CDC Information Centers

The Information Centers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) support the wide range of information needed by CDC researchers in the CDC's eight centers and three program offices. They also respond to inquiries from the public health community. CDC staff utilizing CDC Information Centers are primarily in the Atlanta, Georgia, headquarters but are also in outlying Centers and field staff offices from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Anchorage, Alaska. Information Centers are located within these agencies:

CDC Information Center: The main Information Center (www.cdc.gov), located on the Atlanta Roybal campus, provides services to all of CDC and ATSDR. The collection provides resources on general public health topics, and infectious diseases. The CDC Information Center branch at Chamblee focuses on environmental health and parasitology. Services include providing a full range of reference and research consultation, maintaining the agency's online catalog of resources, electronic resource licensing, document delivery, and the provision of database services. Web responsibilities include shared management of the main CDC Web site, CDC Intranet, and special initiatives including the Hispanic Website and the forthcoming KidsPage site.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Information Center: The ATSDR Information Center provides scientific, management, and technical information support to ATSDR (www.atsdr.cdc.gov/) and its constituents. Resources and services emphasize the areas of environmental health and toxicology. In addition, the Information Center coordinates information management and dissemination activities in the Agency's Division of Toxicology.

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) Information Center: The NCCDPHP Information Center (www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/) maintains an extensive collection of print and electronic chronic diseases resources. Staff provides reference and research services, database support, interlibrary loan, and current alerts. The Information Center staff maintains a collection of manuscripts and publications authored by NCCDPHP staff and also produces an annotated bibliography of these publications.

National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention (NCHSTP) Information Center: The Information Center collects resources and provides services in the areas of HIV/AIDS, TB, STDs, and vaccines with a focus on behavioral, cultural and global prevention and treatment. Recently, the National Prevention Information Network (NPIN) Resource Center (www.cdcnpin.org/) was relocated to the NCHSTP Information center to expand services. The collection consists of approximately 24,000 health education materials including brochures, directories, manuals, books, posters, reports, studies, teaching guides, sound recordings, videotapes, and other HIV/AIDS educational materials. NPIN staff partner with the Information Center on research activities as well as respond to public inquires

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) Foege Library: The NCIPC William H. Foege Library, established in 1992, supports the NCIPC research as well as the work of its Public Health affiliates. A full-service library, it provides access to health, news, business, academic and general information resources in traditional and electronic formats and provides research and reference services. The collection focuses on current injury materials and resources. At http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/, information can be found related to vehicle occupant safety, infant/child car seats, firearms and suicide.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Information Centers: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has five information centers, located in the NIOSH Research Laboratories in Cincinnati OH, Morgantown WV, Pittsburgh PA, and Spokane WA. Collections are open to the public. Access to the NIOSHTIC bibliographic database (on occupational safety and health) and the CISS database of mine safety publications is offered. Public inquiries are answered at 1-800-356-4674. Many NIOSH publications are available in full-text at www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html.

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS): The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) provides access to a wide range of statistics that clarify health trends, assists in setting research priorities, provide the mechanisms for epidemiologic study and provides the basis for prevention programs. The NCHS website, www.cdc.gov/nchs, provides access to a wide range of national health data. This statistical data can be retrieved in a number of formats, including full-text publications, quick statistics on health status and health care utilization, and microdata for downloading and manipulation. Also available online are access to information on special health initiatives, guidelines for obtaining birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates, glossary of health statistical terms, and links to other websites that provide statistical health information.

Program Office Web Sites

Epidemiology Program Office (EPO), www.cdc.gov/epo/index.htm, contains information about public health surveillance and teaching materials for grades 7-12 and undergraduate levels.

Public Health Practice Program Office (PHPPO), www.phppo.cdc.gov/, is responsible for laboratory systems, training programs, and the public health image library (http://phil.cdc.gov/phil/home.asp). In March 2001, PHPPO published the 2001 Public Health's Infrastructure Status Report prepared for The Appropriations Committee of the United States Senate. PHPPO also produces laboratory guidelines and standards (www.phppo.cdc.gov/dls/guidstd.asp)

National Immunization Program, http://www.cdc.gov/nip/, spotlights diseases that vaccines can prevent in infants, children and adults; vaccine recommendations (including traveler's health), information on new medical devices related to immunization; the importance of immunization, vaccine safety, and other information and education resources.

For more information, contact the CDC Information Center at 404-639-1717.

Draft 5/30/01