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Objectives. We evaluated the impact of the New York City restaurant letter-grading program on restaurant hygiene, food safety practices, and public awareness. Methods. We analyzed data from 43 448 restaurants inspected between 2007 and 2013 to measure changes in inspection score and violation citations since program launch in July 2010. We used binomial regression to assess probability of scoring 0 to 13 points (A-range score). Two population-based random-digit-dial telephone surveys assessed public perceptions of the program. Results. After we controlled for repeated restaurant observations, season of inspection, and chain restaurant status, the probability of scoring 0 to 13 points on an unannounced inspection increased 35% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 31%, 40%) 3 years after compared with 3 years before grading. There were notable improvements in compliance with some specific requirements, including having a certified kitchen manager on site and being pest-free. More than 91% (95% CI = 88%, 94%) of New Yorkers approved of the program and 88% (95% CI = 85%, 92%) considered grades in dining decisions in 2012. Conclusions. Restaurant letter grading in New York City has resulted in improved sanitary conditions on unannounced inspection, suggesting that the program is an effective regulatory tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV partner services can effectively reach populations with high HIV prevalence. However, located and notified sex and needle-sharing partners of persons infected with HIV often fail to test. Field testing may increase the proportion of notified partners who test for HIV. In 2008, New York City's health department incorporated field testing into partner services. After the introduction of field testing, the proportion of notified partners who tested for HIV rose from 52% to 76% (P<.001). HIV prevalence fell slightly among notified partners who accepted testing (12% to 9%, P=.82), but we identified more than double the number of new positives (11 vs 25). All positive and 97% of negative results were received by the person tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on a restaurant letter grading program launched by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in July 2010. Topics include the program's requirement for restaurants to post a letter grade that reflects their sanitary inspection results in a visible window location, its goal to encourage restaurant operators to better comply with food safety rules, and the dual inspection approach used by the program that allows restaurants to improve before being graded.

The article presents a column from the Environmental Health Services Branch of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which features the use of National Environmental Assessment Reporting System to enhance foodborne illnesses outbreak investigations in restaurants in New York City, New York. Data shape and collection were modified and simplified and made available through the Annual Report of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks in New York City. Graphs of outbreaks are also presented.