MMWR News Synopsis for September 15, 2016

 

School District Crisis Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Plans — United States, 2012

CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

An estimated 50 million U.S. children attend K-12 schools and can be disproportionally affected during a crisis. Disaster planning is a shared responsibility. Broader community participation in school-based disaster planning will ensure response and recovery following a disaster. Continued progress must be made to achieve the Healthy People 2020 objective to increase the percentage of school districts that require crisis preparation, response, and recovery plans. These plans should include four specific topics: provisions for students and staff with special needs; family reunification procedures; procedures for responding to pandemic influenza or other infectious disease outbreaks; and provision of mental health services for students, faculty, and staff after a crisis. Children represent nearly a quarter of the U.S. population and are separated from their caregivers while attending school. They have unique physiological, psychological, and developmental attributes that put them at heightened risk during disasters.

Physical Inactivity among Adults Aged 50 Years and Older — United States, 2014

CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

Despite the many benefits of being physically active, 28% of adults aged ≥50 years are inactive. Physical activity can help delay, prevent, or manage many chronic diseases in adults aged 50 and older. These diseases can impact the length and quality of life and the long term ability to live independently. All adults — with or without chronic disease — should remain active. Data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were analyzed to estimate the prevalence of inactivity among adults ages 50 and older. Overall, 27.5% of adults ages 50 and older were inactive. Inactivity was significantly higher for women, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic blacks and for people with at least one chronic disease. Inactivity significantly increased with increasing age and body mass index and lower levels of education. Communities can implement evidence-based strategies to help adults start and maintain an active lifestyle.

Association between User-Generated Commuting Data and Population-Representative Active Commuting Surveillance Data — Four Cities, 2014–2015

CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

Activity-tracking data from mobile applications may provide nearly real-time information about where people walk and bicycle. This data can complement traditional public health and transportation surveillance techniques. CDC analyzed two types of walking and bicycling data in four U.S. cities: user-generated activity-tracking data from a mobile application (Strava Inc.), and survey-based estimates of the number of people who walk or bike to work from the American Community Survey (ACS). Despite different methods and definitions, data from Strava correlated well with ACS data in areas within Austin, Denver, Nashville, and San Francisco where active transportation is common. The data were most similar in areas with high population density.

Implementation of a National Semen Testing and Counseling Program for Male Ebola Survivors — Liberia, 2015–2016

CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

Issues such as engagement of community groups, minimization of stigma, and hiring and training local staff should be considered during the planning and implementation of future semen testing programs for Ebola and other sexually transmissible diseases. This report describes the challenges of establishing and operating the first nationwide semen testing and counseling program for male Ebola survivors. The Men’s Health Screening Program was established in Liberia in July 2015 as a collaboration between the Liberian Ministry of Health, CDC, the World Health Organization, and the Academic Consortium to Combat  Ebola in Liberia. Challenges included determining program duration, managing a public health semen testing program in the context of ongoing research studies, collecting and screening semen, identifying adequate numbers of trained counselors to work with participants and developing appropriate health communication messages for the program, overcoming Ebola survivor-associated stigma, identifying and recruiting male Ebola survivors, and operating mobile teams.

Notes from the Field

• Pediatric Death from Meningococcal Disease in a Family of Romani Travelers — Sarasota, Florida, 2015

QuickStats:

• Percentage of Adults Aged 18–64 Years with No Health Insurance Coverage, by State — National Health Interview Survey, 2015

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES