Centers for Disease Control and Prevention facts for kids
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | July 1, 1946 |
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| Jurisdiction | Federal government of the United States |
| Headquarters | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. 33°47′58″N 84°19′42″W / 33.79944°N 84.32833°W |
| Employees | 10,899 (2015) |
| Annual budget | US$11.1 billion (FY18) |
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| Parent agency | United States Department of Health and Human Services |
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a very important health agency in the United States. It works to protect the health and safety of people. The CDC is part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Its main office is in Atlanta, Georgia.
The CDC's main goal is to stop diseases, injuries, and disabilities from happening. They work to keep people healthy in the U.S. and all over the world. The CDC focuses on many health topics. These include germs that spread, sickness from food, and keeping our environment healthy. They also care about safety at work and helping people make healthy choices. The CDC also studies diseases that don't spread, like obesity and diabetes.
The current leader of the CDC is Mandy Cohen. She started her job on July 10, 2023.
Contents
History of the CDC: Protecting Public Health
The CDC has a long history of keeping people safe and healthy. It started by fighting diseases that spread easily.
How the CDC Started
The CDC began on July 1, 1946. It was first called the Communicable Disease Center. This new agency took over from a program that fought malaria during World War II. Malaria was a big problem in the Southern United States. That is why Atlanta was chosen as the CDC's home.
At first, the CDC had a small budget. Most of its workers focused on stopping mosquitoes. Mosquitoes spread malaria. They sprayed many homes with DDT to kill mosquitoes. The CDC also worked to expand its efforts to fight other spreading diseases.
In 1947, the CDC got land for its main office in Atlanta. This land was bought for a very small amount of money. The money was collected by CDC employees. A man named Robert W. Woodruff, who led The Coca-Cola Company, helped with this "gift." He cared about stopping malaria.
Growing and Changing Over Time
In 1951, the CDC started a special training program. It was called the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS). This program trained "disease detectives." These detectives learn how to investigate disease outbreaks. The EIS program has been very successful. It led to similar training programs in over 80 countries. These programs have trained many health experts worldwide.
Over the years, the CDC took on more health challenges. In the 1960s, it started programs for tuberculosis control and immunization (vaccines). The agency also changed its name several times. It became the National Communicable Disease Center in 1967. Then it was called the Center for Disease Control in 1970.
Recent Changes and Focus Areas
In 1992, the name changed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The word "Prevention" was added to show its wider focus. Even with the new name, people still call it the CDC.
Since the 1990s, the CDC has focused on many different health issues. This includes long-lasting diseases, preventing injuries, and safety at work. They also deal with environmental health and preparing for emergencies. The CDC fights new and old health risks. These include birth defects, West Nile virus, and different types of flu. They also work to prevent the misuse of medicines.
In 2014, the CDC found some misplaced smallpox samples. This led to new safety checks in their labs. In 2018, the city of Atlanta officially included the CDC headquarters within its city limits.
In 2022, the CDC announced big changes. They want to respond faster to health emergencies. They also want to share information in ways that everyone can understand. This was based on lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How the CDC is Organized
The CDC is made up of different "Centers, Institutes, and Offices." Each part focuses on a special area of health. They also work together to handle big health threats.
Some of the important centers include:
- The National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
- The National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (for diseases that spread from animals to humans).
- The National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention.
- The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
- The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which focuses on safety at work.
- The Global Health Center, which works on health issues around the world.
The CDC also has offices that help with things like communications, science, and preparing for emergencies.
Where the CDC Works
Most of the CDC's main offices are in Atlanta. Their main campus has special labs, including some of the safest labs in the world. These labs can handle very dangerous germs.
Some CDC centers are in other places:
- The National Center for Health Statistics is mostly in Hyattsville, Maryland.
- NIOSH has offices in several states, like Cincinnati, Morgantown, West Virginia, and Pittsburgh.
- The CDC also has quarantine stations in 20 U.S. cities. These stations help stop the spread of diseases from travelers.
CDC's Budget and Workforce
The CDC gets money from the government to do its work. In 2018, its budget was about $11.9 billion. A large part of this money is given as grants to other groups. These grants help local communities improve health and safety.
The CDC has many skilled workers. In 2021, about 15,000 people worked there. They have many different jobs, like engineers, scientists, doctors, and nurses. Many of them have advanced college degrees.
Special Training Programs
The CDC runs special training programs:
- The Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) trains "disease detectives." These experts investigate health problems in the U.S. and globally. They go to places where outbreaks happen to help.
- The Public Health Associate Program (PHAP) is for recent college graduates. It's a two-year program where they work in public health agencies across the U.S.
Leadership at the CDC
The person in charge of the CDC is called the Director. The Director is chosen by the President of the United States. This job is very important for public health.
Many different people have led the CDC since it started. Each director has helped guide the agency's work to protect health. The current director is Mandy Cohen.
What the CDC Focuses On
The CDC works on hundreds of diseases and health issues. These are the main causes of sickness and death.
Diseases That Spread (Communicable Diseases)
The CDC provides information on many diseases that can spread. These include diseases like smallpox and measles.
Influenza (Flu)
The CDC works hard to stop the spread of influenza, or the flu. This includes different types of flu, like the H1N1 swine flu. They create websites and campaigns to teach people about good hygiene. Good hygiene helps stop germs from spreading.
Dangerous Germs and Toxins
The CDC has a program called the Federal Select Agent Program. This program checks labs that work with very dangerous germs. These germs could cause serious diseases in people, animals, or plants. The CDC also controls the import of infectious materials.
During the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014, the CDC helped bring infected American aid workers back to the U.S. for treatment. They worked with special hospitals to care for these patients safely.
Diseases That Don't Spread (Non-Communicable Diseases)
The CDC also works on diseases that don't spread from person to person. These are often called chronic diseases. Examples include diseases linked to obesity, not being active enough, and tobacco use. The CDC helps people prevent these long-term health problems.
Fighting Antibiotic Resistance
The CDC has a plan to fight antibiotic resistance. This happens when germs learn to resist medicines that are supposed to kill them. This plan helps stop the spread of these "superbugs" in the U.S. It includes building a network of labs to study antibiotic resistance.
Global Health Efforts
The CDC works with health groups around the world. They help other countries deal with health challenges. They also try to stop disease threats where they start. The CDC has staff in over 60 countries. They work with the World Health Organization (WHO) and local health ministries.
The CDC helps carry out international health rules. These rules are an agreement between 196 countries. They help prevent and control the spread of diseases across borders.
Health Information for Travelers
The CDC publishes a book called CDC Health Information for International Travel. It's known as the "yellow book." This book gives travelers important health advice. It includes vaccine recommendations and information about different travel destinations. The CDC also puts out travel health notices online. These notices tell travelers about health risks in different places. They have three levels:
- "Watch": Normal precautions.
- "Alert": Take extra precautions.
- "Warning": Avoid nonessential travel.
Making Sure Vaccines Are Safe
The CDC uses several ways to check if vaccines are safe.
- The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) collects information about possible side effects after vaccination.
- The Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) shares data on vaccine safety with healthcare groups.
- The Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment (CISA) project researches vaccine safety.
- V-safe is a smartphone app. It lets people report how they feel after getting a vaccine.
The CDC Foundation
The CDC Foundation is a separate, non-profit organization. It works with the CDC to support its mission. The Foundation gets money from companies, charities, and individuals. Since 1995, it has raised over $1.6 billion. This money has helped start more than 1,200 health programs.
What the Foundation Does
The Foundation supports health programs in many countries. These programs focus on important health areas. This includes heart disease, cancer, and how to respond to emergencies. They also work on infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19.
- EmPOWERED Health Program: This program helps cancer patients take an active role in their treatment decisions.
- Fries Prize for Improving Health: This award recognizes people who have made big improvements in public health.
See also
In Spanish: Centros para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades para niños
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Haddon Matrix
- Safe Kids Worldwide
- List of national public health agencies
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
