Arizona Department of Health Services, Director’s Blog

Spreading the Word about Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Our staff will be hitting the road this week, along with local and federal public health partners, to provide in-person refresher education to healthcare providers about Rocky Mountain spotted fever. These presentations include an overview of the history and epidemiology of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Arizona, clinical presentation, recommendations for diagnosis […]

By | February 2nd, 2016|Preparedness|Comments Off on Spreading the Word about Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Selected 2015 Infectious Disease Stats

This is the time of year when we start closing out all of our infectious disease data from the previous year. That means our epidemiology and data entry staff will be hard at work to identify potential duplicate cases, make sure reported disease cases are classified correctly and similarly between the state […]

By | February 1st, 2016|Preparedness|Comments Off on Selected 2015 Infectious Disease Stats

Adding Physical Activity to Your Daily Routine Will Improve Your Overall Health

Like many people, you may be making your health a priority in the new year. Did you know that being physically active can help you increase your chances to live longer, feel better about yourself, decrease your chances of becoming depressed, sleep well at night, and stay at or get to a healthy weight?

Adding activity into your day […]

By | January 29th, 2016|Prevention|3 Comments

Arizona is Prepared for Public Health Emergencies

academic-healthrsEvery day our staff works with local public health and healthcare partners to prepare for and respond to all kinds of public health threats. Looking back at 2015, we addressed infectious disease threats like Ebola, measles, chikungunya, and Salmonella; environmental threats like wildfires, monsoons, and

By | January 28th, 2016|Preparedness|1 Comment

Birth Defects Prevention Month Highlights Preconception Health

Earlier this month I highlighted Folic Acid Awareness Week and PowerMeA2Z as part of National Birth Defects Prevention Month. I also want to recognize Governor Doug Ducey’s proclamation declaring January 2016 as Birth Defects Prevention Month in Arizona. There are approximately 700 serious birth defects reported each year in Arizona, which […]

By | January 27th, 2016|Preparedness, Prevention|Comments Off on Birth Defects Prevention Month Highlights Preconception Health

Cervical Cancer Screenings Vital for Women’s Health

As we come to a close on the first month of 2016, it is important to revisit the resolutions we set at the beginning of the year. One important way to stay healthy this year and for years to come is to get screened for cancer.

For women, getting screened […]

By | January 26th, 2016|General, Prevention|2 Comments