MMWR News Synopsis for May 19, 2016

Prevalence of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis at State and County Levels — United States, 2014

CDC Media Relations
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Given the high model-predicted prevalence of arthritis in all U.S. counties, healthcare providers and public health professionals can address arthritis by promoting self-management education and appropriate physical activity interventions as an effective way to improve quality of life. Doctor-diagnosed arthritis is widespread in the United States. Model-predicted county-level prevalence estimates vary substantially from 15.8 percent (about 1 in 6 people) to 38.6 percent (more than 1 in 3 people), according to an MMWR study that examined arthritis prevalence in the 3,142 U.S. counties. Most counties in Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, and West Virginia had the highest level of arthritis (27.5 percent to 38.6 percent). Given the high model-predicted prevalence of arthritis in all counties, healthcare providers and public health professionals in all communities can promote evidence-based self-management education and physical activity interventions (such as low-impact physical activity and community-based programs) as an effective way to reduce arthritis symptoms and improve quality of life.

Binational Dengue Fever Outbreak along the United States–Mexico Border — Yuma County, Arizona, and Sonora, Mexico, 2014

CDC Media Relations
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Residents of communities with Aedesmosquitoes should take action to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and prevent mosquito bites. Preventative actions include: regularly empty or dispose of water containers that can serve as mosquito breeding sites; cover or use insecticides in water containers that cannot be emptied; and avoid mosquito bites by applying mosquito repellent, installing and maintaining window screens, using air conditioning when inside, and wearing long clothing. Dengue is an acute febrile illness transmitted by Aedes species mosquitoes. An outbreak of dengue near the United States-Mexico border was reported. During September–December 2014, 70 cases of travel-associated dengue were reported among residents of Yuma County, Arizona, which borders the city of San Luis Río Colorado and the state of Sonora, Mexico, beginning 4 weeks after San Luis Río Colorado reported its first case of locally acquired dengue. Among survey participants, most Yuma County residents reported travelling to Mexico one or more times a month; few practiced mosquito bite prevention strategies. Investigation revealed a high level of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Yuma County, indicating an increased risk for local transmission of pathogens transmitted by these mosquitoes, including dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses.

QuickStats:

• Age-Adjusted Suicide Rates for Females and Males, by Method — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2000 and 2014

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES