MHA Press Room

CDAD cases double over four years

The number of U.S. hospital patients diagnosed with Clostridium difficile-associated disease doubled between 2001 and 2005 to 301,200, according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. That’s about 0.8% of all hospital discharges in 2005.

CDAD is an infection that can cause illness ranging from diarrhea to severe sepsis. More than two-thirds of patients diagnosed with CDAD were 65 or older.

It is unknown whether the infections originated in a health care setting or were acquired in the community, the report adds. Risk factors for the disease include previous antibiotic therapy.

Report ranks federal public health spending by state

Federal funding for public health programs can vary widely across states, according to a report released April 2 by Trust for America’s Health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention distributes the funds for programs ranging from disease and infection prevention to bioterrorism preparedness.

Alaska receives more than any other state from the CDC at $69.76 per person, while Kansas receives the least at $13.61 per person. Midwestern states receive an average $16.24 per person, while Southern states receive $29.40.

“If we’re serious about improving the health of Americans, we need to make a much bigger investment in disease prevention efforts in every state and every region,” said Jeff Levi, executive director for TFAH.

U.S. TB rate declines 4.2%

U.S. tuberculosis cases declined 4.2% in 2007 to a record low 4.4 cases per 100,000 residents, or 13,293 cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported March 20. Although the TB rate continues to decline, the pace of decline has slowed in recent years, to 3.8% between 2000 and 2007 from 7.3% between 1993 and 2000, CDC said.

TB continues to disproportionately affect foreign-born persons and racial/ethnic minorities. Foreign-born persons had a TB rate nearly 10 times higher than U.S.-born persons (20.6 vs. 2.1 cases per 100,000) and accounted for 58.5% of all cases with known origin.

Hispanics had a rate seven times higher than whites, and for the fourth consecutive year, accounted for more TB cases than any other racial/ethnic group. The TB rate was 23 times higher in Asians than in whites. African Americans had a rate eight times higher than whites, and accounted for the greatest disparity in TB rates among U.S.-born residents.

Study: Economic cycles stress health care safety net

The sensitivity of state budgets to economic cycles contributes to instability in public health coverage and payment levels for providers, according to a study released Jan. 31 by the Center for Studying Health System Change. As Congress considers an economic stimulus package, the study examines the aftershocks of the 2001 recession on state budgets.

With few exceptions, state and local policy makers had to cut public insurance coverage, provider payments and key service areas, the study notes. Even though the federal government provided a temporary $10 billion increase in Medicaid matching funds, the authors say declines in federal support for other human service programs and stagnant grant funding to community health centers added to the distress.

“Regardless of whether Congress approves a temporary Medicaid increase, Medicaid financing will remain a pressing concern in many states because an economic slowdown will place greater demands on the system,” the study concludes.

CDC: Decline in U.S. smoking stalls

The decline in cigarette smoking by U.S. adults has stalled after falling for seven years, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated 21% of U.S. adults, or more than 45 million, smoked cigarettes in 2006, a rate that has not changed significantly since 2004, according to the agency’s National Health Interview Survey.

Adults with a smoking-related chronic disease were more likely to smoke than other adults, highlighting the need for health care providers to emphasize the importance of quitting. “Health care providers should repeatedly offer intensive smoking-cessation interventions to all of their patients, especially those with smoking-related chronic diseases who continue to smoke,” the agency said.

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S., causing an estimated 438,000 deaths annually.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Hospital stays for MRSA on rise

Hospital stays for a type of antibiotic-resistant infection called Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus more than tripled from 2000-2005 to 368,600, according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The report presents Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project data on the trend in MRSA infections from 1993-2005, and details on MRSA hospitalizations for 2004.

“Although it is not possible to determine whether these infections originated in the hospital or were community acquired, this information can provide insight into the growth in MRSA infections and what types of patients were affected,” the authors said. The elderly and infants are most susceptible and likely to be hospitalized for MRSA, the report notes.

'Superbug' more common than estimated: study

The rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, a drug-resistant bacteria that can be deadly to patients with compromised immune systems, is eight to 11 times higher in hospital settings than previously estimated, according to a report released June 25 by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

Researchers of the report, titled the National MRSA Prevalence Study, collected data on MRSA-identified patients from 21% of acute-care hospitals (or 1,237 facilities), with facilities from all 50 states participating in the study. Researchers found death rates among patients with MRSA were 2.5 times higher than among patients with staph infections that were susceptible to treatment with an antibiotic. The cost for treating MRSA-infected patients was also much higher than treating those with other healthcare-associated infections: $35,367 compared with $13,973.

The superbug now represents 60% of all healthcare-associated infections compared with just 2% in 1972, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reducing or eliminating MRSA infection, which is passed to patients through contact with unwashed hands or contaminated gloves and medical equipment, could substantially decrease the rates of death due to hospital-acquired infections, the association’s epidemiologists said. The group’s eight-point prevention guidelines for hospitals includes developing an MRSA risk-assessment program using past and current infections-rate data; developing a comprehensive surveillance program; enforcing handwashing hygiene and the wearing of appropriate barrier clothing among healthcare providers and other workers who come in contact with patients; and isolating MRSA-infected patients.

[ via Shawn Rhea, Modern Healthcare's Daily Dose ]

Smoking rate levels off after 8-year decline, CDC reports

After declining for eight years, the U.S. smoking rate was unchanged in 2005, with about one in five Americans, or 45.1 million, smoking. The decline is slowing progress toward the nation’s goal of 12% by 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. To meet the “Healthy People” objective, effective programs are needed in every state to help people cease tobacco use or never start, CDC said.

In 2005, about four in 10 cigarette smokers had stopped smoking for at least one day because they were trying to quit. Smoking was higher among men (23.9%) than women (18.1%). American Indians and Alaska Natives had the highest smoking rate (32%), followed by whites (21.9%) and African Americans (21.5%). Asians (13.3%) and Hispanics (16.2%) had the lowest rates. Prevalence generally decreased with increased education.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Expected Health and Economic Impacts of a $1.00 Increase in the Mississippi Cigarette Tax

The Social Science Research Center at the Mississippi Health Policy Research Center of Mississippi State University recently released a new policy fact sheet, “Expected Health and Economic Impacts of a $1.00 Increase in the Mississippi Cigarette Tax,” by Robert C. McMillen and Nell Valentine.

States lack funding, will to reduce obesity burden, report says

Inadequate funding for health initiatives and a lack of political will are preventing states from effectively addressing obesity in the U.S, which rose last year in 31 states, according to a new report from Trust for America’s Health. Among other actions, the report recommends research to identify evidence-based interventions and funding to implement viable long-term solutions, indicators to measure progress, community access to healthy foods and physical activity, stronger fitness programs and healthier foods at schools, and subsidized health club memberships and preventive health coverage in the workplace.

[ via AHA News Now ]