MOPS

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) is a series of scientific publications produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. The MMWR is a critical resource for public health information and recommendations, providing timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations.

History

The MMWR has its origins in the early 20th century, with the first publication of the Weekly Health Index in 1912. The modern MMWR began in 1952, when the CDC took over the publication of the weekly report from the National Office of Vital Statistics. Since then, it has become an essential tool for public health professionals, researchers, and policymakers.

Purpose and Content

The primary purpose of the MMWR is to provide data and information on specific diseases as reported by state and territorial health departments. It covers a wide range of topics, including infectious diseases, environmental hazards, natural or human-made disasters, occupational diseases and injuries, and other health threats.

The MMWR includes several types of reports:

• Weekly Reports: These provide updates on the incidence of notifiable diseases and other health-related data.
• Recommendations and Reports: These offer guidelines and recommendations for public health practice.
• Surveillance Summaries: These provide detailed analyses of public health surveillance data.
• Supplements: These are special issues that focus on specific public health topics.

Impact

The MMWR is widely regarded as a vital source of information for public health professionals. It is used to inform public health policy, guide clinical practice, and educate the public about health risks and prevention strategies. The data and analyses published in the MMWR are often used to track disease trends, identify outbreaks, and evaluate the effectiveness of public health interventions.

Access and Distribution

The MMWR is available to the public free of charge. It is published online and can be accessed through the CDC's website. The report is also distributed to health professionals, researchers, and policymakers around the world.

Also see

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Public health
• Epidemiology
• Infectious disease
• Disease surveillance