As a mother of young children, my heart aches when I see parents and caregivers facing a nationwide shortage of infant formula. There can be an overwhelming amount of information related to the early stages of parenthood, and unpredictable situations like this can add extra stress. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) makes sure formula [...]
May is National Trauma Awareness Month, presenting an opportunity for each of us to recognize and appreciate the many people working to keep us safe. So does EMS Week, which will be from May 15-21. This year’s theme for National Trauma Awareness Month is “Safe Surroundings,” with a focus on preventing violence and promoting safety [...]
Few things go together more than Arizona and sunshine. Yuma, Tucson, and Phoenix are among American cities with the most sunny days, but many places across our state see abundant sunshine. All that sun brings with it an increased risk of melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer that is increasingly common in Arizona. From [...]
For many of us, it almost felt like everything else stopped when COVID-19 arrived in U.S. more than two years ago. For those working in the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory operated by ADHS, efforts related to the pandemic were added to the critical diagnostic work they perform every day. During Medical Laboratory Professionals Week [...]
Vaccinated against COVID-19? Great. Boosted on top of your COVID-19 vaccination? Even better. Our report on COVID-19 outcomes by vaccination status, which now includes data for March, shows that compared to individuals who were fully vaccinated with a booster, unvaccinated people ages 12 and older had: 4.3 times the risk of testing positive for COVID-19; [...]
Spring brings with it many beautiful things. Wildflowers. Blooms on saguaro cactus. Warmer weather in mountainous areas that have been cold and snowy during the winter. Spring and summer also give rise to mosquitoes. That calls for some care when you get out to enjoy the flowers and great weather, and when you tend to [...]
With an eye toward improving health across the state of Arizona, ADHS uses a community assessment process and partner engagement to build health improvement plans. In 2015, ADHS and community organizations unveiled the first 2016-2020 Arizona Health Improvement Plan (AzHIP). The 2016-2020 AzHIP has made a great impact as more than 350 unique action items [...]
