National Public Health Information Coalition

11/09/2023

The last decade has brought an alarming rise in the number of babies born in the U.S. with syphilis.

New CDC data showed more than 3,700 babies born with the disease in 2022, about 10 times the number born in 2012.

Dr. John Venchiere, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at LSU Health in Shreveport, Louisiana, explains the increase and what can be done.

The last decade has brought an alarming rise in the number of babies born in the U.S. with syphilis. New CDC data showed more than 3,700 babies born with the disease in 2022, about 10 times the number born in 2012. Dr. John Venchiere, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at LSU Hea...

11/07/2023

: The American Cancer Society expanded its recommendations to include older adults who smoke or formerly smoked — no matter how long ago they quit smoking.

The ACA recommends annual lung cancer screening for current or past smokers, ages 50 to 80, with at least a 20 pack-year smoking history.

Nearly 5 million additional people are recommended to get screened for lung cancer under an updated guideline from the American Cancer Society.

11/03/2023

Today is , 🌎a global campaign that celebrates and brings attention to the need for a One Health approach to address shared health threats at the human-animal-environment interface.

A One Health approach can address a wide range of public health concerns like antimicrobial resistance, environmental health, food safety, mental health, vector-borne diseases, zoonotic diseases, and much more.

11/02/2023

The U.S. infant mortality rate rose 3% last year — the largest increase in two decades, according to the CDC.

Experts at this point can only speculate as to why a statistic that generally has been falling for decades rose sharply in 2022.

RSV and flu infections rebounded last fall after two years of pandemic precautions, filling pediatric emergency rooms across the country. "That could potentially account for some of it."

Researchers are speculating about possible reasons. One says it's unclear whether the increase was a one-year statistical blip or the beginning of a more lasting trend.

10/31/2023

A "public health catastrophe" is imminent in Gaza, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today.

"It's an imminent public health catastrophe that looms with the mass displacement, the overcrowding, the damage to water and sanitation infrastructure," WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told reporters.

A "public health catastrophe" is imminent in Gaza, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, amid overcrowding, mass displacement and damage to infrastructure.

10/30/2023

Last year, the American College of Physicians said food insecurity had become a threat to in the U.S.

Now, a new report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that nearly 13% of American households were food insecure in 2022.

Which means 1 in 8 households struggled to meet their nutritional needs at some point in the year.

Nearly 13% of U.S. households were food insecure in 2022, including more than 17% of families with children, a new USDA report finds.

10/26/2023

A new report from the CDC found that nearly half of health workers reported feeling burned out in 2022, up from under a third four years prior.

Health workers’ reports of being harassed at work more than doubled, as well.

Researchers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are sounding the alarm on a mental health crisis for health workers around the country.

10/24/2023

Researchers led by doctors at Stanford University ran nine questions through four AI chatbots - some of the responses perpetuated false or debunked medical information about Black people.

The World Health Organization in May called for ethical oversight of AI chatbots in medicine and warned that data used to train the technologies may be biased.

The new tech tools, if fueled by false or inaccurate data, have the potential to worsen health disparities.

10/23/2023

The price of Pfizer's Covid-19 antiviral medication Paxlovid will more than double as the U.S. transitions out of the emergency phase of the pandemic.

The list price, before insurance, will be $1,390 for a five-day course - that’s 2.6 times higher than the $530-per-course price paid by the US government.

The price of the lifesaving Covid-19 antiviral medication Paxlovid will more than double as the United States transitions out of the emergency phase of the pandemic, drugmaker Pfizer said Wednesday.

10/20/2023

A new study by JAMA found that babies born to mothers with private insurance had a lower infant mortality rate than babies born to moms with Medicaid.

"We have to get women in for prenatal care as early as possible. And that has to be done by our elected officials who have to make Medicaid as easy for pregnant women to get as if going into a store and, you know, buying a pack of gum."

A new study looks at different outcomes in childbirth based on private insurance versus Medicaid.

10/18/2023

Health advocates are calling on the Biden administration to declare a public health emergency over a steep rise in congenital syphilis cases - which has quintupled in 10 years.

Congenital syphilis happens when a baby contracts syphilis from its mother. Up to 40% of babies born to untreated mothers will be stillborn or die.

Biden administration urged to declare a public health emergency with key medication for preventable condition in short supply

10/16/2023

If you have Medicare, the start of the Medicare Open Enrollment Period, or OEP, began Oct. 15.

Now through Dec. 7 is when you can make changes to your Medicare health and Part D prescription drug plans.

Here are six tips to help navigate OEP and avoid medicare scammers.

It's time to check your coverage

10/13/2023

October is ... but, what is health literacy?

It is the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.

Learn more about health literacy here:

This short video emphasizes the importance of organizational health literacy in improving national health goals. It talks about proven strategies organizatio...

10/12/2023

A new California law will expand the state’s ability to force residents who are suffering from severe mental illness and addiction issues to get treatment.

The law is part of efforts to tackle homelessness in the Golden State, with local governments complaining their hands are tied if a person refuses to receive help.

A new California law will expand the state’s ability to force residents who are suffering from severe mental illness and addiction issues to get treatment.  Senate Bill 43, signed into l…

10/10/2023

The first travel-related death from a rare tick-borne virus has been recorded in Maryland after an individual contracted it in Canada.

Powassan is an illness spread by the bite of an infected tick.

“Powassan is very rare, and this is the first-ever case recorded in Maryland. The individual contracted the virus in Canada and returned to Maryland afterward,” officials said.

"We are very saddened to report the first death due to the Powassan virus in our state," Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman said. "Powassan is very rare, and this is the first-ever case recorded in Maryland."

10/10/2023

Three years ago, World Health Organization (WHO) launched the "Wear A Mask" campaign on social media - which gained impressive traction after BTS, a South Korean K-pop group, fans retweeted the message, making it the most shared mask-wearing tweet.

When health officials and agencies leveraged entertainment groups like “ ” into their public health messages on COVID-19, this generated 111 times more virality or retweets.

More news Articles K-Pop Fans Helped COVID-19 Public Health Messaging Go ViralNews subtitleTweets that mentioned the Korean group BTS spurred record levels of global engagement.ImageImage Members of the South Korean K-pop band BTS pose before the press launch of their single, “Butter,” in Seoul ...

10/05/2023

If you missed the “AI & the Future of Crisis Comms” session at NCHCMM this year, Cision's panelists shared key findings and insights derived from real-life crises before delving into a focused conversation on how AI is re-shaping crisis communications in healthcare and empowering healthcare communications teams.

As a supplement, Cision has followed up with six ways public health communicators, at all levels, can integrate the enormous power of AI tools into their daily work processes.

https://www.nphic.org/news/featured-topics/1638-six-steps-to-using-ai-in-your-communication-strategies

10/03/2023

The CDC is now proposing that doctors prescribe a single 200 mg dose of the inexpensive and common antibiotic doxycycline 72 hours after unprotected s*x to decrease common STIs like chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea.

Public health experts have been urging federal authorities to consider this guidance — referred to as — citing the growing amount of evidence supporting the benefits.

Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter{beacon} Health Care Health Care   The Big Story CDC’s proposes new ‘morning after’ guidance to curb STI spread The Ce…

10/02/2023

Two pioneers of mRNA research — the technology that helped the world tame the virus behind the Covid-19 pandemic — won the 2023 Nobel Prize in medicine or physiology today. 👏👏

Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman made key discoveries about messenger RNA that enabled scientific teams to start developing the tool into vaccines targeting the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

Two pioneers of mRNA research — the technology that helped the world tame the virus behind the Covid-19 pandemic — won the 2023 Nobel Prize in medicine or physiology on Monday.

10/01/2023

California will ban people from carrying fi****ms in most public places while doubling the taxes on guns and ammunition sold in the state under two new laws Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Tuesday.

This will test the limits of the U.S. Supreme Court’s new standard for interpreting the Second Amendment.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a law that will raise taxes on guns and ammunition. The federal government already taxes guns at 10% or 11%.

09/27/2023

House Republicans are struggling to pass the spending measures needed to keep the federal government open past Saturday.

A shutdown would put vital nutrition assistance at risk for the nearly seven million people who rely on WIC.

Depending on how long a potential shutdown lasts, SNAP could be impacted too.

A shutdown would affect the nearly 7 million women and children who rely on WIC for healthy food. Free school lunch and Meals on Wheels are also at risk, and SNAP could be impacted eventually too.

09/26/2023

New data from the CDC shows 22 states have an adult obesity prevalence at or above 35%, compared to 19 states in 2021.

These states have the highest obesity prevalence among adults (35% or higher):
Alabama
Arkansas
Delaware
Georgia
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia
Wisconsin

A state-by-state look at adult obesity rates highlights the necessity of public health support at a more localized level.

09/24/2023

The federal government is once again distributing free COVID-19 tests for Americans to order four more kits at no cost.

Ordering for this iteration of COVID-19 test distribution opens on Sept. 25, and the U.S. Postal Service will start shipping the free tests in early October.

You can order up to four tests per household using the government website COVIDTests.gov.

https://money.com/free-covid-tests-how-to-order/

Plus, what you need to know about test expiration dates and the new vaccine.

09/21/2023

The CDC has announced it’s awarding an estimated $262.5 million over the next five years to establish a national network of 13 infectious disease forecasting and analytics centers.

The purpose is to “improve the nation’s ability to prepare for and respond to infectious disease threats using data, modeling, and analytics.”

The CDC has announced it’s awarding an estimated $262.5 million in funding to establish a national network of 13 infectious disease forecasting and analytics centers.

09/19/2023

Gun locks will be available for free at Des Moines Public Library locations as part of local public health officials' efforts to curb youth gun-related injuries and deaths.

“One of our public health approaches to addressing gun-related injuries in our community is improving access to safe gun storage," Polk County Health Department Director Helen Eddy said in a statement.

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/health/2023/09/19/free-gun-locks-available-at-des-moines-public-library-as-part-of-gun-safety-initative-polk-county/70892436007/

09/17/2023

September is recognized as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. ? Kids need physical activity to be healthy.

Playing sports can give kids benefits beyond physical health. They don’t need to be athletic — no matter what their level of skill or experience is, they can find an option that works for them.

To help your family get more active, check out the CDC's "Move Your Way®" materials for parents.

https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/PAG_YSS_FactSheet_4.26.21_0.pdf

09/17/2023

Opinion: "It’s time we recognized that wildfire smoke is causing a public health crisis."

Particles in wildfire smoke are 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair, making it one of the most dangerous forms of air pollution. Long term exposure can cause asthma and cardiovascular disease.

First, you smell the smoke, then you see it, then you feel it in your lungs.  Tens of millions of us, from Hawaii to California to D.C., felt this terrifying feeling this year.  Particles…

09/12/2023

The FDA approved a new round of vaccines against COVID-19.

"The data so far suggest that the new COVID vaccines should be really quite effective against even the new emerging variants that we have seen come up in the last weeks."

Vaccines for a fall immunization drive against COVID-19 just got the green light from the Food and Drug Administration. The agency says the vaccines can protect people, as hospitalizations tick up.

09/12/2023

Instagram’s text-based social platform Threads last week rolled out its new search function. But when users went to Threads to search for content related to “covid” and “long covid,” they were met with a blank screen.

Meta acknowledged in a statement to The Washington Post that Threads is intentionally blocking the search terms.

Meta acknowledged that Threads is intentionally blocking the search terms.

09/07/2023

September is National Preparedness Month, - an observance “to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time.”

Misinformation can spread fast during an emergency. Knowing how to determine if a source is credible is a practical skill everyone can learn. Read ’s list of “Red Flags” to know what to look for: https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/evaluating-health-information

09/05/2023

The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed the first Air Pollution and Health Training toolkit ( ), specifically tailored for health workers to be unveiled at the end of 2023.

“Empowering health care providers to identify instances where air pollution impacts well-being and communities is paramount to public and global health. This training toolkit provides resources to communicate risks and to champion for clean air and healthier populations.”

Most health professionals’ training curricula do not sufficiently address the health impacts of air pollution; Only 11% of medical schools worldwide include air pollution as a risk factor for health as part of formal education, according to a report from the International Association of Medical St...

09/03/2023

? COVID’s latest variant, EG.5, is now the most prevalent variant in the U.S.—accounting for more than 17% of cases.

Virologist Andrew Pekosz, PhD, explains EG.5’s role in the mid-year spike in cases and why the new vaccine—set for release this fall—will offer better protection than previous versions.

EG.5 is now the most prevalent COVID-19 variant in the U.S. Its high transmissibility and ability to evade immunity has virologists following it closely—but it’s not quite time to panic.

08/31/2023

This week is National Community Health Workers Awareness Week!

? Community Health Workers unite nationally to support communities in achieving health, equity and social justice.

Learn more from National Association of Community Health Workers here: https://nachw.org/nchwaw/

08/29/2023

“The public’s uncertainty leaves them vulnerable to misinformation but is also the opportunity to combat it.”

A new KFF survey reveals the broad reach of health misinformation, with at least four in 10 people saying that they’ve heard each of 10 specific false claims about COVID-19, reproductive health, and gun violence.

A new KFF survey reveals the broad reach of health misinformation, with at least four in 10 people saying that they’ve heard each of 10 specific false claims about COVID-19, reproductive health, an…

08/27/2023

A recent study tested 39 brands of straws and found that some brands of paper straws contain a harmful group of . These ‘forever chemicals’ were found in the majority of the straws, but most commonly detected in straws made from paper and bamboo.

What now? The authors recommended using reusable steel straws instead of plastic or paper.

A small study suggests that stainless steel straws may be safest option to avoid PFAS.

08/23/2023

The CDC has warned people to not “kiss or cuddle your turtle” after a salmonella outbreak linked to small turtles has sickened at least 26 people across 11 states. 🐢🐢

Public health officials announced that they are investigating a “multistate outbreak” of salmonella linked to small turtles after dozens of people have fallen ill in recent months, according to the CDC.

The CDC has warned people to not “kiss or cuddle your turtle” after a salmonella outbreak linked to small turtles has sickened at least 26 people across 11 states.

08/21/2023

With current challenging weather conditions in so many locations across the U.S., public health organizations might benefit from the Vermont Department of Health’s numerous flood-related translations.

Find resources about what to do before, during and after a flood – all translated into languages such as French, Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese and more here:

https://www.healthvermont.gov/emergency/prepare/stay-safe-flood

08/21/2023

The now-dominant strain of EG.5, or Eris variant is estimated to account for about 20% of all new cases, according to the CDC.

New COVID vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax will likely provide protection against the new variant.

All three companies are still waiting for the FDA to approve their vaccines, meaning it won’t be available to the public for a month or so.

The drugmakers designed their updated coronavirus shots to target the omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, which is slowly declining nationwide.

08/18/2023

Last year, more middle-aged adults were binge drinking, using ma*****na or consuming hallucinogens than ever before, according to a new report.

The trend could be because interested adults are trying the drug for the first time, or because younger ma*****na users are entering higher age brackets.

Last year, more middle-aged adults were binge drinking, using ma*****na or consuming hallucinogens than ever before, according to a new report. Cannabis use surged among young adults under 30, alongside historic rates of va**ng, as well.

08/16/2023

As kids are returning to school in the coming weeks, remember:

🚌 Be especially alert when school buses are operating — usually between 7-9 a.m. and 2-5 p.m.
🚌 Be careful when pulling out of your garage or driveway, and watch for kids passing by.
🚌 When yellow lights start flashing, slow down and when the red lights flash, stop.

https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/on-the-road/stopping-for-school-bus/