Life in Data Sets: Locating and Accessing Data on the Health of Americans Across the Life Span.

Context: The US government manages a large number of data sets, including federally funded data collection activities that examine infectious and chronic conditions, as well as risk and protective factors for adverse health outcomes. Although there currently is no mature, comprehensive metadata repository of existing data sets, US federal agencies are working to develop and make metadata repositories available that will improve discoverability. However, because these repositories are not yet operating at full capacity, researchers must rely on their own knowledge of the field to identify available data sets.

Cancer Risk Among Older Adults: Time for Cancer Prevention to Go Silver.

Over two-thirds of all new cancers are diagnosed among adults aged ≥60 years. As the number of adults living to older ages continues to increase, so too will the number of new cancer cases. Can we do more as a society to reduce cancer risk and preserve health as adults enter their 60s, 70s, and beyond? Cancer development is a multi-step process involving a combination of factors.

Evaluation of Patients for Zika Virus Infection in a Travel Clinic in the Southeast United States, 2016.

Objectives: Zika virus is an emerging infection that has posed vexing challenges to the US public health system. Improved characterization of patients with possible and confirmed infection is needed to better understand risks for infection in US travelers and to inform evolving evaluation guidelines.

Methods: We performed a retrospective electronic health record review of patients evaluated for Zika virus infection at an academic travel clinic in Atlanta, Georgia, from January 1 through August 31, 2016.

Physician Training in Cancer Prevention and Control: A Population Health Imperative.

Cancer is the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. Although reducing the number of new cancer cases is a national health goal, the continuing growth of the older adult population ensures that the burden of cancer will increase.

Prevalence of dementia subtypes in United States Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, 2011-2013.

Introduction: Rapid growth of the older adult population requires greater epidemiologic characterization of dementia. We developed national prevalence estimates of diagnosed dementia and subtypes in the highest risk United States (US) population.

Methods: We analyzed Centers for Medicare & Medicaid administrative enrollment and claims data for 100% of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries enrolled during 2011-2013 and age ≥68 years as of December 31, 2013 (n = 21.

An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report. A Framework for Addressing Multimorbidity in Clinical Practice Guidelines for Pulmonary Disease, Critical Illness, and Sleep Disorders.

Coexistence of multiple chronic conditions (i.e., multimorbidity) is the most common chronic health problem in adults.

Identifying landmark articles for advancing the practice of geriatrics.

Landmark articles from the peer-reviewed literature can be used to teach the fundamental principles of geriatric medicine. Three approaches were used in sequential combination to identify landmark articles as a resource for geriatricians and other healthcare practitioners. Candidate articles were identified first through a literature review and expert opinion survey of geriatric medicine faculty.

What is "community health"? Examining the meaning of an evolving field in public health.

In this commentary, we review definition frameworks for community health and examine factors having core relevance to shaping the meaning of this term and growing field. We conclude by suggesting a potential framework for conceptualizing and advancing this field of public health practice through improved understanding of the meaning, scope, and science of community health.

Prevention of chronic disease in the 21st century: elimination of the leading preventable causes of premature death and disability in the USA.

With non-communicable conditions accounting for nearly two-thirds of deaths worldwide, the emergence of chronic diseases as the predominant challenge to global health is undisputed. In the USA, chronic diseases are the main causes of poor health, disability, and death, and account for most of health-care expenditures. The chronic disease burden in the USA largely results from a short list of risk factors--including tobacco use, poor diet and physical inactivity (both strongly associated with obesity), excessive alcohol consumption, uncontrolled high blood pressure, and hyperlipidaemia--that can be effectively addressed for individuals and populations.

Understanding the context of health for persons with multiple chronic conditions: moving from what is the matter to what matters.

Purpose: An isolated focus on 1 disease at a time is insufficient to generate the scientific evidence needed to improve the health of persons living with more than 1 chronic condition. This article explores how to bring context into research efforts to improve the health of persons living with multiple chronic conditions (MCC).

Methods: Forty-five experts, including persons with MCC, family and friend caregivers, researchers, policy makers, funders, and clinicians met to critically consider 4 aspects of incorporating context into research on MCC: key contextual factors, needed research, essential research methods for understanding important contextual factors, and necessary partnerships for catalyzing collaborative action in conducting and applying research.

Multiple chronic conditions among US adults: a 2012 update.

The objective of this research was to update earlier estimates of prevalence rates of single chronic conditions and multiple (>2) chronic conditions (MCC) among the noninstitutionalized, civilian US adult population. Data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were used to generate estimates of MCC for US adults and by select demographic characteristics. Approximately half (117 million) of US adults have at least one of the 10 chronic conditions examined (ie, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, hepatitis, weak or failing kidneys, current asthma, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]).

Classifying infectious disease outbreaks to improve timeliness and efficiency of response.

Following the intentional dissemination of B.anthracis through the U.S.

The HHS Strategic Framework on multiple chronic conditions: genesis and focus on research.

Among the 21st century's major emerging health issues, one of the most critical is the increasing prevalence of individuals with comorbidities, or multiple chronic conditions (MCCs), and the myriad challenges this poses for public health, healthcare, social services, and other sectors. Given the increasing prevalence of individuals with MCCs and the paramount role of MCCs as a healthcare cost driver, in 2008 the U.S.

Law, public health, and the diabetes epidemic.

The prevalence of new cases of diabetes continues to increase, and the health burden for those with diabetes remains high. This is attributable, in part, to low adoption of evidence-based interventions for diabetes prevention and control. Law is a critical tool for health improvement, yet assessments reported in this paper indicate that federal, state, and local laws give only partial support to guidelines and evidence-based interventions relevant to diabetes prevention and control.