Recent News

National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) Advocacy Brief

NVHR recently released a brief titled Hepatitis B and the Uninsured: Expanding Access to Quality Care. It outlines facts about the burden of hepatitis B care for the uninsured and the need for expanded health care coverage to reduce liver disease and associated costs. 

Presentations from the NCIHC Available Online 

Presentations from the 10th National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions (NCIHC) - May 23-25, 2012, are now available here. Topics include media relations and effective messaging, strategic planning for coalitions, and working with other disease organizations. 

Flu Toolkit from the National Council on Aging (NCOA)
NCOA is spearheading a new initiative to help protect older adults from influenza in the upcoming flu season. Flu + You aims to educate older adults and their caregivers about the seriousness of influenza, the importance of annual influenza immunization, and available vaccine options.  

Created by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the History of Vaccines website includes abundant and varied materials that inform and educate the public about the value of vaccination and the seriousness of the diseases vaccines protect against. Spanish translations of some sections of the website are now available, including all articles. The Spanish resources will be accessible from the main site by clicking the Español tab on the homepage.  

Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) Train-the-Trainer Program  

Presentation slides from the CDC's regional train-the-trainer program on HAI prevention are now available online. Topics include hand hygiene, contact precautions and isolation, outbreak investigation, environmental cleaning, antimicrobial stewardship, and the Department of Health and Human Services' priority prevention targets. This information can be used for HAI training at the local level to eliminate HAIs in a variety of settings. The presentations are in a modular format to allow for selective viewing and files can be streamed online or downloaded for later viewing. 

2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results Released 
The CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) recently announced the release of a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance - United States, 2011 and the2011 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) results. The study includes results from 43 states and 21 large urban school districts.     

Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Releases Landmark Survey of LGBT Youth  

The HRC released a study of LGBT-identified young people and a corollary study of straight teens that shows disparities between the two groups. With more than 10,000 respondents ages 13-17, Growing Up LGBT in America is the largest known survey of LGBT teens.     

NACCHO Immunization Videos Page
NACCHO has gathered videos addressing vaccination into one convenient place. Watch short videos covering immunization issues, including influenza, pertussis, adolescent immunization, and personal stories about vaccine preventable diseases. Videos range from humorous to serious and target a variety of ages.

LHDs and HAI Prevention, Surveillance, and Response Webinar

HAIs present distinct challenges for communicable disease prevention and control efforts at LHDs. This webinar will provide a brief overview of HAI prevention efforts and present findings from a needs assessment that NACCHO conducted in collaboration with the CDC to better understand the present involvement of LHDs in HAI prevention and control.

Furthermore, attendees will be able to comment on the findings and share perspectives with NACCHO and CDC on strategies and opportunities for better conceptualizing and understanding potential LHD roles and supporting LHDs in HAI-related prevention and outbreak response.  

The webinar will be held on July 26 (1:00-2:30 PM EDT); click here for registration. To learn more about HAIs, visit CDC's HAI website. To learn more about NACCHO's HAI project, click here.   

Celebrating Partnerships & Progress: The First Year of the National Prevention Strategy Webinar

NACCHO, along with ASTHO and CDC, will co-host a webinar marking the first year of the National Prevention Strategy on July 18 (2:00-3:30 PM EDT). The Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Regina Benjamin, will be a presenter. This NACCHO factsheet discusses the National Prevention Strategy and how LHDs can use it in their communities.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Funding Opportunities for Food Regulatory Agencies to Enhance Food Safety Activities

The FDA has three funding opportunities designed to strengthen the national voluntary food safety system.

• Advancing Conformance with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (RFA-FD-12-011). Grants of up to $70,000 per year for up to 5 years will be available to assist retail food regulatory programs to achieve conformance with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards or Retail Program Standards.

• Building the Capacity of Food Safety Entities to Protect Public Health in Response to a Notification under Section 1008 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act or a Recall of Foods (RFA-FD-12-026). Grants of up to $100,000 per year for up to three years will be available to build the capacity and capability of food safety entities to respond to a notification under section 1008 of the FD&C Act or a recall of food under the FD&C Act.

• Building the Capacity of State, Local, Territorial, and Tribal Food Regulatory Agencies to Undertake Examinations, Inspections, and Investigations and other Related Food Safety Activities under Section 702 of the FD&C Act (RFA-FD-12-027). Grants of up to $100,000 per year for up to three years will be available to build the capacity of food safety agencies to undertake examinations, inspections, and investigations under Section 702 of the Act.

Tools for Effectively Engaging Coalition Members and Stakeholders Webinar    

Immunization Techniques DVD

The Immunization Techniques: Best Practices with Infants, Children, and Adults DVD from the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) demonstrates techniques for vaccine administration. Content includes how to select, prepare, and administer vaccines; document immunizations; and educate patients.  

CDC Posts Archive of NetConference: Coughing Up the Facts on Pertussis

CDC recently posted the archive of its May 30 NetConference, Coughing Up the Facts on Pertussis: Emerging Trends and Vaccine Recommendations. The presentation covers such topics as laboratory testing, epidemiology and vaccination, outbreaks and testing guidelines, strain changes, and protecting infants. Continuing education is available. 

Take Pertussis Out of the Picture

The Sounds of Pertussis Campaign is a joint initiative between Sanofi Pasteur and the March of Dimes to help raise awareness about pertussis. The site features information about the disease and the importance of vaccination.  

CDC Announces Funding Opportunity for Community Transformation Grants  

CDC issued a  funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for the Community Transformation Grants - Small Communities Program, funded by the FY 2012 Prevention and Public Health Fund. Approximately $70 million will be awarded to up to 50 communities. Eligible applicants are governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations including federally recognized American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages and tribal organizations, including Intertribal Councils and American Indian Health Boards.  

Submit a Tool to NACCHO's Immunization and Infectious Disease Toolkits

NACCHO's Immunization and Infectious Disease Toolkits are intended to provide LHDs with resources related to immunization and infectious disease prevention and control practices. Examples of tools include templates, guides, community resources and much more. Log in to submit your own resources to the Toolkit to share with other LHDs.

Immunization 

Early Vaccinations Are Not Risk Factors for Celiac Disease 

Myleus An, Stenlund H, Hernell O, Gothefors L, Hammarstrom ML, Persson LA, et al. Peds. 2012; 130(1): 63-70.  

The Growth of Retail Clinics in Vaccination Delivery in the U.S. 

Uscher-Pines L, Harris KM, Burns RM, Mehrotra A. Am J Prev Med. 2012; 43(1): 63-66.

Progress in Immunization Information Systems - United States, 2010 

MMWR. 2012, Jun 29; 61(25): 464-67   

Infectious Disease

Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Containing New Delhi Metallo-Beta-Lactamase in Two Patients - Rhode Island, March 2012 

MMWR. 2012; 61(24): 446-48.  

Epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus Blood and Skin and Soft Tissue Infections in the US Military Health System, 2005-2010. 

Landrum ML, Neumann C, Cook C, Chukwuma U, Ellis MW, Hospenthal DR, et al. JAMA. 2012; 308(1): 50-59. 

Estimated Global Mortality Associated with the First 12 Months of 2009 Pandemic Influenza A H1N1 Virus Circulation: A Modelling Study 

Dawood FS, Iuliano AD, Reed C, Meltzer MI, Shay DK, Cheng PY, et al. Lancet Infect Dis. 2012; E-pub ahead of print. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(12)70121-4  

Multiple Outbreaks of Hepatitis B Virus Infection Related to Assisted Monitoring of Blood Glucose Among Residents of Assisted Living Facilities - Virginia, 2009-2011 

MMWR. 2012; 61(19): 339-343.  

Why Physicians Work When Sick 

Jena AB, Meltzer DO, Press VG, Arora VM. Arch Intern Med. 2012; E-pub ahead of print. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2012.1998 

The mission of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is to be a leader, partner, catalyst, and voice for local public health departments.