The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks emergency room (ER), hospital and doctor’s office visits among the American people each year. The CDC publishes this data in an annual report called the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, one of the National Health Statistics Reports. The data in this report include information on emergency room visits based on age and gender. The following is a list of the top 10 reasons patients visited the emergency room for adult males 15 years and older for 2006, the year for which the most recent data are available. After each reason, the number of visits appears in parentheses followed by the percentage that number represents out of all ER visits by this age group Overall, males aged 15 and older made 42,682,000 ER visits in 2006, representing 43.9% of all ER visits for this age group.

The top 10 reasons for ER visits among males aged 15 and older for 2006 are:

1. Chest pain and related symptoms (3,023,000 visits, 3.1%)
2. Stomach and abdominal pain or cramps (2,358,000 visits, 2.4%)
3. Back symptoms (1,517,000 visits, 1.6%)
4. Shortness of breath (1,256,000 visits, 1.3%)
5. Lacerations and cuts on the hand or arm (1,169,000 visits, 1.2%)
6. Pain, non-specific or poorly localized (1,077,000 visits, 1.1%)
7. Headache or other head pain (1,063,000 visits, 1.1%)
8. Leg symptoms (778,000 visits, 0.8%)
9. Dizziness or vertigo (677,000 vistis, 0.7%)
10. Motor vehicle accident, unspecified injuries (645,000 visits, 0.7%)

For more information on male health, join the Healia Health Community for Men’s Health.

_{Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DHHS Publication No. (PHS) 2008–1250, August 2008. National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2006 Emergency Department Summary, National Health Statistics Report No. 7}

_{Photo: Stephen Witherden, Filckr, Creative Commons}

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released its annual report on all live births in America for the year 2006, and it showed that for the first time in 15 years, the birth rate for teenagers aged 15–19 years increased, up 3 percent from 2005. Only the rate for the youngest adolescents declined in 2006, to 0.6 per 1,000 people aged 10–14 years. Birth rates for teenagers aged 15–17 and 18–19 years rose between 3 and 4 percent each. These increases follow huge declines of 45 and 26 percent, respectively, in the rates between 1991 and 2005. Teen birth rates increased significantly between 2005 and 2006 in 26 states, representing nearly every region of the country. Below is a list of the states with the highest teen birth rates in 2006. The rates per 1,000 females aged 15-19 are listed in parentheses.

The top 10 states with the highest teen birth rates for 2006 are:

1. Mississippi (68.4 births per 1,000 females aged 15-19). Also topping the list in 1991, Mississippi saw its teen birth rate decline 29 percent between 1991 and 2005, but it jumped 13 percent in 2006.
2. New Mexico (64.1). This Southwestern state saw a decline of 23 percent in the teen birth rate over 14 years but the rate held steady in 2006.
3. Texas (63.1). Texas’s teen birth rate rose a modest 2 percent in 2006 after experiencing a 21 percent decline over the previous 14 years.
4. Arkansas (62.3). This Southern state had an increase of 5 percent over last year, reversing a 26 percent decline between 1991 and 2005.
5. Arizona(62.0). Arizona’s teen birth rate rose 7 percent over last year and is a nearly 1.5 times the national average.
6. Oklahoma (59.6). After seeing a decline of 25 percent over 14 years, the rate of teen births in the Sooner state rose 10 percent from 2005.
7. Nevada (55.8). This Western state experienced the largest decline on the list over the previous 14 years, down one-third from 1991-2005. Unfortunately, Nevada reversed the trend and saw an 11 percent increase in 2006.
8. Tennessee (54.7). Tennessee’s teen birth rate was unchanged from 2005, but decreased 27 percent in the previous 14 years.
9. Kentucky (54.6). Tennessee’s neighbor to the North, Kentucky has a nearly identical teen birth rate, but for the Bluegrass State this represents an increase of 11 percent over 2005.
10. Georgia (54.2). Georgia’s teen birth rate declined 31 percent from 1991-2005 but creeped back up 3 percent in 2006.

If you have questions about teenage pregnancy, join the Healia Health Community for Teen Health or the Healia Health Community for Pregnancy, or ask the experts at Healia Health Communities.

Related blog post:  The Top 10 States with the Lowest Teen Birth Rates

_{Source: CDC, Births: Final data for 2006. National vital statistics reports; vol 57 no 7. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr57/nvsr57_07.pdf}

Whether you play sports competitively or just in your own backyard, the benefits to your fitness level and overall health can be incredible. However, a major downside of sports and exercise is the increased likelihood of suffering an injury. Depending on the activity, the severity of such injuries can range from minor to very serious. Some of these injuries are caused by accidents, while others may result from poor training practices, flawed technique, or improper equipment. Sometimes injuries occur when people are not properly conditioned for a particular activity. Failing to warming up or stretching out before you play or exercise can also lead to injuries.

The top 7 most common sports injuries are:

• Sprains and strains. By far the most common types of injuries that occur during physical activity are sprains and strains. Sprains occur when a ligament, a band of connective tissue that attaches bones to each, overstretches or tears. They can range in severity from minor to complete – in which the entire ligament is severed. They are most common in knees, ankles, or wrists. Strains (also referred to as a “pulled muscle”) occur when the fibers within a muscle or tendon – connective tissue that connects muscle to bone – stretch too far or tear. Strains can also range from minor to severe.


• Knee injuries.Anyone who has ever played competitive sports knows how common knee injuries can be. Each year, more than five million people visit orthopedic surgeons for their knee problems. Milder knee injuries include runner's knee (pain or tenderness near the front side of the kneecap, iliotibial (IT) band syndrome (pain in the outer knee), and tendonitis (inflammation or degeneration within a tendon). More severe knee injuries involve bone bruising or damage to the cartilage or ligaments. There are two types of cartilage in the knee. Four major ligaments that are commonly injured include the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), the medial collateral ligament (MCL), and the lateral collateral ligament (LCL).


• Swollen muscles. Also called “compartment syndrome,” muscle swelling can occur due to a blow or ongoing overuse move. When muscles swell, they enlarge and press against the connective tissue sheaths which surround them, kind of like blowing up a balloon inside a glass. This can causing interference with nerves and blood vessels and may also damage the muscles themselves.


• Achilles tendon injuries. The Achilles tendon (also called the calcaneal tendon) connects to two large muscles of the calf to the back of the heel. This thick tendon is under a lot of tension and so awkward blows can cause tears that are said to be incredibly painful. The most common cause of Achilles tendon tears is weakening due to tendonitis, which makes the tendon more likely to rupture.


• Shin splints. Pain along the shin bone (tibia) known as shin splints can occur at the front outside part of the lower leg, including the foot and ankle (anterior shin splints) or at the inner edge of the bone where it meets the calf muscles (medial shin splints). They are most common in runners, especially those who run on hard surfaces. Contributing factors to shin splints include failing to warm up or stretch out, improper running technique, running in shoes that lack proper support, and having “flat” feet.


• Fractures. Also known as broken bones, fractures are a common sports injury often caused by a one-time injury to the bone (acute fracture) but they may also be caused by repeated stress to the bone over time (stress fracture). Acute fractures can cause a small crack in a bone or a complete break. Most are emergencies and may require surgical intervention for proper healing to occur. Stress fractures occur almost exclusively in the legs and feet and are common in sports that cause repetitive impact from running or jumping such as basketball and gymnastics.


• Dislocations. Also known as a luxation, a dislocation occurs when bones in a joint are forced out of alignment. This type of injury is most common in contact sports such as football, but can also occur due to excessive stretching or a fall. Dislocations are usually emergencies that require medical treatment. Even if the bones can be put back into place, the damage done to the connective tissue surrounding the joint can be severe. The joints of the fingers and hand are most likely to be dislocated, followed by the shoulder. Dislocations of the knees, hips, and elbows are less common.

For more information about knee injuries, join the Healia Health Community for Knee Injuries and Disorders.


_{Source: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, NIH, Publication No. 04-5278, April 2004. http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/health/sports/injuries.htm}

_{Photo: Monica's Dad, Flickr, Creative Commons}

For the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is tracking the top complementary and alternative medicines and therapies for children. The CDC collects data on complementary and alternative medicine usage through the Adult and Child Complementary and Alternative Medicine questionnaire in the National Health Interview Survey. The most recent survey results are from 2007 and include questions answered by adults on behalf of children aged 0 to 17. The results show that children whose parents practiced complementary and alternative medicine were nearly twice as likely to use complementary and alternative medicines as other children.

The top 5 complementary and alternative medicines and therapies among American children in 2007 are:

1. Dietary supplements (3.9% of children): These include a range of herbs, botanicals, vitamins, and minerals such as fish oil, glucosamine, and Echinacea


2. Chiropractic treatment (2.8%): Chiropractors attempt to modify the spine and joints to help relieve pain and improve well-being. Common indications are back pain, headaches, and other injuries.


3. Deep breathing exercises (2.2%): These exercises involve slow and deep inhalation and exhalation. Deep breathing is believed to relieve stress and provide relaxation.


4. Yoga (2.1%): Many types of yoga involve controlled breathing, stretching, and meditation to achieve balance physically, mentally, and spiritually.


5. Homeopathic treatment (1.3%): homeopathy recommends that people treat symptoms using a diluted form of a substance that causes those same symptoms. Homeopathic medicines may include natural materials like plants and minerals.

Related blog post: The Top 6 Complementary and Alternative Medicines and Therapies among Adults

_{Source: CDC, National Health Statistics Reports, No. 12, based on data from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey conducted by the CDC. http://nccam.nih.gov/news/2008/nhsr12.pdf}

_{Photo: Autumm, FLickr, Creative Commons}

"Food poisoning” or foodborne disease sickens an estimated 76 million people each year in the United States. That means nearly one in every four people is sickened each year by exposure to through contaminated food or drink. But what are the most common causes of foodborne diseases?

Many cases of food poisoning are actually caused by infectious organisms. There are actually around 250 disease causing organisms that can sicken people when they are consumed. Foodborne disease can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Some diseases are caused by toxins from disease-causing microbes while others are caused by the human body’s reactions to the microbe itself. Other diseases are true poisonings, caused by harmful toxins or chemicals that have contaminated the food, such as poisonous mushrooms.

While there are several possible causes of foodborne illness, four microbes are responsible for the majority of all foodborne illness in the United States. Worldwide, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, and cholera are still common foodborne diseases, but improvements in food safety and vaccination have virtually eradicated these diseases in the United States.

The 4 most common causes of foodborne illness in the United States are:

• Campylobacter. This bacterium causes fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is the most commonly identified bacterial cause of diarrheal illness in the world. Campylobacter bacteria live in the intestines of birds and most raw poultry harbors the bacteria. Eating undercooked chicken or food that has been contaminated with raw chicken juice is the most frequent source of Campylobacter infection. 


• Salmonella. This bacterium is also widespread in the intestines of birds, along with reptiles and mammals. It can spread to humans via a variety of foods of animal origin, but raw or undercooked chicken is a major source of infection. Like Campylobacter, Salmonella also tends to cause fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps, but in people with underlying health problems or weakened immune systems it can invade the bloodstream (bacteremia) and become life threatening. 


• E. coli. E coli is a bacterium that lives in the intestines of cattle and other similar animals, including humans. There are many strains of E. coli bacteria but only certain types cause illness. The strain that is responsible for most cases of foodborne illness in people is called E. coli O157:H7. In humans, exposure usually occurs through consumption of food or water that has been contaminated with microscopic amounts of cow feces. The illness that occurs is often a severe and bloody diarrhea and painful abdominal cramps, without a fever (or with a very low-grade fever). In up to 5 percent of cases, a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) develops several weeks after the initial symptoms.  HUS causes temporary anemia, profuse bleeding, and kidney failure and may lead to death.


• Norovirus. Also known as calicivirus, Norwalk virus, or Norwalk-like virus, norovirus is an extremely common cause of foodborne illness. However, due to the lack of a widely-available diagnostic test, the disease is often suspected but rarely diagnosed. It causes an acute gastrointestinal illness, usually with more vomiting than diarrhea, which tends to resolve within two days. Unlike the other foodborne pathogens listed above, it is believed that norovirus spreads primarily from one infected person to another via food they have touched, instead of through animals. Infected kitchen workers can contaminate a salad or sandwich as they prepare it, if they have the virus on their hands. Thus, large outbreaks of norovirus are common in places with central eating locations such as cruise ships, schools, and even hospitals.

For more information about foodborne illness, see the UDSA’s Food Safety Information Center or the CDC’s Food Safety Office. If you have questions about foodborne illness, ask the people in the Healia Health Community for E. Coli Infections or the Healia Health Community for Salmonella Infections, or ask an expert at Healia Health Communities.


_{Source: CDC – Foodborne illness, Jan 2005. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/foodborneinfections_g.htm#mostcommon}

_{Photo: [n], Flickr, Creative Commons}

As part of the “Protect the Ones You Love” initiative, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a report listing the top types of fatal injuries in children and teens. Unintentional injuries account for the greatest number of deaths in children and teens up to 19 years old. The CDC included this data in the “Protect the Ones You Love” initiative in order to raise awareness and to prevent injuries like these from occurring. Death rates are per 100,000 people and are listed in parentheses.

The Top 7 Causes of Unintentional Fatal Injuries in Children up to 19 years old (2000-2005) are:

1. Transportation-related (9.8 deaths per 100,000 children)
2. Drowning (1.4)
3. Suffocation (1.2)
4. Other Injuries (0.9)
5. Poisoning (0.8)
6. Fires or Burns (0.7)
7. Falls (0.2)

Join others in the Child Health community on Healia Communities.

Related Blog Post: Car Accidents, Falls Leading Causes of Injury and Death in U.S. Children and Teens

_{Source: CDC Childhood Injury Report: Patterns of Unintentional Injuries among 0–19 Year Olds in the United States, 2000 – 2006, CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, 2000-2005. http://www.cdc.gov/safechild/Child_Injury_Data.htm}

_{Photo: woodleywonderworks, Flickr, Creative Commons}

Every new year, many people make resolutions to lose weight. In honor of this fact, here is the list of states that have a little bit more work to do in the waitsline department. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has compiles data on obesity rates throughout America and the following is a list of the states with the highest proportion of obese adults.

State health departments use standard procedures to collect data through a series of monthly telephone interviews with U.S. adults. Obesity is determined by using height and weight information to calculate a number called the “body mass index” (BMI). An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese. The following states have the highest percentage of the adult population who are obese with the percent in parentheses.

The top 10 fattest states in America are:

1. Mississippi (32% of adults are obese)
2. Alabama (30.3%)
3. Tennessee (30.1%)
4. Louisiana (29.8%)
5. West Virginia (29.5%)
6. Arkansas (28.7%)
7. South Carolina (28.4%)
8. Georgia (28.2%)
9. Oklahoma (28.1%)
10. Texas (28.1%)

For information on how to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, see the Healia Health Guide on Weight Management. If you have questions about your weight and how it affects your health, or to find support from others who are also struggling with weight management, join the Healia Health Community on Obesity and Overweight.


_{Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey Data. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, [2007].}

_{Photo: alexstaubo, Flickr, Creative Commons}

Each year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists the most common causes of death in the United States. The CDC collects data from death records around the country and publishes the results in the National Vital Statistics Report. The latest data available are from 2006. One of the key results to come from this data was that the national life expectancy in 2006 increased to the highest it’s ever been: 78.1 years. In addition, 11 of the top 15 causes of death for the previous year decreased in frequency. Death rates per 100,000 persons are listed in parentheses.

The top 15 causes of death in the U.S. for 2006 are:

1. Heart disease (210.2)
2. Cancer (malignant neoplasms; 187.1)
3. Stroke (cerebrovascular disease; 45.8)
4. Lung diseases (chronic lower respiratory disease; 41.6)
5. Accidents (39.3)
6. Alzheimer’s disease (24.4)
7. Diabetes (24.2)
8. Influenza and pneumonia (18.8)
9. Kidney disease (nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis; 15.0)
10. Blood poisoning (septicemia, 11.4)
11. Suicide (10.7)
12. Liver disease (9.1)
13. High blood pressure (hypertension and hypertensive renal disease; 8.0)
14. Parkinson’s disease (6.6)
15. Assault (6.0)

Use the Healia Health Search Engine to find out more information about the above diseases. Also see our Healia Health Guide on Heart Disease and the Healia Health Guide on Alzheimer's Disease.

_{Source: CDC, National VitalStatistics Reports Vol. 56, No. 16. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_16.pdf
Photo: aussiegall, Flickr, Creative Commons}

Each year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) compiles data on obesity rates in the United States. State health departments use standard procedures to collect data through a series of monthly telephone interviews with U.S. adults. Obesity is determined by using height and weight information to calculate a number called the “body mass index” (BMI). An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese. Following is a list of the states with the LOWEST percentage of the adult population who are obese with the percent in parentheses.

The top 10 leanest states in America are:

1. Colorado (18.7% of adults are obese)
2. Connecticut (21.2%)
3. Massachusetts (21.3%)
4. Vermont (21.3%)
5. Hawaii (21.4%)
6. Rhode Island (21.4%)
7. Washington DC (21.8%)
8. Montana (21.8%)
9. Utah (21.8%)
10. California (22.6%)

For information on how to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, see the Healia Health Guide on Weight Management. If you have questions about your weight and how it affects your health, or to find support from others who are also struggling with weight management, join the Healia Health Community on Obesity and Overweight.


_{Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey Data. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, [2007].}

_{Photo: Alpha TangoBravo, Flickr, Creative Commons}

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently compiled a list of the top states with the highest reported cases of AIDS. Although most cases of HIV/AIDS occur outside the United States, more than a million people were living with AIDS in the U.S. as of 2003. The CDC estimates that as many as 24-27% of people infected with HIV were unaware of their infection. CDC statistics on HIV and AIDS in the U.S. report data by age, race, state, and transmission category.

The top 10 states with most reported cases of HIV and/or AIDS in 2006 are:

1. New York (5,495 reported cases)
2. Florida (4,932)
3. California (3,960)
4. Texas (2,998)
5. Pennsylvania (1,893)
6. Maryland (1,626)
7. Georgia (1,605)
8. Illinois (1,382)
9. North Carolina (1,229)
10. New Jersey (1,065)

Discuss AIDS with other people in the HIV/AIDS community in Healia Communities.


_{Data source: CDC HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report: Cases of HIV Infection and AIDS in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2006.http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/basic.htm#area}

_{Photo: Alex Castella,Flickr, Creative Commons}