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May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month  The teen birth rate has been steadily falling for years, but it still remains the highest teen pregnancy rate in the industrialized countries. About eighty-five percent of these pregnancies are unplanned, which in any population can increase the risk for problems. The biggest risk for teen mothers is delaying prenatal care or worse, about seven percent received no care at all. The Rates of Teen Pregnancy/Appalachian Counties In 2019, a total of 194,377 babies were born to women aged 15–19 years, for a birth rate of 18.8 per 1,000 women in this age […]

Tobacco: A Winnable Battle Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States and around the world.   Tobacco killed one hundred million people worldwide in the 20th century — and if current trends continue, it will kill one billion people in the 21st century.  Every year, tobacco kills more than 480,000 Americans and six million people worldwide. A Winnable Battle  We know how to win the fight against tobacco. Science and experience have identified proven, cost-effective strategies that prevent kids from smoking, help smokers quit and protect everyone from secondhand smoke. These strategies include: Higher […]

May is Hepatitis Awareness Month and May 19th is Designated Hepatitis Testing Day Are you at risk? Take the Hepatitis Risk Assessment. Hepatitis or inflammation of the liver can be caused by viruses, medication, toxins, excessive alcohol intake but most commonly by viruses named Hepatitis A, B or C. Hepatitis A Hepatitis A is a contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. People who get hepatitis A may feel sick for a few weeks to several months but usually recover completely and do not have lasting liver damage. The hepatitis A virus is found in the stool and blood […]

Hand Hygiene When Should You Wash Your Hands? Before, during, and after preparing food Before eating food Before and after caring for someone who is sick Before and after treating a cut or wound After using the toilet After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste After handling pet food or pet treats After touching garbage How to Wash Your Hands? Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap. Lather […]

Oral Cancer The Oral Cancer Foundation states 145 Americans will be newly diagnosed per day with oral cancer.  Close to 54,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year. It will cause over 9,750 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour. Most oral and oropharyngeal cancers are attributed to tobacco use, alcohol use, or HPV-16 virus exposure. When found at early stages of development, oral cancers can have an 80 to 90 % survival rate. Unfortunately, at this time, the majority are found as late-stage cancers.  The death rate attributed to late-stage cancer is about 43% at five years […]

World Immunization Week – celebrated every year in the last week of April – aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. Immunization saves millions of lives every year and is widely recognized as one of the world’s most successful health interventions. Yet, there are still nearly 20 million children in the world today who are not getting the vaccines they need, and many miss out on vital vaccines during adolescence, adulthood and into old age. Using the theme ‘Long Life for All’, World Immunization Week 2022 will urge greater engagement around immunization […]