American journal of public health
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To update prevalence estimates for coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) among working underground coal miners in the United States. ⋯ The national prevalence of CWP among working coal miners is increasing. This increase is most pronounced in central Appalachia. Current CWP prevalence estimates will likely be reflected in future trends for severe and disabling disease, including progressive massive fibrosis. Public Health Implications. Recently enacted protections to prevent coal mine dust exposure and identify CWP at its early stage remain essential to protect US coal miners.
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Prompt treatment of ill persons with influenza antivirals will be an important part of a future pandemic influenza response. This essay reviews key lessons learned from the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and the changing landscape of antiviral drug availability, and identifies and describes the multiple components needed to ensure the timely administration of antiviral drugs during a future pandemic. Fortunately, many of these planning efforts can take place before a pandemic strikes to improve outcomes during a future public health emergency.
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To quantify the proportion of current US gun owners who are new to owning firearms and compare new versus long-standing gun owners with respect to their firearms and firearm-related behaviors. ⋯ Gun ownership is dynamic, with approximately 1 million Americans becoming new gun owners each year. Public Health Implications. Clinical guidelines should be updated to explicitly endorse re-evaluating household firearm status at regular intervals.
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To compare public support for 24 different gun policies between gun owners and non-gun owners in 2017. ⋯ Policies with high public support and minimal support gaps by gun ownership status included universal background checks, greater accountability for licensed gun dealers unable to account for their inventory, higher safety training standards for concealed carry permit holders, improved reporting of records related to mental illness for background checks, gun prohibitions for persons subject to temporary domestic violence restraining orders, and gun violence restraining orders. Public Health Implications. Although there are important areas where Americans disagree on guns, large majorities of both gun owners and non-gun owners strongly support measures to strengthen US gun laws.