Vital Signs

An important new program at CDC is called CDC Vital Signs, launched July 6, 2010. This program is a call to action each month concerning a single, important public health topic.  The program consists of several parts, including (1) an MMWR Early Release the first Tuesday of every month; (2) A professionally designed Fact Sheet for consumer audiences, a dedicated website that mirrors the Fact Sheet on the topic; (3) a media release; and (4) a series of announcements via social media tools (Twitter, Facebook, etc.)  CDC believes that by focusing on a single topic using multiple media devices, the states might better identify these health problems in their area and work towards their improvement. Vital Signs will be released the first Tuesday of every month. Topics will include colorectal and breast cancer screening, obesity, alcohol and tobacco use, access to health care, HIV testing, seat belt use, cardiovascular disease, teen pregnancy and healthcare-associated infections, asthma, and foodborne disease.