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Articles

Care Outcomes Among Black or African American Persons with Diagnosed HIV in Rural, Urban, and Metropolitan Statistical Areas — 42 U.S. Jurisdictions, 2018

CDC Media Relations
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New CDC data show gaps in testing and treatment among Blacks/African Americans with HIV in the U.S., especially in rural areas, underscoring the need to eliminate barriers that prevent equitable access to HIV prevention and care. CDC analyzed 2018 National HIV Surveillance System data to assess testing and treatment gaps in rural, urban, and metropolitan areas among 14,502 Blacks/African Americans ages 13 years or older with diagnosed HIV in 41 states and Washington, D.C. Many Blacks/African Americans with HIV were diagnosed late in infection (stage 3, AIDS), with a higher percentage in rural and urban areas (25% and 22%, respectively). In all areas, between 60% and 64% had an undetectable amount of virus in their blood (viral load) within six months, despite roughly 77% being linked to care within a month of diagnosis. These findings reinforce the need to address the social and economic barriers that limit access to care and contribute to health disparities among Blacks/African Americans with HIV.

Mortality Among Minority Populations with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Including Asian and Hispanic/Latino Persons — California , 2007-2017

CDC Media Relations
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Among San Francisco County residents, premature death among individuals with lupus is high among all racial and ethnic groups but is especially pronounced in Asian and Hispanic/Latino populations. Death rates were four times higher than expected among Asian females with lupus, and nearly six times higher than expected among Hispanic/Latinas with lupus. Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) is an autoimmune disease that disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minority populations. There are limited data on death from lupus by race and ethnicity, particularly for Asians and Hispanic/Latinos. In our population-based study of 812 patients in San Francisco County, the death rate was almost four times higher than expected for Asian and Hispanic/Latino people with lupus and was especially high among Hispanic/Latina females. Death rates were four times higher than expected among Asian females with lupus, and nearly six times higher than expected among Hispanic/Latinas with lupus. Higher death rates in these populations may result from more severe outcomes and manifestations of lupus. Results suggest that targeted public health interventions are needed to reduce premature death among people with lupus, particularly Asian and Hispanic/Latino people.

Trends in Use of Telehealth Among Health Centers During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, June 26–November 6, 2020

CDC Media Relations
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Weekly telehealth visits among health centers funded by Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) declined when COVID-19 cases were decreasing and plateaued as cases were increasing. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, maintaining and expanding telehealth services will be critical to ensuring access to care while limiting exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. Telehealth can facilitate access to care, reduce risk for spread of COVID-19, conserve scarce medical supplies, and reduce strain on health care capacity and facilities while supporting continuity of care. CDC and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) analyzed 20 weeks of survey data from 245 HRSA-funded health centers. The overall average percentage of weekly telehealth visits decreased 25%, from 35.8% during the week ending June 26, to 26.9% for the week ending November 6, averaging 30.2% over the study period. Health centers in the South census regions and rural areas reported the lowest average percentage of weekly telehealth visits compared with health centers in other census regions and urban areas. Within each region and urbanicity stratum, the overall change in average percentage of telehealth visits differed significantly between the first 10 weeks and the last 10 weeks of the study period. During June through late July, telehealth visits continued to decline, but at a slower rate in the South where the number of COVID-19 cases sharply increased. Weekly telehealth visits plateaued beginning in mid-September, coinciding with another national surge of COVID-19 cases. Telehealth is critical to improve access to health care, especially among populations with limited access to care. Expanding telehealth can enhance the U.S. health care system’s capacity to continue to respond to the pandemic.

Decline in Receipt of Vaccines by Medicare Beneficiaries During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, 2020

CDC Media Relations
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After the COVID-19 emergency declaration in March 2020, weekly routine vaccination rates among Medicare beneficiaries declined by up to 89% compared with the same period in 2019. Vaccination providers should reassure patients that vaccination services can be delivered safely and emphasize the importance of routine vaccination to protect their health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Investigators compared weekly rates of routine vaccination for four vaccines among Medicare beneficiaries during January 5–July 18, 2020 with rates from January 6–July 20, 2019. These include routine vaccines to protect against shingles, pneumococcal disease, tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough. The analysis found vaccination rates declined by up to 89% from 2019 to 2020 with similar declines across people from all racial/ethnic groups. However, adults from racial/ethnic minority groups had lower vaccination rates than did their white counterparts. When resuming in-person visits, vaccination providers should take actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and address patient concerns about exposure to COVID-19 during visits. Continued efforts by vaccination providers and public health officials will be needed to ensure routine vaccination rates among adults returns to pre-pandemic levels and to ensure protection of all older adults against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Required and Voluntary Occupational Use of Hazard Controls for COVID-19 Prevention in Non–Health Care Workplaces — United States, June 2020

CDC Media Relations
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The report shows that workers at non-healthcare jobs in the U.S., particularly lower-income workers, were more likely to voluntarily use COVID-19 protective equipment such as physical barriers and cloth face masks when employers provided it. Employers can help protect workers against COVID-19 and promote health equity by providing appropriate occupational hazard controls and requiring and encouraging their use. When work cannot be performed remotely, hazard controls such as face masks and other personal protective equipment are important ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. SummerStyles surveys conducted in June 2020 were used to characterize required and voluntary use of COVID-19 hazard controls among non-health care workers. Survey findings showed that lower-income workers were more likely than higher-income workers to be prohibited from using hazard controls or to be unable to obtain them. Higher-income workers were more likely to report being required to use hazard controls and to use hazard controls overall than lower-income workers. Employer provision of COVID-19 hazard controls was associated with increased voluntary use in the workplace, particularly among workers with lower incomes.

Maximizing Fit for Cloth and Medical Procedure Masks to Improve Performance and Reduce SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Exposure, 2021 (Early Release February 10, 2021)

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• Death Rates Attributed to Excessive Cold or Hypothermia Among Persons Aged ≥15 Years, by Urban-Rural Status and Age Group — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2019

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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.