MMWR News Synopsis
Friday, May 24, 2019
Vision Impairment and Subjective Cognitive Decline–Related Functional Limitations — United States, 2015–2017
CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286
Interventions aimed at addressing vision impairment through corrective treatment or prevention may reduce functional limitations associated with cognitive decline. Vision impairment is a growing public health concern in the United States, and is associated with social isolation, disability, and decreased quality of life. Recent research finds a strong association between vision impairment and self-reported cognitive decline, defined as worsening or more frequent confusion or memory loss within the past 12 months. Cognitive decline can result in functional limitations, especially those related to usual daily activities. Among adults age 45 and older, functional limitations related to cognitive decline were about three and half times higher among adults with vision impairment than among those with no vision impairment.
Progress Toward Polio Eradication — Worldwide, January 2017–March 2019
CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286
Poliovirus still circulates where children are not fully immunized. Reasons for low vaccine coverage include inaccessible areas due to security challenges and missed children in mobile populations at high risk for disease. To achieve poliovirus eradication, innovative and intensified efforts are needed to reach and vaccinate every child. A new report describes the current status of the global polio eradication initiative during 2017-2019. In 1988, there were 350,000 cases of wild poliovirus (WPV) in 125 countries. In 2017, there were 22 WPV case reported in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which was an historic low. In 2018, there were 33 cases from the same two countries, and the reported number in 2019 to date is higher than that in the same period in 2018. The greatest barrier to completing WPV eradication is the number of children who are missed by vaccination efforts. Health workers face steep challenges to vaccinating children in security-compromised areas, accessing mobile populations, and overcoming pockets of vaccine refusals due to misinformation and mistrust. Targeted efforts are underway to intensify program operations to reach and vaccinate every child; full implementation is critical to successfully eradicate polio.
###
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
CDC works 24/7 protecting America’s health, safety and security. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to America’s most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world.
