The objective of this study was to examine effectiveness of a Hypertension Management Program (HMP) in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). From September 2018 through December 2019, we implemented HMP in seven clinics of an FQHC in rural South Carolina. A pre/post evaluation design estimated the association of HMP with hypertension control rates and systolic blood pressure using electronic health record data among 3,941 patients. A chi-square test estimated change in mean control rates in pre- and intervention periods. A multilevel multivariable logistic regression model estimated the incremental impact of HMP on odds of hypertension control. Results showed that 53.4% of patients had controlled hypertension pre-intervention (September 2016-September 2018); 57.3% had controlled hypertension at the end of the observed implementation period (September 2018-December 2019) (p < 0.01). Statistically significant increases in hypertension control rates were observed in six of seven clinics (p < 0.05). Odds of controlled hypertension were 1.21 times higher during the intervention period compared to pre-intervention (p < 0.0001). Findings can inform the replication of HMP in FQHCs and similar health care settings, which play a pivotal role in caring for patients with health and socioeconomic disparities.

INTRODUCTION: Tanzania aimed to reduce micronutrient deficiencies and neural tube defects by introducing mandatory fortification of large-scale packaged wheat and maize flour but not for small- and medium-scale mills. OBJECTIVES: Ascertain the proportion of the population in Morogoro region, Tanzania, that consumes packaged maize flour from small-, medium- and large-mills; and understand the impact of monthly apparent purchase and consumption of packaged flour. METHODS: In 2018, a regional, multistage cluster probability study was conducted among residents in Morogoro region living in households that reported consuming maize flour. Interviews collected information on sociodemographic factors and patterns of household flour consumption. Weighted medians estimated daily apparent flour consumption and the estimated average requirement (EAR), according to age. RESULTS: Information was collected on 711 households. Packaged maize flour was purchased 10 to 12 months of the year by 22.9% of households, 6 to 9 months by 17.6% of households, 1 to 5 months by 25.1% of households, and 34.4% did not purchased maize flour. Median apparent daily consumption of maize flour was 209.7 g/d/adult male equivalent (AME). Apparent median daily consumption of maize flour was 230.1 g/d/AME in rural areas and 176.2 g/d/AME in urban areas; 228.7 g/d/AME among males and 196.4 g/d/AME among females. If all packaged maize flour were fortified according to standards, those consuming packaged maize flour 10 to 12 months of the year would apparently consume 199.9 µg folic acid/d representing 49.7% of daily EAR requirements. CONCLUSIONS: Fortifying packaged maize flour at small-, medium- and large-mills is a promising strategy for increasing access to micronutrients, including folic acid.

PURPOSE: This study describes how recipients of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded Sodium Reduction in Communities Program (SRCP) worked with emergency food programs to improve access to healthy food to address chronic conditions. DESIGN: SRCP recipients partnered with emergency food programs to implement sodium reduction strategies including nutrition standards, procurement practices, environmental strategies, and behavioral economics approaches. SETTING: SRCP recipients and emergency food programs in Washington County and Benton County, Arkansas and King County, Washington. SUBJECTS: SRCP recipient staff, emergency food program staff, and key stakeholders. MEASURES: We conducted semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and systematic review of program documents. ANALYSIS: Data were analyzed using effects matrices for each recipient. Matrices were organized using select implementation science constructs and compared in a cross-case analysis. RESULTS: Despite limited resources, emergency food programs can implement sodium reduction interventions which may provide greater access to healthy foods and lead to reductions in health disparities. Emergency food programs successfully implemented sodium reduction interventions by building on the external and internal settings; selecting strategies that align with existing processes; implementing change incrementally and engaging staff, volunteers, and clients; and sustaining changes. CONCLUSION: Findings contribute to understanding the ways in which emergency food programs and other organizations with limited resources have implemented public health nutrition interventions addressing food insecurity and improving access to healthy foods. These strategies may be transferable to other settings with limited resources.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Sodium Reduction in Communities Program (SRCP). DESIGN: We collected implementation costs and performance measure indicators from SRCP recipients and their partner food service organizations. We estimated the cost per person and per food service organization reached and the cost per menu item impacted. We estimated the short-term effectiveness of SRCP in reducing sodium consumption and used it as an input in the Prevention Impact Simulation Model to project the long-term impact on medical cost savings and quality adjusted life years gained due to a reduction in cardiovascular disease and estimate the cost-effectiveness of SRCP if sustained through 2025 and 2040. SETTING: CDC funded eight recipients as part of the 2016-2021 round of the Sodium Reduction in Communities Program (SRCP) to work with food service organizations in eight settings to increase the availability and purchase of lower-sodium food options. PARTICIPANTS: Eight SRCP recipients and 20 of their partners. RESULTS: At the recipient level, average cost per person reached was $10, and average cost per food service organization reached was $42,917. At the food service organization level, median monthly cost per food item impacted by recipe modification or product substitution was $684. Cost-effectiveness analyses showed that, if sustained, the program is cost saving (i.e. the reduction in medical costs is greater than the implementation costs) in the target population by $1.82 through 2025 and $2.09 through 2040. CONCLUSIONS: By providing evidence of the cost-effectiveness of a real-world sodium reduction initiative, this study can help inform decisions by public health organizations about related cardiovascular disease prevention interventions.

Food fortification has proven to be an effective approach for preventing micronutrient deficiencies in many settings. Factors that lead to successful fortification programs are well established. However, due to the multisectoral nature of fortification and the added complexities present in many settings, the barriers to success are not always evident and the strategies to address them are not always obvious. We developed a systematic process for identifying and addressing gaps in the implementation of a food fortification program. The framework is composed of 4 phases: (1) connect program theory of change to program implementation; (2) develop an implementation research agenda; (3) conduct implementation research; and (4) analyze findings and develop/disseminate recommendations for next steps. We detail steps in each phase to help guide teams through the process. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to outline a systematic process for applying implementation science research to food fortification. The development of this framework is intended to promote implementation research in the field of food fortification, thus improving access to and effectiveness of this key public health intervention.

In January 2018, the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) was notified of a case of Cronobacter sakazakii meningitis in a female neonate who had been fed exclusively maternal breast milk. The infant was born by induced vaginal delivery at 37 weeks’ gestational age. She was discharged from the newborn nursery after 2 days and was clinically well until age 8 days, when she was admitted with poor feeding, fever of 100.4°F (38°C), and abnormal movements. Electroencephalography demonstrated multifocal seizures; MRI demonstrated multifocal restricted diffusion, leptomeningeal enhancement, and patchy hemorrhagic areas. Cultures from blood and cerebrospinal fluid yielded C. sakazakii, a gram-negative pathogenic bacillus. She was initially treated with meropenem, gentamicin, and antiepileptics to control seizures; when antibiotic sensitivity results were available, the antimicrobial regimen was narrowed to cefepime to complete a 21-day course. She was discharged home at age 33 days with early intervention therapies for global hypotonia and close monitoring of her development.

In September 2015, a Wyoming woman was admitted to a local hospital with a 5-day history of progressive weakness, ataxia, dysarthria, and dysphagia. Because of respiratory failure, she was transferred to a referral hospital in Utah, where she developed progressive encephalitis. On day 8 of hospitalization, the patient's family told clinicians they recalled that, 1 month before admission, the woman had found a bat on her neck upon waking, but had not sought medical care. The patient's husband subsequently had contacted county invasive species authorities about the incident, but he was not advised to seek health care for evaluation of his wife's risk for rabies. On October 2, CDC confirmed the patient was infected with a rabies virus variant that was enzootic to the silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans). The patient died on October 3. Public understanding of rabies risk from bat contact needs to be improved; cooperation among public health and other agencies can aid in referring persons with possible bat exposure for assessment of rabies risk.