MMWR – Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

MMWR News Synopsis for January 16, 2014

No MMWR telebriefing scheduled for January 16, 2014

Click here for the full MMWR articles.

1. Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults — United States, 2005–2012

The report underscores the need to fully implement effective actions to successfully reduce smoking. A combination of smoke-free laws, tobacco price increases, access to proven quitting treatments and services, and hard-hitting media campaigns will reduce health care costs and save lives. Cigarette smoking among U.S. adults declined from 20.9 percent in 2005 to 18.1 percent in 2012. In 2012, 42.1 million U.S. adults were current cigarette smokers. During 2005-2012, the percentage of ever smokers who quit increased significantly from 50 percent to 55 percent, and the percentage of daily smokers who smoked 30 or more cigarettes per day declined from 12.6 percent to 7.0 percent. In addition, among daily smokers, the average number of cigarettes smoked per day declined from 16.7 in 2005 to 14.6 in 2012. Although a decline in smoking has occurred among U.S. adults since 2005, the prevalence remains higher than the Healthy People 2020 target of ≤12 percent.

2. Zinc Deficiency–Associated Dermatitis in Infants During a Nationwide Shortage of Injectable Zinc — Washington, DC, and Houston, Texas, 2012–2013

During national shortages of injectable zinc, hospitals should consider reserving supplies for infants at highest risk for deficiency. Injectable zinc, a vital component of parenteral nutrition (PN) formulations, was reported to be in short supply in 2012. Early reports resulted in the publication of a MMWR notice regarding the shortage and early reports of problems in premature infants. Premature and low birth weight (LBW) infants are especially vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies. This report discusses investigation into the effects of the shortage on a group of premature infants in two states. Through collaboration of CDC, FDA, the American Academy of Pediatrics, hospitals, and clinicians, public health actions were taken to prevent zinc deficiency disorders in vulnerable infants during the shortage.

3. CDC Grand Rounds: A Public Health Approach to Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence

The problem of intimate partner violence (IPV) can only be addressed if the focus is shifted from responding to acts of violence to preventing violence before it starts. Rigorous evaluation of the outcomes of prevention efforts makes it possible to determine the long-term impact on population health, inform policy decisions, and build effective strategies to prevent IPV. IPV is a serious public health problem in the United States, a problem that is preventable. It can involve physical and sexual violence, threats of physical or sexual violence, and psychological abuse, including stalking. It can occur within opposite-sex or same-sex couples and can range from one incident to an ongoing pattern of violence. On average, 24 persons per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States. In 2010, IPV contributed to 1,295 deaths, accounting for 10 percent of all homicides for that year. The combined medical, mental health, and lost productivity costs of IPV against women exceed an estimated $8.3 billion per year.