MMWR – Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

MMWR News Synopsis for July 17, 2014

Click here for the full MMWR articles. Please send any questions regarding these summaries to media@cdc.gov.

1. Pedestrian Traffic Deaths Among Residents, Visitors and Homeless Persons — Clark County, Nevada, 2008–2011

Jennifer Sizemore, Public Information Officer
Southern Nevada Health District
sizemore@snhdmail.org
702.759.1225

The variation in pedestrian death rates highlights a need to better understand the factors that affect pedestrian risks for residents, visitors and homeless persons. During 2008–2011, a total of 140 pedestrian traffic deaths occurred in Clark County, Nevada. Pedestrian death rates were 1.4/100,000 for residents, 1.1/100,000 for visitors and 30.7/100,000 for homeless persons. Study results indicate differences in time of collision, pedestrian blood alcohol concentrations (BACs), and geographic locations for the three groups. For visitors, collision sites were concentrated near the Las Vegas tourist area referred to as The Strip. Collision sites were concentrated in northeast Las Vegas for homeless persons and throughout the county’s urban areas for residents. Among pedestrians aged ≥16 years, 26 percent of residents, 64 percent of homeless persons, and 35 percent of visitors had BACs ≥0.08 g/dL, indicating impairment. Most deaths among residents (41 percent) and homeless persons (79 percent) occurred 6 p.m.-11:59 p.m, while most deaths among visitors (37 percent) occurred midnight-5:59 a.m.

2. Prevalence of Nodding Syndrome — Uganda, 2012–2013

CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

Although many aspects of Nodding Syndrome remain a mystery, CDC and the Uganda Ministry of Health now know the prevalence of probable cases in northern Uganda. Understanding Nodding Syndrome is crucial to the health and well-being of the people of northern Uganda. In 2013, CDC and the Uganda Ministry of Health conducted the first systematic assessment of the prevalence of Nodding Syndrome in three districts where most cases have been reported, using a modified version of a newly developed consensus case definition. In these districts, the study found that there were 6.8 probable cases per 1,000 children between the ages of 5 and 18 years. These results can provide a basis for future studies to establish mortality rates and treatment effectiveness in other countries with populations affected by Nodding Syndrome. This information is critical for guiding allocation of health-care resources to provide appropriate management of persons with Nodding Syndrome in northern Uganda, and for designing a cohesive strategy to address this emerging public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa.