More than a year after COVID-19 appeared in the United States, dentists continue to have a lower infection rate than other front-line health professionals, such as nurses and physicians, according to a study published in The Journal of the American Dental Association. The study, “COVID-19 among Dentists in the U.S. and Associated Infection Control: a six-month longitudinal study” looks at the number of dentists with confirmed or probable COVID-19 infections over more than six months. The results of this study show that prevalence and incidence rates among dentists continue to be very low when compared to the population as a whole and to other health care professionals.
Pennsylvania State Data Center Releases New Municipal Population Estimates
New Data Show Estimated Population as of July 1, 2020
The U.S. Census Bureau has released July 1, 2020 population estimates for sub-county geographies including boroughs, townships, and cities. This release provides the tenth and final set of municipal estimates to be released by the Census Bureau since the 2010 Census. Please note that these data are not the final 2020 Census counts.
Pennsylvania continued its trend of increasing population in the urban and suburban areas of the southeastern and southcentral portions of the state, with pockets of growth surrounding State College and Pittsburgh. Boroughs across the state lost an estimated average of 48 persons, while townships gained an estimated average of 74 persons and cities an estimated average of 219 persons.
For more information on which boroughs, townships, and cities in Pennsylvania experienced the greatest change in their populations, click here to read this month’s brief.
New Report Includes Proposed Solutions to Oral Health Inequities
Tackling health inequities is a huge challenge, but there are ways we can champion progress and work toward solutions. These solutions include sustained, enhanced use of teledentistry, minimally invasive dentistry, interprofessional collaborative practice, workforce expansion, value-based care, and enhanced public insurance programs. CareQuest Institute experts partnered with industry leaders on a chapter in the new report from by Harvard Medical School’s Center for Primary Care.
Click here to access the report.
Challenges Identified in Implementing School-Based Oral Health Programs
School-based oral health programs are an essential access point for children to receive preventive oral health services, but the pandemic has disrupted K-12 learning. A survey of state and territorial dental directors reveals that while there are slight improvements seen for planned oral health programs in spring 2021, there may be an increase in children’s oral diseases — especially among racial/ethnic minority groups — in the coming years.
The report can be accessed here.
Will the Pandemic Change Oral Health Forever?
The numbers are staggering. The — State of Oral Health Equity in America 2021 — revealed that 6 million adults had lost their dental insurance because of the pandemic, and more than 1 in 10 had delayed getting care because of cost, lack of insurance, fear of exposure to the virus, or a combination of those factors.
An article highlighting that research and discussing whether the pandemic will change oral health forever appeared in The New York Times Magazine on Wednesday. Can the rise of teledentistry and other innovations help fix some of the disparities in care?
Click here to access the article.
COVID-19 Vaccination Rates in Rural Areas
The CDC published a study of the comparative COVID-19 vaccination rates in rural and urban areas in the latest edition of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). The full report can be accessed https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7020e3.htm#contribAff
What is already known about this topic?
Residents of rural communities are at increased risk for severe COVID-19–associated morbidity and mortality. In September 2020, COVID-19 incidence (cases per 100,000 population) in rural counties surpassed that in urban counties.
What is added by this report?
COVID-19 vaccination coverage was lower in rural counties (38.9%) than in urban counties (45.7%); disparities persisted among age groups and by sex.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Disparities in COVID-19 vaccination access and coverage between urban and rural communities can hinder progress toward ending the pandemic. Public health practitioners should collaborate with health care providers, pharmacies, employers, faith leaders, and other community partners to identify and address barriers to COVID-19 vaccination in rural areas.
GAO Report: Medicare and Medicaid COVID-19 Program Flexibilities and Considerations for Their Continuation
Medicare and Medicaid—two federally financed health insurance programs—spent over $1.5 trillion on health care services provided to about 140 million beneficiaries in 2020. Recognizing the critical role of these programs in providing health care services to millions of Americans, the federal government has provided for increased funding and program flexibilities, including waivers of certain federal requirements, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CARES Act includes a provision for GAO to conduct monitoring and oversight of the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, GAO has issued a series of government-wide reports from June 2020 through March 2021. GAO is continuing to monitor and report on these services.
This testimony summarizes GAO’s findings from these reports related to Medicare and Medicaid flexibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as preliminary observations from ongoing work related to telehealth waivers in both programs. Specifically, the statement focuses on what is known about the effects of these waivers and flexibilities on Medicare and Medicaid, and considerations regarding their ongoing use.
To conduct this work, GAO reviewed federal laws, CMS documents and guidance, and interviewed federal and state officials. GAO also interviewed six provider and beneficiary groups, selected based on their experience with telehealth services. GAO obtained technical comments from CMS and incorporated them as appropriate.
The report can be accessed here.
The State of Rural Public Health: Enduring Needs in a New Decade
Public health in the rural United States is a complex and underfunded enterprise. While urban–rural disparities have been a focus for researchers and policymakers alike for decades, inequalities continue to grow. Life expectancy at birth is now 1 to 2 years greater between wealthier urban and rural counties, and is as much as 5 years, on average, between wealthy and poor counties. This recent article published in the American Journal of Public Health explores the growth in these disparities over the past 40 years and offers 5 population-based “prescriptions” for supporting rural public health in the United States. Read More.
HPV Vaccination Rates Climb Among Young Adults
An article published in Medscape explores rising vaccination rates among young adults in the United States. Although vaccination rates against the human papillomavirus (HPV) remain low for young adults, the number of self-reported HPV vaccinations among women and men between the ages of 18 and 21 years has increased since 2010, according to new research findings.
Report Details Economic Impact of Agriculture in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, working with TeamPA and Econsult, has produced the second study detailing the economic impact of agriculture in Pennsylvania. Results show that agriculture contributes $132.5B to the state’s economy and remains a top industry, ranging from farm production to processing to feeding our families.
The report can be accessed at TeamPA_Agriculture2020EISUpdate_FINAL