Stroke Awareness Month (2012)

May is National Stroke Awareness Month.  Nearly 75% of strokes occur in people who are 65 years and older.  It is important for you to know the symptoms so you can react quickly if someone has a stroke. 

Know the Symptoms, it could save a life
Early recognition of stroke symptoms is critical – time lost is brain lost.
Stroke symptoms include SUDDEN

·        Numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg

·        Slurred speech

·        Blurred vision

·        Dizziness or loss of balance

·        Severe headache

Rapid treatment by emergency medical providers is important to survival and recovery. 
At any sign of stroke: Call 911 immediately

Lower your risk of having a Stroke
You can help protect yourself and loved ones from stroke by knowing the risks and taking these steps

·         Know your ABCS

o        Ask your doctor if you should take Aspirin every day

o        Find out if you have high Blood Pressure or Cholesterol, if you do, work with your doctor to treat it

o        If you Smoke, get help to quit   

·         Be physically active at least 30 minutes on most days

·         Eat more fruits, vegetables and other foods low in sodium and transfat

·         Take medicine as prescribed by your doctor

For more information visit the Maine CDC Cardiovascular Health Program Website www.mainehearthealth.org or contact david.pied@maine.gov

Help us prevent one million heart attacks and strokes over five years http://millionhearts.hhs.gov/

Child injury

More than 9,000 children lost their lives as the result of an unintentional injury in the United States in 2009, as this month’s edition of Vital Signs.

The injury death rate among children dropped nearly 30% over the last decade. However, injury is still the number one cause of death among children. Common causes of deaths from child injuries include motor vehicle crashes, suffocation, drowning, poisoning, fires and burns, and falls.

Though rates for most causes of child injuries have been declining, suffocation rates are on the rise, driven by a 54% increase in reported cases among infants less than one year old. Poisoning death rates also went up, largely due to a 91% increase in deaths among teens aged 15-19, mainly caused by prescription drug overdoses.

For more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/Features/VitalSigns/ChildInjury/

HIV/STD Updates

 The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released updated HIV treatment recommendations: http://go.usa.gov/yTI

The updated recommendations have changed significantly regarding when to initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART).  Antiretroviral treatment is now recommended for all HIV infected individuals.  The strength of these recommendations depends on an individual’s CD4 count, but if an individual is at risk of transmitting HIV to HIV-negative sexual partner(s) the strength of the recommendations increases. 

Several HIV/STD surveillance documents have recently been added to Maine CDC’s website:

• March Monthly Update for HIV and STDs: http://go.usa.gov/yTR
• 2010 Annual HIV/STD Surveillance Report: http://go.usa.gov/yTQ
• A detailed report on HIV for 2011: http://go.usa.gov/yTE
• A detailed report on chlamydia and gonorrhea for 2011: http://go.usa.gov/yTV

US CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden will host a live Twitter chat on STDs and young people at 1 p.m. April 23. Follow the conversation by using hashtag #CDCChat. Follow Dr. Frieden on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/DrFriedenCDC

Influenza update

Maine CDC’s March 2011 investigation of influenza outbreaks at two correction facilities was published in the MMWR on April 6: http://go.usa.gov/yT8

Maine CDC reported regional flu activity for the week ending April 14, with one new outbreak reported in a residential school or university. Weekly updates on flu activity are available online:

• for Maine: http://go.usa.gov/NoK
• for the US: http://go.usa.gov/ITB
• for the world: http://go.usa.gov/ITK

Maine CDC reminds everyone to take everyday preventive measures against the flu:

• Wash your hands frequently
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow or shoulder
• Stay home when you feel sick
• Get vaccinated

Sodium

 

According to a study released in 2010 by Stanford University, less than a 10 percent reduction in sodium in a person’s diet could help many Americans avoid heart attacks and fatal strokes.

This April, Maine CDC’s Cardiovascular Health Program began a campaign to raise awareness of foods that are high in sodium and the importance of monitoring how much to reduce sodium consumption.

According to a study done by US CDC, the average American adult eats about 3,300 milligrams of sodium each day. That is at least 1,000 milligrams more than people should be eating. Most sodium is found in packaged, processed and restaurant foods.

The foods that are the biggest sources of sodium may be surprising. According to US CDC, bread and rolls are the top sources of sodium in the American diet, followed by cold cuts, pizza, poultry, and soups. 

More information on sodium and how to reduce the risks of heart attack and stroke is available at http://www.mainehearthealth.org/

Salmonella from baby chicks

Traditional springtime activities may include purchasing baby chicks. Baby chicks can be wonderful pets, but it is important to know that even healthy-looking chicks may be carrying dangerous germs called Salmonella.

Keep kids from getting sick by making sure they:

• Do not put their hands in their mouths after touching chicks
• Do not kiss chicks on their beak or feathers
• Do not handle or clean cages or food containers
• Do not eat or drink near baby chicks
• Do not put their mouths on objects that have been near chicks or their cages

Children younger than five should not handle baby chicks, but if they do, be sure you:

• Keep chicks out of the kitchen and other living areas
• Wash children’s hands thoroughly with plenty of running water and soap after contact with chicks
• Contact your health care provider or go to a clinic if your child has diarrhea or vomiting

For more information, visit http://go.usa.gov/mZF 

Donate Life

 

April is National Donate Life Month. More than 100,000 US patients are currently waiting for an organ transplant. More than 4,000 new patients are added to the wait list each month.

Organ donation takes healthy organs and tissues from one person for transplantation into another. Experts say that the organs from one donor can save or help as many as 50 people. Organs you can donate include

• Kidneys, heart, liver, pancreas, intestines, lungs
• Skin
• Bone and bone marrow
• Cornea

Most organ and tissue donations occur after the donor has died. But some organs and tissues can be donated while the donor is alive.

Maine residents who are 16 years of age or older can help save lives by signing up on the Maine Organ Donor Registry. Registration is free and takes a few minutes a couple of minutes. You can sign up or check your registration at http://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/donatelife/

Maine CDC Director Dr. Sheila Pinette will join other members of the Organ Donation Advisory Council appointed by Gov. Paul LePage and Secretary of State Charles E. Summers Jr. at a ceremony to raise awareness of organ donation at 2 p.m. today at the State House.

For more information about organ donation, visit http://www.organdonor.gov/

County Health Rankings

 

The third annual County Health Rankings were released April 3. Rankings were completed in all 50 states. Counties were ranked within states only, with no comparison between states. The report helps identify factors that influence health in each county.

All Maine counties, regardless of their ranking, have strengths to celebrate and challenges to address. For years, public health data have shown that many counties in Maine with lower incomes and educational attainment are less healthy. Such disparities continue to be reflected in these rankings. However, the report also shows significant variation. For instance, some counties with similar socioeconomic profiles have very different rankings for health factors and outcomes, suggesting that a complex array of factors influences the health of our communities.

Although some of our counties have better health outcomes than others, it is important to note that overall Maine is one of the healthiest states in the nation, ranking eighth healthiest state in 2010 and 2011 by the United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings.

Maine’s public health system is charged with using a variety of data sources, including rankings such as these, to improve the health of all communities in Maine. Significant health improvement planning efforts are underway at the local, district, and state levels.

New immunization recommendations

 

In early February 2012, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) published the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended childhood, adolescent, and adult immunization schedules for 2012.  Childhood, adolescent and teen, and adult schedules are available online at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/default.htm.

Maine Immunization Program advises health care providers to use these schedules for 2012.  The program has mailed childhood and adolescent schedules in poster size, which are the most popular, to all pediatric and family medicine providers in the state. Providers may order additional wall size or wallet size childhood immunization schedules by clicking the link “Order Brochures, Pamphlets, VIS, and More” at http://go.usa.gov/EBU

Due to funding limits, the program will not provide the catch-up schedule for children ages 4 months through 18 years and the adult schedule available.  Instead, the program asks providers to print these from the US CDC link above.

If you have any questions regarding any vaccine schedules, please call 1-800-867-4775 and ask for a health educator to help you.

Lyme Disease Awareness Contests

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month and Maine CDC is offering a series of events with a focus on prevention. This year’s theme is “Know ticks, no Lyme.”


Young people are at high risk of contracting Lyme disease, especially if they spend time outdoors. Maine CDC is proud to sponsor two awareness campaigns focusing on Lyme disease prevention messages. For kids in grades K-8 there is poster competition. The challenge is to design a fun and colorful poster demonstrating at least one of the four measures to help prevent Lyme disease. High school and college students are encouraged to participate in the audio contest to produce an audio clip that in 30 seconds or less, addresses one of four personal prevention measures for Lyme disease.

These contests represent opportunities to educate students on the importance of being tick free. You can check out educational materials and past poster winners on our website. Here you will also find the guidelines for both contests, in case you know a classroom that should get involved!

Ground Water Awareness Week

This week (March 11-17) is National Ground Water Awareness Week.  Just as you check your furnace or smoke detector batteries seasonally, spring is a good season to have an annual drinking water well checkup before the peak water use season begins.  Every household well owner is urged to check his or her well cap to make sure it is in good condition to protect their water supply from contamination.  A damaged or unsecured well cap can allow the entry of bacteria or other contaminants into the well. It is one of the easiest things to check, and any well owner can do it.  Other things you can do to protect your well and drinking water supply:

• Properly maintain your septic system: make sure to have your septic tank pumped every 3 to 5 years and check for signs that your septic system is not working
•  Handle gasoline, motor oil, fertilizers, pesticides and other hazardous chemicals with care, making sure not to dump them on the ground or pour them down the sink.  When you’re done with them, dispose of them properly at a recycling center
• Inspect your heating oil tank and its piping to make sure it’s not leaking, starting to corrode or rust, or in danger of tipping over
• Don’t throw away or flush unused or unwanted medications down the drain.  Instead, properly and safely dispose of them by using Maine’s Safe Medicine Disposal for ME free medication mailback program

To learn more about how you can protect your well water, visit wellwater.maine.gov or www.wellowner.org.  To learn more about public water systems in Maine, visit www.medwp.com

Youth smoking

On Thursday, the Surgeon General today released the report Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults, which details the scope, health consequences, and influences that lead to youth tobacco use and proven strategies that prevent its use.

The Surgeon General also unveiled a guide with practical information on addressing tobacco use in young people, Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: We Can Make the Next Generation Tobacco-Free.

Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable and premature death, killing more than 1,200 Americans every day.  For every tobacco-related death, two new young people under the age of 26 become regular smokers.  Nearly 90 percent of these replacement smokers try their first cigarette by age 18.  Approximately 3 out of 4 high school smokers continue to smoke well into adulthood.

For more information, visit http://go.usa.gov/PB3

Copies of the full Report, executive summary, and the easy-to-read guide may be downloaded at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov. To order printed copies of these documents go to http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco and click on the Publications Catalog link under Tools & Resources.

For access to quitting resources visit www.tobaccofreemaine.org or www.smokefree.gov

Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Every 35 minutes, a woman tests positive for HIV in the U.S. Women make up a quarter of all new HIV infections in Maine and account for about 16% of people living with HIV in Maine.

Women have unique issues and special challenges that make it harder for them to prevent HIV or take care of themselves if they have HIV:

• Women's bodies are different. A woman is twice as likely as a man to get HIV infection during vaginal sex (because the lining of the vagina provides a large area of potential exposure to HIV-infected semen). Some diseases or disorders unique to women make HIV more serious.
• Women can give HIV to their babies. Women who have HIV can give it to their babies during pregnancy, delivery, or breast-feeding.
• Women may lack control in relationships: they may be scared to refuse sex or insist that their partner use a condom, or can’t talk to their partner about abstinence, faithfulness, or using condoms.
• Women may not know if their partner is doing things that put him (and therefore her) at risk for HIV.
• Women may not earn much money, which makes it hard for them to pay doctors or even get a ride to their doctor appointments. In extreme instances, some women even end up trading sex for money or drugs.
• Women may be caregivers for others and not feel they have the time to take care of themselves or are unable to find someone to take care of their loved ones when they want to access services.

HIV testing should be a routine part of health care. For local testing resources and information, visit: http://askforthetest.org

For more information: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/WomenGirlsHIVAIDS/ or http://www.womenshealth.gov/nwghaad/

More on norovirus

There have been 38 reports in 2012 of outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness. Ten of these are confirmed norovirus; more than half are still pending investigation. The majority (20) of these reports have come from long-term care facilities, with 12 reports in daycare/school settings, and 6 in other types of facilities/events/unknown. All public health districts have seen at least one report of GI illness.

Norovirus infections typically increase during the winter months, and Maine CDC routinely receives reports of suspected and confirmed norovirus outbreaks each year. Public health partners are encouraged to consider norovirus when assessing clusters of gastroenteritis and to act promptly to prevent the spread of illness.

Noroviruses spread easily, causing more than 20 million gastroenteritis cases each year in the U.S. There's no vaccine to prevent norovirus infection and no drug to treat it. Wash your hands often and follow simple tips to stay virus-free.

For more information, see this health alert (http://go.usa.gov/QCD) or this US CDC feature (http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Norovirus/).

In addition, the 2011 Norovirus surveillance report is now available at: http://go.usa.gov/Pb4

Dr. Pinette discusses norovirus on 207.

National Nutrition Month

March is a time to set healthy eating goals. Physical activity and proper nutrition are key components in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and their risk factors, including high blood pressure and obesity. National Nutrition Month focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

Make sure you are eating the recommended amounts of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy each day – guidelines, recipes, and other tools are available at ChooseMyPlate.gov. Additional information on healthy eating and physical activity is also available at LetsMove.gov.

Maine CDC’s Physical Activity and Nutrition Program focuses on increased physical activity, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, increased duration of breastfeeding, improved caloric balance and expenditure, food safety, and food security. For more information, visit http://healthymainepartnerships.org/panp/.

Colorectal Cancer: One of the few malignancies that can be prevented or detected early through screening

March is the National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and a great opportunity to share Maine-specific data on colorectal cancer.

1. According to the Maine Cancer Registry, 2004-2008 data, only 46% of the colorectal cancers in Maine are detected at an early stage
2. Studies show that when providers recommend screening directly to their patients, they are significantly more likely to comply with screening 
3. Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) and FOBT are options for early cancer detection that can be used in patients who have average risk for colon cancer BUT

• should not be used as an office-based test (i.e., as part of rectal exam).
• If positive, should be followed up with a colonoscopy (and not repeated for confirmation)

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in Maine.  In the past few decades we have seen reduced incidence of, and mortality from, colorectal cancer, likely due to increased screening, especially utilization of colonoscopy (which can prevent cancer by removing pre-cancerous polyps and detect cancer early so it is more easily and successfully treated).  Among those who develop colorectal cancer in our state, 55% of people under age 65 and 45% of people over age 65 are diagnosed at a later stage, despite availability of a variety of screening tests for early detection.

Maine CDC’s Colorectal Cancer Control Program (MCRCCP) is a statewide program funded through a cooperative agreement by the US CDC. The purpose of the MCRCCP is to

• Increase the colorectal cancer screening rate of Maine residents age 50 and older from 74.3% [2010 BRFSS] to 80% by 2014 (Adults aged 50+ who have ever had a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy)
• Help reduce financial barriers to screening (specifically by colonoscopy or FIT) for low income uninsured Maine residents age 50 and older

For more information about the MCRCCP or for patients who may need assistance, call 877-320-6800 or visit our website at http://colonscreenme.org/

Position opening - medical director

Maine CDC’s Division of Population Health has an opening for a full-time medical director based in Augusta.  The successful candidate will provide leadership for public health activities within the state that pertain to maternal and child health and chronic diseases and their prevention.  

Direct Hire applications must be completed and sent to Human Resources by Feb. 17.  To learn more, go to: http://go.usa.gov/QaG

Position Description:

The Population Health Medical Director serves as the principal medical subject matter expert and resource in the Population Health Division of the Maine CDC. This position provides leadership and medical direction for public health activities within the state that pertain to maternal and child health and chronic diseases and their prevention. Assists program managers with program planning and implementation. Provides guidance and consultation to ensure programming is evidence-based or best practices. Provides technical assistance to epidemiologists in the Division and assists in developing reports on disease burden and epidemiology. Represents the Division as the medical subject matter expert on internal and external workgroups and committees.

Requirements:

Graduation from an accredited Medical or Osteopathic School in the United States (graduates of foreign medical schools must present evidence of having passed FLEX or National Board Examinations or of current Maine licensure) AND a Masters Degree in Public Health or at least two (2) years of full-time experience in specialty area. Certificate of registration with the right to practice medicine and surgery in Maine as issued by the State Board of Registration of Medicine is required. Preference will be given to candidates with experience in public health, preventive medicine, or quality improvement.

Norovirus

 Since the end of December, Maine CDC has investigated 16 reports of gastroenteritis outbreaks statewide. Norovirus Genotype II has been identified as the cause of one of the outbreaks. Norovirus infections typically increase during the winter months, and Maine CDC routinely receives reports of suspected and confirmed norovirus outbreaks each year. Public health partners are encouraged to consider norovirus when assessing clusters of gastroenteritis and to act promptly to prevent the spread of illness.

Noroviruses spread easily, causing more than 20 million gastroenteritis cases each year in the U.S. There's no vaccine to prevent norovirus infection and no drug to treat it. Wash your hands often and follow simple tips to stay virus-free.

For more information, see this health alert  or this US CDC feature.

Salmonella associated with pet turtles

 US CDC is collaborating with the Pennsylvania State Health Department in an ongoing investigation of the outbreak of 132 human Salmonella infections between August 2010 and September 2011 associated with exposure to small turtles (those with shell lengths less than 4 inches). Many of these infections occurred in young children, whose illness can be severe and cause hospitalization.

Despite a three-decade ban on the sale of small turtles, these infections continue to occur. Turtles are not appropriate pets in households with young children or other high risk individuals (pregnant women, older persons and the immune-compromised).

For more information: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/SalmonellaFrogTurtle/

American Heart Month

February is American Heart Month.  Most of us know someone who has had a heart attack or stroke.  In Maine about 23% of all deaths are from heart disease and another 5% are from stroke.  

You can help protect yourself and your loved ones from heart disease and stroke by understanding the risks and taking these steps:

• Know your ABCS
• Ask your doctor if you should take an Aspirin every day
• Find out if you have high Blood pressure or Cholesterol, if you do, work with your doctor to treat it
• If you Smoke, get help to quit
• Be physically active at least 30 minutes on most days
• Eat more fruits, vegetables and other foods low in sodium and transfat
• Take medicine as prescribed by your doctor

For more information visit http://www.mainehearthealth.org/