MRSA: Not Just in Hospitals

Drug-resistant staph, commonly called MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is making news for its growing role in sickening healthy people outside hospital walls.

Here's a short FAQ on the topic from the New York Times, and a recent post from Effect Measure about a widespread strain of MRSA that likely emerged from pigs.

More Information:

• Three Coeur d' Alene students diagnosed with MRSA [KXLY News Spokane and N. Idaho]
• MRSA Infection [Medline-Plus Medical Encyclopedia]
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [National Institutes of Health]
  

Health Care 2008 - Presidential Candidate Forums

The Federation of American Hospitals and Families USA have organized what looks to be a very interesting series of events in which Presidential candidates will face a panel interview about their plans for health care reform. You can access videos, podcasts, and transcripts of each of the forums here as they happen.

While John Edwards (D-N.C.) gave it a go on September 24th, the rest are yet to go. Here's the upcoming calendar of forums that have been scheduled (several more are TBA):

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.)
Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 2 p.m. ET

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)
Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 8:30 a.m. ET

Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.)
Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 11:30 a.m. ET

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)
Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at 11 a.m. ET

Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.)
Thursday, November 1, 2007 at 11 a.m. ET

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.)
Wednesday, November 7, 2007 at 10 a.m. ET

Medicare Increases for 2008

Medicare Part B monthly premiums will go up 3.1% next year – from $93.50 in 2007 to $96.40 in 2008 - the smallest increase in six years. The increase was lower due to an "accounting error" that was fixed. Without the fix, 2008 premiums would be closer to $99. Health officials cited rising costs of services, programs, and drugs as reasons for premium increases.

Deductibles also will increase in 2008. Part B deductibles will go from $131 to $135 (on average), and Part A deductibles will go from $992 to $1024.

More About Medicare:

• 2008 Medicare premiums and coinsurance rates [Medicare.gov]
• Official Medicare homepage [Medicare.gov]
• Services for people on Medicare in Idaho [Idaho Dept. of Insurance]
  

SCHIP Reauthorization?

Things are moving fast in Washington with relation to the re-auth of SCHIP, the state children's health insurance program. Both the House and the Senate have passed a bill that would increase the amount of money states are getting to fund insurance for children. Unfortunately, the bill is rumored to be on President Bush's hit list for a veto.

As of June 2006, Idaho was using SCHIP funds to provide health insurance to approximately 14,000 children per month. 80% of the SCHIP costs for Idaho in 2006 were paid for by the Federal government. With the passage of H.R. 976, Idaho would be able to provide health insurance for an additional 18,100 children. The bill would be funded by an increase in tobacco taxes.

There is, of course, the possibility that Congress could overturn the President's veto as there's a lot of support for the bill from both sides. It'll be interesting to see what happens. There'll be more to come on how this will affect Idaho once the bill hits the President's desk.

Remember West Nile Virus?

The summer of 2006, West Nile Virus was in the news nearly every day in Idaho, and with good reason: there were nearly 1000 reported cases and 21 deaths (according to CDC statistics) due to the virus. It seemed like everyone knew at least one person who had been infected.

But as the Idaho Statesman reported last Friday, 2007 has been a far quieter year for West Nile Virus in Idaho. So far this year, there have been well under 100 reported cases and no deaths. This graphic summarizes the drop in cases between last year and this year.

In preparation for the 2007 mosquito season, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare's Fight the Bite campaign distributed public service announcements, posters, and brochures educating people about precautionary measures for avoiding mosquito bites. The Statesman article cites drier weather, better preparation and abatement, treatment of standing water, increased human immunity, and fewer birds carrying the virus as some of the factors contributing to the reduction in 2007.

Mosquito activity subsides with the first hard frost, so the 2007 mosquito season is nearly over.

West Nile Virus in Idaho - 2006 and 2007:

• 2007 cases mapped by county [Idaho Department of Health and Welfare]
• 2006 cases mapped by county [Idaho Department of Health and Welfare]

West Nile Virus in the U.S. - 2006 and 2007:

• 2007 cases and fatalities, by state [CDC]
• 2006 cases and fatalities, by state [CDC]
  

Welcome to P.H.A.T. Idaho!

We’re excited to be starting this blog on behalf of public health efforts in the state of Idaho. As students of public health, we’ve seen a need for a centralized place to discuss and promote public health in Idaho. So much of the information we receive on a daily basis is about national and international public health efforts. Finding up-to-date information about what’s going on in Idaho is a little harder. It’s our hope that this blog will not only help to build a clearer picture of the public health happenings in Idaho, but will foster a discussion of how national and international topics of interest affect us locally.

The best part about creating this “clearinghouse” of information in blog format is that you can be a contributor, too. Take time to comment on our posts and build on the ideas presented here. Tell your friends about P.H.A.T. Idaho. And email us at phatidaho@gmail.com with ideas for future posts, upcoming events, or new publications that you think are of interest to Idahoans tracking the public health scene.

Thanks,
Carrie & Kate