The Center for Disease Control reported this week that following a plateau from 2000 through 2005, the U.S. infant mortality rate declined 12% from 2005 through 2011. Declines for neonatal and postneonatal mortality were similar. Kansas saw the biggest drop with 15.6% btw 2005-2011

From 2005 through 2011, infant mortality declined 16% for non-Hispanic black women and 12% for non-Hispanic white women.
Infant mortality declined for four of the five leading causes of death during the 2005–2011 period.
Infant mortality rates declined most rapidly among some, but not all, Southern states from 2005 through 2010. Despite these declines, states in the South still had among the highest rates in 2010. Rates were also high in 2010 in some states in the Midwest.
Infant mortality is an important indicator of the health of a nation (1,2). This report describes the recent decline in the U.S. infant mortality rate from 2005 through 2011. Changes in infant mortality rates over time are examined by age at death, maternal race and ethnicity, cause of death, and state. The linked birth/infant death data set (linked file) is generally the preferred source for infant mortality rates by race and ethnicity (3,4). This is particularly important for racial and ethnic groups other than non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic. For these three groups, rates calculated from the mortality and linked files have been very similar for many years, and trends are unlikely to differ (3–5). Thus, data from the mortality file are used for this analysis because of their greater timeliness (3,6). Data for 2011 are preliminary (6). Because preliminary data are not available by state, data for the 2005–2010 period were used for the geographic analysis.

KDHE, Partners Working to Prevent Sexual Violence

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) invites state agencies and other Kansas employers to join the state health department in supporting Denim Day by allowing employees to wear jeans on Wednesday, April 24. Denim Day is a response to a 1999 Italian Supreme Court ruling that overturned a rape conviction because the victim wore tight jeans. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has been a symbol of support for victims of sexual violence and protest against the idea that a victim could cause their own rape.

“Sexual violence is a public health issue that impacts every Kansas community,” said Robert Moser, M.D., KDHE Secretary and State Health Officer. “Kansas women who experienced unwanted sex were more likely to have diagnosed depression, diagnosed anxiety, self-rated fair/poor health and thought about taking their lives in the past year.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the U.S. nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have been raped in their lifetime. In Kansas, nearly 1 in 10 women 18 years and older had experienced unwanted sex in their lifetime. The Kansas-specific data are from the 2011 Kansas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System administered by KDHE.

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback signed a proclamation recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The Governor’s proclamation affirms that, “with leadership, dedication and encouragement, there is evidence that we can be successful in preventing sexual violence in Kansas through increased education, awareness and community involvement.”

“If you have been a victim of sexual assault, there is help,” said Moser. “To find sexual and domestic violence help in your area, visit www.kcsdv.org or call the Kansas Crisis Hotline at 1-888-363-2287.”

As Kansans take advantage of the warming weather to get out to their favorite lake or river, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) reminds outdoor enthusiasts that they play a critical role in helping stop aquatic invaders that threaten Kansas waters.  An informed, watchful public can help protect Kansas waters, so KDWPT has a place on its website where people can learn about the threat and what they can do to help – Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers at ProtectKSWaters.org.

Zebra mussels, Asian carp and other aquatic nuisance species (ANS) pose serious environmental and economic threats to the state’s aquatic resources. Aquatic nuisance species are animals and plants not native to Kansas that can threaten lake and river ecology, harm native or desirable species, and interfere with our economy. They often hitchhike with unsuspecting people who may unknowingly transport an ANS to a previously uninfested body of water.

“Some people may not realize that these non-native species may affect them even if they don’t fish or boat,” said Jessica Howell, Kansas Aquatic Nuisance Species Program Coordinator. “Zebra mussels will attach themselves to anything below the water line. In addition to damaging boating and fishing equipment, they’ll foul rocky shorelines with their sharp, dime-sized shells, making it hard to walk or wade along the shore. Also, they can clog water intakes and damage power-generating facilities. In early 2012, the city of Council Grove experienced a temporary water shortage due to a thick layer of zebra mussels coating the inside of the intake tank at Council Grove City Lake.”

Asian carp are another aquatic nuisance species – actually three species of carp – that threaten waterways and fish populations. They can eat up to 40 percent of their body weight each day, competing with native fish for food and threatening the diversity and quality of other aquatic life.  When young, Asian carp resemble native minnows and shad, which is one reason the Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Commission adjusted the bait fish regulations to limit the use of wild-caught bait fish.  When grown, Asian carp can weigh up to 100 pounds, and they are prone to leaping out of the water when disturbed, posing a real physical threat to boaters.

There are three primary ways the public can help stop ANS from spreading:

CLEAN – DRAIN – DRY – boats and equipment after every visit to any lake or river

DON’T MOVE LIVE FISH – between bodies of water or up streams

DON’T DUMP BAIT IN THE WATER OR DRAINAGE DITCHES – Instead, discard it on dry land or in an approved receptacle

-Social media was abuzz Saturday evening in Salina as those who attended the Isis Shrine Circus at the Bi-Centennial Center spread the word on Facebook and Twitter about a few moments that a tiger got loose during a performance.

No one was hurt and the tiger was captured by circus staff in a restroom.

One Salina man on Facebook said the trainer and circus staff backed a cage up to the restroom door, snapped a whip , and the tiger went into the cage .

Bicentennial manager Chris Bird told the Associate Press, ” most people, other than those who couldn’t get into the restroom, had no idea a dangerous animal had briefly escaped.”

The circus had one more performance Sunday afternoon.