General

Here you will find topics ranging from current events that affect public health in Arizona to overall information about the Arizona Department of Health Services

Opening the Doors to People with Special Needs: Solutions to Prepare Your Practice

By |2017-02-10T09:49:35-07:00July 11th, 2014|Behavioral Health, General|

Our Office of Children with Special Healthcare Needs has been working with UnitedHealthcare Community Plans and the AHCCCS to support an important free Conference on July 25 to improve the care delivery system in Arizona for children and youth with special health care needs and disabilities and their families. The goal of the free Conference [...]

Ladders: Useful But Potentially Hazardous

By |2017-02-10T09:49:35-07:00July 11th, 2014|General, Prevention|

I've fallen off ladders at my house twice in the last month which has inspired me to do a post about falls and injuries. The #1 reason people show up in Arizona emergency rooms is from slipping, tripping or stumbling on something.  Falls are the #2 cause of accidental death in Arizona…with 870 deaths recorded [...]

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Staying Healthy & Reducing Cost- Preventive Health Services

By |2017-02-10T09:49:35-07:00July 10th, 2014|General, Prevention|

In recent years, a prevention model of health has woven its way into the fabric of traditional models of care. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act the role preventive services has expanded significantly in the US health care delivery system.  Preventive health care services prevent diseases and illnesses from happening in the first [...]

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Director’s Decision: Cannabis & Palliative Care for PTSD

By |2017-02-10T09:49:35-07:00July 9th, 2014|General|

Last December I denied a petition to add Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to the list of debilitating medical conditions that qualify people for an Arizona Medical Marijuana Registration Card.  I denied the petition because, at the time, I believed there was a lack of scientific evidence to document whether Cannabis is helpful or not to [...]

Take Charge of Your Own Treatment

By |2017-02-10T09:49:35-07:00July 9th, 2014|General|

When you shop for a new car, phone or camera, you have lots of information about your choices.  But when it comes to choosing the right medicine or the best health- care treatment, clear information can be hard to find.  Let’s face it, if you don't get the best possible information about your treatment choices, [...]

An AZ Monsoon Staple: the Scorpion

By |2017-02-10T09:49:35-07:00July 8th, 2014|General, Prevention|

My wife has been disturbed by the number of scorpions she's seen around our house and garage over the last couple of weeks which has inspired me to do this scorpion post.  Arizona has more than 56 species of scorpions but the bark scorpion is the biggie.  Since you live in the bark scorpion’s territory, you probably [...]

New Return on Investment Calculator

By |2017-02-10T09:49:35-07:00July 7th, 2014|General, Prevention|

HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality just released the Asthma Return-on-Investment (ROI) Calculator for exploring potential financial returns from quality improvement and disease management programs for populations diagnosed with asthma. The tool provides estimates based on an analysis of 52 research studies on improving asthma care and what those studies imply for cost savings. [...]

Mankind’s Nemesis- the Mosquito

By |2017-02-10T09:49:35-07:00July 3rd, 2014|General, Prevention|

Summer’s here, and we know what that means…West Nile virus season. West Nile virus is most commonly spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. However, not every mosquito can carry West Nile virus. There are 40 different species of mosquitoes in Arizona, but only 2 transmit West Nile virus (WNV) to humans effectively, Culex tarsalis and Culex quinquefasciatus [...]

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Summertime is Salmonella Season in AZ

By |2017-02-10T09:49:35-07:00July 2nd, 2014|General|

Usually when you hear about Salmonella, you think about food poisoning.. but salmonellosis is also a zoonotic disease - one spread between animals and humans. Salmonella (which gets its name from the Daniel Salmon head of the USDA in 1885) is a bacteria that causes fever, diarrhea, and stomach cramps, usually within 3 days of eating or [...]

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FDA Extends E-cigarette Regulation Comment Period

By |2017-02-10T09:49:36-07:00July 1st, 2014|General, Prevention|

In April the FDA released proposed regulations for electronic cigarettes and asked for your input.  Last week it extended the comment period by 30 days. The proposed rule focuses on FDA's regulatory approach to electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products, proposed options for the regulation of cigars, pathways to market for proposed deemed tobacco products, [...]

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