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Articles

Emergency Department Visits for Bicycle-Related Traumatic Brain Injuries Among Children and Adults — United States, 2009–2018

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The rate of emergency department (ED) visits for bicycle-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) decreased by almost half (49%) among children but by only 6% among adults from 2009 to 2018. The rates of ED visits for bicycle-related TBIs were highest among males of all ages and children ages 10-14 years. More than half a million ED visits for bicycle-related TBIs occurred in the U.S during the study period. Bicycling provides an important opportunity for physical activity and is a growing activity among Americans. Findings in this report highlight the need to expand implementation of effective bicycle safety interventions among both bicyclists and drivers (such as by improving compliance with  traffic laws, increasing helmet use, and expanding bicycling infrastructure) to help ensure that children and adults are afforded the benefits of bicycling while staying safe from injury, including TBIs.

Prevalence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Among Medicare Fee-For-Service Beneficiaries — United States, 2001−2018

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The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease has been rising among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries in the last two decades in all race/ethnicity groups, with a higher rate of increase among non-Hispanic Blacks. The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease has been rising among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries from 2001–2018 in all race/ethnic groups (annual increase by 3.4% for Crohn’s disease and 2.8% for ulcerative colitis). The increase was particularly high among non-Hispanic Blacks (5.0% for Crohn’s disease and 3.5% for ulcerative colitis). In 2018, 0.40% and 0.64% of 25.1 million beneficiaries aged 67 years or older had received a diagnosis of either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. The prevalence was higher among non-Hispanic whites and women, in the Northeastern United States, and in urban areas. The findings underscore the importance of promoting health equity, guiding efforts to tailor disease management strategies for different populations, and continuing to monitor the temporal trends of the disease.

Diagnostic Performance of an Antigen Test with RT-PCR for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in a Hospital Setting — Los Angeles County, California, June–August 2020

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Prompt and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19 infection is critical to containing the spread in a hospital setting. Antigen detection tests can be less expensive and may provide results more rapidly. However, these tests are less sensitive, so negative test results should be interpreted alongside a patient’s clinical presentation, exposure history, and the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community. During June 30–August 31, 2020, a period of high prevalence of COVID-19 in the community in Los Angeles, investigators analyzed data to compare performance of an antigen test and a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test in patients admitted to the hospital through the emergency department. The antigen test had low sensitivity in both asymptomatic (60.5%) and symptomatic (72.1%) patients, meaning the antigen test did not detect infection among approximately 4 out of 10 asymptomatic patients with COVID-19 and 3 out of 10 symptomatic patients with COVID-19. However, the antigen test had high specificity (98.7% and 99.5% for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, respectively) when compared with the RT-PCR test. Health care providers must remain aware of the lower sensitivity of this test among asymptomatic and symptomatic people and consider confirmatory RT-PCR testing in high prevalence settings, because a false-negative result might lead to failures in infection control and prevention practices and cause delays in diagnosis, isolation, and treatment. While awaiting confirmation, it’s important to implement measures to prevent spread, including isolating patients from others who do not have confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection.

Community-Based Testing for SARS-CoV-2 — Chicago, Illinois, May–November 2020

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During mid-May to mid-November 2020, more than a quarter million COVID-19 tests were conducted in the city of Chicago through a free community-based testing (CBT) initiative established by the city. Compared with other test settings, people tested at these sites were more likely to be Hispanic, live in areas that are economically marginalized, and have a positive test result. On May 13, 2020, the City of Chicago established a free CBT initiative for COVID-19. The initiative focused on demographic groups and geographic areas that were underrepresented in testing by clinical providers and that had experienced high rates of COVID-19. During this time period in Chicago, these groups were largely Hispanic communities and people experiencing economic marginalization. To assess the impact of the testing initiative, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) compared demographic characteristics, economic marginalization, and test positivity between people tested at CBT sites with people tested in all other test settings in Chicago. During May 13–November 14, 2020, more than 1.6 million COVID-19 tests were conducted in Chicago, including 253,904 (16%) at CBT sites. Overall, 11% of all tests at CBT sites were positive for COVID-19, a higher rate of positive results than tests conducted across all other settings (7%). Compared with people tested in all other settings, those tested at CBT sites were more likely to be under 40 years of age (67% versus 52%), Hispanic (51% versus 21%) and have experienced high levels of economic marginalization (39% vs 32%). Community-based testing initiatives led by public health departments can reach people living in communities that have disproportionately higher COVID-19 rates and less access to testing.

Rapid Emergence and Epidemiologic Characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.526 Variant — New York City, New York, January 1–April 5, 2021 (Early Release May 5, 2021)

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Identification of and Surveillance for the SARS-CoV-2 Variants B.1.427 and B.1.429 — Colorado, January–March 2021 (Early Release May 5, 2021)

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Modeling of Future COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations, and Deaths, by Vaccination Rates and Nonpharmaceutical Intervention Scenarios — United States, April–September 2021 (Early Release May 5, 2021)

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Demographic and Social Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination Initiation Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years — United States, December 14, 2020–April 10, 2021 (Early Release May 11, 2021)

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Surveillance Summaries: Surveillance of Vaccination Coverage Among Adult Populations — United States, 2018

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Results from the 2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) indicate that many adults remain unprotected against vaccine-preventable diseases. This report shows that few adults aged 19 years and older received all age-appropriate vaccines, with individual adult vaccination coverage in 2018 similar to that in 2017. However, modest gains occurred in vaccination coverage for certain vaccines (hepatitis B and HPV coverage among males). Racial/ethnic vaccination differences persisted for routinely recommended adult vaccines. A substantial increase in adult vaccination coverage is needed to reduce the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic might have affected current adult vaccination coverage, making it more important than ever to avoid missed opportunities and ensure timely catch-up of any missed doses. Following the Standards for Adult Immunization Practice, all providers should routinely assess adults’ vaccination status, strongly recommend appropriate vaccines, either offer needed vaccines or refer their patients to another provider who can administer the needed vaccines, and document vaccinations received by their patients in an immunization information system.

QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥50 Years with Osteoporosis, by Race and Hispanic Origin — United States, 2017–2018

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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.