Health Care Journalists Protest Removal of Vital CDC Data
The Association of Health care Journalists (AHCJ), representing 1,400 members, has issued a strong protest against the recent removal of critical public health data from the Centers for disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. In a letter addressed too Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Dorothy A. Fink, M.D., and Acting CDC Director Susan Monarez, Ph.D., the AHCJ expressed deep concern over the disappearance of essential datasets, including the Youth Risk Behavioral surveillance System (YRBS), the Social vulnerability Index, and AtlasPlus, an interactive tool providing years of data on social determinants of health and diseases like HIV, TB, and STDs.“These data are used by journalists every day to report stories about public health,” the letter states. The removal of such resources, even temporarily, has sparked alarm among health care journalists who rely on this details to inform the public.
The YRBS data, which tracks behaviors such as smoking, vaping, drinking, eating habits, exercise, and sexual activity among young people, is particularly crucial at a time when chronic illnesses and harmful behaviors among youth are a national priority. Similarly, the Social Vulnerability Index provides county-level insights into communities’ resilience and ability to respond to disasters like wildfires and severe whether.
“Even the temporary removal of such data will impair our members’ ability to give the public essential and timely health information,” the AHCJ emphasized. The organization has called for the immediate restoration of the removed sites and urged the CDC to refrain from taking down other pages containing critical health data.
the letter was signed by AHCJ President Felice J. Freyer, Vice President Gideon Gil, and Interim Executive Director Andrea waner. Their collective voice underscores the importance of transparency and accessibility in public health data,which serves as the backbone of informed journalism and public awareness.
| Key Data Removed | Purpose |
|———————–|————-|
| Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System (YRBS) | Tracks behaviors like smoking, vaping, and sexual activity among youth |
| Social Vulnerability Index | Assesses community resilience to disasters |
| atlasplus | Provides data on HIV, TB, STDs, and social determinants of health |
The AHCJ’s protest highlights the critical role of federal health data in shaping public discourse and policy. As journalists continue to advocate for the restoration of these resources, the public is reminded of the importance of accessible, reliable health information in addressing pressing national issues.
For more insights into the impact of disappearing federal health data, explore the efforts to preserve these vital resources.
