Jan Dyer

Births among all American teenagers have dropped > 40% during the past decade, according to a CDC analysis reported in MMWR. Births among Hispanic and black teens have dropped by almost half since 2006.

But despite those dramatic drops—51% among Hispanic teens and 44% among blacks—their birth rates remain twice as high than among whites. In some states, birth rates among Hispanic and black teens are more than 3 times as high as those of whites. For example, in Nebraska, the birth rate for white teens (16%) approximated the national rate; rates for black and Hispanic teens (43% and 54%, respectively) far exceeded the national rate, the MMWR report notes. Counties with higher teen birth rates were clustered in southern and southwestern states and in areas with higher unemployment and lower income and education.

“These data underscore that the solution to our nation’s teen pregnancy problem is not going to be a one-size-fits-all—teen birth rates vary greatly across state lines and even within states,” said Lisa Romero, DrPH, a health scientist in the CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health and lead author of the analysis.

The HHS’s Office of Adolescent Health partnered with the CDC from 2010 to 2015 to fund community-wide initiatives in 9 communities with some of the highest teen birth rates in the U.S., focusing on black and Hispanic teens. Projects included offering evening and weekend hours for health care and low-cost services to increase access. Preliminary data suggest that each community increased the number of teens who received reproductive health services and contraceptive methods.

Researchers attribute some of the drop in births to prevention interventions that address socioeconomic conditions such as unemployment and lower education levels. State and community leaders, their report advises, can use local data to better understand teen pregnancy in their communities and direct programs and resources to areas with the greatest need.

Births among all American teenagers have dropped > 40% during the past decade, according to a CDC analysis reported in MMWR. Births among Hispanic and black teens have dropped by almost half since 2006.

But despite those dramatic drops—51% among Hispanic teens and 44% among blacks—their birth rates remain twice as high than among whites. In some states, birth rates among Hispanic and black teens are more than 3 times as high as those of whites. For example, in Nebraska, the birth rate for white teens (16%) approximated the national rate; rates for black and Hispanic teens (43% and 54%, respectively) far exceeded the national rate, the MMWR report notes. Counties with higher teen birth rates were clustered in southern and southwestern states and in areas with higher unemployment and lower income and education.

“These data underscore that the solution to our nation’s teen pregnancy problem is not going to be a one-size-fits-all—teen birth rates vary greatly across state lines and even within states,” said Lisa Romero, DrPH, a health scientist in the CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health and lead author of the analysis.

The HHS’s Office of Adolescent Health partnered with the CDC from 2010 to 2015 to fund community-wide initiatives in 9 communities with some of the highest teen birth rates in the U.S., focusing on black and Hispanic teens. Projects included offering evening and weekend hours for health care and low-cost services to increase access. Preliminary data suggest that each community increased the number of teens who received reproductive health services and contraceptive methods.

Researchers attribute some of the drop in births to prevention interventions that address socioeconomic conditions such as unemployment and lower education levels. State and community leaders, their report advises, can use local data to better understand teen pregnancy in their communities and direct programs and resources to areas with the greatest need.

Births among all American teenagers have dropped > 40% during the past decade, according to a CDC analysis reported in MMWR. Births among Hispanic and black teens have dropped by almost half since 2006.

But despite those dramatic drops—51% among Hispanic teens and 44% among blacks—their birth rates remain twice as high than among whites. In some states, birth rates among Hispanic and black teens are more than 3 times as high as those of whites. For example, in Nebraska, the birth rate for white teens (16%) approximated the national rate; rates for black and Hispanic teens (43% and 54%, respectively) far exceeded the national rate, the MMWR report notes. Counties with higher teen birth rates were clustered in southern and southwestern states and in areas with higher unemployment and lower income and education.

“These data underscore that the solution to our nation’s teen pregnancy problem is not going to be a one-size-fits-all—teen birth rates vary greatly across state lines and even within states,” said Lisa Romero, DrPH, a health scientist in the CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health and lead author of the analysis.

The HHS’s Office of Adolescent Health partnered with the CDC from 2010 to 2015 to fund community-wide initiatives in 9 communities with some of the highest teen birth rates in the U.S., focusing on black and Hispanic teens. Projects included offering evening and weekend hours for health care and low-cost services to increase access. Preliminary data suggest that each community increased the number of teens who received reproductive health services and contraceptive methods.

Researchers attribute some of the drop in births to prevention interventions that address socioeconomic conditions such as unemployment and lower education levels. State and community leaders, their report advises, can use local data to better understand teen pregnancy in their communities and direct programs and resources to areas with the greatest need.

Culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs) are a boon, helping to identify infections from foodborne illness faster. Without a bacterial culture, CIDTs cut the time needed to diagnose to mere hours.

The CIDTs are making it easier to find cases that were not previously diagnosed, according to an MMWR report on findings from the CDC’s Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet). In 2015, the percentage of foodborne infections diagnosed only by CIDT was “markedly higher”—about double, compared with the percentage in 2012-2014, the report says. For instance, the incidence of Cryptosporidium was significantly higher in 2015 than the average for the previous 3 years.

But without a bacterial culture, public health officials can’t get all the detailed information they need to track outbreaks and trends. The CDC is working with partners to develop advanced testing methods that, without culture, will still give the needed data for diagnosis as well as the preventive clues. In the short term, the CDC advises clinical laboratories to work with public health laboratories to make sure a culture is done whenever a CIDT indicates that someone with diarrheal illness has a bacterial infection.

Culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs) are a boon, helping to identify infections from foodborne illness faster. Without a bacterial culture, CIDTs cut the time needed to diagnose to mere hours.

The CIDTs are making it easier to find cases that were not previously diagnosed, according to an MMWR report on findings from the CDC’s Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet). In 2015, the percentage of foodborne infections diagnosed only by CIDT was “markedly higher”—about double, compared with the percentage in 2012-2014, the report says. For instance, the incidence of Cryptosporidium was significantly higher in 2015 than the average for the previous 3 years.

But without a bacterial culture, public health officials can’t get all the detailed information they need to track outbreaks and trends. The CDC is working with partners to develop advanced testing methods that, without culture, will still give the needed data for diagnosis as well as the preventive clues. In the short term, the CDC advises clinical laboratories to work with public health laboratories to make sure a culture is done whenever a CIDT indicates that someone with diarrheal illness has a bacterial infection.

Culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs) are a boon, helping to identify infections from foodborne illness faster. Without a bacterial culture, CIDTs cut the time needed to diagnose to mere hours.

The CIDTs are making it easier to find cases that were not previously diagnosed, according to an MMWR report on findings from the CDC’s Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet). In 2015, the percentage of foodborne infections diagnosed only by CIDT was “markedly higher”—about double, compared with the percentage in 2012-2014, the report says. For instance, the incidence of Cryptosporidium was significantly higher in 2015 than the average for the previous 3 years.

But without a bacterial culture, public health officials can’t get all the detailed information they need to track outbreaks and trends. The CDC is working with partners to develop advanced testing methods that, without culture, will still give the needed data for diagnosis as well as the preventive clues. In the short term, the CDC advises clinical laboratories to work with public health laboratories to make sure a culture is done whenever a CIDT indicates that someone with diarrheal illness has a bacterial infection.

In 1992, the World Health Organization recommended vaccinating all newborns and children aged < 12 months, along with adolescents, for hepatitis B virus (HBV). Russia was one of the countries that took that recommendation to heart, beginning a mass immunization program in 1997. The progtam started with newborns, added adolescents in 2001, and included adults nationwide in 2006. Children aged < 12 months are now vaccinated in 3 doses: the first within 24 hours of birth with additional boosters at 1 and 6 months.

Related: Can Hepatitis B and C Be Eliminated?

To gauge its success, researchers from Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides, Moscow, and The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation collected sera samples from volunteers in 6 geographically distant and epidemiologically different regions of Russia. They used a mathematical model developed by the CDC to estimate the effects of vaccination and birth dose coverage on the incidence of HBV. Hepatitis B virus DNA was detected in 63 sera samples.

Between 1993 and 1996, infection rates had risen from 22.4 per 100,000 people to 40 per 100,000. Following the initiation of the mass HBV vaccination program, the researchers say the number of acute HBV cases dropped by more than 33-fold, to 1.3 per 100,000 in 2014.

Still, they note, the incidence of chronic hepatitis—down only to 11.3 per 100,000 in 2014, from 14.2 per 100,000 in 2008—remains a source of concern, indicating “a persistent, substantial reservoir of the infection.”

Related: Hepatitis B: Screening, Awareness, and the Need to Treat

Based on the reported data on vaccination of newborns, the number of expected acute  and chronic HBV cases in the study generation (children born in 2008) can be reduced as much as 19-fold, the researchers say. They estimate that vaccination prevents 91% to 95% of cases of HBV that would otherwise occur. Timely vaccination also can reduce the estimated number of HBV-associated deaths by nearly 19-fold, they say.

Despite the substantial reduction in the incidence of acute HBV, though, the epidemic in Russia remains serious, the researchers say. However, they add, the low prevalence of HBV immune escape mutants 10 years after the mass vaccination began bodes well for the program’s future effectiveness.

Related: Accelerated Hepatitis A and B Immunization in a Substance Abuse Treatment Program

Source:
Klushkina VV, Kyuregyan KK, Kozhanova TV, et al. PLoS ONE. 2016;11(6):e0157161.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0157161.

In 1992, the World Health Organization recommended vaccinating all newborns and children aged < 12 months, along with adolescents, for hepatitis B virus (HBV). Russia was one of the countries that took that recommendation to heart, beginning a mass immunization program in 1997. The progtam started with newborns, added adolescents in 2001, and included adults nationwide in 2006. Children aged < 12 months are now vaccinated in 3 doses: the first within 24 hours of birth with additional boosters at 1 and 6 months.

Related: Can Hepatitis B and C Be Eliminated?

To gauge its success, researchers from Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides, Moscow, and The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation collected sera samples from volunteers in 6 geographically distant and epidemiologically different regions of Russia. They used a mathematical model developed by the CDC to estimate the effects of vaccination and birth dose coverage on the incidence of HBV. Hepatitis B virus DNA was detected in 63 sera samples.

Between 1993 and 1996, infection rates had risen from 22.4 per 100,000 people to 40 per 100,000. Following the initiation of the mass HBV vaccination program, the researchers say the number of acute HBV cases dropped by more than 33-fold, to 1.3 per 100,000 in 2014.

Still, they note, the incidence of chronic hepatitis—down only to 11.3 per 100,000 in 2014, from 14.2 per 100,000 in 2008—remains a source of concern, indicating “a persistent, substantial reservoir of the infection.”

Related: Hepatitis B: Screening, Awareness, and the Need to Treat

Based on the reported data on vaccination of newborns, the number of expected acute  and chronic HBV cases in the study generation (children born in 2008) can be reduced as much as 19-fold, the researchers say. They estimate that vaccination prevents 91% to 95% of cases of HBV that would otherwise occur. Timely vaccination also can reduce the estimated number of HBV-associated deaths by nearly 19-fold, they say.

Despite the substantial reduction in the incidence of acute HBV, though, the epidemic in Russia remains serious, the researchers say. However, they add, the low prevalence of HBV immune escape mutants 10 years after the mass vaccination began bodes well for the program’s future effectiveness.

Related: Accelerated Hepatitis A and B Immunization in a Substance Abuse Treatment Program

Source:
Klushkina VV, Kyuregyan KK, Kozhanova TV, et al. PLoS ONE. 2016;11(6):e0157161.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0157161.

In 1992, the World Health Organization recommended vaccinating all newborns and children aged < 12 months, along with adolescents, for hepatitis B virus (HBV). Russia was one of the countries that took that recommendation to heart, beginning a mass immunization program in 1997. The progtam started with newborns, added adolescents in 2001, and included adults nationwide in 2006. Children aged < 12 months are now vaccinated in 3 doses: the first within 24 hours of birth with additional boosters at 1 and 6 months.

Related: Can Hepatitis B and C Be Eliminated?

To gauge its success, researchers from Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides, Moscow, and The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation collected sera samples from volunteers in 6 geographically distant and epidemiologically different regions of Russia. They used a mathematical model developed by the CDC to estimate the effects of vaccination and birth dose coverage on the incidence of HBV. Hepatitis B virus DNA was detected in 63 sera samples.

Between 1993 and 1996, infection rates had risen from 22.4 per 100,000 people to 40 per 100,000. Following the initiation of the mass HBV vaccination program, the researchers say the number of acute HBV cases dropped by more than 33-fold, to 1.3 per 100,000 in 2014.

Still, they note, the incidence of chronic hepatitis—down only to 11.3 per 100,000 in 2014, from 14.2 per 100,000 in 2008—remains a source of concern, indicating “a persistent, substantial reservoir of the infection.”

Related: Hepatitis B: Screening, Awareness, and the Need to Treat

Based on the reported data on vaccination of newborns, the number of expected acute  and chronic HBV cases in the study generation (children born in 2008) can be reduced as much as 19-fold, the researchers say. They estimate that vaccination prevents 91% to 95% of cases of HBV that would otherwise occur. Timely vaccination also can reduce the estimated number of HBV-associated deaths by nearly 19-fold, they say.

Despite the substantial reduction in the incidence of acute HBV, though, the epidemic in Russia remains serious, the researchers say. However, they add, the low prevalence of HBV immune escape mutants 10 years after the mass vaccination began bodes well for the program’s future effectiveness.

Related: Accelerated Hepatitis A and B Immunization in a Substance Abuse Treatment Program

Source:
Klushkina VV, Kyuregyan KK, Kozhanova TV, et al. PLoS ONE. 2016;11(6):e0157161.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0157161.

The 2015 National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria set a goal of halving inappropriate outpatient antibiotic use by 2020. The CDC researchers analyzed the 2010-2011 National Ambulatory Medical Survey and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to figure out whether we’re getting closer to the goal.

About 1 in 3 antibiotic prescriptions is unneeded, according to the CDC study. Those 47 million excess prescriptions each year put patients at risk for allergy reactions or sometimes deadly diarrhea. Many of the unnecessary antibiotics are prescribed for respiratory conditions caused by viruses.

To help shift momentum in the right direction, the researchers suggest that outpatient health care providers (HCPs) can evaluate their prescribing habits and implement antibiotic stewardship activities, such as watchful waiting or delayed prescribing. Health systems can provide communications training, clinical decision support, and patient and HCP education. Patients also can talk with their HCPs about when antibiotics are needed and when they aren’t.

For more information on antibiotic stewardship, visit www.cedc.gov/getsmart.

The 2015 National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria set a goal of halving inappropriate outpatient antibiotic use by 2020. The CDC researchers analyzed the 2010-2011 National Ambulatory Medical Survey and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to figure out whether we’re getting closer to the goal.

About 1 in 3 antibiotic prescriptions is unneeded, according to the CDC study. Those 47 million excess prescriptions each year put patients at risk for allergy reactions or sometimes deadly diarrhea. Many of the unnecessary antibiotics are prescribed for respiratory conditions caused by viruses.

To help shift momentum in the right direction, the researchers suggest that outpatient health care providers (HCPs) can evaluate their prescribing habits and implement antibiotic stewardship activities, such as watchful waiting or delayed prescribing. Health systems can provide communications training, clinical decision support, and patient and HCP education. Patients also can talk with their HCPs about when antibiotics are needed and when they aren’t.

For more information on antibiotic stewardship, visit www.cedc.gov/getsmart.

The 2015 National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria set a goal of halving inappropriate outpatient antibiotic use by 2020. The CDC researchers analyzed the 2010-2011 National Ambulatory Medical Survey and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to figure out whether we’re getting closer to the goal.

About 1 in 3 antibiotic prescriptions is unneeded, according to the CDC study. Those 47 million excess prescriptions each year put patients at risk for allergy reactions or sometimes deadly diarrhea. Many of the unnecessary antibiotics are prescribed for respiratory conditions caused by viruses.

To help shift momentum in the right direction, the researchers suggest that outpatient health care providers (HCPs) can evaluate their prescribing habits and implement antibiotic stewardship activities, such as watchful waiting or delayed prescribing. Health systems can provide communications training, clinical decision support, and patient and HCP education. Patients also can talk with their HCPs about when antibiotics are needed and when they aren’t.

For more information on antibiotic stewardship, visit www.cedc.gov/getsmart.

Despite efforts to change the results, the American Indian infant mortality rate is still nearly twice that of the nation. The Great Plains area—South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska—is particularly hard-hit. There, babies are 2 to 3 times more likely than white babies to die within their first year. A recent article in Native Health News Alliance (NHNA)provides some background.

In South Dakota, American Indian babies accounted for 23 of 73 infant deaths reported in 2014, according to the South Dakota Department of Health, quoted in NHNA. In fact, between 2013 and 2014, although the number dropped of white babies dying, the number rose slightly for American Indians. Usually the postneonatal period (starting on day 28) marks the end of the “danger zone,” when the risk of infant death tends to go down. But for American Indian babies in South Dakota, the rate jumps from 4.2 per 1,000 births to 7.9.

In the NHNA article, Carol Iron Rope Herrera, who teaches parents about Lakota birthing and child-rearing traditions, says the Lakota tradition considers all babies sacred. She believes infant death in American Indian communities reflects lifestyle changes: “a shift in the cultural and spiritual ways of Native people.”

Linda Littlefield, manager of the Northern Plains Healthy Start program, agrees about lifestyle issues, specifically citing smoking. The NHNA article cites a report by the Northern Plains Tribal Epidemiology Center that found that between 2008 and 2012, > 30% of American Indian women in the Great Plains reported using tobacco during pregnancy.

Many American Indian traditions and beliefs support infant health and well-being, according to Christy Hacker, director of Maternal and Child Health programs for the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board, quoted in the NHNA article. Healthy Start communities often incorporate Lakota traditions about life and the sacredness of babies at powwows and other ceremonies.

But Hacker believes it is also important to encourage and support good care for women. According to research by the CDC and Northern Plains Tribal Epidemiology Center, only half of American Indian mothers in the Great Plains began prenatal care within the first trimester. “If mothers can take care of themselves,” Hacker says, “they can take care of the baby when it’s born.”

Despite efforts to change the results, the American Indian infant mortality rate is still nearly twice that of the nation. The Great Plains area—South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska—is particularly hard-hit. There, babies are 2 to 3 times more likely than white babies to die within their first year. A recent article in Native Health News Alliance (NHNA)provides some background.

In South Dakota, American Indian babies accounted for 23 of 73 infant deaths reported in 2014, according to the South Dakota Department of Health, quoted in NHNA. In fact, between 2013 and 2014, although the number dropped of white babies dying, the number rose slightly for American Indians. Usually the postneonatal period (starting on day 28) marks the end of the “danger zone,” when the risk of infant death tends to go down. But for American Indian babies in South Dakota, the rate jumps from 4.2 per 1,000 births to 7.9.

In the NHNA article, Carol Iron Rope Herrera, who teaches parents about Lakota birthing and child-rearing traditions, says the Lakota tradition considers all babies sacred. She believes infant death in American Indian communities reflects lifestyle changes: “a shift in the cultural and spiritual ways of Native people.”

Linda Littlefield, manager of the Northern Plains Healthy Start program, agrees about lifestyle issues, specifically citing smoking. The NHNA article cites a report by the Northern Plains Tribal Epidemiology Center that found that between 2008 and 2012, > 30% of American Indian women in the Great Plains reported using tobacco during pregnancy.

Many American Indian traditions and beliefs support infant health and well-being, according to Christy Hacker, director of Maternal and Child Health programs for the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board, quoted in the NHNA article. Healthy Start communities often incorporate Lakota traditions about life and the sacredness of babies at powwows and other ceremonies.

But Hacker believes it is also important to encourage and support good care for women. According to research by the CDC and Northern Plains Tribal Epidemiology Center, only half of American Indian mothers in the Great Plains began prenatal care within the first trimester. “If mothers can take care of themselves,” Hacker says, “they can take care of the baby when it’s born.”

Despite efforts to change the results, the American Indian infant mortality rate is still nearly twice that of the nation. The Great Plains area—South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska—is particularly hard-hit. There, babies are 2 to 3 times more likely than white babies to die within their first year. A recent article in Native Health News Alliance (NHNA)provides some background.

In South Dakota, American Indian babies accounted for 23 of 73 infant deaths reported in 2014, according to the South Dakota Department of Health, quoted in NHNA. In fact, between 2013 and 2014, although the number dropped of white babies dying, the number rose slightly for American Indians. Usually the postneonatal period (starting on day 28) marks the end of the “danger zone,” when the risk of infant death tends to go down. But for American Indian babies in South Dakota, the rate jumps from 4.2 per 1,000 births to 7.9.

In the NHNA article, Carol Iron Rope Herrera, who teaches parents about Lakota birthing and child-rearing traditions, says the Lakota tradition considers all babies sacred. She believes infant death in American Indian communities reflects lifestyle changes: “a shift in the cultural and spiritual ways of Native people.”

Linda Littlefield, manager of the Northern Plains Healthy Start program, agrees about lifestyle issues, specifically citing smoking. The NHNA article cites a report by the Northern Plains Tribal Epidemiology Center that found that between 2008 and 2012, > 30% of American Indian women in the Great Plains reported using tobacco during pregnancy.

Many American Indian traditions and beliefs support infant health and well-being, according to Christy Hacker, director of Maternal and Child Health programs for the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board, quoted in the NHNA article. Healthy Start communities often incorporate Lakota traditions about life and the sacredness of babies at powwows and other ceremonies.

But Hacker believes it is also important to encourage and support good care for women. According to research by the CDC and Northern Plains Tribal Epidemiology Center, only half of American Indian mothers in the Great Plains began prenatal care within the first trimester. “If mothers can take care of themselves,” Hacker says, “they can take care of the baby when it’s born.”

It’s a common complaint: “I can’t understand my medical bill!” Now, HHS is giving health care organizations, designers, developers, and others a chance to change that.

The “A Bill You Can Understand” challenge, sponsored by AARP, is intended to “help patients understand their medical bills and the financial aspect of health.” The concept was born of research that included responses from a survey of more than 300 patients and their families and one-on-one interviews with patients, families, and representatives from health systems, insurance companies, and integrated systems. In the patient survey 61% of patients rated their medical bills as “confusing” or “very confusing.”

The challenge is offering 2 awards of $5,000 each: one to the innovator who designs the easiest-to-understand bill and the other to the innovator who designs the best approach to improve the medical billing system—focusing on what the patient sees and does throughout the process.

The competition is open for submissions until August 10, 2016. Winners will be announced in September. Submissions to the challenge will be judged based on understandability, creativity, and how well they address the challenge criteria. For more information, visit www.abillyoucanunderstand.com.

It’s a common complaint: “I can’t understand my medical bill!” Now, HHS is giving health care organizations, designers, developers, and others a chance to change that.

The “A Bill You Can Understand” challenge, sponsored by AARP, is intended to “help patients understand their medical bills and the financial aspect of health.” The concept was born of research that included responses from a survey of more than 300 patients and their families and one-on-one interviews with patients, families, and representatives from health systems, insurance companies, and integrated systems. In the patient survey 61% of patients rated their medical bills as “confusing” or “very confusing.”

The challenge is offering 2 awards of $5,000 each: one to the innovator who designs the easiest-to-understand bill and the other to the innovator who designs the best approach to improve the medical billing system—focusing on what the patient sees and does throughout the process.

The competition is open for submissions until August 10, 2016. Winners will be announced in September. Submissions to the challenge will be judged based on understandability, creativity, and how well they address the challenge criteria. For more information, visit www.abillyoucanunderstand.com.

It’s a common complaint: “I can’t understand my medical bill!” Now, HHS is giving health care organizations, designers, developers, and others a chance to change that.

The “A Bill You Can Understand” challenge, sponsored by AARP, is intended to “help patients understand their medical bills and the financial aspect of health.” The concept was born of research that included responses from a survey of more than 300 patients and their families and one-on-one interviews with patients, families, and representatives from health systems, insurance companies, and integrated systems. In the patient survey 61% of patients rated their medical bills as “confusing” or “very confusing.”

The challenge is offering 2 awards of $5,000 each: one to the innovator who designs the easiest-to-understand bill and the other to the innovator who designs the best approach to improve the medical billing system—focusing on what the patient sees and does throughout the process.

The competition is open for submissions until August 10, 2016. Winners will be announced in September. Submissions to the challenge will be judged based on understandability, creativity, and how well they address the challenge criteria. For more information, visit www.abillyoucanunderstand.com.

Reports of sexual assault among military personnel are still at high levels, according to the DoD’s 12th Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military, covering October 2014 through September 2015.

The department received 6,083 reports for 2015 involving service members—only a 1% drop from 6,131 in 2014. Climate survey results also showed that about 16,000 service members intervened in situations they believed to have a risk of sexual assault, the DoD says.

Some of the data on sexual assaults come from 459 participants in 58 focus group sessions, part of an alternating cycle of surveys and focus groups conducted in support of the annual report.

Research has “consistently shown that sexual assault is most likely to occur in environments where there are unhealthy social factors,” the report says. Those factors include gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and other problems that “degrade or devalue individuals and their contributions in the workplace.” In cases of 657 formal complaints concerning sexual harassment, 74% of substantiated incidents occurred on duty. Nearly all complainants were enlisted. The largest single group of complainants by both gender and pay grade was females in pay grades E1-E4. Forty percent of substantiated offenders were in pay grades E5-E6; 96% were men.

About one-third of victims said the perpetrator sexually harassed them prior to the assault. Most survey respondents said they knew their alleged offenders; 57% said the alleged offender was someone they considered a friend or acquaintance.

“Our efforts are having an impact, but there are still many hurdles to overcome,” said Army Major General Camille Nichols, director of the DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Office. Reporting is essential, she said. In fact, encouraging greater reporting is 1 of 5 key SAPR program elements. The DoD also took “significant action” to advance sexual assault prevention, improve response to male sexual assault victims, combat retaliation associated with sexual assault, and track accountability of sexual assault cases.

The DoD also is tracking the overall experience of investigation and justice. In a survey of assault victims, 77% said they would recommend others to report, and 80% who interacted with the Special Victims’ Counsel Program were satisfied with the experience.

The full report is available at www.sapr.mil/index.php/annual-reports.

Reports of sexual assault among military personnel are still at high levels, according to the DoD’s 12th Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military, covering October 2014 through September 2015.

The department received 6,083 reports for 2015 involving service members—only a 1% drop from 6,131 in 2014. Climate survey results also showed that about 16,000 service members intervened in situations they believed to have a risk of sexual assault, the DoD says.

Some of the data on sexual assaults come from 459 participants in 58 focus group sessions, part of an alternating cycle of surveys and focus groups conducted in support of the annual report.

Research has “consistently shown that sexual assault is most likely to occur in environments where there are unhealthy social factors,” the report says. Those factors include gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and other problems that “degrade or devalue individuals and their contributions in the workplace.” In cases of 657 formal complaints concerning sexual harassment, 74% of substantiated incidents occurred on duty. Nearly all complainants were enlisted. The largest single group of complainants by both gender and pay grade was females in pay grades E1-E4. Forty percent of substantiated offenders were in pay grades E5-E6; 96% were men.

About one-third of victims said the perpetrator sexually harassed them prior to the assault. Most survey respondents said they knew their alleged offenders; 57% said the alleged offender was someone they considered a friend or acquaintance.

“Our efforts are having an impact, but there are still many hurdles to overcome,” said Army Major General Camille Nichols, director of the DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Office. Reporting is essential, she said. In fact, encouraging greater reporting is 1 of 5 key SAPR program elements. The DoD also took “significant action” to advance sexual assault prevention, improve response to male sexual assault victims, combat retaliation associated with sexual assault, and track accountability of sexual assault cases.

The DoD also is tracking the overall experience of investigation and justice. In a survey of assault victims, 77% said they would recommend others to report, and 80% who interacted with the Special Victims’ Counsel Program were satisfied with the experience.

The full report is available at www.sapr.mil/index.php/annual-reports.

Reports of sexual assault among military personnel are still at high levels, according to the DoD’s 12th Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military, covering October 2014 through September 2015.

The department received 6,083 reports for 2015 involving service members—only a 1% drop from 6,131 in 2014. Climate survey results also showed that about 16,000 service members intervened in situations they believed to have a risk of sexual assault, the DoD says.

Some of the data on sexual assaults come from 459 participants in 58 focus group sessions, part of an alternating cycle of surveys and focus groups conducted in support of the annual report.

Research has “consistently shown that sexual assault is most likely to occur in environments where there are unhealthy social factors,” the report says. Those factors include gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and other problems that “degrade or devalue individuals and their contributions in the workplace.” In cases of 657 formal complaints concerning sexual harassment, 74% of substantiated incidents occurred on duty. Nearly all complainants were enlisted. The largest single group of complainants by both gender and pay grade was females in pay grades E1-E4. Forty percent of substantiated offenders were in pay grades E5-E6; 96% were men.

About one-third of victims said the perpetrator sexually harassed them prior to the assault. Most survey respondents said they knew their alleged offenders; 57% said the alleged offender was someone they considered a friend or acquaintance.

“Our efforts are having an impact, but there are still many hurdles to overcome,” said Army Major General Camille Nichols, director of the DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Office. Reporting is essential, she said. In fact, encouraging greater reporting is 1 of 5 key SAPR program elements. The DoD also took “significant action” to advance sexual assault prevention, improve response to male sexual assault victims, combat retaliation associated with sexual assault, and track accountability of sexual assault cases.

The DoD also is tracking the overall experience of investigation and justice. In a survey of assault victims, 77% said they would recommend others to report, and 80% who interacted with the Special Victims’ Counsel Program were satisfied with the experience.

The full report is available at www.sapr.mil/index.php/annual-reports.

Disrobing and wiping skin with a paper towel or dry wipe seems simple—but doing both removes nearly 100% of chemical contamination, say researchers in an HHS-sponsored study.

The study, at University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, looked at various approaches to mass patient decontamination after chemical exposure: using various water temperatures, adding soap, and having patients disrobe before showering. They found disrobing took care of up to 90% of chemical contamination; wiping exposed skin removed another 9%. Finally, showering and drying off with a towel or cloth brought contamination levels down to 99.9%.

National recommendations emphasize the importance of having people disrobe and then use low-pressure water. But the researchers say in actual practice, people were not always required to disrobe, and high-pressure water from fire engines was used to shower the clothed patients. Their study revealed that showering in contaminated clothing actually washes chemicals through to the skin, increasing contamination.

“Every minute counts in protecting health after chemical exposure,” said Acting Director Richard J. Hatchett, MD, of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. “This study provides critical scientific evidence of effective actions emergency responders and community partners should consider in their emergency plan.”

Disrobing and wiping skin with a paper towel or dry wipe seems simple—but doing both removes nearly 100% of chemical contamination, say researchers in an HHS-sponsored study.

The study, at University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, looked at various approaches to mass patient decontamination after chemical exposure: using various water temperatures, adding soap, and having patients disrobe before showering. They found disrobing took care of up to 90% of chemical contamination; wiping exposed skin removed another 9%. Finally, showering and drying off with a towel or cloth brought contamination levels down to 99.9%.

National recommendations emphasize the importance of having people disrobe and then use low-pressure water. But the researchers say in actual practice, people were not always required to disrobe, and high-pressure water from fire engines was used to shower the clothed patients. Their study revealed that showering in contaminated clothing actually washes chemicals through to the skin, increasing contamination.

“Every minute counts in protecting health after chemical exposure,” said Acting Director Richard J. Hatchett, MD, of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. “This study provides critical scientific evidence of effective actions emergency responders and community partners should consider in their emergency plan.”

Disrobing and wiping skin with a paper towel or dry wipe seems simple—but doing both removes nearly 100% of chemical contamination, say researchers in an HHS-sponsored study.

The study, at University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, looked at various approaches to mass patient decontamination after chemical exposure: using various water temperatures, adding soap, and having patients disrobe before showering. They found disrobing took care of up to 90% of chemical contamination; wiping exposed skin removed another 9%. Finally, showering and drying off with a towel or cloth brought contamination levels down to 99.9%.

National recommendations emphasize the importance of having people disrobe and then use low-pressure water. But the researchers say in actual practice, people were not always required to disrobe, and high-pressure water from fire engines was used to shower the clothed patients. Their study revealed that showering in contaminated clothing actually washes chemicals through to the skin, increasing contamination.

“Every minute counts in protecting health after chemical exposure,” said Acting Director Richard J. Hatchett, MD, of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. “This study provides critical scientific evidence of effective actions emergency responders and community partners should consider in their emergency plan.”

A simple point-of-care finger prick test to diagnose anthrax infection is moving into the final stages of development. Unlike current tests, which can take days for lab analysis, this one shows results within minutes. Immediate response is crucial in cases of anthrax exposure. Untreated, inhaled anthrax can be deadly within days.

The test is being developed by SRI International (Menlo Park, CA) under an 18-month, $2.5 million agreement with HHS’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority . Based partly on a similar version developed at the CDC, the SRI test uses blood samples on small cartridges. After 15 minutes, the cartridge is placed in a palm-sized reader, which displays results. The convenient size, says HHS, makes it ideally suited for bedside use or by first responders. 

A simple point-of-care finger prick test to diagnose anthrax infection is moving into the final stages of development. Unlike current tests, which can take days for lab analysis, this one shows results within minutes. Immediate response is crucial in cases of anthrax exposure. Untreated, inhaled anthrax can be deadly within days.

The test is being developed by SRI International (Menlo Park, CA) under an 18-month, $2.5 million agreement with HHS’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority . Based partly on a similar version developed at the CDC, the SRI test uses blood samples on small cartridges. After 15 minutes, the cartridge is placed in a palm-sized reader, which displays results. The convenient size, says HHS, makes it ideally suited for bedside use or by first responders. 

A simple point-of-care finger prick test to diagnose anthrax infection is moving into the final stages of development. Unlike current tests, which can take days for lab analysis, this one shows results within minutes. Immediate response is crucial in cases of anthrax exposure. Untreated, inhaled anthrax can be deadly within days.

The test is being developed by SRI International (Menlo Park, CA) under an 18-month, $2.5 million agreement with HHS’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority . Based partly on a similar version developed at the CDC, the SRI test uses blood samples on small cartridges. After 15 minutes, the cartridge is placed in a palm-sized reader, which displays results. The convenient size, says HHS, makes it ideally suited for bedside use or by first responders.