You may remember that at the end of May, Maricopa County Department of Public Health warned us about avoiding swimmer’s itch by not wading along the shorelines of some of our lakes. Swimmer’s itch or cercarial dermatitis, is a rash caused by a tiny parasitic flatworm of birds that can occur in lakes and ponds throughout [...]
We know washing our hands is the best way to prevent spreading germs, but a new study shows that one in ten people don’t wash their hands at all after using the bathroom. Only 5% do it right. It’s a big deal when you consider that half of the foodborne illness outbreaks happen because people either don’t wash hands or [...]
The CDC just released a report for their national smoking cessation campaign launched in March 2012 called “Tips from former smokers.” Nationally, the ‘Tips’ campaign led to an estimated 1.6 million smokers attempting to quit with 100,000 likely quitting for good. The campaign directed callers to 1-800-QUIT-NOW. If you call from an Arizona zip code you [...]
This has been an excellent week to learn what others in my position are doing across the country. All the state health directors met in Florida this week to look ahead and strategize about the coming year’s goals. I’m always proud when our award-winning programs are highlighted, but it’s a great opportunity to talk to [...]
Guest blog by Mary Ellen Cunningham, Bureau of Women's and Children's Health All new parents have experienced a version of this thought when they bring home their helpless, tiny newborn: “I have no idea what I am doing.” We also know now how terribly important those first years are for baby. The brain development in [...]
Many of the health disparities in the US are linked to income. In general… the lower a family’s income the greater the prevalence of health disparities. Health impacts from smoking cigarettes are no exception. Arizonans below the poverty line (100% of FPL) are 40% more likely to smoke than those with more money... and about 34% of [...]
In the summer of 1994 a U of A entomologist was sampling insects in the backyard of his Tucson home when he netted some dark colored mosquitoes with silver bands on their legs. He suspected that they were a tropical breed that shouldn’t be in the Sonoran Desert and sent them to us for identification. His suspicions [...]
Nearly 32 million U.S. kids get meals at school every day- and the meals are based on new nutrition standards from the USDA. Kids attending the schools that participate in the program will have more vegetables and fruits, less fat and salt, and more whole grains. Portion sizes will better meet the needs of growing children. [...]
A new report from the CDC shows some good news for older adults in Arizona. According to the report, people in Arizona have a life expectancy of more than 20 years after the age of 65, with 15 of those years healthy. This places Arizona as one of the top states in the nation for [...]
Our focus groups with young tobacco users across Arizona has found that teen and young adult smokers are different from adult smokers. Young smokers may not smoke daily and don't see themselves as smokers. They also aren’t receptive to the idea of needing help to quit. Many teen and young adult smokers believe that they can quit at [...]
