C 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. V
Birth Defects Research (Part A) 97:617–618 (2013)
Editorial
Birth Defects Surveillance: Epidemiology, Health Services Research, Public Health, and Prevention Each year since 2000, the National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN) in collaboration with the United States National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has published a report to advance the field of birth defects surveillance, epidemiology, and public health practice. The reports comply with provisions of the Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1998; these publications, first in Teratology and, since 2003, in Birth Defects Research, Part A, continue to provide researchers and public health professionals with access to an important source of population-based data. The 2013 report includes nine original articles, an editorial on the implications of evolving diagnostic testing methods for birth defects surveillance and research, and a data report highlighting the prevalence of trisomies (Down syndrome, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13). The report also includes materials available only online: recent prevalence data on major birth defects from 41 populationbased programs across the United States and a directory of these programs. The NBDPN remains committed to the primary prevention of birth defects and improvement of outcomes for children and families living with birth defects through the use of birth defects surveillance data for research, program planning, and program evaluation. This issue begins with an editorial by Jackson, Druschel, and Shapira, examining evolving diagnostic methods for genetic disorders and birth defects and their implications for birth defects surveillance, epidemiology, and public health practice. State-based surveillance programs will be challenged to develop methods to filter and interpret copious amounts of data generated by new and evolving technologies so that genetic testing results can be used to enhance the completeness, timeliness, and comprehensiveness of birth defects ascertainment. Three articles explore the descriptive epidemiology of birth defects using statewide surveillance data. Kim et al. examine the prevalence and trends of 21 selected congenital malformations in New York over the quarter century from 1983 to 2007. Using data from the Texas birth defects registry, Nembhard et al. study race/ethnic disparities in age at death among children with congenital heart defects, while Sauber-Schatz et al. examine the association between injury during pregnancy and central nervous system defects. These contributions are followed by two studies related to the public health impact of folic acid fortification. Tinker et al. provide estimates of
the potential reduction in neural tube defects that might be anticipated from fortification of corn masa flour in the United States with folic acid, while the article by Youngblood et al. examines global progress toward prevention of folic acid-preventable spina bifida and anencephaly. The three articles that follow apply health services research methods to the analysis of birth defects surveillance data. Using data from Florida, Peterson et al. examine differences in hospital use, costs, and infant mortality by timing of diagnosis for critical congenital heart disease. Delmelle et al. demonstrate a geographic information systems-based method for estimating travel time to hospitals and apply this to hospital use patterns among infants with spina bifida in Florida, while Cassell et al. study factors associated with distance and time traveled for cleft and craniofacial care among infants with craniofacial defects in North Carolina. Lastly, the issue includes a statistical methods study from the Texas birth defects registry, comparing the use of Poisson and logistic regression models in epidemiologic studies. The articles included in the October 2013 issue were selected from those submitted in response to a call for manuscripts distributed to all state birth defect surveillance programs, NBDPN members, the birth defects surveillance list service, and posted on the NBDPN website (http://www.nbdpn.org). The articles included here underwent both editorial and formal blinded peer review. The review process was facilitated by the use of the online ScholarOne peer-review management system provided by Wiley for the Birth Defects Research, Part A, editors. As with many collaborative enterprises, dedicated individuals too numerous to mention contributed their time and effort to ensure the quality of the NBDPN annual report. These include the many peer reviewers of these manuscripts and the authors of all of the submitted manuscripts. We also thank the members of the NBDPN Data and the Publications and Communications Committees, as well as Cara Mai, Jennifer Isenburg, and
Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/bdra.23192
Birth Defects Research (Part A): Clinical and Molecular Teratology 97:617–618 (2013)
618
KIRBY AND BROWNE
Erin Bugenske at the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. We thank the Birth Defects Research Part A editors, especially Michel Vekemans and Christina Chambers, as well as Kevin Jeannette for their help and assistance with the submission and publication of these manuscripts. We also would like to thank the Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for its support of the NBDPN.
Birth Defects Research (Part A) 97:617–618 (2013)
Russell S. Kirby Marilyn L. Browne Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida Congenital Malformations Registry, New York State Department of Health, Albany New York University at Albany School of Public Health, Rensselaer, NY
Birth Defects Research (Part A) 97:617–618 (2013)
Editorial
Birth Defects Surveillance: Epidemiology, Health Services Research, Public Health, and Prevention Each year since 2000, the National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN) in collaboration with the United States National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has published a report to advance the field of birth defects surveillance, epidemiology, and public health practice. The reports comply with provisions of the Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1998; these publications, first in Teratology and, since 2003, in Birth Defects Research, Part A, continue to provide researchers and public health professionals with access to an important source of population-based data. The 2013 report includes nine original articles, an editorial on the implications of evolving diagnostic testing methods for birth defects surveillance and research, and a data report highlighting the prevalence of trisomies (Down syndrome, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13). The report also includes materials available only online: recent prevalence data on major birth defects from 41 populationbased programs across the United States and a directory of these programs. The NBDPN remains committed to the primary prevention of birth defects and improvement of outcomes for children and families living with birth defects through the use of birth defects surveillance data for research, program planning, and program evaluation. This issue begins with an editorial by Jackson, Druschel, and Shapira, examining evolving diagnostic methods for genetic disorders and birth defects and their implications for birth defects surveillance, epidemiology, and public health practice. State-based surveillance programs will be challenged to develop methods to filter and interpret copious amounts of data generated by new and evolving technologies so that genetic testing results can be used to enhance the completeness, timeliness, and comprehensiveness of birth defects ascertainment. Three articles explore the descriptive epidemiology of birth defects using statewide surveillance data. Kim et al. examine the prevalence and trends of 21 selected congenital malformations in New York over the quarter century from 1983 to 2007. Using data from the Texas birth defects registry, Nembhard et al. study race/ethnic disparities in age at death among children with congenital heart defects, while Sauber-Schatz et al. examine the association between injury during pregnancy and central nervous system defects. These contributions are followed by two studies related to the public health impact of folic acid fortification. Tinker et al. provide estimates of
the potential reduction in neural tube defects that might be anticipated from fortification of corn masa flour in the United States with folic acid, while the article by Youngblood et al. examines global progress toward prevention of folic acid-preventable spina bifida and anencephaly. The three articles that follow apply health services research methods to the analysis of birth defects surveillance data. Using data from Florida, Peterson et al. examine differences in hospital use, costs, and infant mortality by timing of diagnosis for critical congenital heart disease. Delmelle et al. demonstrate a geographic information systems-based method for estimating travel time to hospitals and apply this to hospital use patterns among infants with spina bifida in Florida, while Cassell et al. study factors associated with distance and time traveled for cleft and craniofacial care among infants with craniofacial defects in North Carolina. Lastly, the issue includes a statistical methods study from the Texas birth defects registry, comparing the use of Poisson and logistic regression models in epidemiologic studies. The articles included in the October 2013 issue were selected from those submitted in response to a call for manuscripts distributed to all state birth defect surveillance programs, NBDPN members, the birth defects surveillance list service, and posted on the NBDPN website (http://www.nbdpn.org). The articles included here underwent both editorial and formal blinded peer review. The review process was facilitated by the use of the online ScholarOne peer-review management system provided by Wiley for the Birth Defects Research, Part A, editors. As with many collaborative enterprises, dedicated individuals too numerous to mention contributed their time and effort to ensure the quality of the NBDPN annual report. These include the many peer reviewers of these manuscripts and the authors of all of the submitted manuscripts. We also thank the members of the NBDPN Data and the Publications and Communications Committees, as well as Cara Mai, Jennifer Isenburg, and
Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/bdra.23192
Birth Defects Research (Part A): Clinical and Molecular Teratology 97:617–618 (2013)
618
KIRBY AND BROWNE
Erin Bugenske at the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. We thank the Birth Defects Research Part A editors, especially Michel Vekemans and Christina Chambers, as well as Kevin Jeannette for their help and assistance with the submission and publication of these manuscripts. We also would like to thank the Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for its support of the NBDPN.
Birth Defects Research (Part A) 97:617–618 (2013)
Russell S. Kirby Marilyn L. Browne Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida Congenital Malformations Registry, New York State Department of Health, Albany New York University at Albany School of Public Health, Rensselaer, NY
