National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Volume 14 • Number 2 • Spring/Summer 2001

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cdnotes

Conferences

American Association of Diabetes Educators 28th Annual Meeting and Exhibition

The American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) annual meeting will take place August 15–19, 2001, at the Kentucky International Convention Center. The theme of this year's AADE conference is "Win the Race with Diabetes Educators," appropriate to meeting location Louisville, Kentucky, home of the Kentucky Derby. The conference will feature renowned speakers and diabetes experts. Attendees may select any of the numerous general, concurrent, and research sessions and workshops, and participate in Dilemmas in Diabetes Education discussions. More than 200 exhibits will house information and products related to diabetes care and education.

For more information, visit http://www.aadenet.org/annual_frame.html*.

First National CDC Prevention Conference on Heart Disease and Stroke

CDC, the American Heart Association, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute are co-sponsoring the First National CDC Prevention Conference on Heart Disease and Stroke to be held August 22–24, 2001, in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Westin Peachtree Plaza. The goal of the conference is to increase knowledge and provide opportunities for information sharing, networking, and skill building for state health department staff and cardiovascular health (CVH) partners to build and expand comprehensive CVH state programs.

More information about the conference is available at http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/cvd/.

2001 Cancer Conference

CDC's 2001 Cancer Conference will be held September 4–7, 2001, in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. The theme is "Using Science to Build Comprehensive Cancer Programs: A 2001 Odyssey." The conference will explore evidence-based science and how it applies in a public health setting. Short courses will be held September 4 as part of the preconference activities. To be added to the mailing list for the conference, write Laura Shelton at PSA, 2957 Clairmont Road, Suite 480, Atlanta, GA 30349, E-mail l_shelton@psava.com, or call 404/633-6869, extension 214. 

For more information, contact Kathleen Carey, Conference Co-Chair, at kcarey@cdc.gov or visit www.cdc.gov/cancer/conference2001.

Seventh Annual Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology (MCH EPI) Conference

The 2001 Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Conference will be held December 12–13 in Clearwater Beach, Florida, at the Sheraton Sand Key Hotel. The theme is "Enhancing Competencies for Informed Decision Making in Maternal and Child Health Outcomes," and the conference is hosted by the Lawton and Rhea Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers and Babies. The annual Maternal and Child Health (MCH) epidemiology conference brings together health professionals who work with MCH data, programs, and policies. 

For more information, visit www.publichealth.usf.edu/conted/mchepi01.html* or contact Ms. Jenni Genz at 813/974-6695.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities: Integrating Health and Education

CDC's 2002 National Leadership Conference will convene February 10–13, 2002, at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. Each year this conference offers an outstanding opportunity for learning and networking among dedicated professionals in the fields of HIV/AIDS prevention and school health, including those from state and local education, health and social service agencies, national nongovernmental organizations, federal agencies, colleges and universities, and philanthropic organizations. 

Information about the 2001 Leadership Conference and the program for the 2002 Leadership Conference will be posted in the coming months at www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash or for more information, contact CDC health education specialist Holly Conner at hconner@cdc.gov.

 
13th Annual Art and Science of Health Promotion Conference

The 13th Annual Art and Science of Health Promotion Conference will take place February 25–March 1, 2002, at Harveys Resort in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. This year's theme is "Creating a New Vision for Health Promotion." The conference is a collaborative effort involving a wide range of professional associations that represent key health promotion disciplines including exercise physiologists, health educators, nurses, nutritionists, physicians, and psychologists. 

For more information or to register, call 248/682-0707, E-mail inquiries@healthpromotionjournal.com, or visit www.healthpromotionconference.org*.

16th National Conference on Chronic Disease Prevention and Control 

NCCDPHP will host its 16th annual conference February 27–March 1, 2002, at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. Participants will learn about emerging chronic disease issues, data applications, and intervention research; network with health and other professionals; develop new working relationships; and discover what others are doing in communications, training, policy, and partnerships. 

For more information, contact Dale Wilson at dwilson@cdc.gov or visit www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/conference.

Information Sources

National Oral Health Surveillance System Now Available

The National Oral Health Surveillance System (NOHSS) is a new policy resource available on-line. The NOHSS Web site is designed to provide national and state information on oral health indicators including the percentage of the adult population reporting a dental visit during the past year, the percentage of adults who had their teeth cleaned during the past year, the percentage of the senior population with complete tooth loss, and the percentage of a state's population on a community water system whose water is fluoridated. NOHSS also includes selected information from the Synopses of State Oral Health Programs, which contain state-specific information on demographics, as well as oral health infrastructure, administration, and program activities. Additional oral health data will be added each year as they become available. 

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/nohss.

Sample Medicaid Dental Purchasing Specifications 

Sample Purchasing Specifications for Medicaid Pediatric Dental and Oral Health Services are now available. These specifications describe comprehensive oral health care services for children and adolescents and are especially useful for State Medicaid agencies, State Children's Health Insurance Programs (SCHIPs), and insurance providers that develop contracts for dental services for low-income children. 

To learn more about these specifications, visit www.gwu.edu/~chsrp/sps/dental*.

NCCDPHP News

School Lands Award for Participation in Walk to School Day

Robert Lewis Stevenson Elementary School in Burbank, California, was awarded the "Outstanding Unit for Parent Involvement Award of Honor" for its participation in Walk to School Day 2000. Colleen Wright, parent and PTA member, and Nancy Pierce, PTA President, accepted the award on behalf of the school at the Annual California State PTA Convention for coordination of the event. The event included 250 children plus parents, teachers, local police, and fire officials. Local merchants donated food and beverages for a breakfast that followed the walk to school. Contests were held and the classroom that had the most participation won packs of colored pencils. 

"I couldn't have done it without the KidsWalk-to-School Guide," said parent coordinator Colleen Wright. "It was so thorough and took me through all the steps I needed to get groups organized. I wish I had had it the first year I tried to plan the event." 

"Walk to School Day is a great way to promote walking to school year-long," said William H. Dietz, MD, PhD, Director of CDC's Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, which developed the KidsWalk-to-School Guide. "Whether you walk to promote more active children, safer streets, or cleaner air, Walk to School Day events are aimed at creating permanent change to encourage a more walkable America, one community at a time." 

Last year children, parents, teachers, and community leaders in 47 states joined 2 million walkers around the world to celebrate the first International Walk to School Day. This year's event, scheduled for Tuesday, October 2, 2001, promises to be even bigger and more exciting. Click on www.walktoschool.org* to register to be part of the 2001 activities, receive E-mail updates, and access resources. 

To learn more about what's happening in other countries, visit www.iwalktoschool.org*. For help in planning a walk-to-school program throughout the school year, visit the CDC Web site and download or order a free copy of the KidsWalk-to-School program at www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk.htm.

Diabetes Stamp 

The United States Postal Service has issued a Diabetes stamp to encourage everyone to "Know More About Diabetes" and to promote awareness about the need for early detection and for continued research to find a cure for this devastating disease. Designed by James Steinberg, the stamp includes two elements associated with diabetes testing and research—a microscope and a test tube containing blood. 

To see an image of the Diabetes stamp, visit the CDC Diabetes Public Health Resource Web page at www.cdc.gov/diabetes. For more information, call toll-free 1-877-CDC-DIAB. 

Asthma: 10 Million School Days Lost Each Year 

Asthma, a chronic condition that is triggered by allergens or irritants in the environment, is a major health problem of increasing concern in the United States. Between 1980 and 1994, the prevalence of asthma in-creased 75% overall and 74% among children aged 5–14 years. "Today asthma affects 15 million people, including nearly 5 million under the age of 18, and it accounts for an estimated 10 million lost school days annually," said CDC Medical Officer Mary Vernon-Smiley, MD, MPH. Of special concern, she added, is the impact of asthma on minority children. Death from asthma is 2 to 6 times more likely among African Americans than in the general population. 

In an effort to enable the nation's schools to prevent asthma attacks and absences, CDC has launched a pilot effort involving four local education agencies serving large, urban school districts and capable of targeting racial or ethnic minority groups. A manual for Asthma Management in Schools is in development and will become available in about 15 months. In the interim, a helpful resource is the Environmental Protection Agency's publication, IAQ Tools for Schools: Managing Asthma in the School Environment (Publication EPA 402-K-00- 003; to view on-line or to order, go to www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/incentiv.html.)

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