MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Oct 2009
Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids among Medicaid enrollees - Washington, 2004-2007.
During 1999-2006, the number of poisoning deaths in the United States nearly doubled, from approximately 20,000 to 37,000, largely because of overdose deaths involving prescription opioid painkillers. This increase coincided with a nearly fourfold increase in the use of prescription opioids nationally. In Washington, in 2006, the rate of poisoning involving opioid painkillers was significantly higher than the national rate. ⋯ Methadone, oxycodone, and hydrocodone were involved in 64.0%, 22.9%, and 13.9% of deaths, respectively. These findings highlight the prominence of methadone in prescription opioid--related overdose deaths and indicate that the Medicaid population is at high risk. Efforts to minimize this risk should focus on assessing the patterns of opioid prescribing to Medicaid enrollees and intervening with Medicaid enrollees who appear to be misusing these drugs.
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Oct 2009
Prevalence of Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy among males aged 5-24 years - four states, 2007.
Muscular dystrophies are a group of genetic diseases characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness and muscle cell death with replacement of muscle cells by fibrosis and fat. The most common muscular dystrophy in children is Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), which predominantly affects males. Historically, DMD has resulted in loss of ambulation between ages 7 and 13 years and death in the teens or 20s. ⋯ This report summarizes those findings, which indicated overall state-specific prevalences on January 1, 2007, of 1.3-1.8 per 10,000 males aged 5--24 years. Among MD STARnet subjects, more than 90% of males with DBMD aged >or=15 years used wheelchairs. Nearly 60%percnt; of males with DBMD born during 1983-1987 had survived through 2007, emphasizing the need to develop and implement programs that address lifelong needs of males with DBMD.
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MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Oct 2009
Influenza vaccination coverage among children aged 6 months--18 years - eight immunization information system sentinel sites, United States, 2008-09 influenza season.
Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza-related morbidity and mortality. Annual influenza vaccination was first recommended for children aged 6-23 months in 2004 and for children aged 24-59 months in 2006. In August 2008, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) expanded its recommendations to include all children aged 5-18 years, beginning with the 2008-09 influenza season. ⋯ The results indicated that average (unweighted) vaccination coverage with >or=1 influenza vaccine doses decreased with increasing age from 47.8% for children aged 6-23 months to 9.1% for those aged 13-18 years. Among sites, average coverage with >or=1 doses among children aged 6--23 months increased from 40.8% during the 2007-08 influenza season to 47.8% during the 2008-09 season; however, coverage levels remained suboptimal. Vaccination against both seasonal influenza and 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) are recommended for children in 2009; these findings highlight the need to identify opportunities for and barriers to influenza vaccination of children.