Sheila Sjolander

/Sheila Sjolander

About Sheila Sjolander

Sheila Sjolander is the Deputy Director of Public Health Services overseeing the divisions of Preparedness, Licensing, and Prevention. Sheila has been serving as the Assistant Director for Prevention Services for the past 11 years. In this role, she oversees more than 60 public health programs, including injury prevention, maternal and child health, nutrition and physical activity, and chronic disease. In her 21 years at ADHS, Sheila has been a leader in integrating prevention programs, strategic planning, and the state’s work to reduce opioid overdoses. Sheila received her Master of Social Work degree from Temple University, and previously held strategic planning positions in Oregon and Wisconsin. Sheila received the Outstanding Achievement in Rural Women’s Health from the Arizona Rural Women’s Health Association in 2016, and the CHW Champion Award from the Arizona Community Health Worker Association in 2017.

The time is right for women to prioritize their own health

By | May 19th, 2023|General, Prevention|

This week we celebrate National Women's Health Week - the perfect time to take a moment to consider how we might strengthen our health with an extra dose of self-care.  Many women act as the managers of their family’s health-maintaining records, scheduling visits, caring for sick loved ones, and taking their children to appointments at [...]

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ADHS initiatives are working to improve healthcare access in Arizona’s most rural communities

By | April 7th, 2023|General, Prevention|

Fourteen percent of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, in Arizona that number is much higher at 25%, likely due to the landscape and environment we live in. USDA Economic Research Service found that residents living in the United States’ most rural counties may have more difficulty finding and using health care services in [...]

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How Arizona is using data and community feedback to help address mental health in our state

By | April 6th, 2023|General, Preparedness, Prevention|

Like physical health, mental health is important throughout the lifespan. It continuously affects how we think, feel, and act. It also plays an important role in our physical and social well-being. Many factors can impact our mental health, including early adverse life experiences, experiences related to chronic medical conditions, biological factors, feelings of loneliness or [...]

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Improving the health of Arizonans through family planning services & community programs

By | April 5th, 2023|Prevention|

Programming for reproductive and sexual health improves the health of women of childbearing age before, during, and after pregnancy. An estimated 2 million unplanned pregnancies are prevented each year due to family planning services obtained through Title X, Medicaid, and other publicly funded programs.  The ADHS Family Planning Program offers a statewide, clinic-based approach. Cost-effective [...]

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Bringing awareness to violence prevention to improve the safety of our communities

By | April 4th, 2023|Prevention|

Public health draws on a science base that is multi-disciplinary. This allows us to gather knowledge from a broad range of disciplines including medicine, epidemiology, sociology, psychology, criminology, education, and economics. Coupled with a cross-sector approach, public health is poised to tackle violence prevention that strives to provide the maximum benefit for the largest number [...]

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Highlighting public health dietitians during National Nutrition Month

By | March 15th, 2023|General|

March has been celebrated as National Nutrition Month for 50 years by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists work in a variety of settings including health care, education, industry, and government. Public health nutrition is the application of nutrition and public health principles to design programs, systems, policies and environments that aim [...]

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Getting screened is the best way to protect against colorectal cancer

By | March 13th, 2023|Prevention|

Not long ago, colorectal cancer was thought to be a concern mostly for those age 50 and older. But with more cases of this deadly cancer being found among those in their 40s or younger, doctors nationwide recommend testing by age 45 or sooner for those with identified risk factors. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness [...]

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Eating disorders can have serious effects on your health

By | February 28th, 2023|Prevention|

Eating disorders are complex illnesses that can have serious effects on health. They can affect people of all genders, sexual orientations, racial and ethnic backgrounds, sizes and shapes. About 9% of Arizonans will have an eating disorder in their lifetimes. Prevention, early screening, and treatment are important, and full recovery from an eating disorder is [...]

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Diabetes action plan focuses on prevention, care, and social determinants of health

By | January 30th, 2023|Prevention|

Diabetes is a relentless disease that affects many families in Arizona and across the United States. A new report from ADHS explains just how much diabetes impacts our state's health care system and communities, and recommends ways to improve the health of Arizonans by reducing the burden of diabetes. With a goal of achieving health [...]

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Before and during pregnancy, take steps to reduce the risk of birth defects

By | January 26th, 2023|General, Prevention|

Across America, one baby in every 33 is born with a birth defect. In Arizona, that translates to about 2,400 children each year born with any of a number of diagnoses, including Down syndrome, heart defects, cleft lip and cleft palate, and spina bifida. Many causes of birth defects, such as changes in genes and [...]

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