely affected by the mental health challenges of COVID-19 and suggests community-specific tactics to address these needs. (de Beaumont Foundation)

Swinomish Tribe Assesses Climate Change Impact   - The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community conducted a health assessment to address climate change impacts on first foods, incorporating local knowledge and tribal values within the scientific research process. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Systemic Racism, Disparities & COVID-19: Impacts on Latino Health   - This infographic identifies risk factors - including disproportionate employment as essential workers, lower rates of health insurance coverage, and language and cultural barriers - and provides actionable solutions to improve the health of Latino Americans. (National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation (NIHCM))

Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19   - The CDC announces the issuance of an Order under Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act to temporarily halt residential evictions to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. This Order is effective through December 31, 2020. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

The COVID-19 Pandemic Has Altered Population Health Management, Creating New Opportunities for Outreach   - A profile of two California community health centers that participated in the Population Health Learning Network (PHLN). These organizations are working to ensure that their patients receive the medical and social care necessary to withstand the pandemic and beyond. (John Snow, Inc.)

The COVID-19 Pandemic Is The Time For The Public Sector To Help Build Greater Social Connection   - Post proposes a new national initiative that is designed to address the immediate needs of those afflicted by social disconnection while endeavoring to serve long-term scientific prerequisites. (Health Affairs)

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Opioid Overdose Epidemic: A Perfect Storm for Workers?   - As the nation grapples with the implications and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, safety and health professionals, policymakers, and employers must be even more diligent in confronting the opioid overdose crisis by recognizing the unique factors impacting workers with OUD and protecting individuals who are at higher risk for OUD. (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), CDC)

The Hidden Impact of Covid-19 on Children: A Global Research Series   - The global study reveals the hidden impacts of pandemic response measures which are impacting children’s health, nutrition, education, learning, protection, wellbeing, family finances and poverty. For the most marginalised and deprived children, those impacts have the potential to be life-altering and potentially devastating. (Save the Children)

The Impact of Coronavirus on Households Across America   - The first survey report in a series of five, "The Impact of Coronavirus on Households in Major U.S. Cities," shows that households in the four largest U.S. cities—New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston—experienced widespread, serious financial and health problems since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))

The Navajo Nation Healthy Diné Nation Act: A Two Percent Tax on Foods of Minimal-to-No Nutritious Value, 2015–2019   - This study summarizes tax revenue and disbursements from the Navajo Nation Healthy Diné Nation Act of 2014, which included a 2% tax on foods of minimal-to-no nutritional value (junk food tax), the first in the United States and in any sovereign tribal nation. (Preventing Chronic Disease, CDC)

The Risk Of Severe COVID-19 Within Households Of School Employees And School-Age Children   - To better understand the potential health impacts of reopening, study examined how often persons at risk of severe COVID-19 were connected to schools, either as employees or by living in the same households as school employees or school-age children. (Health Affairs)

The Role of Law and Ethics in Recent Preparedness and Response for Vaccine-Preventable Illness   - Most, but not all, of the challenges to local vaccine hesitancy response efforts have been decided in ways reinforcing and deferring to foundational legal and ethical public health principles. A review of recent vaccine-related agency, legislature, and court activity using these principles can help assess the scope, limits, and vulnerabilities of US public health agencies’ authority to protect the public from vaccine-preventable illnesses and to address infectious disease threats such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), for which no vaccines or treatments are available. (Public Health Reports)

The Role of Public Health in Reducing Suicide Risk During COVID-19   - Because COVID-19 impacts risk factors for suicide, such as depression, anxiety, substance misuse, and unemployment, the implications for suicide prevention are many. And with September being Suicide Prevention month, it’s a good time to take stock of how public health leaders can reduce suicide risk during this pandemic. (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO))

The State of States: How Governors Plan to Address Health-Related Social and Economic Factors in 2019   - Blog post examines the social and economic issues raised in the recent governors' state of the state and inaugural addresses – such as poverty, violence, housing, education, and addiction — that heavily impact the health and well-being of Americans. (National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP))

The U.S. Government Engagement in Global Health: A Primer   - This primer provides basic information about global health and U.S. government’s response in low- and middle-income countries. (Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF))

The World Has Changed: Emerging Challenges for Health Care Research to Reduce Social Isolation and Loneliness Related to COVID-19   - In this paper, the authors offer a preliminary outline of proposed research priorities to inform strategies to mitigate the health effects of social isolation and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. (National Academy of Medicine)

The frequencies and disparities of adverse childhood experiences in the U.S.   - Adversity experienced during childhood manifests deleteriously across the lifespan. This study provides updated frequency estimates of ACEs using the most comprehensive and geographically diverse sample to date. (BioMed Central)

Three Approaches to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in State Departments of Corrections   - The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) talked to leaders from three states – Kentucky, Maine, and Pennsylvania – about their approaches to SUD treatment within their state prison populations and how these approaches are evolving. (National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP))

Timing of State and Territorial COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Orders and Changes in Population Movement — United States, March 1–May 31, 2020   - States and territories that issued mandatory stay-at-home orders experienced decreased population movement in most counties. The period after the first state relaxed a stay-at-home order was associated with increased population movement in states or territories that had not relaxed a stay-at-home order in the same period. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Transmission Dynamics of COVID-19 Outbreaks Associated with Child Care Facilities — Salt Lake City, Utah, April–July 2020   - Twelve children acquired COVID-19 in child care facilities. Transmission was documented from these children to at least 12 (26%) of 46 nonfacility contacts (confirmed or probable cases). One parent was hospitalized. Transmission was observed from two of three children with confirmed, asymptomatic COVID-19. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 During Long Flight   - To assess the role of in-flight transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), this study investigated a cluster of cases among passengers on a 10-hour commercial flight. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

Two Pandemics, One Challenge—Leveraging Molecular Test Capacity of Tuberculosis Laboratories for Rapid COVID-19 Case-Finding   - In many settings, the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic coincides with other major public health threats, in particular tuberculosis. Using tuberculosis (TB) molecular diagnostic infrastructure, which has substantially expanded worldwide in recent years, for COVID-19 case-finding might be warranted. Study analyze the potential of using TB diagnostic and research infrastructures for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing, focusing on quality control by adapting the 12 Quality System Essentials framework to the COVID-19 and TB context. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

U.S. Public Now Divided Over Whether To Get COVID-19 Vaccine   - About half of U.S. adults (51%) now say they would definitely or probably get a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 if it were available today; nearly as many (49%) say they definitely or probably would not get vaccinated at this time. Intent to get a COVID-19 vaccine has fallen from 72% in May, a 21 percentage point drop. (Pew Charitable Trusts)

Underfunded And Under Threat   - A series examining how the U.S. public health front lines have been left understaffed and ill-prepared to save us from the coronavirus pandemic. (Kaiser Health News (KHN))

Urban–rural Differences in Suicide Rates, by Sex and Three Leading Methods: United States, 2000–2018   - Suicide rates for urban and rural areas increased overall from 2000 through 2018, with the pace of increase greater for rural suicide rates, compared with urban, after 2007. In 2018, the rural male suicide rate (30.7 per 100,000) was higher than the urban male suicide rate (21.5); the rural rate for females (8.0) was higher than the urban rate (5.9). (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC)

Virus Imperils Health Care Safety Net   - Even as the coronavirus has exposed and deepened racial health disparities, it also has imperiled the health care providers that many minority and poor communities rely on for the medical care they receive. (Pew Charitable Trusts)

Vital Signs: Characteristics of Drug Overdose Deaths Involving Opioids and Stimulants — 24 States and the District of Columbia, January–June 2019   - Illicitly manufactured fentanyls (IMFs), heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine (alone or in combination) were involved in 83.8% of overdose deaths during January–June 2019; at least one potential opportunity for intervention was identified in 62.7% of overdose deaths. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR))

Vital Signs: Zika-Associated Birth Defects and Neurodevelopmental Abnormalities Possibly Associated With Congenital Zika Virus Infection — US Territories and Freely Associated States, 2018   - CDC’s MMWR and Medscape are proud to introduce a new FREE continuing education (CE) activity. Clinicians will become aware of the frequency and type of birth defects and neurodevelopmental abnormalities seen among children born to mothers with laboratory evidence of possible Zika virus infection. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HHS)

WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study 2: Fourth Year Report   - Overall, the study examines child-feeding practices, associations between WIC services and those practices, and the health and nutrition outcomes of children who received WIC around birth. This report, the fifth in the series generated from this study, focuses on the dietary intake patterns and weight status of children during the fourth year of life. The report also examines families’ WIC experiences and their perceptions of the program’s impact. (U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA))

Well-being of Parents and Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Survey   - Results from a June 2020 national survey of parents with children age <18 to measure changes in health status, insurance status, food security, use of public food assistance resources, child care, and use of health care services since the pandemic began. (American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP))

What Factors Led to Adoption of Stay-at-home Orders and Did They Change Public Behavior?   - A new study published in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice finds that early and late stay-at-home adopters differed politically, as well as in other important ways, including outbreak severity, availability of public health resources, and demographic composition. (Journal of Public Health Management and Practice)

What Would it Take to Reduce Inequities in Healthy Life Expectancy?   - Brief identifies five strategies for the health care sector to help people address their health-related social needs and in turn narrow inequities in health and healthy life expectancy. (Urban Institute)

What is Nootkatone? A Primer on the New Tool to Defend against Mosquitoes and Ticks   - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced approval of the CDC-discovered and CDC-developed compound nootkatone for manufacturing use into insecticides and repellents. The hope is that nootkatone can help address these two needs in vector-borne disease prevention and control. Nootkatone is a compound found in minute quantities in Alaska yellow cedar trees and grapefruit skin. (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO))

What’s in Our Water? New Research on Forever Chemicals in Drinking Water and Their Public Health Implications   - On this week's episode of On the Evidence, we speak with Cindy Hu, a data scientist at Mathematica, who studies how humans are exposed to and affected by this class of emerging contaminants in drinking water. We discuss the prevalence of these chemicals in our drinking water, as well as their health implications and ways to address them through public policy. (Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.)