In the Sonoran Desert monsoon = scorpion season. We have more than 56 species of scorpions- but the bark scorpion is the biggie. Since you live in the bark scorpion’s territory, you probably have them around or maybe even inside your home. The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center and Banner Good Samaritan Poison & Drug Information Center answer [...]
Health in Policy and Practice Arizona (HIP2) has launched a new website. HIP2 is a great local resource for Health Impact Assessment data and information. Health Impact Assessments are a data-driven tool used to assess the potential health impacts of a policy, project, program or proposal. They’re a great tool to ensure that health and health [...]
If you’re a product of the 60s and 70s like me… you probably remember that the President’s Council on Physical Fitness was a big deal in elementary school. At least it was in Tucson where I grew up. By practicing things like chin ups, rope climbing, and running a mile in a certain time you could qualify [...]
Monsoon rain and humidity is great (at least I think so)… but with it comes mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus. Every year since West Nile virus was introduced to AZ in ‘04, we’ve had human cases of West Nile Virus (meaning it’s endemic now). The total number of cases bumps around every year from [...]
With the monsoon comes an increase in foodborne illnesses in Arizona. While outdoor pool parties, barbeques, and family gatherings are cool, it’s important to remember some tips for handling food safely to protect your family and guests from a nasty bout of foodborne illnesses. According to the CDC, reducing foodborne illness by just 10% would keep 5 million Americans [...]
We’re smack dab in the middle of monsoon now, which means it’s time to think about Valley Fever. It’s a lung infection caused by a fungus that lives in the soil in the desert (below 4,000 feet). People get it by breathing in dust that contains fungal spores. Valley Fever causes cough, fever, headache, feeling [...]
According to a new CDC report, about 18 U.S. women die every day of a prescription painkiller overdose, totaling more than 6,600 deaths in 2010. This is a stunning increase of 400% since 1999. Every 3 minutes, a woman goes to the emergency department for prescription painkiller misuse or abuse. The report explains that women [...]
There are more than 100,000 schools in the United States and last week, the USDA said that for the first time, they'll be ensuring that food sold in those schools will be held to stricter limits on fat, calories, sugars and sodium. This means all foods sold in schools, from the cafeterias to the vending machines. It's the result [...]
At the Arizona-Mexico Commission meeting held in Scottsdale earlier this month, the Governors of Arizona and Sonora, Mexico signed a Declaration of Cooperation to address preventing injuries for children who are not restrained in car seats. The Declaration calls for the collection of donated new and used car seats for use in the region, in [...]
June 7th marked the deadline for allocated dispensaries to file their request for an Approval to Operate from the Medical Marijuana Program. The lawsuit filed last month allowed for 15 of the 98 allocated dispensaries to submit their Approval to Operate applications after the June 7th deadline, however, all but one submitted their applications by [...]
