News You Can Use from CDC

Visitors to CDC's Web site find thousands of Web pages providing credible health and safety information. The home page includes photos segments that link to unique Web pages offering overviews on timely public health topics. Over 200 different health and safety topics have been highlighted since the photo segments were introduced in April.

Some segments provide public health professionals, healthcare providers, and the general public quick access to information about health issues discussed in national news media, such as cancer rates and tuberculosis. Other topic pages are seasonal, such as Summertime Skin Care and Thanksgiving's Turkey Time. All are based on existing CDC research data. Whatever the subject matter, these pages include essential science-based facts and links to CDC or partner Web pages with more detailed information.

MRSA in Schools is the most frequently viewed "feature" page. Addressing a topic that concerns parents and school personnel as well as healthcare providers, this article provides answers to commonly asked questions about preventing the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin infections with the focus on schools. This page was posted to CDC's Web site in October, when MRSA infection was highlighted in news stories and journal articles.

Other featured pages that review topics recently covered in print, broadcast, and Web media include:

• Childhood Lead Exposure – Explains sources of lead poisoning and why it is so dangerous to children

• Extreme Heat – Summarizes tips for beating summer heat

• Climate Change – outlines CDC's plans for addressing potential health issues associated with changes in climate

Health consumers may naturally turn to CDC's Web site to learn more about washing hands, preventing the flu, and testing for HIV; thousands have viewed the photo segments (Wash Your Hands, Flu Season is Here, and HIV Testing During Pregnancy). Interestingly, even more visitors have viewed Stop Ticks, a photo segment compiling tips on preventing tick bites and reducing risk for tick-borne diseases.

Public health has a light side as well. A popular holiday segment included an audio file of CDC employees and friends singing The 12 Ways to Health. Another segment challenges visitors to test their health and safety knowledge, linking to multiple family health and safety quizzes.

These featured pages are short-lived on the CDC.gov home page, running for one week and then moving to an archive. Archived photo features are accessible through the archive or the CDC.gov search tool.