Category: Injury
Raising Awareness to Prevent Prescription Opioid Overdoses
![A jumble of prescription pill bottles](https://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2018/04/HEADER-PHOTO_iStock-480659301-825x500.jpg)
In 2016, 115 Americans died every day from an opioid overdose – that is more than 42,000 drug overdose deaths that involved an opioid including prescription opioids, heroin, and/or illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Prescription opioids (like hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine) are prescribed by doctors to treat moderate to severe pain, but have serious risks and side Read More >
Posted on by 14 CommentsIn Case You Missed It: Top 10 Posts From 2017
![](https://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2018/01/01082018_blog_header-1-825x459.jpg)
In honor of the New Year, we are rounding up the blogs that were most viewed by you, our readers, in 2017. America’s Hidden Health Crisis: Hope for Those Who Suffer from ME/CFS Public Health Matters recognized the 25th anniversary of International Awareness Day for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Fibromyalgia. Between 825,000 Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsRural America in Crisis: The Changing Opioid Overdose Epidemic
![An aerial view of Poconos, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, USA.](https://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2017/11/HEADER-IMAGE_iStock-814730870-825x500.jpg)
In America, 15 out of 100 people live in a rural area. I loved growing up in a rural community, where there were actually no stop lights, everyone knew their neighbors, and doors were always open. But, my years of working in public health has taught me rural areas are not that different from urban Read More >
Posted on by 8 CommentsLoving Someone With Epilepsy
![MRI brain scan](https://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2017/10/HEADER-IMAGE_iStock-168715138-825x500.jpg)
When Zayan first told me that he has epilepsy, I didn’t believe him. “You mean seizures, right?” I was embarrassed at how much I didn’t know. Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain that triggers recurrent seizures. It can be caused by different conditions that affect a person’s brain. A person is diagnosed with epilepsy Read More >
Posted on by 33 CommentsHalloween Rules of the Road
![Parent taking children trick or treating at Halloween.](https://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2017/10/HEADER-IMAGE_Parent-Taking-Children-Trick-Or-Treating-At-Halloween_519664846-825x500.jpg)
Halloween is an exciting time for kids and adults – the delight of dressing up in a fun costume, all of the spooky decorations, and of course let’s not forget the candy. Traditionally, kids trick-or-treat at night – going house-to-house in their costumes. On average, children are more than twice as likely to be hit Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentTeaching skills that save lives
![Instructor and student practicing CPR on mannequin.](https://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2017/06/DSC_0130_header-825x475.jpg)
We observed CPR and AED Awareness Week at the beginning of June. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Stacy Thorne, a health scientist in the Office of Smoking and Health, who is also a certified first aid, CPR and AED instructor. Stacy has a history of involvement in emergency response and preparedness Read More >
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