Integrated approaches to improve birth outcomes: perinatal periods of risk, infant mortality review, and the Los Angeles Mommy and Baby Project.

This article provides an example of how Perinatal Periods of Risk (PPOR) can provide a framework and offer analytic methods that move communities to productive action to address infant mortality. Between 1999 and 2002, the infant mortality rate in the Antelope Valley region of Los Angeles County increased from 5.0 to 10.

Trends in the use of sexually transmitted disease diagnostic technologies in California, 1996-2003.

Objective: To describe trends in STD diagnostic test volume and test technology in California from 1996 to 2003.

Study: A self-administered survey was mailed annually to licensed clinical laboratories in California that performed STD testing. Data were collected on volume and diagnostic test type for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, chancroid, HIV, hepatitis B, herpes simplex virus (HSV), and human papilloma virus (HPV).