Saturday, July 31, 2021

American Public Health Association, our Trusted Link for July 2021

 

American Public Health Association
American Public Health Association

The American Public Health Association (APHA) is a non-profit association for public health professionals headquartered in Washington, DC. Its membership includes more than 25,000 people from over 40 countries, although most are in the United States. APHA defines public health as the effort to prevent illness, injuries, and promote wellness in communities. Specific public health activities include

  • Educating the public about ways to stay healthy
  • Setting standards for safety and nutrition
  • Preventing the spread of diseases
  • Conducting and supporting scientific research on health.

Among the jobs held by public health professionals are 

  • Health educators
  • Occupational health and safety professionals
  • Emergency Medical Technicians
  • Restaurant inspectors
  • Epidemiologists and other scientists
  • Social workers
  • Physicians and nurses working in government settings.

APHA was founded in 1872 by a group of physicians working to reduce the spread of communicable diseases. Their early work focused on control of tuberculosis. Starting in 1895 they began publishing guides for local governments to adopt for assuring healthy communities. Their standards include the management of water, sewage, safe milk, death certificates, air quality, and qualifications for public health workers. In 1965 they introduced the Public Health Law Manual. 

Ten awards are issued at their annual meeting including the Sedgwick Memorial Medal for advancing public health knowledge and Helen Rodriguez-Trias Social Justice Award for helping underserved and disadvantages populations. 

Publications include

Members of the APHA advise members of government and other decisionmakers, advocating for the protection of public health. Learn more about their initiatives here

AJPH Talks (Interviews and News)

Friday, July 30, 2021

Drug Induced Deaths in the Great Plains Region

More than 74,500 drug induced deaths were recorded in the United States in 2019. That's about 22.7 deaths per 100,000 population from drug induced causes.  Drug overdoses, both intentional and accidental, accounted for almost 95% of these deaths.  In the twenty year span from 1999 to 2019, the drug induced death rate per 100,000 population more than tripled in the United States.  While all regions of the country experienced sharp increases in the number of drug induced deaths in the twenty years from 1999 to 2019, the experience in the seven-state Great Plains region was particularly bad.  During the same twenty year period that the national drug induced death rate more than tripled, in the Great Plains region the death rate more than quadrupled.  Although the region's death rate from drug induced causes was below the national average in 1999 and continued to be so in 2019, its drug induced death rate per 100,000 population surged from 3.6 in 1999 to 17.3 by 2019.  A examination of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, reveals the following about drug induced deaths in the Great Plains region.:

Drug Induced Deaths in the Great Plains Region
Drug Induced Deaths in the Great Plains Region

Area/Deaths 1999 2009 2019
IA 59 213 374
KS 100 318 430
MN 169 441 886
MO 294 881 1,649
NE 41 118 180
ND 15 28 95
SD 20 51 90
Region 698 2,050 3,704
U.S. 19,128 39,147 74,511
Area/Death Rate* 1999 2009 2019
IA 2.0 7.0 11.9
KS 3.7 11.2 14.8
MN 3.5 8.4 15.7
MO 5.3 14.8 26.9
NE 2.4 6.5 9.3
ND ** 4.2 12.5
SD 2.7 6.3 10.2
Region 3.6 10.1 17.3
U.S. 6.9 12.8 22.7

(*) number of drug induced deaths per 100,000 population
(**) the CDC deems death rates as unreliable when the rate is calculated with a numerator less than 20

Source: CDC Wonder. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2019 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2020. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed on June 5, 2021

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Speech Language Pathologist Pay in the U.S. Southwest

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published reports recently indicating that there were nearly 148,500 speech language pathologists (SLPs) working in the United States as of May 2020.  More than 19,000 of those employed as SLPs in the U.S. lived in the four-state Southwest region of the country.  The Southwest region is among the weakest regions in the country for speech language pathologist pay, with all four states in the region registering average SLP annual mean wage levels 4% to 10% below the national average.  An examination of BLS data from May 2020 reveals the following about speech language pathologist pay in the U.S. Southwest:

Speech Language Pathologist Pay in the U.S. Southwest

Speech Language Pathologist Pay in the U.S. Southwest


State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
AZ 2,670 $78,420 28th
NM 830 $79,390 24th
OK 1,550 $74,800 38th
TX 14,220 $75,240 36th
U.S. 148,450 $83,240 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on June 2, 2021

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Physical Therapy Assistant Pay in the Great Lakes Region

May 2020 data released recently by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported there being nearly 93,000 physical therapy (PT) assistants at work in the United States.  About 17,000 physical therapy assistants worked in the five-state Great Lakes region of the country. BLS data shows a good amount of pay disparity in the region for PT assistant pay.  The data indicates that about 60% of the region's PT assistants work in either Illinois or Ohio, two states where the average PT assistant annual mean wage exceeds the national average.  Indeed, Ohio was a top 10 state for PT assistant annual mean wages.  However, elsewhere in the region annual mean wages for PT assistants runs below the national average, particularly in Michigan and Wisconsin.  A deeper look at BLS data from May 2020 reveals the following about physical therapy assistant pay in the Great Lakes region of the U.S.:

Physical Therapy Assistant Pay in the Great Lakes Region

Physical Therapy Assistant Pay in the Great Lakes Region

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
IL 3,820 $60,580 14th
IN 2,090 $58,330 22nd
MI 3,100 $54,240 37th
OH 6.400 $61,440 10th
WI 1,620 $52,930 41st
U.S. 92,740 $59,440 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 29, 2021

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Firearm Deaths in New England

In 2019, the United States incurred more than 39,700 firearm deaths, or about 12.1 firearm deaths per 100,000 population.  By 2019, firearms-caused deaths per 100,000 population in the U.S. had increased about 17% from 1999 levels.  The six-state New England region witnessed similar growth in its firearm death rate, which rose from 5.0 deaths per 100,000 population in 1999 to 5.9 deaths per 100,000 population in 2019.  Despite this unfavorable experience, New England remains the region of the country with the lowest firearms-caused death rate per 100,000 population.  A closer review of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, reveals the following about the trend in firearm deaths in New England over the past twenty years:

Firearm Deaths in New England

Firearm Deaths in New England

Area/Deaths 1999 2009 2019
CT 199 173 190
MA 195 207 247
ME 113 122 163
NH 71 89 156
RI 56 56 48
VT 57 60 67
Region 691 707 871
U.S. 28,874 31,347 39,707
Area/Death Rate* 1999 2009 2019
CT 5.9 4.9 5.3
MA 3.1 3.2 3.6
ME 8.9 9.2 12.1
NH 5.8 6.8 11.5
RI 5.4 5.3 4.5
VT 9.4 9.6 10.7
Region 5.0 4.9 5.9
U.S. 10.3 10.2 12.1

(*) number of firearm-caused deaths per 100,000 population; death count includes both intentional and unintentional fatalities caused by a firearm

Source: CDC Wonder. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2019 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2020. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed on June 2, 2021

Friday, July 23, 2021

Radiologic Tech Pay in the Mid-East U.S. Region

Data released earlier this year from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that, as of May 2020, there were nearly 207,000 radiologic technicians and technologists employed in the United States.  The Mid-East region of the U.S. held a bit more than 32,000 of those radiologic technologist and technician jobs.  BLS data reveals the region to be a dichotomous one for radiologic tech pay.  New York and the District of Columbia rank in the top 10 nationally for radiologic tech annual mean wages; and about two-thirds of radiologic techs in the region work in a state where the average annual mean wage exceeds the national average for radiologic techs.  However, 30% of the region's radiologic techs are employed in Pennsylvania, where the annual mean wage runs almost 13% below the national average.  A closer examination of May 2020 data from the BLS reveals the following about radiologic tech pay in Mid-East U.S. region:

Radiologic Tech Pay in the Mid-East U.S. Region

Radiologic Tech Pay in the Mid-East U.S. Region

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
DC 440 $82,270 3rd
DE 670 $63,720 20th
MD 3,670 $70,530 14th
NJ 5,390 $71,450 12th
NY 12,170 $73,150 9th
PA 9,790 $56,440 37th
U.S. 206,720 $64,840 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 26, 2021

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Clinical Lab Tech Pay in New England

More than 326,000 clinical laboratory technologists and technicians were employed in the United States as of May 2020 according to data released earlier this summer by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Just over 19,000 clinical lab techs were employed in the six-state New England region.  For clinical lab techs, New England is one of the best in the nation in terms of pay.  The average annual mean wage for clinical lab techs in every state in the region is near or above the national average. Moreover, three states in the region rank in the top 10 nationally for clinical lab tech annual mean wages.  BLS data from May 2020 reveals the following about clinical lab tech pay in New England:

Clinical Lab Tech Pay in New England

Clinical Lab Tech Pay in New England

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
CT 3,890 $69,340 2nd
MA 11,460 $59,810 14th
ME 1,330 $55,940 21st
NH 710 $63,850 9th
RI 990 $68,570 4th
VT 770 $57,870 17th
U.S. 326,220 $55,990 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 18, 2021

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Cancer Deaths in the Southeastern U.S.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in United States, accounting for over 599,000 deaths in 2019, or about 21% of all deaths in the U.S. that year.  Thanks to advancements in medical knowledge, the death rate from cancer has dropped modestly over the past twenty years. From 197.0 cancer deaths per 100,000 population in 1999, the cancer death rate had dropped 7.3%, to 182.7 deaths per 100,000 population, by 2019.  The national trend in cancer deaths is also seen in the twelve-state Southeastern U.S. region, although the improvement has been more modest.  The region, which historically has worse cancer death rates than most sections of the country, saw its cancer death rate drop only 5.5% between 1999 and 2019, from 212.6 deaths per 100,000 population to 200.9 deaths per 100,000 population.  A closer examination of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, reveals the following about cancer deaths in the Southeastern U.S.:

Cancer Deaths in the Southeastern U.S.
Cancer Deaths in the Southeastern U.S.

Area/Deaths 1999 2009 2019
AL 9,506 10,289 10,266
AR 6,137 6,513 6,482
FL 38,478 40,932 45,583
GA 13,225 15,143 17,756
KY 8,925 9,634 9,975
LA 9,412 9,098 9,485
MS 6,143 6,131 6,587
NC 15,815 17,513 19,951
SC 8,089 9,123 10,487
TN 11,943 13,482 14,382
VA 13,365 14,122 15,045
WV 4,762 4,786 4,604
Region 145,800 156,766 170,603
U.S. 549,838 567,628 599,601
Area/Death Rate* 1999 2009 2019
AL 214.6 216.2 209.4
AR 231.4 224.8 214.8
FL 244.2 219.4 212.2
GA 164.4 157.4 167.2
KY 222.1 223.2 223.3
LA 211.0 202.6 204.0
MS 217.2 207.2 221.3
NC 198.9 185.3 190.2
SC 203.5 198.8 203.7
TN 211.8 213.8 210.6
VA 190.9 178.2 176.3
WV 262.8 259.0 256.9
Region 212.6 201.5 200.9
U.S. 197.0 185.0 182.7

(*) number of cancer deaths per 100,000 population

Source: CDC Wonder. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2019 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2020. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed on July 17, 2021

Monday, July 19, 2021

Pharmacy Technician Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

May 2020 data published earlier this year by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows more than 415,000 Americans being employed as pharmacy technicians. With almost 13,800 pharmacy technicians employed, the five-state Rocky Mountain region accounted for less than 4% of U.S. pharmacy technician employment. In general, the Rocky Mountain region is one of the better regions in the country for pharmacy technician pay, as all states register an annual mean wage for pharmacy technicians that tops the national average of $36,450.  From May 2020 BLS data, here is a summary look at pharmacy technician pay in the Rocky Mountain region of the U.S.:

Pharmacy Technician Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

Pharmacy Technician Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region


State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
CO 5,710 $39,020 12th
ID 2,260 $36,660 19th
MT 1,200 $37,520 15th
UT 4,060 $38,920 14th
WY 560 $39,330 10th
U.S. 415,310 $36,450 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 18, 2021

Sunday, July 18, 2021

Healthcare Social Worker Pay in the Southeastern U.S.

Earlier this summer the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published data indicating that, as of May 2020, there were more than 176,000 healthcare social workers (HSWs) at work in the U.S.  More than 38,000 of those HSW jobs were in the twelve-state Southeastern region of the country.  BLS data reveals the Southeastern U.S. to be a generally poor one for healthcare social worker pay, as no state in the region registers a HSW annual mean wage that tops the national average of $60,470. Moreover, half the states in the region have a HSW annual mean wages that ranks 40th or worse nationally. BLS data from May 2020 reveals the following about healthcare social worker pay in the Southeastern U.S.:

Healthcare Social Worker Pay in the Southeastern U.S.
Healthcare Social Worker Pay in the Southeastern U.S.

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
AL 2,360 $48,310 49th
AR 1,320 $53,370 39th
FL 10,200 $54,250 37th
GA 3,610 $51,730 45th
KY 2,160 $52,310 42nd
LA 1,790 $55,450 36th
MS 1,430 $48,260 50th
NC 3.370 $57,670 24th
SC 1,980 $57,790 23rd
TN 6,160 $49,990 47th
VA 3,480 $56,350 32nd
WV 830 $52,540 41st
U.S. 176,110 $60,470 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 17, 2021

Friday, July 16, 2021

Nurse Practitioner Pay in the Southwestern U.S.

Data published earlier this summer by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that there were over 211,000 nurse practitioners (NPs) working in the United States as of May 2020.  More than 22,500 nurse practitioner jobs in the U.S. were in the four-state Southwestern region of the country.  The Southwestern region is a relatively good one for nurse practitioner pay.  More than 90% of NPs in the Southwestern U.S. live in one of the three states in the region where NP annual mean wages exceed the national average of $114,510. A closer look at BLS data from May 2020 shows the following about nurse practitioner pay in the Southwestern U.S.:

Nurse Practitioner Pay in the Southwestern U.S.

Nurse Practitioner Pay in the Southwestern U.S.


State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
AZ 4,790 $117,480 11th
NM 1,080 $117,050 13th
OK 1,970 $112,750 22nd
TX 14,680 $116,700 15th
U.S. 211,280 $114,510 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 17, 2021

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Dental Hygienist Pay in the U.S. Far West

Data recently published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that there were nearly 195,000 dental hygienists working in the United States as of May 2020.  More than 31,000 dental hygienists were working in the six-state U.S. Far West region according to BLS reports.  The region is the strongest one in the nation for dental hygienist pay, with all states in the region ranking among the top ten in the country for dental hygienist annual mean wages.  A closer look at May 2020 BLS data reveals the following about dental hygienist pay in the U.S. Far West:

Dental Hygienist pay in the U.S. Far West

Dental Hygienist pay in the U.S. Far West

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
AK 610 $115,050 1st
CA 17,880 $109,970 2nd
HI 980 $86,970 9th
NV 2,430 $89,360 5th
OR 3,310 $86,450 10th
WA 6,290 $95,450 3rd
U.S. 194,830 $78,050 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 17, 2021

Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Heart Disease Deaths in New England

Heart disease is the top cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than 659,000 deaths in 2019, or about 23% of all deaths in the USA that year.  Improvements in medical know-how have significantly reduced the heart disease death rate over the past twenty years. From 259.9 deaths per 100,000 population in 1999, by 2019 the death rate attributable to heart disease had dropped to 200.8 deaths per 100,000 population.  Nevertheless, the heart disease death rate nationally has been inching back up since the middle of the last decade.  The national experience with heart disease deaths is mirrored in the six-state New England region, where the 2019 death rate of 192.2 per 100,000 population was 25% lower than it was in 1999.  A deeper dive into data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, discloses the following about the trend in heart disease deaths in New England:

Heart Disease Deaths in New England

Heart Disease Deaths in New England

Area/Deaths 1999 2009 2019
CT 9,127 7,105 7,354
MA 15,871 12,322 11,761
ME 3,418 2,674 2,940
NH 2,751 2,268 2,707
RI 3,008 2,411 2,404
VT 1,342 1,171 1,368
Region 35,517 27,951 28,534
U.S. 725,192 599,413 659,041
Area/Death Rate* 1999 2009 2019
CT 269.5 199.5 206.3
MA 251.2 189.1 170.6
ME 269.8 201.1 218.7
NH 225.1 172.3 199.1
RI 289.1 228.8 226.9
VT 221.9 187.4 219.2
Region 256.7 194.1 192.2
U.S. 259.9 195.4 200.8

(*) number of heart disease deaths per 100,000 population

Source: CDC Wonder. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2019 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2020. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed on June 9, 2021

Friday, July 9, 2021

Medical Assistant Pay in the Great Plains Region

Recently produced employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts medical assistant (MA) employment in the United States at over 710,000 as of May 2020.  Approximately 34,000 of those MA jobs were in the seven-state Great Plains region of the country.  BLS data paints a mixed picture for MA pay in the Great Plains region. Minnesota ranks in the top 5 nationally for medical assistant annual mean wages according to BLS data, while Iowa and North Dakota rank in the top 20.  However, three states in the region rank 40th or lower nationally for MA annual mean wages.  A closer look at BLS data reveals the following about medical assistant pay in the Great Plains region as of May 2020:

Medical Assistant Pay in the Great Plains Region
Medical Assistant Pay in the Great Plains Region

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
IA 5,290 $37,660 19th
KS 5,510 $32,030 44th
MN 9,320 $43,090 5th
MO 10,110 $33,540 40th
NE 2,710 $35,810 26th
ND 340 $38,380 16th
SD 920 $31,910 45th
U.S. 710,200 $36,930 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 15, 2021