MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report
-
MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · May 2003
Motivational intervention to reduce alcohol-exposed pregnancies--Florida, Texas, and Virginia, 1997-2001.
Prenatal alcohol use is a threat to healthy pregnancy outcomes for many U. S. women. During 1999, approximately 500,000 pregnant women reported having one or more drinks during the preceding month, and approximately 130,000 reported having seven or more alcohol drinks per week or engaging in binge drinking (i.e., five or more drinks in a day). ⋯ The findings indicate that although 69% of the women in the study reduced their risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy, women with the lowest baseline drinking measures achieved the highest rates of outcome success, primarily by choosing effective contraception and, secondarily, by reducing alcohol use. Women with higher baseline drinking measures chose both approaches equally but achieved lower success rates for reducing their risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy. A randomized controlled trial of the motivational intervention is under way to further investigate outcomes of the phase I study.
-
Since the 1988 World Health Assembly resolution to eradicate poliomyelitis globally through 2002, the number of countries where polio is endemic declined from 125 to seven, and the estimated incidence of polio decreased >99%. In 2002, the European Region became the third World Health Organization (WHO) region certified as polio-free, joining the Region of the Americas and the Western Pacific Region, certified polio-free in 1994 and 2000, respectively. Despite these achievements, a provisional total of 1,920 polio cases were reported during 2002, a substantial increase from 483 in 2001, reflecting primarily the large polio epidemic in India. This report summarizes global progress achieved in polio eradication during 2002 and describes remaining challenges.
-
MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Apr 2003
Case ReportsSevere acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and coronavirus testing--United States, 2003.
CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) are continuing to investigate the multicountry outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Infection with a novel coronavirus has been implicated as a possible cause of SARS. ⋯ S. residents with SARS and summarizes the clinical histories of the five U. S. residents identified as of April 9, 2003, who have both suspected SARS and laboratory evidence of infection with a novel coronavirus.
-
MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Apr 2003
Nonfatal fall-related traumatic brain injury among older adults--California, 1996-1999.
In the United States, falls are the second leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI) hospitalizations overall and the leading cause of TBI hospitalizations among persons aged > or = 65 years. In 1995, TBIs resulted in an estimated $56 billion in direct and indirect costs in the United States. In California, during 1999, a total of 61,475 hospitalizations from falls were reported among persons aged > 65 years. ⋯ As part of CDC's program of state-based TBI surveillance, California hospital discharge data were collected and analyzed to describe fall-related TBIs. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which support previous findings that persons aged > or = 65 years are at risk for hospitalization for a fall and that same-level falls are far more common among persons aged > or = 65 years than falls from a higher level (e.g., a ladder, chair, or stair). Defining the circumstances of fall injuries and recognizing the type of fall leading to TBI hospitalizations among older persons can help health-care providers conduct risk assessment and management of falls in this population.
-
MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. · Mar 2003
Source of firearms used by students in school-associated violent deaths--United States, 1992-1999.
During July 1, 1992-June 30, 1999, a total of 323 school-associated violent death events occurred in the United States, resulting in 358 deaths. To guide prevention efforts, CDC examined school-associated firearm violent death events committed by students in elementary and secondary schools in the United States and determined the sources of the firearms used in these events. ⋯ The safe storage of firearms is critically important and should be continued. In addition, other strategies that might prevent firearm-related injuries and deaths among students, such as safety and design changes for firearms, should be evaluated.