Posted on October 1, 2018
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
Efforts to fight opioid abuse in Starke County have gotten a major boost. Porter-Starke Services says it’s gotten a $200,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to put together a comprehensive plan to address opiate misuse.
That will involve setting up a Starke County Opioid Consortium, made up of representatives from the fields of education, government, law enforcement, health care, and substance abuse treatment. It’s scheduled to hold its first meeting on October 9 to review goals, activities, and timelines. Public forums will also be held, as part of the process.
Porter-Starke President and CEO Matthew Burden says the grant is an important step in figuring out how best to help those in need access treatment and other resources. The organization also points out that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified Starke County as one of 220 in the nation considered to be at a high risk of HIV and Hepatitis C increases due to injection drug use.
Showing posts with label Centers for Disease Control and PRevention. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Centers for Disease Control and PRevention. Show all posts
Monday, October 1, 2018
Monday, June 25, 2018
Safe Swimming Tips for the Summer
Posted on June 25, 2018
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
The temperatures are rising and that means more outdoor activities! This time of year can be lots of fun, but if you’re not careful, it can also potentially be dangerous. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep yourself and your family safe this summer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that an average of 10 people die in the U.S. each day from unintentional drowning, in Indiana alone more than 110 people died of drowning last year.
The CDC and the Indiana State Department of Health advise that anyone going into the water should have basic swimming skills and that children should always be supervised whenever they are in and near water. Even if a kid knows how to swim, they should wear life jackets around natural bodies of water as a safety measure.
Swimmers should also take precautions to prevent sunburn and heat-related illnesses by applying sunscreen often and drinking plenty of fluids.
Anyone experiencing stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, fever, muscle weakness or difficulty breathing should seek medical attention. Be sure to stay out of the water if experiencing diarrhea and for two weeks after symptoms stop.
The CDC warns that drowning, heat stroke and sunburns aren’t the only dangers that swimming can pose.
Each year, Indiana sees an average of 190 cases of Cryptosporidium. This is a parasite that can survive for days, even in properly chlorinated pools. It can cause respiratory and gastrointestinal illness that primarily involves watery diarrhea with or without a persistent cough.
To reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting a recreational water illness, swimmers should avoid swallowing water and shower before and after getting in the pool. Always thoroughly dry ears after swimming.
Never urinate or defecate in the water, and be sure to instruct children to avoid doing so. Parents should always check swim-diapers and change them in a bathroom or diaper changing area, not poolside. Be sure to wash your hands and the child’s hands before returning to the pool.
Additionally, Hoosiers who spend time in natural bodies of water are warned to avoid swimming if a blue-green algal bloom is present. Also steer clear of these bodies of water after a rain event since rain can wash contaminants like sewage overflows and animal feces into the water.
For more information on recreational water illnesses following the links provided with this story on our website at WKVI.com/MAX983.net
Click the following links for more information about recreational water illnesses and public swimming pools and spas.
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
The temperatures are rising and that means more outdoor activities! This time of year can be lots of fun, but if you’re not careful, it can also potentially be dangerous. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep yourself and your family safe this summer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that an average of 10 people die in the U.S. each day from unintentional drowning, in Indiana alone more than 110 people died of drowning last year.
The CDC and the Indiana State Department of Health advise that anyone going into the water should have basic swimming skills and that children should always be supervised whenever they are in and near water. Even if a kid knows how to swim, they should wear life jackets around natural bodies of water as a safety measure.
Swimmers should also take precautions to prevent sunburn and heat-related illnesses by applying sunscreen often and drinking plenty of fluids.
Anyone experiencing stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, fever, muscle weakness or difficulty breathing should seek medical attention. Be sure to stay out of the water if experiencing diarrhea and for two weeks after symptoms stop.
The CDC warns that drowning, heat stroke and sunburns aren’t the only dangers that swimming can pose.
Each year, Indiana sees an average of 190 cases of Cryptosporidium. This is a parasite that can survive for days, even in properly chlorinated pools. It can cause respiratory and gastrointestinal illness that primarily involves watery diarrhea with or without a persistent cough.
To reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting a recreational water illness, swimmers should avoid swallowing water and shower before and after getting in the pool. Always thoroughly dry ears after swimming.
Never urinate or defecate in the water, and be sure to instruct children to avoid doing so. Parents should always check swim-diapers and change them in a bathroom or diaper changing area, not poolside. Be sure to wash your hands and the child’s hands before returning to the pool.
Additionally, Hoosiers who spend time in natural bodies of water are warned to avoid swimming if a blue-green algal bloom is present. Also steer clear of these bodies of water after a rain event since rain can wash contaminants like sewage overflows and animal feces into the water.
For more information on recreational water illnesses following the links provided with this story on our website at WKVI.com/MAX983.net
Click the following links for more information about recreational water illnesses and public swimming pools and spas.
Thursday, August 3, 2017
It’s Never to Early to Get a Flu Shot
Posted on August 3, 2017
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Local pharmacies and health departments are getting ready for the flu season. Flu shots will be available soon.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, getting an annual flu vaccine is the first and best way to protect against influenza. The flu vaccine is said to reduce doctor’s visits and missed work and school. Those who are more vulnerable to serious flu complications, including the elderly, infants, pregnant women and those who suffer from certain health conditions, should get a flu shot early.
The CDC says the composition of the U.S. flu vaccine is reviewed annually and updated to match circulating flu viruses.
If children have fast breathing or trouble breathing, bluish skin color, suffer from dehydration, can’t interact, or develop a fever with a rash, these are symptoms that require an emergency room visit.
If you suspect you have the flu, stay home from work or school, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue to prevent the spread of the virus, wash your hands often with soap and water, and clean and disinfect surfaces or objects.
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Local pharmacies and health departments are getting ready for the flu season. Flu shots will be available soon.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, getting an annual flu vaccine is the first and best way to protect against influenza. The flu vaccine is said to reduce doctor’s visits and missed work and school. Those who are more vulnerable to serious flu complications, including the elderly, infants, pregnant women and those who suffer from certain health conditions, should get a flu shot early.
The CDC says the composition of the U.S. flu vaccine is reviewed annually and updated to match circulating flu viruses.
If children have fast breathing or trouble breathing, bluish skin color, suffer from dehydration, can’t interact, or develop a fever with a rash, these are symptoms that require an emergency room visit.
If you suspect you have the flu, stay home from work or school, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue to prevent the spread of the virus, wash your hands often with soap and water, and clean and disinfect surfaces or objects.
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
State Health Officials Encourage HIV Testing
Posted on June 27, 2017
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
Today is National HIV Testing Day, and Hoosiers are urged to learn their status. The human immunodeficiency virus weakens a person’s immune system by destroying cells that fight disease and infection.
It can be transmitted sexually, through shared needles, blood, breast milk and other bodily fluids. HIV can also progress to a severe condition called acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS.
There is no cure for HIV, but it can be successfully managed as a chronic disease with proper care. State health officials say testing and early participation in HIV care are critical to successful disease management.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Jerome Adams encourages people who engage in high-risk sexual behaviors or injection drug use to get tested as soon as possible.
Preliminary numbers from 2016 indicate 413 Indiana residents were newly diagnosed with HIV, while 94 were diagnosed with AIDS. Nearly 80 percent of the newly diagnosed individuals were men. By the end of 2016, state officials 12,175 Indiana residents were living with HIV or AIDS at the end of 2016.
Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates nearly 13 percent of Americans living with HIV do not know their status. That means they are not accessing testing and medical care that can keep them healthy and protect their loved ones from infection.
HIV can be detected through testing of oral fluids and blood. Health care providers, local health departments and other entities can provide testing. To find a testing site near you as part of National HIV Testing Day, visit https://www.hiv.gov/locator/ and enter your ZIP code.
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
Today is National HIV Testing Day, and Hoosiers are urged to learn their status. The human immunodeficiency virus weakens a person’s immune system by destroying cells that fight disease and infection.
It can be transmitted sexually, through shared needles, blood, breast milk and other bodily fluids. HIV can also progress to a severe condition called acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS.
There is no cure for HIV, but it can be successfully managed as a chronic disease with proper care. State health officials say testing and early participation in HIV care are critical to successful disease management.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Jerome Adams encourages people who engage in high-risk sexual behaviors or injection drug use to get tested as soon as possible.
Preliminary numbers from 2016 indicate 413 Indiana residents were newly diagnosed with HIV, while 94 were diagnosed with AIDS. Nearly 80 percent of the newly diagnosed individuals were men. By the end of 2016, state officials 12,175 Indiana residents were living with HIV or AIDS at the end of 2016.
Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates nearly 13 percent of Americans living with HIV do not know their status. That means they are not accessing testing and medical care that can keep them healthy and protect their loved ones from infection.
HIV can be detected through testing of oral fluids and blood. Health care providers, local health departments and other entities can provide testing. To find a testing site near you as part of National HIV Testing Day, visit https://www.hiv.gov/locator/ and enter your ZIP code.
Thursday, May 4, 2017
State Health Officials Raise Awareness of Hepatitis Risk, Encourage Prevention
Posted on May 4, 2017
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and state health officials are encouraging Hoosiers to get tested for the disease and learn how to prevent it. They say more than 7,000 cases of viral hepatitis were reported in Indiana in 2015. Additionally the number of reported acute Hepatitis C cases has risen by 400 percent since 2010.
Nearly three-fourths of infected people are unaware and are not receiving treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Jerome Adams says hepatitis can easily be prevented by getting vaccinated and not sharing items like razors, toothbrushes and syringes.
Hepatitis A is contracted by ingesting fecal matter of an infected individual. Hepatitis B and C are spread through contact with infected blood, by sharing razors, toothbrushes, contaminated syringes and other injection drug equipment or diabetes testing equipment, and by sharing needles used for tattoos and body piercing. Hepatitis B and C can be passed from mother to baby during pregnancy and childbirth.
Health officials say Hepatitis A is an acute illness that resolves on its own, but Hepatitis B and C can persist for decades. Symptoms may not be present, but they include nausea, anorexia, fever, malaise, abdominal pain, jaundice and dark urine.
Health officials recommend a one-time blood screening for hepatitis C for everyone born between 1945 and 1965, as well as an annual screening for those at increased risk.
Visit https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/riskassessment/index.htm to take a risk assessment.
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and state health officials are encouraging Hoosiers to get tested for the disease and learn how to prevent it. They say more than 7,000 cases of viral hepatitis were reported in Indiana in 2015. Additionally the number of reported acute Hepatitis C cases has risen by 400 percent since 2010.
Nearly three-fourths of infected people are unaware and are not receiving treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Jerome Adams says hepatitis can easily be prevented by getting vaccinated and not sharing items like razors, toothbrushes and syringes.
Hepatitis A is contracted by ingesting fecal matter of an infected individual. Hepatitis B and C are spread through contact with infected blood, by sharing razors, toothbrushes, contaminated syringes and other injection drug equipment or diabetes testing equipment, and by sharing needles used for tattoos and body piercing. Hepatitis B and C can be passed from mother to baby during pregnancy and childbirth.
Health officials say Hepatitis A is an acute illness that resolves on its own, but Hepatitis B and C can persist for decades. Symptoms may not be present, but they include nausea, anorexia, fever, malaise, abdominal pain, jaundice and dark urine.
Health officials recommend a one-time blood screening for hepatitis C for everyone born between 1945 and 1965, as well as an annual screening for those at increased risk.
Visit https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/riskassessment/index.htm to take a risk assessment.
Thursday, March 30, 2017
State Officials Urge Prediabetes Screening
Posted on March 30, 2017
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
One in three Hoosiers are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. They encourage residents to take a prediabetes risk assessment.
Officials say people with predaibetes have blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but aren’t high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Nationwide an estimated 86 million adults have prediabetes, including one-third of Indiana adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 90 percent of those individuals do not know their status.
Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Jerome Adams says diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in Indiana. He adds many of those cases are preventable if the disease is diagnosed before it progresses.
Risk factors for developing diabetes include being overweight or obese, having a family history of diabetes and being physically inactive.
Individuals with prediabetes can lower their risk of developing the disease by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, becoming more physically active, seeing a physician and checking blood glucose levels regularly and joining a Diabetes Prevention Program.
Visit www.preventdiabetes.isdh.in.gov to take a free online diabetes risk assessment or find a Diabetes Prevention Program.
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
One in three Hoosiers are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. They encourage residents to take a prediabetes risk assessment.
Officials say people with predaibetes have blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but aren’t high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Nationwide an estimated 86 million adults have prediabetes, including one-third of Indiana adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 90 percent of those individuals do not know their status.
Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Jerome Adams says diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in Indiana. He adds many of those cases are preventable if the disease is diagnosed before it progresses.
Risk factors for developing diabetes include being overweight or obese, having a family history of diabetes and being physically inactive.
Individuals with prediabetes can lower their risk of developing the disease by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, becoming more physically active, seeing a physician and checking blood glucose levels regularly and joining a Diabetes Prevention Program.
Visit www.preventdiabetes.isdh.in.gov to take a free online diabetes risk assessment or find a Diabetes Prevention Program.
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Indiana Tobacco Quitline Offers Free Resources for Hoosier Smokers
Posted on March 15, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
Indiana smokers who want to quit can now get free help from the state. Those who enroll in the Indiana Tobacco Quitline between now and April 2 or until supplies run out, will be eligible for free medication, such as gum or patches.
The Quitline connects tobacco users with trained coaches who help them create a personalized quit plan. Officials with the Indiana State Department of Health note that counseling and medication are more effective when used together.
They add that about 20 percent of Indiana adults smoke, more than 330,000 Hoosiers live with smoking-related diseases, and over 11,000 Hoosiers die each year from smoking. State health officials say that quitting tobacco use lowers the risk for lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and several other health problems.
The Indiana Tobacco Quitline promotion coincides with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Tips from Former Smokers national tobacco education campaign. For more information, call the Indiana Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit QuitNowIndiana.com.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
Indiana smokers who want to quit can now get free help from the state. Those who enroll in the Indiana Tobacco Quitline between now and April 2 or until supplies run out, will be eligible for free medication, such as gum or patches.
The Quitline connects tobacco users with trained coaches who help them create a personalized quit plan. Officials with the Indiana State Department of Health note that counseling and medication are more effective when used together.
They add that about 20 percent of Indiana adults smoke, more than 330,000 Hoosiers live with smoking-related diseases, and over 11,000 Hoosiers die each year from smoking. State health officials say that quitting tobacco use lowers the risk for lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and several other health problems.
The Indiana Tobacco Quitline promotion coincides with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Tips from Former Smokers national tobacco education campaign. For more information, call the Indiana Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit QuitNowIndiana.com.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Zika Is Now in Indiana – What You Need to Know to Stay Safe
From IU Health Starke Hospital:
The Indiana State Department of Health has announced its first case of the Zika virus. The case was reported on Tuesday morning.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who confirmed the case, the individual was a non-pregnant Indiana resident, who had recently traveled to Haiti, but was not sick enough to be hospitalized for treatment. Read the full ISDH news release here.
The occurrence of this new case in Indiana has inspired a continued call to action for all Americans (not just those in the South or living in coastal areas) to use caution and be more aware of this serious virus.
“The risk of contracting Zika virus here in Indiana remains low, but we know that many residents are concerned,” State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams, M.D., M.P.H. said. “We urge anyone visiting affected areas to take steps to avoid mosquito bites.”
The CDC has also reported isolated cases of Zika spread through unprotected sexual contact with an infected person.
Here are some other helpful facts to keep you informed.
The Indiana State Department of Health has announced its first case of the Zika virus. The case was reported on Tuesday morning.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who confirmed the case, the individual was a non-pregnant Indiana resident, who had recently traveled to Haiti, but was not sick enough to be hospitalized for treatment. Read the full ISDH news release here.
The occurrence of this new case in Indiana has inspired a continued call to action for all Americans (not just those in the South or living in coastal areas) to use caution and be more aware of this serious virus.
“The risk of contracting Zika virus here in Indiana remains low, but we know that many residents are concerned,” State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams, M.D., M.P.H. said. “We urge anyone visiting affected areas to take steps to avoid mosquito bites.”
The CDC has also reported isolated cases of Zika spread through unprotected sexual contact with an infected person.
Here are some other helpful facts to keep you informed.
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