Public Health Data in Action: An Analysis of Using Louisiana Vital Statistics for Quality Improvement and Payment Reform.

Introduction In 2012, the Louisiana (LA) Department of Health and Hospitals revised the LA birth certificate to include medical reasons for births before 39 completed weeks' gestation. We compared the completeness and validity of these data with hospital discharge records. Methods For births occurring 4/1/2012-9/30/2012 at Woman's Hospital of Baton Rouge, we linked maternal delivery and newborn birth data collected through the National Perinatal Information Center with LA birth certificates.

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: Trend and Expenditure in Louisiana Medicaid, 2003-2013.

Objectives Determine trends in incidence and expenditure for perinatal drug exposure and neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) among Louisiana's Medicaid population. We also describe the maternal characteristics of NAS affected infants. Methods Retrospective cohort analysis using linked Medicaid and vital records data from 2003 to 2013.

Perinatal HIV Exposure Surveillance and Reporting in the United States, 2014.

Objective: We sought to describe the current status of perinatal HIV exposure surveillance (PHES) activities and regulations in the United States and to make recommendations to strengthen PHES.

Methods: In 2014, we sent an online survey to health departments in the 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and 6 cities and counties (Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California; New York, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and San Francisco, California). We analyzed responses from 56 of the 59 (95%) jurisdictions.

Elevated Blood Lead Levels Among Employed Adults - United States, 1994-2013.

CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and state health departments collect data on laboratory-reported adult blood lead levels (BLLs). This report presents data on elevated BLLs among employed adults (defined as persons aged ≥16 years) in the United States for 1994-2013. This report is a part of the Summary of Notifiable Noninfectious Conditions and Disease Outbreaks - United States, which encompasses various surveillance years but is being published in 2016 (1).

Acute Nonoccupational Pesticide-Related Illness and Injury - United States, 2007-2011.

CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) collects data on acute pesticide-related illness and injury reported by 12 states (California, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington). This report summarizes the data on illnesses and injuries arising from nonoccupational exposure to conventional pesticides that were reported during 2007-2011. Conventional pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fumigants.

Acute Occupational Pesticide-Related Illness and Injury -United States, 2007-2011.

CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) collects data on acute pesticide-related illness and injury reported by 12 states (California, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington). This report summarizes the data on illnesses and injuries arising from occupational exposure to conventional pesticides from 2007 through 2011. This report is a part of the Summary of Notifiable Noninfectious Conditions and Disease Outbreaks - United States, which encompasses various surveillance years but is being published in 2016 (1).

Applying the Social Ecological Model to Creating Asthma-Friendly Schools in Louisiana.

Background: In 2010, the Louisiana Asthma Management and Prevention Program (LAMP) implemented the Asthma-Friendly Schools Initiative in high-risk Louisiana populations. The social ecological model (SEM) was used as a framework for an asthma program implemented in 70 state K-12 public schools over 2 years.

Methods: Activities included a needs assessment, identification of students with asthma, individualized asthma action plans (AAP), staff trainings, environmental quality improvement, and school system policy changes to address the asthma burden.

Magnitude and characteristics of acute paraquat- and diquat-related illnesses in the US: 1998-2013.

Background: Paraquat and diquat are among the most commonly used herbicides in the world.

Objectives: Determine the magnitude, characteristics, and root causes for acute paraquat- and diquat-related illnesses in the US METHODS: Illnesses associated with paraquat or diquat exposure occurring from 1998 through 2011 were identified from the Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks (SENSOR)-Pesticides Program, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) Pesticide Illness Surveillance Program (PISP), and the Incident Data System (IDS). Cases identified by the National Poison Data System (NPDS) were reviewed for the years 1998-2003 and 2006-2013.

Parkinson Disease Hospitalizations and Mortality in Louisiana, 1999-2012.

This study describes Parkinson Disease hospitalizations and deaths in the Louisiana population during the years 1999-2012. Data from the Louisiana Hospitalization Discharge Database (LAHIDD) were collected and analyzed by age, race, and gender and also compared to length of hospital stay and daily hospitalization cost.

Occupational heat-related illness emergency department visits and inpatient hospitalizations in the southeast region, 2007-2011.

Background: Heat-related illness (HRI) is an occupational health risk for many outdoor, and some indoor, workers.

Methods: Emergency department (ED) and inpatient hospitalization (IH) data for 2007-2011 from nine southeast states were analyzed to identify occupational HRI numbers and rates, demographic characteristics, and co-morbid conditions.

Results: There were 8,315 occupational HRI ED visits (6.

A review of adult asthma hospitalizations in Louisiana, 2006-2011.

This paper examines asthma inpatient hospitalizations for Louisiana residents ages 15 years and older from 2006 to 2011. There were 21,398 asthma hospitalizations, with 14,401 unique cases. Approximately 22 percent of cases had more than one asthma hospitalization.

Evaluation of available data sources to prioritize parishes for arsenic monitoring and outreach related to private well drinking water.

Objective: The objective of this assessment was to identify and evaluate data sets for use in the surveillance of arsenic hazards and private well drinking water use in Louisiana.

Design: Features, strengths, and limitations of the data sets are described, and prioritization criteria are applied to identify areas in need of further monitoring or outreach.

Setting: Recent efforts have been made by the Environmental Public Health Tracking Network to evaluate the quality of private well water data for the purpose of supporting state and national surveillance activities.

The first association of a primary amebic meningoencephalitis death with culturable Naegleria fowleri in tap water from a US treated public drinking water system.

Background: Naegleria fowleri is a climate-sensitive, thermophilic ameba found in warm, freshwater lakes and rivers. Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), which is almost universally fatal, occurs when N. fowleri-containing water enters the nose, typically during swimming, and migrates to the brain via the olfactory nerve.

Engaging communities to develop and sustain comprehensive wellness policies: Louisiana's schools putting prevention to work.

Background: Tobacco use, obesity, and physical inactivity among Louisiana's youth pose a serious public health problem. Given the potential of school environments to affect student well-being, the Louisiana Tobacco Control Program developed and tested a pilot program, Schools Putting Prevention to Work. The objective was to assist school districts in developing a comprehensive school wellness policy and engaging their school community to generate environments that support healthful choices and behaviors.

Survey of new Mexico school health professionals regarding preparedness to support sexual minority students.

Background: For schools to be safe and supportive for students, school health professionals should be aware of the particular challenges lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) students face, especially the risk for discrimination, violent victimization, and depression in the school setting. We assessed school health professionals' preparedness to address needs of LGBTQ students.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected during a New Mexico school health conference.

Fetal baboon sex-specific outcomes in adipocyte differentiation at 0.9 gestation in response to moderate maternal nutrient reduction.

Objective: To investigate in vitro adipocyte differentiation in baboon fetuses in response to reduced maternal nutrition.

Design: Cross-sectional comparison of adipocyte differentiation in normally grown fetuses and fetuses of pregnant baboons fed 70% of the control global diet from 30 days of pregnancy to term.

Subjects: The subjects comprised control (CTR) fetuses (five female and five male) of mothers fed ad libitum and fetuses of mothers fed 70% of the global diet consumed by CTR (maternal nutrient reduction (MNR), five female and five male fetuses).

Emergency department visits for carbon monoxide poisoning in LA.

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is preventable, yet it remains one of the most common causes of poisoning in the United States. This analysis was performed to estimate the number of emergency department (ED) visits in 2010 in Louisiana for all-cause (fire-related, non-fire, and unknown) unintentional CO poisoning. Results demonstrate approximately 1,696,746 total ED visits occurred in 2010.

Asbestosis in Louisiana: a descriptive review and demographic analysis of hospitalizations for abestosis, 1999-2009.

Asbestosis is a debilitating, chronic, lung disease with no known treatment and most commonly occurs among workers in certain occupational settings. As a condition highly associated with occupational exposure, its incidence has been affected by changes in industry standards. In particular, the bans on both production and new uses of asbestos fibers put in place during the past 20 to 30 years have significantly reduced occupational exposures.

Swine-origin influenza virus (SOIV) in Louisiana, 2009.

Since the new flu strain--named A(H1N1) or Swine Origin Influenza Virus (SOIV) to differentiate it from the seasonal H1N1--first emerged in Mexico and the United States in April, it has spread to 74 countries around the globe. The objectives of this article are to describe the initial stages of the epidemic in Louisiana and to draw some epidemiologic lessons for the future, which could be particularly useful if the pandemic continues during the winter season 2009-2010. Between April 22, 2009 (date when the first specimen was collected) to May 31, 2009, a six week period, there were 133 cases of SOIV infection detected in Louisiana.

Emergency medical services education and licensure--a road map for the future.

Fragmentation exists nationwide in regards to Emergency Medical Services (EMS). This fragmentation is evident throughout the EMS system in the way we educate, train, certify, and recertify the pre-hospital professional. In Louisiana EMS, there are two facets of our education system: the training/education institution and the instructors who facilitate the education.

The epidemiology of animal bite, scratch, and other potential rabies exposures, Louisiana.

The authors conducted a review of 318 investigative reports of animal exposures recorded from November 2004 through April 2008. These reports were gathered as components of the rabies surveillance program in Louisiana. The reports were recorded by employees of the Louisiana Office of Public Health.

Epidemiology of animal rabies and its practical application to pre- and postexposure prophylaxis, louisiana, 1988 to 2007.

The incidence of human rabies in the United States has decreased significantly over the past century. This analysis examines the ecological status of rabies in Louisiana with the intent of identifying differences in risk of rabies transmission from exposures to different species of animals. Louisiana presently harbors one terrestrial variant of rabies, a skunk variant, and several bat variants.