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Survey Assesses Veterans’ Experience of Pain
Veterans are 40% more likely than nonveterans to experience severe pain, according to the 2010-2014 National Health Interview Survey. Epidemiologists from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health analyzed data on 6,647 veterans and 61,049 nonveterans who were asked about the persistence and intensity of self-reported pain during the previous 3 months.
Veterans were more likely to report having pain (65.5% vs 56.4%) and more likely to describe severe pain—that is, pain that occurred “most days” or “every day” and bothered the respondent “a lot” (9.1% vs 6.3%). Younger veterans in particular were more than 2 times as likely to report severe pain (7.8% vs 3.2%), even when researchers controlled for underlying demographic characteristics. Veterans aged 18 to 39 years and 50 to 59 years were more likely than nonveterans of the same ages to have any pain, but veterans aged ≥ 70 years were less likely to have severe pain than were similarly aged nonveterans.
Back pain and joint pain topped the list for veterans compared with jaw pain and migraines for nonveterans.
The majority of veteran participants were men (92.5%), whereas the majority of nonveteran participants were women (56.5%). The survey data did not identify any specific aspects of military service, including branch of the armed forces, years of service, or whether the veteran served in a combat role.
The survey also didn’t collect information on pain treatment, so it isn’t clear whether differences in treatment would explain the differences in pain experiences. Nor did the survey reveal whether younger veterans with severe pain were in pain despite treatment or because they weren’t getting any treatment.
“These findings suggest that more attention should be paid to helping veterans manage the impact of severe pain and related disability on daily activities,” the lead researcher said.
Veterans are 40% more likely than nonveterans to experience severe pain, according to the 2010-2014 National Health Interview Survey. Epidemiologists from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health analyzed data on 6,647 veterans and 61,049 nonveterans who were asked about the persistence and intensity of self-reported pain during the previous 3 months.
Veterans were more likely to report having pain (65.5% vs 56.4%) and more likely to describe severe pain—that is, pain that occurred “most days” or “every day” and bothered the respondent “a lot” (9.1% vs 6.3%). Younger veterans in particular were more than 2 times as likely to report severe pain (7.8% vs 3.2%), even when researchers controlled for underlying demographic characteristics. Veterans aged 18 to 39 years and 50 to 59 years were more likely than nonveterans of the same ages to have any pain, but veterans aged ≥ 70 years were less likely to have severe pain than were similarly aged nonveterans.
Back pain and joint pain topped the list for veterans compared with jaw pain and migraines for nonveterans.
The majority of veteran participants were men (92.5%), whereas the majority of nonveteran participants were women (56.5%). The survey data did not identify any specific aspects of military service, including branch of the armed forces, years of service, or whether the veteran served in a combat role.
The survey also didn’t collect information on pain treatment, so it isn’t clear whether differences in treatment would explain the differences in pain experiences. Nor did the survey reveal whether younger veterans with severe pain were in pain despite treatment or because they weren’t getting any treatment.
“These findings suggest that more attention should be paid to helping veterans manage the impact of severe pain and related disability on daily activities,” the lead researcher said.
Veterans are 40% more likely than nonveterans to experience severe pain, according to the 2010-2014 National Health Interview Survey. Epidemiologists from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health analyzed data on 6,647 veterans and 61,049 nonveterans who were asked about the persistence and intensity of self-reported pain during the previous 3 months.
Veterans were more likely to report having pain (65.5% vs 56.4%) and more likely to describe severe pain—that is, pain that occurred “most days” or “every day” and bothered the respondent “a lot” (9.1% vs 6.3%). Younger veterans in particular were more than 2 times as likely to report severe pain (7.8% vs 3.2%), even when researchers controlled for underlying demographic characteristics. Veterans aged 18 to 39 years and 50 to 59 years were more likely than nonveterans of the same ages to have any pain, but veterans aged ≥ 70 years were less likely to have severe pain than were similarly aged nonveterans.
Back pain and joint pain topped the list for veterans compared with jaw pain and migraines for nonveterans.
The majority of veteran participants were men (92.5%), whereas the majority of nonveteran participants were women (56.5%). The survey data did not identify any specific aspects of military service, including branch of the armed forces, years of service, or whether the veteran served in a combat role.
The survey also didn’t collect information on pain treatment, so it isn’t clear whether differences in treatment would explain the differences in pain experiences. Nor did the survey reveal whether younger veterans with severe pain were in pain despite treatment or because they weren’t getting any treatment.
“These findings suggest that more attention should be paid to helping veterans manage the impact of severe pain and related disability on daily activities,” the lead researcher said.
Even ‘Just a Few’ Cigarettes Have Long-Term Consequences
“There is no safe level of smoking”—that’s the conclusion of National Cancer Institute researchers, based on data from 290,215 adults in the 2004-2005 NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. “[S]moking even a small number of cigarettes per day has substantial negative health effects,” said Maki Inoue-Choi, PhD, lead author.
The participants responded to a questionnaire that assessed lifetime smoking intensity. Those who smoked between 1 and 10 cigarettes a day had an 87% higher risk of earlier death. But even people who smoked an average of < 1 cigarette per day over their lifetime still had a 64% higher risk of earlier death, compared with never-smokers.
The researchers also looked at specific causes of death. Not surprisingly, they found a “particularly strong” association for lung cancer mortality. But again, even people who consistently averaged < 1 cigarette per day over their lifetime had 9 times the risk of dying from lung cancer than never-smokers. Among those who smoked between 1 and 10 cigarettes a day, the risk of dying from lung cancer was nearly 12 times higher.
People who smoked between 1 and 10 cigarettes a day also had > 6 times the risk of dying from respiratory disease and about 1 and a half times the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease, compared with never-smokers.
The younger people were when they quit smoking, the lower their risk of early death.
“There is no safe level of smoking”—that’s the conclusion of National Cancer Institute researchers, based on data from 290,215 adults in the 2004-2005 NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. “[S]moking even a small number of cigarettes per day has substantial negative health effects,” said Maki Inoue-Choi, PhD, lead author.
The participants responded to a questionnaire that assessed lifetime smoking intensity. Those who smoked between 1 and 10 cigarettes a day had an 87% higher risk of earlier death. But even people who smoked an average of < 1 cigarette per day over their lifetime still had a 64% higher risk of earlier death, compared with never-smokers.
The researchers also looked at specific causes of death. Not surprisingly, they found a “particularly strong” association for lung cancer mortality. But again, even people who consistently averaged < 1 cigarette per day over their lifetime had 9 times the risk of dying from lung cancer than never-smokers. Among those who smoked between 1 and 10 cigarettes a day, the risk of dying from lung cancer was nearly 12 times higher.
People who smoked between 1 and 10 cigarettes a day also had > 6 times the risk of dying from respiratory disease and about 1 and a half times the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease, compared with never-smokers.
The younger people were when they quit smoking, the lower their risk of early death.
“There is no safe level of smoking”—that’s the conclusion of National Cancer Institute researchers, based on data from 290,215 adults in the 2004-2005 NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. “[S]moking even a small number of cigarettes per day has substantial negative health effects,” said Maki Inoue-Choi, PhD, lead author.
The participants responded to a questionnaire that assessed lifetime smoking intensity. Those who smoked between 1 and 10 cigarettes a day had an 87% higher risk of earlier death. But even people who smoked an average of < 1 cigarette per day over their lifetime still had a 64% higher risk of earlier death, compared with never-smokers.
The researchers also looked at specific causes of death. Not surprisingly, they found a “particularly strong” association for lung cancer mortality. But again, even people who consistently averaged < 1 cigarette per day over their lifetime had 9 times the risk of dying from lung cancer than never-smokers. Among those who smoked between 1 and 10 cigarettes a day, the risk of dying from lung cancer was nearly 12 times higher.
People who smoked between 1 and 10 cigarettes a day also had > 6 times the risk of dying from respiratory disease and about 1 and a half times the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease, compared with never-smokers.
The younger people were when they quit smoking, the lower their risk of early death.
How Far Does a Cough Travel?
A single cough can propel as many as 3,000 droplets into the air at a velocity of 6 to 28 m/s. The droplets travel in what classic fluid mechanics calls a “2-stage jet”: the starting jet (when the cough starts) and interrupted jet (when the cough stops). After the original cough ends, a “leading vortex” carries particles forward, but as the momentum slows, particles fall out of the jet according to researchers from the University of Hong Kong and Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, both in China, who studied cough trajectories and the implications for disease transmission in buildings.
Once the penetration velocity drops below 0.01 m/s, environmental factors, such as ventilation and human body temperature, begin to influence the flow. Beyond 1 to 2 m, the exhaled air stream dissolves into the room airflow, and the pathogen-containing droplets or droplet nuclei are dispersed according to the global airflow in the room.
When a cough doesn’t last long, the researchers say, the velocity of fine particles decays significantly after the jet is interrupted. However, even short coughs have consequences: Pathogen-containing droplets as large as ≥ 5 µm in diameter can be directly deposited on the nasal or oral mucosa of a nearby “new host.”
But coughs differ in many ways, including how far and wide they send the droplets. The researchers conducted experiments to help determine spread by discharging dyed or particle-filled water into a water tank. They examined 3 different temporal exit velocity profiles: pulsation, sinusoidal, and real-cough.
The “most striking phenomenon,” the researchers say, is that the particle clouds of all 3 sizes of particles (small [8-14 µm], medium [57-68 µm], large [96-114 µm]) penetrated almost the same distance at different time steps. In other words, large particles can travel as far as fine particles.
The cough flow’s maximum penetration distance was 53.4 to 69.7 opening diameter. That is, for a mouth opening to a diameter of 2 cm, the large particles could penetrate 1 to 1.4 m in a “real cough case,” they note. Cough duration was important in determining the spread range of particles. Their maximum travel distance was “much enhanced” in a long starting jet, especially for small particles.
Source:
Wei J, Li Y. PLoS One. 2017;12(1): e0169235.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169235.
A single cough can propel as many as 3,000 droplets into the air at a velocity of 6 to 28 m/s. The droplets travel in what classic fluid mechanics calls a “2-stage jet”: the starting jet (when the cough starts) and interrupted jet (when the cough stops). After the original cough ends, a “leading vortex” carries particles forward, but as the momentum slows, particles fall out of the jet according to researchers from the University of Hong Kong and Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, both in China, who studied cough trajectories and the implications for disease transmission in buildings.
Once the penetration velocity drops below 0.01 m/s, environmental factors, such as ventilation and human body temperature, begin to influence the flow. Beyond 1 to 2 m, the exhaled air stream dissolves into the room airflow, and the pathogen-containing droplets or droplet nuclei are dispersed according to the global airflow in the room.
When a cough doesn’t last long, the researchers say, the velocity of fine particles decays significantly after the jet is interrupted. However, even short coughs have consequences: Pathogen-containing droplets as large as ≥ 5 µm in diameter can be directly deposited on the nasal or oral mucosa of a nearby “new host.”
But coughs differ in many ways, including how far and wide they send the droplets. The researchers conducted experiments to help determine spread by discharging dyed or particle-filled water into a water tank. They examined 3 different temporal exit velocity profiles: pulsation, sinusoidal, and real-cough.
The “most striking phenomenon,” the researchers say, is that the particle clouds of all 3 sizes of particles (small [8-14 µm], medium [57-68 µm], large [96-114 µm]) penetrated almost the same distance at different time steps. In other words, large particles can travel as far as fine particles.
The cough flow’s maximum penetration distance was 53.4 to 69.7 opening diameter. That is, for a mouth opening to a diameter of 2 cm, the large particles could penetrate 1 to 1.4 m in a “real cough case,” they note. Cough duration was important in determining the spread range of particles. Their maximum travel distance was “much enhanced” in a long starting jet, especially for small particles.
Source:
Wei J, Li Y. PLoS One. 2017;12(1): e0169235.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169235.
A single cough can propel as many as 3,000 droplets into the air at a velocity of 6 to 28 m/s. The droplets travel in what classic fluid mechanics calls a “2-stage jet”: the starting jet (when the cough starts) and interrupted jet (when the cough stops). After the original cough ends, a “leading vortex” carries particles forward, but as the momentum slows, particles fall out of the jet according to researchers from the University of Hong Kong and Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, both in China, who studied cough trajectories and the implications for disease transmission in buildings.
Once the penetration velocity drops below 0.01 m/s, environmental factors, such as ventilation and human body temperature, begin to influence the flow. Beyond 1 to 2 m, the exhaled air stream dissolves into the room airflow, and the pathogen-containing droplets or droplet nuclei are dispersed according to the global airflow in the room.
When a cough doesn’t last long, the researchers say, the velocity of fine particles decays significantly after the jet is interrupted. However, even short coughs have consequences: Pathogen-containing droplets as large as ≥ 5 µm in diameter can be directly deposited on the nasal or oral mucosa of a nearby “new host.”
But coughs differ in many ways, including how far and wide they send the droplets. The researchers conducted experiments to help determine spread by discharging dyed or particle-filled water into a water tank. They examined 3 different temporal exit velocity profiles: pulsation, sinusoidal, and real-cough.
The “most striking phenomenon,” the researchers say, is that the particle clouds of all 3 sizes of particles (small [8-14 µm], medium [57-68 µm], large [96-114 µm]) penetrated almost the same distance at different time steps. In other words, large particles can travel as far as fine particles.
The cough flow’s maximum penetration distance was 53.4 to 69.7 opening diameter. That is, for a mouth opening to a diameter of 2 cm, the large particles could penetrate 1 to 1.4 m in a “real cough case,” they note. Cough duration was important in determining the spread range of particles. Their maximum travel distance was “much enhanced” in a long starting jet, especially for small particles.
Source:
Wei J, Li Y. PLoS One. 2017;12(1): e0169235.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169235.
Surgeon General Issues ‘Call to Action’ on Substance Abuse Crisis
Before he assumed his position as U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, MD, says, he stopped by to say good-bye to his colleagues. The nurses had 1 parting request: If you can only do 1 thing as Surgeon General, please do something about the addiction crisis in America.
Thus, for the first time, a U.S. Surgeon General has dedicated a report to substance misuse and related disorders, calling these issues one of America’s most pressing public health concerns. “I am issuing a new call to action,” he says in the foreword, “to end the public health crisis of addiction.” Nearly 21 million Americans suffer from substance use disorders—more than the number of people who have all cancers combined.
Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health offers an in-depth look at the science of substance use disorders and addiction, with chapters on neurobiology, prevention, treatment, recovery, health systems integration, and recommendations for the future.
One of the findings is that substance use disorder treatment in the U.S. remains “largely separate” from the rest of health care and serves only a fraction of those in need of treatment. An estimated 1 in 7 people in the U.S. develops a substance use disorder at some point in their lives, yet only 1 in 10 receives treatment. Many factors contribute to this treatment gap, including the stigma associated with drug and alcohol addiction.
There has been progress: The Obama administration has invested in research, development, and evaluation of programs to prevent and treat substance misuse and substance use disorders, as well as support recovery, the report says.
“It’s time to change how we view addiction,” said Dr. Murthy. “Not as a moral failing, but as a chronic illness that must be treated with skill, urgency and compassion. The way we address this crisis is a test for America.”
Before he assumed his position as U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, MD, says, he stopped by to say good-bye to his colleagues. The nurses had 1 parting request: If you can only do 1 thing as Surgeon General, please do something about the addiction crisis in America.
Thus, for the first time, a U.S. Surgeon General has dedicated a report to substance misuse and related disorders, calling these issues one of America’s most pressing public health concerns. “I am issuing a new call to action,” he says in the foreword, “to end the public health crisis of addiction.” Nearly 21 million Americans suffer from substance use disorders—more than the number of people who have all cancers combined.
Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health offers an in-depth look at the science of substance use disorders and addiction, with chapters on neurobiology, prevention, treatment, recovery, health systems integration, and recommendations for the future.
One of the findings is that substance use disorder treatment in the U.S. remains “largely separate” from the rest of health care and serves only a fraction of those in need of treatment. An estimated 1 in 7 people in the U.S. develops a substance use disorder at some point in their lives, yet only 1 in 10 receives treatment. Many factors contribute to this treatment gap, including the stigma associated with drug and alcohol addiction.
There has been progress: The Obama administration has invested in research, development, and evaluation of programs to prevent and treat substance misuse and substance use disorders, as well as support recovery, the report says.
“It’s time to change how we view addiction,” said Dr. Murthy. “Not as a moral failing, but as a chronic illness that must be treated with skill, urgency and compassion. The way we address this crisis is a test for America.”
Before he assumed his position as U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, MD, says, he stopped by to say good-bye to his colleagues. The nurses had 1 parting request: If you can only do 1 thing as Surgeon General, please do something about the addiction crisis in America.
Thus, for the first time, a U.S. Surgeon General has dedicated a report to substance misuse and related disorders, calling these issues one of America’s most pressing public health concerns. “I am issuing a new call to action,” he says in the foreword, “to end the public health crisis of addiction.” Nearly 21 million Americans suffer from substance use disorders—more than the number of people who have all cancers combined.
Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health offers an in-depth look at the science of substance use disorders and addiction, with chapters on neurobiology, prevention, treatment, recovery, health systems integration, and recommendations for the future.
One of the findings is that substance use disorder treatment in the U.S. remains “largely separate” from the rest of health care and serves only a fraction of those in need of treatment. An estimated 1 in 7 people in the U.S. develops a substance use disorder at some point in their lives, yet only 1 in 10 receives treatment. Many factors contribute to this treatment gap, including the stigma associated with drug and alcohol addiction.
There has been progress: The Obama administration has invested in research, development, and evaluation of programs to prevent and treat substance misuse and substance use disorders, as well as support recovery, the report says.
“It’s time to change how we view addiction,” said Dr. Murthy. “Not as a moral failing, but as a chronic illness that must be treated with skill, urgency and compassion. The way we address this crisis is a test for America.”
Sexually Transmitted Disease Cases Hit a High
Cases of the most commonly reported STDs reached an “unprecedented” high in the US in 2015, with > 1.5 million chlamydia cases, nearly 400,000 gonorrhea cases, and nearly 24,000 cases of primary and secondary syphilis.
According to the CDC’s annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report, between 2014 and 2015, the number of syphilis cases rose by 19%, followed by gonorrhea (12.8%) and chlamydia (5.9%). Young people aged 15 to 24 accounted for nearly two thirds of chlamydia diagnoses and half of gonorrhea diagnoses. Men who have sex with men accounted for most new gonorrhea and syphilis cases. The report also notes that antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea may be higher in this group.
Syphilis diagnoses in women jumped by > 27% in 1 year, which presents a serious risk for infants. For example, reported congenital syphilis (transmitted from a pregnant woman to the baby) rose by 6%.
But all 3 of those STDs are not only treatable, they’re curable with antibiotics. Widespread access to screening and treatment would reduce the spread. Undiagnosed and untreated, these diseases pose severe and often irreversible health consequences, including infertility, chronic pain, and a greater risk of acquiring HIV. The CDC also estimates a ”substantial economic burden” of nearly $16 billion a year.
In recent years, > 50% of state and local STD programs have had their budgets cut, the report notes, and > 20 health department STD clinics closed their doors in 1 year alone. “STD prevention resources across the nation are stretched thin,” said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention.
The CDC says an effective national response to the epidemic requires engagement from many players. One suggestion: making screening a standard part of medical care, especially for pregnant women, and integrating STD prevention and treatment into prenatal care and other routine visits.
Cases of the most commonly reported STDs reached an “unprecedented” high in the US in 2015, with > 1.5 million chlamydia cases, nearly 400,000 gonorrhea cases, and nearly 24,000 cases of primary and secondary syphilis.
According to the CDC’s annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report, between 2014 and 2015, the number of syphilis cases rose by 19%, followed by gonorrhea (12.8%) and chlamydia (5.9%). Young people aged 15 to 24 accounted for nearly two thirds of chlamydia diagnoses and half of gonorrhea diagnoses. Men who have sex with men accounted for most new gonorrhea and syphilis cases. The report also notes that antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea may be higher in this group.
Syphilis diagnoses in women jumped by > 27% in 1 year, which presents a serious risk for infants. For example, reported congenital syphilis (transmitted from a pregnant woman to the baby) rose by 6%.
But all 3 of those STDs are not only treatable, they’re curable with antibiotics. Widespread access to screening and treatment would reduce the spread. Undiagnosed and untreated, these diseases pose severe and often irreversible health consequences, including infertility, chronic pain, and a greater risk of acquiring HIV. The CDC also estimates a ”substantial economic burden” of nearly $16 billion a year.
In recent years, > 50% of state and local STD programs have had their budgets cut, the report notes, and > 20 health department STD clinics closed their doors in 1 year alone. “STD prevention resources across the nation are stretched thin,” said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention.
The CDC says an effective national response to the epidemic requires engagement from many players. One suggestion: making screening a standard part of medical care, especially for pregnant women, and integrating STD prevention and treatment into prenatal care and other routine visits.
Cases of the most commonly reported STDs reached an “unprecedented” high in the US in 2015, with > 1.5 million chlamydia cases, nearly 400,000 gonorrhea cases, and nearly 24,000 cases of primary and secondary syphilis.
According to the CDC’s annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report, between 2014 and 2015, the number of syphilis cases rose by 19%, followed by gonorrhea (12.8%) and chlamydia (5.9%). Young people aged 15 to 24 accounted for nearly two thirds of chlamydia diagnoses and half of gonorrhea diagnoses. Men who have sex with men accounted for most new gonorrhea and syphilis cases. The report also notes that antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea may be higher in this group.
Syphilis diagnoses in women jumped by > 27% in 1 year, which presents a serious risk for infants. For example, reported congenital syphilis (transmitted from a pregnant woman to the baby) rose by 6%.
But all 3 of those STDs are not only treatable, they’re curable with antibiotics. Widespread access to screening and treatment would reduce the spread. Undiagnosed and untreated, these diseases pose severe and often irreversible health consequences, including infertility, chronic pain, and a greater risk of acquiring HIV. The CDC also estimates a ”substantial economic burden” of nearly $16 billion a year.
In recent years, > 50% of state and local STD programs have had their budgets cut, the report notes, and > 20 health department STD clinics closed their doors in 1 year alone. “STD prevention resources across the nation are stretched thin,” said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention.
The CDC says an effective national response to the epidemic requires engagement from many players. One suggestion: making screening a standard part of medical care, especially for pregnant women, and integrating STD prevention and treatment into prenatal care and other routine visits.
Hospital-Acquired Conditions on the Decline
Hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) are still trending downward, with 3 million fewer adverse events (AEs)—a 21% drop—over a 5-year period, according to the recently released National Scorecard on Rates of Hospital-Acquired Conditions. Thanks in part to provisions of the Affordable Care Act, HHS says, about 125,000 fewer patients died due to HACs, and > $28 billion in health care costs was saved.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) researchers used national data systems to analyze the incidence of 28 HACs that occurred from 2010 to 2015. The list included AEs, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central-line associated bloodstream infections, pressure ulcers, and surgical site infections, selected as focus areas because they’re common and considered preventable.
AHRQ’s Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP) is one of the tools used most often to reduce HACs. It’s a proven method, HHS says, that combines improvement in safety culture, teamwork, and communications with evidence-based practices to protect patients. AHRQ has “worked hand-in-hand with frontline clinicians” to help them use CUSP in a series of “highly effective” nationwide projects.
“AHRQ has been building a foundation of patient safety research for the last decade and a half at the request of Congress,” said AHRQ director Andy Bindman, MD. “Now we’re seeing these investments continue to pay off in terms of lives saved, harm avoided, and safer care delivery overall.”
Hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) are still trending downward, with 3 million fewer adverse events (AEs)—a 21% drop—over a 5-year period, according to the recently released National Scorecard on Rates of Hospital-Acquired Conditions. Thanks in part to provisions of the Affordable Care Act, HHS says, about 125,000 fewer patients died due to HACs, and > $28 billion in health care costs was saved.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) researchers used national data systems to analyze the incidence of 28 HACs that occurred from 2010 to 2015. The list included AEs, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central-line associated bloodstream infections, pressure ulcers, and surgical site infections, selected as focus areas because they’re common and considered preventable.
AHRQ’s Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP) is one of the tools used most often to reduce HACs. It’s a proven method, HHS says, that combines improvement in safety culture, teamwork, and communications with evidence-based practices to protect patients. AHRQ has “worked hand-in-hand with frontline clinicians” to help them use CUSP in a series of “highly effective” nationwide projects.
“AHRQ has been building a foundation of patient safety research for the last decade and a half at the request of Congress,” said AHRQ director Andy Bindman, MD. “Now we’re seeing these investments continue to pay off in terms of lives saved, harm avoided, and safer care delivery overall.”
Hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) are still trending downward, with 3 million fewer adverse events (AEs)—a 21% drop—over a 5-year period, according to the recently released National Scorecard on Rates of Hospital-Acquired Conditions. Thanks in part to provisions of the Affordable Care Act, HHS says, about 125,000 fewer patients died due to HACs, and > $28 billion in health care costs was saved.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) researchers used national data systems to analyze the incidence of 28 HACs that occurred from 2010 to 2015. The list included AEs, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central-line associated bloodstream infections, pressure ulcers, and surgical site infections, selected as focus areas because they’re common and considered preventable.
AHRQ’s Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP) is one of the tools used most often to reduce HACs. It’s a proven method, HHS says, that combines improvement in safety culture, teamwork, and communications with evidence-based practices to protect patients. AHRQ has “worked hand-in-hand with frontline clinicians” to help them use CUSP in a series of “highly effective” nationwide projects.
“AHRQ has been building a foundation of patient safety research for the last decade and a half at the request of Congress,” said AHRQ director Andy Bindman, MD. “Now we’re seeing these investments continue to pay off in terms of lives saved, harm avoided, and safer care delivery overall.”
When Their Job Puts Workers at Risk for Asthma
As many as 2.7 million American workers might have asthma that their work may have caused or worsened, say CDC researchers. Data from the 2006-2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Asthma Call-back Survey in 33 states revealed that nearly half of adult asthma could be related to work, and thus potentially preventable.
Of the respondents employed in the previous year, 7.7% had asthma, ranging from 5% in Mississippi to 10% in Michigan. Among the 21 states that collected information on industry and occupation, prevalence of asthma was highest among workers in health care support occupations in Michigan (21.5%). In fact, health care ranked first among the 5 industries with the highest asthma prevalence, and health care practitioners ranked second among the 5 occupational groups with the highest asthma prevalence.
Different industries and occupations have different irritants. In health care, for instance, cleaning and disinfection products, powdered latex gloves, and aerosolized medications have doubled the likelihood of new-onset asthma, the report notes. But it’s possible to make a big dent in the illness prevalence with evidence-based changes. The researchers say powder-free natural rubber latex or nonlatex gloves, for instance, “considerably reduced” workplace asthma in the health care industry,
The researchers say their findings might help physicians and state public health officials identify workers who should be evaluated for work-related asthma, in order to plan and target interventions.
As many as 2.7 million American workers might have asthma that their work may have caused or worsened, say CDC researchers. Data from the 2006-2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Asthma Call-back Survey in 33 states revealed that nearly half of adult asthma could be related to work, and thus potentially preventable.
Of the respondents employed in the previous year, 7.7% had asthma, ranging from 5% in Mississippi to 10% in Michigan. Among the 21 states that collected information on industry and occupation, prevalence of asthma was highest among workers in health care support occupations in Michigan (21.5%). In fact, health care ranked first among the 5 industries with the highest asthma prevalence, and health care practitioners ranked second among the 5 occupational groups with the highest asthma prevalence.
Different industries and occupations have different irritants. In health care, for instance, cleaning and disinfection products, powdered latex gloves, and aerosolized medications have doubled the likelihood of new-onset asthma, the report notes. But it’s possible to make a big dent in the illness prevalence with evidence-based changes. The researchers say powder-free natural rubber latex or nonlatex gloves, for instance, “considerably reduced” workplace asthma in the health care industry,
The researchers say their findings might help physicians and state public health officials identify workers who should be evaluated for work-related asthma, in order to plan and target interventions.
As many as 2.7 million American workers might have asthma that their work may have caused or worsened, say CDC researchers. Data from the 2006-2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Asthma Call-back Survey in 33 states revealed that nearly half of adult asthma could be related to work, and thus potentially preventable.
Of the respondents employed in the previous year, 7.7% had asthma, ranging from 5% in Mississippi to 10% in Michigan. Among the 21 states that collected information on industry and occupation, prevalence of asthma was highest among workers in health care support occupations in Michigan (21.5%). In fact, health care ranked first among the 5 industries with the highest asthma prevalence, and health care practitioners ranked second among the 5 occupational groups with the highest asthma prevalence.
Different industries and occupations have different irritants. In health care, for instance, cleaning and disinfection products, powdered latex gloves, and aerosolized medications have doubled the likelihood of new-onset asthma, the report notes. But it’s possible to make a big dent in the illness prevalence with evidence-based changes. The researchers say powder-free natural rubber latex or nonlatex gloves, for instance, “considerably reduced” workplace asthma in the health care industry,
The researchers say their findings might help physicians and state public health officials identify workers who should be evaluated for work-related asthma, in order to plan and target interventions.
Helping Native Children Get Fit
Even as the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in the U.S. has climbed to an all-time high, say University of Oklahoma researchers, American Indian children have disproportionately high rates. But intervention studies usually don’t include them because they’re in small populations in rural areas.
The researchers developed a program, Middle School Opportunity for Vigorous Exercise (MOVE) for the Anadarko Middle School, which has an average fall enrollment of 442 students aged 12 to 15 years. They based the program on an exercise prescription suggested by the 1996 report by the surgeon general, Physical Activity and Health. They aimed at getting the students to walk or run 1 mile each school day and then engage in a team activity such as basketball, soccer, football, dodge ball, or volleyball. The intervention involved about 20 students per class and took place during 5 school years.
The researchers measured changes in body mass index (BMI) among participants and nonparticipants. During the study period, 46 boys and 20 girls met the criterion of participating for 2 consecutive semesters. Of those, > 50% were American Indian. At baseline, 10 were overweight and 19 were obese.
The MOVE participants had a significantly smaller increase in BMI than that of nonparticipants. Mean BMI scores remained the same among girls participating in MOVE but increased for nonparticipating girls. Mean BMI score decreased among boys participating in MOVE and increased among nonparticipating boys.
Although the changes were small—and the girls’ BMIs remained stable—their program demonstrates that improvements can be achieved, the researchers say. A curriculum that encourages a healthy lifestyle in general is important, but specifically, they suggest, daily walking or running may be needed to maintain or reduce BMI. Moreover, it could help establish a crucial habit of regular physical activity in the young.
Even as the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in the U.S. has climbed to an all-time high, say University of Oklahoma researchers, American Indian children have disproportionately high rates. But intervention studies usually don’t include them because they’re in small populations in rural areas.
The researchers developed a program, Middle School Opportunity for Vigorous Exercise (MOVE) for the Anadarko Middle School, which has an average fall enrollment of 442 students aged 12 to 15 years. They based the program on an exercise prescription suggested by the 1996 report by the surgeon general, Physical Activity and Health. They aimed at getting the students to walk or run 1 mile each school day and then engage in a team activity such as basketball, soccer, football, dodge ball, or volleyball. The intervention involved about 20 students per class and took place during 5 school years.
The researchers measured changes in body mass index (BMI) among participants and nonparticipants. During the study period, 46 boys and 20 girls met the criterion of participating for 2 consecutive semesters. Of those, > 50% were American Indian. At baseline, 10 were overweight and 19 were obese.
The MOVE participants had a significantly smaller increase in BMI than that of nonparticipants. Mean BMI scores remained the same among girls participating in MOVE but increased for nonparticipating girls. Mean BMI score decreased among boys participating in MOVE and increased among nonparticipating boys.
Although the changes were small—and the girls’ BMIs remained stable—their program demonstrates that improvements can be achieved, the researchers say. A curriculum that encourages a healthy lifestyle in general is important, but specifically, they suggest, daily walking or running may be needed to maintain or reduce BMI. Moreover, it could help establish a crucial habit of regular physical activity in the young.
Even as the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in the U.S. has climbed to an all-time high, say University of Oklahoma researchers, American Indian children have disproportionately high rates. But intervention studies usually don’t include them because they’re in small populations in rural areas.
The researchers developed a program, Middle School Opportunity for Vigorous Exercise (MOVE) for the Anadarko Middle School, which has an average fall enrollment of 442 students aged 12 to 15 years. They based the program on an exercise prescription suggested by the 1996 report by the surgeon general, Physical Activity and Health. They aimed at getting the students to walk or run 1 mile each school day and then engage in a team activity such as basketball, soccer, football, dodge ball, or volleyball. The intervention involved about 20 students per class and took place during 5 school years.
The researchers measured changes in body mass index (BMI) among participants and nonparticipants. During the study period, 46 boys and 20 girls met the criterion of participating for 2 consecutive semesters. Of those, > 50% were American Indian. At baseline, 10 were overweight and 19 were obese.
The MOVE participants had a significantly smaller increase in BMI than that of nonparticipants. Mean BMI scores remained the same among girls participating in MOVE but increased for nonparticipating girls. Mean BMI score decreased among boys participating in MOVE and increased among nonparticipating boys.
Although the changes were small—and the girls’ BMIs remained stable—their program demonstrates that improvements can be achieved, the researchers say. A curriculum that encourages a healthy lifestyle in general is important, but specifically, they suggest, daily walking or running may be needed to maintain or reduce BMI. Moreover, it could help establish a crucial habit of regular physical activity in the young.
How Common is Flu Without Fever?
Fever is thought of as the most common presenting symptom of flu in hospital emergency departments, although it’s known that adults may have atypical presentations. But according to a study by researchers from University of New South Wales in Australia, The Beijing Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in China, The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Vietnam, and Arizona State University, > 75% of adults with a viral respiratory infection (including influenza) do not have fever.
Related: Predicting Flu Epidemics
The researchers analyzed data from 158 health care workers who had laboratory-confirmed viral infections. The viruses included rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, influenza virus, human metapneumovirus, coronavirus, and adenovirus. In 15 cases, > 1 virus was isolated, including 9 cases with influenza co-infection.
Twenty-five percent of 75 patients with rhinovirus had fever. Of 10 patients with influenza A, 3 had fever. Co-infection with > 1 virus was the strongest predictor of fever. When cases of influenza and a co-infection were included, 8 of 22 patients had fever (36%).
Related: Predicting Whose Flu Will Be Worse
The accepted definition of “influenza-like illness” includes fever as a symptom, the researchers note. But when it comes to treating and reducing the risk of transmission, it helps to be aware that a diagnosis of viral respiratory infection is possible in the absence of fever. That awareness could be especially important for infections that are transmissible when patients are asymptomatic or presymptomatic. The main clinical implication, the researchers say, is that the case definition for influenza-like illness in adults may be “highly insensitive.”
Fever is thought of as the most common presenting symptom of flu in hospital emergency departments, although it’s known that adults may have atypical presentations. But according to a study by researchers from University of New South Wales in Australia, The Beijing Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in China, The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Vietnam, and Arizona State University, > 75% of adults with a viral respiratory infection (including influenza) do not have fever.
Related: Predicting Flu Epidemics
The researchers analyzed data from 158 health care workers who had laboratory-confirmed viral infections. The viruses included rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, influenza virus, human metapneumovirus, coronavirus, and adenovirus. In 15 cases, > 1 virus was isolated, including 9 cases with influenza co-infection.
Twenty-five percent of 75 patients with rhinovirus had fever. Of 10 patients with influenza A, 3 had fever. Co-infection with > 1 virus was the strongest predictor of fever. When cases of influenza and a co-infection were included, 8 of 22 patients had fever (36%).
Related: Predicting Whose Flu Will Be Worse
The accepted definition of “influenza-like illness” includes fever as a symptom, the researchers note. But when it comes to treating and reducing the risk of transmission, it helps to be aware that a diagnosis of viral respiratory infection is possible in the absence of fever. That awareness could be especially important for infections that are transmissible when patients are asymptomatic or presymptomatic. The main clinical implication, the researchers say, is that the case definition for influenza-like illness in adults may be “highly insensitive.”
Fever is thought of as the most common presenting symptom of flu in hospital emergency departments, although it’s known that adults may have atypical presentations. But according to a study by researchers from University of New South Wales in Australia, The Beijing Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in China, The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Vietnam, and Arizona State University, > 75% of adults with a viral respiratory infection (including influenza) do not have fever.
Related: Predicting Flu Epidemics
The researchers analyzed data from 158 health care workers who had laboratory-confirmed viral infections. The viruses included rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, influenza virus, human metapneumovirus, coronavirus, and adenovirus. In 15 cases, > 1 virus was isolated, including 9 cases with influenza co-infection.
Twenty-five percent of 75 patients with rhinovirus had fever. Of 10 patients with influenza A, 3 had fever. Co-infection with > 1 virus was the strongest predictor of fever. When cases of influenza and a co-infection were included, 8 of 22 patients had fever (36%).
Related: Predicting Whose Flu Will Be Worse
The accepted definition of “influenza-like illness” includes fever as a symptom, the researchers note. But when it comes to treating and reducing the risk of transmission, it helps to be aware that a diagnosis of viral respiratory infection is possible in the absence of fever. That awareness could be especially important for infections that are transmissible when patients are asymptomatic or presymptomatic. The main clinical implication, the researchers say, is that the case definition for influenza-like illness in adults may be “highly insensitive.”
Prevention Efforts Have Mixed Results for Injection-Drug Users
Although syringe services programs (SSPs) are attracting those who would benefit from this service, many patients still aren’t always using sterile needles, according to a CDC Vital Signs report. Thus, they’re still at risk for HIV and hepatitis B and C infection.
Researchers conducted a study in 22 U.S. cities with a high number of HIV cases of people who inject drugs. In 2015, > 50% of people who inject drugs said they used an SSP in the previous year compared with about one-third in 2005. But the percentage of people who received at least 1 syringe from an SSP and shared syringes was about the same as those who had not received any syringes from SSPs (31% vs 38%).
The good news is that annual AIDS diagnoses among people who inject drugs have dropped by 90%. Nonetheless, about 9% of HIV infections diagnosed each year is due to injecting drugs. Injection drug use has also contributed to a 150% rise in acute cases of hepatitis C infections.
But prevention efforts are paying off in the African American and Latino communities, said Eugene McCray, MD, director of CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. The number of African Americans getting all syringes from SSPs was up by 48%, and the number sharing syringes was down 34% from 2005. The number of HIV diagnoses among African Americans who inject drugs declined by 60% from 2008 to 2014.
Syringe sharing also was down 12% among Latinos, and HIV diagnoses dropped by 50% from 2008 to 2014.
By contrast, whites who inject drugs continue to share at similar levels—45% in 2005, vs 43% in 2015. The number receiving all syringes from sterile sources remained unchanged at 22%, and HIV diagnoses remained stable from 2012 to 2014.
Recent trends indicate that heroin use and injection drug use among whites are rising; that, coupled with high rates of syringe sharing, might “challenge the decades of progress in HIV prevention,” the researchers say. They also point to obstacles such as a potential lack of sufficient sterile equipment, too few SSPs in rural areas, and absence of legal support in many states.
Decisions about SSPs are made at state and local levels, the report notes. In 2015, Congress gave states and local communities the opportunity to use federal funds to support “certain components of comprehensive SSPs,” which also offer or refer people to prevention, care, and treatment.
Related: Changing Treatment Landscape of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Penitentiary Inmates
“Until now, the nation has made substantial progress in preventing HIV among people who inject drugs, but this success is threatened,” said Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. “Syringe services programs work, and their expansion is pivotal for progress in the coming decades.”
Although syringe services programs (SSPs) are attracting those who would benefit from this service, many patients still aren’t always using sterile needles, according to a CDC Vital Signs report. Thus, they’re still at risk for HIV and hepatitis B and C infection.
Researchers conducted a study in 22 U.S. cities with a high number of HIV cases of people who inject drugs. In 2015, > 50% of people who inject drugs said they used an SSP in the previous year compared with about one-third in 2005. But the percentage of people who received at least 1 syringe from an SSP and shared syringes was about the same as those who had not received any syringes from SSPs (31% vs 38%).
The good news is that annual AIDS diagnoses among people who inject drugs have dropped by 90%. Nonetheless, about 9% of HIV infections diagnosed each year is due to injecting drugs. Injection drug use has also contributed to a 150% rise in acute cases of hepatitis C infections.
But prevention efforts are paying off in the African American and Latino communities, said Eugene McCray, MD, director of CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. The number of African Americans getting all syringes from SSPs was up by 48%, and the number sharing syringes was down 34% from 2005. The number of HIV diagnoses among African Americans who inject drugs declined by 60% from 2008 to 2014.
Syringe sharing also was down 12% among Latinos, and HIV diagnoses dropped by 50% from 2008 to 2014.
By contrast, whites who inject drugs continue to share at similar levels—45% in 2005, vs 43% in 2015. The number receiving all syringes from sterile sources remained unchanged at 22%, and HIV diagnoses remained stable from 2012 to 2014.
Recent trends indicate that heroin use and injection drug use among whites are rising; that, coupled with high rates of syringe sharing, might “challenge the decades of progress in HIV prevention,” the researchers say. They also point to obstacles such as a potential lack of sufficient sterile equipment, too few SSPs in rural areas, and absence of legal support in many states.
Decisions about SSPs are made at state and local levels, the report notes. In 2015, Congress gave states and local communities the opportunity to use federal funds to support “certain components of comprehensive SSPs,” which also offer or refer people to prevention, care, and treatment.
Related: Changing Treatment Landscape of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Penitentiary Inmates
“Until now, the nation has made substantial progress in preventing HIV among people who inject drugs, but this success is threatened,” said Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. “Syringe services programs work, and their expansion is pivotal for progress in the coming decades.”
Although syringe services programs (SSPs) are attracting those who would benefit from this service, many patients still aren’t always using sterile needles, according to a CDC Vital Signs report. Thus, they’re still at risk for HIV and hepatitis B and C infection.
Researchers conducted a study in 22 U.S. cities with a high number of HIV cases of people who inject drugs. In 2015, > 50% of people who inject drugs said they used an SSP in the previous year compared with about one-third in 2005. But the percentage of people who received at least 1 syringe from an SSP and shared syringes was about the same as those who had not received any syringes from SSPs (31% vs 38%).
The good news is that annual AIDS diagnoses among people who inject drugs have dropped by 90%. Nonetheless, about 9% of HIV infections diagnosed each year is due to injecting drugs. Injection drug use has also contributed to a 150% rise in acute cases of hepatitis C infections.
But prevention efforts are paying off in the African American and Latino communities, said Eugene McCray, MD, director of CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. The number of African Americans getting all syringes from SSPs was up by 48%, and the number sharing syringes was down 34% from 2005. The number of HIV diagnoses among African Americans who inject drugs declined by 60% from 2008 to 2014.
Syringe sharing also was down 12% among Latinos, and HIV diagnoses dropped by 50% from 2008 to 2014.
By contrast, whites who inject drugs continue to share at similar levels—45% in 2005, vs 43% in 2015. The number receiving all syringes from sterile sources remained unchanged at 22%, and HIV diagnoses remained stable from 2012 to 2014.
Recent trends indicate that heroin use and injection drug use among whites are rising; that, coupled with high rates of syringe sharing, might “challenge the decades of progress in HIV prevention,” the researchers say. They also point to obstacles such as a potential lack of sufficient sterile equipment, too few SSPs in rural areas, and absence of legal support in many states.
Decisions about SSPs are made at state and local levels, the report notes. In 2015, Congress gave states and local communities the opportunity to use federal funds to support “certain components of comprehensive SSPs,” which also offer or refer people to prevention, care, and treatment.
Related: Changing Treatment Landscape of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Penitentiary Inmates
“Until now, the nation has made substantial progress in preventing HIV among people who inject drugs, but this success is threatened,” said Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. “Syringe services programs work, and their expansion is pivotal for progress in the coming decades.”