MMWR – Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

1. National Depression Screening Day — October 7, 2010 (Box)

CDC Division of News and Electronic Media
(404) 639-3286

No summary available.

2. Prevalence of Current Depression Among Adults — United States, 2006 and 2008

CDC Division of News and Electronic Media
(404) 639-3286

A new report from the CDC found that among 235,067 adults in 45 States, DC, and 2 U.S. territories in 2006 and 2008 combined, nearly 1 in 10 (9 percent) adults met criteria for current depression. This report assessed current depression using an empirically validated instrument, the Patient Health Questionnaire–8 (PHQ–8) on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). State-level estimates ranged from 4.8 percent in North Dakota to 14.8 percent in Mississippi. Geographic variations in the prevalence of depression were found, with a heavier concentration in the Southeast portion of the country. This may be due in part to co-existing related conditions such as obesity, heart disease and stroke, and sleep insufficiency. Younger and middle-aged adults, women, racial and ethnic minorities, those with less than a high school education, previously married, unemployed or unable to work, and without health insurance were more likely to meet criteria for current depression. Depression is common and debilitating, affecting more than 13 million US adults per year and costing billions of dollars in treatment, loss of productivity, workers compensation, and mortality. Depression impacts quality of life and is also associated with chronic diseases including cardiovascular illnesses, diabetes, obesity and unhealthy lifestyles behaviors including smoking, physical inactivity, and binge drinking. CDC has integrated surveillance of depression and other mental disorders into some of its current systems. The use of empirically validated and reliable measures, like the PHQ–8, are key for accurate depression surveillance of current depression prevalence in the same way that the use of standard tests is a requirement for assessing physical conditions. State-based participation in surveys like the BRFSS is an essential part of this process. These data can be used to track prevalence, determine health goals, allocate funding, and evaluate current policies and programs.

3. Human Rabies — Virginia, 2009

CDC Division of News and Electronic Media
(404) 639-3286

This case represents a case of human rabies that was acquired abroad. It is the seventh of such cases reported in the United States since 2000. Dogs represent the most frequent risk for bite exposures to travelers and should be avoided. Travelers to rabies endemic countries should be warned about the risk of acquiring rabies and educated about animal bite prevention and appropriate actions to take if an exposure does occur (i.e. wound washing and medical attention to determine if PEP is necessary). Relative rabies risk and recommendations for travelers by region and country can be found in the CDC yellow book.

4. Progress Toward Global Eradication of Dracunculiasis, January 2009–June 2010

CDC Division of News and Electronic Media
(404) 639-3286

This report updates progress toward global eradication of dracunculiasis since January 2009. At the end of December 2009, dracunculiasis remained endemic in only four countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, and Sudan). There were less than 4,000 cases last year and less than 800 cases thus far this year, 97 percent of which occurred in Sudan. Seven formerly endemic countries have interrupted transmission and are in the precertification stage, including Nigeria which started with over 800,000 cases per year.

 

###
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES