DeYoung Kathryn

NSSP, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveillance system, allows timely detection of emergency department (ED) trends by matching chief complaint (CC) text or diagnosis (DX) codes to established syndrome criteria [1, 2]. No CDC syndrome definition currently exists for marijuana-related visits. Accidental child ingestions and over-consumption of edible products are an emerging concern [3, 4]. A validated marijuana syndrome will allow health departments with access to ED data to measure relative trends and disparities in marijuana-related ED visits.

Objective

To evaluate methods of measuring marijuana-related emergency department visits at Denver metropolitan area hospitals participating in the National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP).

Assessing health disparities and access to healthcare has been an important issue for emergency preparedness and response efforts in the Denver metropolitan area. There have been several high profile MJ-related illness outbreaks in the US over the past 2 years. The legalization and retail sale of recreational MJ in Colorado necessitates enhanced surveillance for adverse effects from MJ use. TCHD and DPH coordinated to use syndromic surveillance data to provide situational awareness and timely outbreak detection related to MJ, including health disparities and overall impacts on population health.

Objective

Adverse health effects related to marijuana (MJ) use may disproportionately impact populations based on age or gender. To explore whether disparities exist among persons seeking emergency department (ED) care related to MJ use, Tri-County Health Department (TCHD) and Denver Public Health (DPH) developed MJ use case definitions, described patient demographics, mapped patients’ geographic distribution relative to marijuana dispensary locations, evaluated access to healthcare, and investigated the potential impact of MJ on pediatric health.

Clostridium difficile (CD), a gram-negative, anaerobic, sporeforming bacterium causes symptoms ranging from mild to severe diarrhea and may result in death. Approximately 75% of CDI cases have symptom onset outside of health care settings. Annual US costs of treatment and infection containment have surpassed $4.8 billion. Risk factors for CDI include recent broad-spectrum antibiotic exposure, advanced age, severe underlying morbidities, immunocompromised status, long-term hospital stays, and residence in long-term-care facilities. Nationally, CO-CA cases have increased from 2.8/100,000 person in 1993 to 14.9/100,000 person in 2005.

Objective

Identify population-based Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) incidence stratified by Health Care Facility Onset (HCFO), Community Onset-Healthcare Facility Associated (CO-HCFA), and Community Onset-Community Associated (CO-CA) CDI in Denver County from 2011 - 2013 and describe demographic, health care facility exposure, and medication use risk factors.