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MMWR articles are embargoed until 4 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday. |
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| MMWR Synopsis | |
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Click here for MMWR home page. Synopsis April 23, 1999
Back Pain Among Persons Working on Small or Family Farms Eight Colorado Counties,
1993-1996 |
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| PRESS CONTACT: Lorann Stallones, Ph. D. Colorado State University (970) 491-6156 (Alternate: Fred Blosser, CDC/National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, 202-260-8519) |
Back pain is a major occupational health problem among American workers. This regional survey in northeastern Colorado also revealed that it was the case for family farmers, who have not been routinely included in the available national statistics. The data also indicated that, while male farmers reported that back pain brought on by repeated activities (such as lifting, pushing, pulling, bending, twisting, or reaching) was experienced at their place of work or business, female farmers or spouses of male farmers reported that their back pain of same kind was experienced more frequently at home than at work or business. This suggests the contribution of female domestic chores (which are not captured for the farming population in current national job-injury data systems, because of the design of these surveys) as a factor in reporting back pain. |
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Reporting Race and Ethnicity Data National Electronic Telecommunications System for
Surveillance, 1994-1997 Reporting race and ethnicity variables in public health surveillance systems is critical to making informed public health policy decisions about minority groups. |
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| PRESS CONTACT: Kimberly Marsh, M.H.S. CDC, Epidemiology Program Office (404) 639-0080 |
A national health objective for 2000 is to improve race and ethnicity data collection in public health surveillance and data systems. To determine progress toward meeting this goal in CDC's National Electronic Telecommunications System for Surveillance (NETSS), the percentage of selected nationally notifiable diseases, that are individually reported to CDC through NETSS and include race and ethnicity data, was calculated for 1994-1997. The findings of this study suggests that proportions of race and ethnicity reporting are low and have not improved over time. Race and ethnicity data were only reported in approximately half of case reports for 31 selected nationally notifiable diseases reported to CDC through NETSS from 1994-1997. To improve the quality and completeness of race and ethnicity data reported to CDC through NETSS, it will be important for persons responsible for data collection, as well as local and state entities, to work with CDC to adopt and use new federal standards for reporting this information. |
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Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication Nigeria, 1996-1998 Nigeria is successfully implementing polio eradication strategies, but needs to substantially intensify efforts to achieve year 2000 goals. |
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| PRESS CONTACT: Roland Sutter, M.D., M.P.H. & T. M. CDC, National Immunization Program (404) 639-8252 |
In 1988, the World Health Assembly adopted the goal of global polio eradication by 2000. Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, is critical to global eradication efforts. Nigeria has conducted National Immunization Days since 1996, gradually improving the quality of these activities, and vaccinating close to 100% of children <5 years in 1998. In addition, since 1996, surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) has been gradually improving. In late 1997, Nigeria hired four regional surveillance officers and progress accelerated. However, despite these efforts, wild poliovirus transmission remains widespread in Nigeria. Nigeria needs to further intensify its polio eradication effort and focus on improving routine vaccination coverage. |
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