Arizona’s Developmental Disabilities Planning Council got some good news this week after learning that Governor Brewer extended the Executive Order that created the Council in 2009. Signed on November 4th, the Executive Order authorizes the Council to continue its work through 2019 in supporting persons with developmental disabilities and their families by funding important projects [...]
Last month I wrote about how we are working on revising our Newborn Screening rules because of a change in state law. The changes include requiring hearing tests on all newborns, adding critical congenital heart defects screening and adding a screening for severe combined immunodeficiency started January 2016. The last test depends on whether we [...]
Last Thursday, the CDC published the CDC National Health Report which provides a snapshot of recent trends in key areas of the nation’s health. The report finds Americans are living longer, healthier lives, but indicates that progress has been slow or stagnating in some areas, including several leading causes of death and their risk factors. The new report [...]
After many years of planning and conducting of public forums throughout the Navajo Nation, the Navajo Tribal Council recently approved legislation establishing the Navajo Department of Health. Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly signed the legislation into law. The new law establishes the Navajo Department of Health as the lead agency delegated to ensure that quality [...]
Every year the March of Dimes reviews where we are as a nation in reducing premature birth. Being born too early can impact a child’s ability to live a healthy life. It is one of the leading causes of infant death. Arizona has been improving the preterm birth rate for the past 7 years. In [...]
Arizona is experiencing a record shift in the number of older adults. By 2050, the number of Arizonans age 65 and older is expected to increase 174%, which represents 2,422,186 people. Also, the current trend of longevity among aging adults represents both opportunities and challenges in the years ahead. Older adults are living longer; however, [...]
Ever wonder what happens to your info when you go to the doctor? If you have one of the 90+ reportable conditions in Arizona, your case report travels from your healthcare provider’s office to your local, state, or tribal health departments, and for some diseases it’s de-identified and sent all the way to the CDC. [...]
Data can save lives if you use it right. One of the ways we use data to save lives is through our annual Child Fatality Review Report. We published our 21st Annual Report this week. The report examined all 811 deaths of children under 18 in 2013. Teams discussed the circumstances of each child’s death, [...]
Our Vital Health Statistics team along with our partners at the UA College of Public Health completed our Medical Marijuana Program’s 3rd Annual Report this week. You’ll find a wide range of information in the report including data about the demographics and kinds and qualifying conditions of our cardholders, geographic distribution and rates as well [...]
We’re continuing to implement our disaster recovery site in Tucson. We’ve installed and tested the equipment and applications necessary to operate our Office of Vital Records Birth Production and Medical Marijuana Point of Sale systems from this alternate site. Last week, we moved copies of the production databases to Tucson and upgraded the database versions. [...]
