COCA Email Updates: July 2 - July 16, 2012

COCA News and Announcements

COCA Call/Webinar: Methadone for Pain Management: The Clinician’s Role in Reducing the Risk for Overdose

Date/Time: Wednesday, August 1, 2012; 2:00-3:00 PM (EDT)

Call Number: 888-790-6180

Passcode: 1281914

Join By Webinar:
Join this call and interact with subject matter experts as they review the epidemiology of methadone overdoses in the United States and discuss guidelines for appropriate opioid prescribing.

Additional archived COCA Conference Calls
Free CE credit/contact hours (CME, CNE, ACPE, CEU, CECH, and AAVSB/RACE) are available for most COCA calls.

CDC News and Announcements

CDC Vital Signs Town Hall Teleconference: Prescription Painkiller Overdoses

Date/Time: Tuesday, July 17, 2012; 2:00-3:00 PM (EDT)

Call Number: 800-857-0764

Passcode: 7954413

Prescription painkiller overdoses were responsible for more than 15,500 deaths in 2009. While all prescription painkillers have contributed to an increase in overdose deaths over the last decade, methadone has played a central role in the epidemic.

“Did You Know?” is a weekly feature from the Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support to highlight prevention activities. The series features research and program activity from CDC. Please access, use, and share this information broadly with your colleagues and partners.

CDC Science Clips: Volume 4, Issue 27 – July 9 (CDC)
Each week, to enhance awareness of emerging scientific knowledge, selected science clips will be posted for the public health community. The focus is applied public health research and prevention science that has the capacity to improve health now.

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Public Health Preparedness

Public Health Matters Blog: Disaster Recovery – An Emotional Response – July 13 (CDC)
The effects of a disaster are not always physical. Houses and roads can be rebuilt and physical wounds will heal, but the emotional scars from a disaster can often be harder to fix.

Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) Toolkit Update – July 9 (CDC)
CDC’s Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, Health Studies Branch (DEHHE/HSB) has developed the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) toolkit to assist personnel from any local, regional, state, or federal public health departments in conducting the CASPER during disaster. The CASPER toolkit provides guidelines on data collection tool development, methodology, sample selection, training, data collection, analysis, and report writing.

Emergency Preparedness and Response – (CDC)
Find resources for All Hazards and Specific Hazards preparedness.

Emergency Preparedness and Response Training Resources for Clinicians (CDC)
A resource for scheduled and on-demand emergency preparedness and response trainings offered by federal agencies and COCA partners.

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Natural Disasters and Severe Weather

2012 Hurricane Health & Safety Tips - Hurricane Preparedness: Make a Plan – July 9 (CDC)

Hurricane Information for Health Care Professionals – (CDC)
Resources for clinicians related to hurricane preparedness, response, and recovery.

Tornadoes: Being Prepared – (CDC)

Extreme Heat: A Prevention Guide to Promote Your Personal Health and Safety – (CDC)
Excessive heat wave is affecting the U.S. from the Rockies to the East Coast. Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable yet annually many people succumb to extreme heat. Learn how to stay safe.

Health and Safety Concerns for All Disasters – (CDC)

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Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

MMWR publications are prepared by the CDC. To electronically subscribe, go to http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html.
July 13, 2012 / Vol. 61 / No. 27 Download .pdf document of this issue

July 6, 2012 / Vol. 61 / No. 26 Download .pdf document of this issue

Vital Signs: Risk for Overdose from Methadone Used for Pain Relief — United States, 1999–2010

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Infectious, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

Weekly Flu View – July 7 (CDC)
During week 27, 6.1% of all deaths reported through the 122-Cities Mortality Reporting System were due to pneumonia and influenza. This percentage was below the epidemic threshold of 6.8% for week 27.

Severe Complications of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease Caused by EV-71 in Cambodia – Conclusion of the Joint Investigation – July 13 (WHO)
The investigation into the illnesses and deaths in Cambodia, which mainly affected very young children, concluded that a severe form of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) was the cause in the majority of cases reported to the Ministry of Health.

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Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Journal

EID is prepared by the CDC. EID Home Page
Volume 18, Number 7 – July 2012
Highlights in this issue include

Travel Safety

Current Travel Warnings – July 11 (US Department of State)
Travel Warnings are issued when long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable lead the State Department to recommend that Americans avoid or consider the risk of travel to that country. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff.

Digital Press Kit: Traveler's Health 2012 London Olympics – July 13 (CDC)

CDC wants your travel experience to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games in London this summer to be healthy, safe, and memorable.

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Food, Drug and Device Safety

FoodSafety.gov Reports FDA and USDA Food Recalls, Alerts, Reporting & Resources – July 14 (HHS/UDSA/FDA/CDC/NIH)
For recalls and alerts by both FDA and USDA, or to report a problem or make inquiries, visit FoodSafety.gov.

MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program – (HHS/USFDA)
Your FDA gateway for clinically important safety information and reporting serious problems with human medical products.

USDA Offers Food Safety Tips In Aftermath of Devastating Storm – July 2 (USDA)
The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued food safety recommendations for affected residents recovering from devastating storms that left millions without power.

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The CDC and HHS logos are the exclusive property of the Department of Health and Human Services and may not be used for any purpose without prior express written permission. Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organizations.