Every year our Environmental Toxicology program responds to environmental health concerns and provides communities with epidemiologic and toxicological health assessments. Recently a community member from the town of Superior brought up concerns that contamination from past mining activities could be affecting the health of residents. Superior is a small mining town with a population of [...]
Newborn Screening month wraps up at the end of September and has served as a time to recognize the great strides we’ve made in screening babies born in Arizona. Arizona joins 36 other states in implementing a new test for critical congenital heart defect in newborns this year. Newborns in Arizona now have access to [...]
People with a serious mental illness have increased mortality that is largely from treatable medical conditions caused by risk factors like smoking, obesity, substance abuse, and not accessing primary and acute medical care. Research demonstrates that outcomes are improved for individuals with a serious mental illness when their whole health care, both physical and behavioral, [...]
The Childhood Lead Program team: Brigitte Dufour, Amber Asburry, Melissa Tegarden and Stephen Grieco-Shapiro Every year the Arizona Public Health Association presents the Health Education Media Maker Yearly (HEMMY) Award to recognize achievements in health education. I’m happy to announce that our Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and our Diabetes Program both won first place awards. [...]
For the past several years stroke has been recognized as the fourth leading disease-related cause of death in Arizona, making it eligible for tobacco tax funding under Proposition 303. Our Bureau of Tobacco and Chronic Disease (BTCD) has been dedicating a portion of tobacco tax revenues to fund the development of healthcare systems aimed at increasing the [...]
On September 17 we held the first ever Viral Hepatitis Summit sponsored by Hepatitis Foundation International (HFI). There were 85 healthcare personnel and public health professionals in attendance, including physicians, social workers, nurses and pharmacists from all over Arizona. Some of the topics included adhering to hepatitis B and C testing guidelines, accessing treatment for hepatitis C, and [...]
Last flu season was a rough one, mainly because the influenza A (H3) strain in the vaccine did not match the circulating A (H3) strain that was making most people sick. This season, CDC believes the strains in the vaccine will be a good match against the currently circulating strains and provide better protection. Although the flu [...]
Throughout the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, local health departments in Arizona have worked with ADHS, CDC, and other federal partners to monitor travelers returning from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone for signs and symptoms of Ebola. Since October 17, local public health in Arizona has monitored more than 200 returning travelers. As disease prevention and [...]
As part of our on-going cardiac resuscitation quality improvement program, the Bureau of EMS and Trauma System along with the University of Arizona (UA) has made tremendous strides in saving lives by translating basic science advancements in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) research into action by emergency providers. The discoveries have led to important changes in national standards and spawned the enormous [...]
Occupational injuries and illnesses are significant but preventable public health problems, which can result in both healthcare and economic costs for workers and employers. We recently conducted an analysis using nationally recognized occupational health indicators in order to better understand Arizona’s occupational health successes and opportunities. The first Arizona Occupational Health Hazard Indicator Report was released this summer. The [...]
