CDC Releases Dental Caries Surveillance Report

Posted on by lad3


The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report, the “2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report: Dental Caries, Tooth Retention, and Edentulism, United States, 2018-March 2020.”

This report used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to provide national estimates for the prevalence and severity of dental caries in primary and permanent teeth for individuals 2 years or older and for tooth retention in adults age 20 years or older. Among the findings, the report found that half of children ages 6 to 9 have had cavities in their primary or permanent teeth. More than 1 in 7 adults ages 65 and older have lost all of their teeth.

Click here to read the report.

New CDC Report Released on ACEs Among U.S. High School Students

Posted on by vfl5083

The latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) highlights just how connected Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are to adolescent health. Billed as the most comprehensive data yet on this subject, the report concludes that preventing ACEs could reduce suicide attempts by as much as 89 percent, prescription pain medication misuse by as much as 84 percent, and persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness by as much as 66 percent. Earlier this year, the CDC issued a Rural Policy Brief showing suicide rates have been consistently higher in rural areas than in urban areas over the past two decades. Between 2000-2020, suicide rates increased 46 percent in non-metro areas compared to 27.3 percent in metro areas. A separate CDC Rural Policy Brief on suicide prevention released in July features a case study from a successful program for adolescents in tribal community in New Mexico. In 2018, the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services delivered an in-depth report on the rural context for ACEs, with recommendations for federal policy.

Behavioral Health Workforce Study

Posted on by vfl5083

Behavioral health providers are being asked to participate in an important research study titled “Experiences and Trajectories of the Behavioral Workforce in Pennsylvania.” This study aims to better understand the experiences of Pennsylvania’s behavioral health workers and the factors that affect their career paths. Behavioral health workers in Pennsylvania, including individuals who hold a degree that is eligible for licensure (social workers, counselors, and therapists), are encouraged to participate. The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. The goal of the survey is to better support the behavioral health workforce in Pennsylvania and to address challenges and barriers faced by behavioral health workers. Click here to access the survey. Please share the survey with other behavioral health providers in your organization.

Study in JAMA Shows CHCs use 340B to Expand Access, Argues Against “Lumping CHCs in” with Hospitals

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The Journal of the American Medical Association Health Forum published a study from the University of Minnesota, which was based entirely on quantitative analysis of UDS and OPAIS (HRSA 340B) data. The article concluded that as FQHCs’ 340B savings increase, they serve a growing number of “total, uninsured and privately insured patient volume, as well as… low-income, unhoused and non–English-speaking populations.” FQHCs also provide “increased provision of health services that aren’t especially profitable for the facilities, but considered valuable preventative care measures, such as tobacco cessation counseling and HIV tests”.

New Toolkit Available on Talking to Workers, Understanding the Economy

Posted on by lad3

Building trust. Removing bias. Empowering people to share their experiences.

These are just three things that come from using community-engaged research practices. They are also among the reasons why the Federal Reserve chose these methods to look beyond the numbers to understand the experiences and motivations of workers without a four-year degree in a post-pandemic labor market.

A new toolkit offers insights on using community-engaged research principles gleaned from the Worker Voices Project and shows how others can use them in their own work.

Read the toolkit.

CDC Study Released on Delayed Oral Health Care and Diabetes

Posted on by lad3

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a new study showing that adults with diabetes are more likely to delay oral health care due to cost than adults without diabetes. This is the first study to provide national prevalence estimates of delayed oral health care due to cost among people with diabetes, and the first to describe the risk factors for delayed oral health care among people with diabetes. The study found that approximately 1 in 6 people with diabetes delay oral health care due to cost.

Click here for more information.

New Brief: The Role of Child Care in Family-centered Approaches to Treatment for Substance Use Disorder

Posted on by lad3

Amid a persistent maternal mortality crisis in the United States, substance use is one of the most pronounced issues facing those who have recently given birth and other caregivers in Pennsylvania.

Interviews PolicyLab conducted with key stakeholders and caregivers in recovery across the Commonwealth, along with data and research by state and national entities, highlight the ways absence of quality child care prevents parents from accessing substance use treatment.

A new PolicyLab issue brief looks at how improving outcomes for pregnant and parenting individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) requires serving the whole family unit, explores the impact access to quality child care can have on a parent’s ability to access and sustain SUD treatment, and outlines potential ways to improve policy and practice.

While this resource presents a case study of this issue in Pennsylvania, the takeaways may be broadly applicable to other states seeking to build systems connections and support for caregivers in recovery.

Authors: Whittaker J, Rosenquist R, Gerdes M, Chatterjee A, Kellom K, Matone M

New Release: State of Oral Health Equity in America 2024

Posted on by lad3

The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health just released key findings from their annual survey, “State of Oral Health Equity in America” and includes perceptions, attitudes, and experiences with oral health from more than 9,000 adults in the United States. Among other findings, the survey found that “adults with less than a high school education were nine times more likely to report seeking dental care through an emergency department than those with a postgraduate or professional degree.” A comprehensive report with additional findings will be released soon.

Click here to learn more.

New Rural Hospital Workforce Toolkit Published

Posted on by lad3

The Flex Monitoring Team (FMT) has released a new product, the Workforce Toolkit to Support Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Providers. This toolkit provides background on health care workforce challenges in the U.S., describes common workforce challenges faced by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), and provides examples and links to external resources that CAHs may use to address their own workforce needs and enhance recruitment and retention.

The toolkit includes five modules, which each discuss key workforce challenges and resources by topic. These include an introductory module that summarizes broad challenges in the rural health care workforce as well as modules on organizational culture and leadership, leveraging partnerships, emergency medical services workforce, and administrative and support staff workforce.

2023 ACS 1-Year Estimates Released

Posted on by lad3

The latest research brief highlights key findings from the 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-Year Estimates. This report provides updates on Pennsylvania’s demographic, social, and economic trends, covering topics such as household income, housing, educational attainment, and internet access. Additionally, the brief discusses changes in housing burdens across different racial and ethnic groups.

Read more.