Improving Surveillance

"Chronic diseases represent seven of the top 10 deaths in the United States. The Chronic Disease Indicators (CDI) website is the only integrated source for comprehensive access to a wide range of key indicators for the surveillance of chronic diseases, conditions, and risk factors. The redesigned and more user-friendly website also provides an online tool for users to compare data on the prevalence of chronic diseases in 40 large metropolitan areas, as well as at state and national levels. You can view the newly designed and updated site at cdc.gov/cdi...."
Chronic disease

Scarlet Fever

"Scarlet fever – or scarlatina – is a bacterial infection caused by group A Streptococcus or "group A strep." This illness affects a small percentage of people who have strep throat or, less commonly, streptococcal skin infections. Scarlet fever is treatable with antibiotics and usually is a mild illness, but it needs to be treated to prevent rare but serious long-term health problems. Treatment with antibiotics also helps clear up symptoms faster and reduces spread to other people..."
Scarlet Fever

Prompt Use of Antivirals is Key this Flu Season

"Influenza activity in the United States is widespread and likely to continue for weeks. Read more about what physicians can do.
A report published in the January 16th edition of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) estimates that this season’s flu vaccine reduced a person’s risk of going to the doctor because of flu by 23 percent for all ages..."

Antivirals and flu

African American History Month: 2015

"To commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. The first celebration occurred on Feb. 12, 1926. For many years, the second week of February was set aside for this celebration to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist/editor Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, as part of the nation’s bicentennial, the week was expanded into Black History Month. Each year, U.S. presidents proclaim February as National African-American History Month..."
African Americn History

Educational Attainment in the United States: 2014

"Educational attainment refers to the highest level of education that an individual has completed. This is distinct from the level of schooling that an individual is attending. See the School Enrollment Web site for information on current attendance.

Data on educational attainment are derived from a single question that asks, "What is the highest grade of school...has completed, or the highest degree...has received?" This question was first implemented in the 1990 Decennial Census and changed in the Current Population Survey in 1992. Prior to this, respondents were asked a two-part question that asked respondents to report the highest grade they had attended, and whether or not they had completed that grade. For more information on the implementation of this change and its effects on the data see the report Measuring Education in the Current Population Survey [PDF - 859k] (Kominski and Siegel, 1993)..."
Education statistics

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

"No woman should die of cervical cancer. The most important thing you can do to help prevent cervical cancer is to get screened regularly starting at age 21.

Cervical cancer is highly preventable with regular screening tests and appropriate follow-up care. It also can be cured when found early and treated. Cervical cancer is almost always caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Vaccines are available to protect against the types of HPV that most often cause cervical cancer..."

Cervical cancer

Avoid Harmful Substances

"In honor of National Birth Defects Prevention Month, make a PACT to get healthy, physically and mentally, before and during pregnancy to increase your chances of having a healthy baby. Avoiding harmful home and workplace exposures is one important step.
Women can lower their risk of having a baby born with a birth defect by following some basic health guidelines throughout their reproductive years. This is important because many birth defects happen very early during pregnancy, sometimes before a woman even knows that she is pregnant. For this year's National Birth Defects Prevention Month, we encourage all women and their loved ones to make a PACT for prevention..."
Pregnancy and Eating

Test Your Home for Radon

"Testing is the only way to know if radon levels are high in your home. Read how CDC’s Tracking Programs are improving radon exposure maps to inform testing in their states and find out more information about testing your home for radon.

Tracking Radon Exposure Risks

Radon is a gas that you cannot see, smell, or taste. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon causes about 20,000 cases of lung cancer each year, making it the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Radon can seep up from the ground and become trapped in buildings. The EPA recommends taking action to reduce radon in buildings that have a radon level at or above 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air. Testing is the only way to know if radon levels are high in a particular home or office.."

Radon

Consumer Help Center

Find answers to consumer telecommunications problems at the newly created FCC Consumer Help Center.
FCC - Consumer Help

Alcohol Poisoning Deaths

"On average, 6 people died every day from alcohol poisoning in the US from 2010 to 2012. Alcohol poisoning is caused by drinking large quantities of alcohol in a short period of time. Very high levels of alcohol in the body can shutdown critical areas of the brain that control breathing, heart rate, and body temperature, resulting in death. Alcohol poisoning deaths affect people of all ages but are most common among middle-aged adults and men..."
Alcohol poisoning

Human-Induced Earthquakes from Deep-Well Injection: A Brief Overview

"The development of unconventional oil and natural gas resources using horizontal drilling and

hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has created new demand for wastewater disposal wells that inject waste fluids into deep geologic strata. An increasing concern in the United States is that injection of these fluids may be responsible for increasing rates of seismic activity. The number of earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater in the central and eastern United States has increased dramatically since about 2009, from an average of approximately 20 per year between 1970 and 2000 to over 100 per year in the period 2010-2013. Some of these earthquakes may be felt at the surface. For example, 20 earthquakes of magnitudes 4.0 to 4.8 have struck central Oklahoma since 2009..."

Earthquakes and drilling

The Political Question Doctrine: Justiciability and the Separation of Powers

"Article III of the Constitution restricts the jurisdiction of federal courts to deciding actual “Cases”

and “Controversies.” The Supreme Court has articulated several “justiciability” doctrines emanating from Article III that restrict when federal courts will adjudicate disputes. One justiciability concept is the political question doctrine, according to which federal courts will not adjudicate certain controversies because their resolution is more proper within the political branches. Because of the potential implications for the separation of powers when courts decline

to adjudicate certain issues, application of the political question doctrine has sparked controversy. Because there is no precise test for when a court should find a political question, however, understanding exactly when the doctrine applies can be difficult..."

Courts and separation of powers

Cancer, the Flu, and You

"Living with cancer increases your risk for complications from influenza ("flu"). If you have cancer now or have had cancer in the past, you are at higher risk for complications from the seasonal flu or influenza, including hospitalization and death.
Get Your Flu Shot!
People with cancer or a history of cancer, and people who live with or care for cancer patients and survivors, should get a seasonal flu shot. People with cancer should NOT get the nasal spray vaccine. The flu shot is made up of inactivated (killed) viruses, and the nasal spray vaccine is made up of live viruses. The flu shot is safer for those with a weakened immune system..."

Cancer and flu

Folic Acid & Birth Defects

" Folic acid is a B vitamin. It is an important part of preconception health, which refers to the health of women and men during their reproductive years. If a woman consumes the recommended amount of folic acid before and during early pregnancy, it can help prevent some major birth defects of the baby's brain (known as anencephaly) and spine (known as spina bifida). Anencephaly is a serious birth defect in which parts of a baby's brain and skull do not form correctly. Babies born with anencephaly cannot survive. Spina bifida is a serious birth defect in which a baby's spine does not develop correctly, and can result in some severe physical disabilities. All women, but especially those who want to become pregnant, need 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day..."
Folic acid benefits

Flu-Free, Healthy Travel this Winter

"Whether traveling to warmer weather or a snow-filled adventure, make sure the flu is not your travel companion. Get a flu vaccine if you haven’t already done so. It takes 2 weeks for the vaccine to provide protection, so get vaccinated well before your trip to reduce your risk of catching and spreading the flu..."
Winter Travel