The first newborn screening test was developed in 1963 by Dr. Robert Guthrie to test for phenylketonuria, commonly known as PKU. Since then, scientists have developed more tests to screen newborns for a variety of severe conditions. This year, the nation celebrates 50 Years of Newborn Screening. The State of Arizona currently screens for 29 [...]
E-cigarettes have been a huge topic of discussion in the tobacco control industry and in public health over the past few years. While containing no actual tobacco, they do contain nicotine, are flavored and require the user to emulate the act of smoking. The CDC recently released a study showing that e-cigarette use has doubled [...]
Where you live impacts your health. General and Comprehensive Plans guide the big picture vision for how the community should take shape for the future. We know that to achieve the goals we’ve set out in our Strategic Map, planning must include community health. Working collaboratively with others, we're finding ways to support healthy behavior, such [...]
You may remember that at the end of May, Maricopa County Department of Public Health warned us about avoiding swimmer’s itch by not wading along the shorelines of some of our lakes. Swimmer’s itch or cercarial dermatitis, is a rash caused by a tiny parasitic flatworm of birds that can occur in lakes and ponds throughout [...]
We know washing our hands is the best way to prevent spreading germs, but a new study shows that one in ten people don’t wash their hands at all after using the bathroom. Only 5% do it right. It’s a big deal when you consider that half of the foodborne illness outbreaks happen because people either don’t wash hands or [...]
The CDC just released a report for their national smoking cessation campaign launched in March 2012 called “Tips from former smokers.” Nationally, the ‘Tips’ campaign led to an estimated 1.6 million smokers attempting to quit with 100,000 likely quitting for good. The campaign directed callers to 1-800-QUIT-NOW. If you call from an Arizona zip code you [...]
CDC released a report this week about antibiotic resistance. They found that more than 2 million people in the US get sick every year from germs that are resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 people die from these infections. The report also found that up to half of antibiotic use in people is unnecessary [...]
This has been an excellent week to learn what others in my position are doing across the country. All the state health directors met in Florida this week to look ahead and strategize about the coming year’s goals. I’m always proud when our award-winning programs are highlighted, but it’s a great opportunity to talk to [...]
Guest blog by Mary Ellen Cunningham, Bureau of Women's and Children's Health All new parents have experienced a version of this thought when they bring home their helpless, tiny newborn: “I have no idea what I am doing.” We also know now how terribly important those first years are for baby. The brain development in [...]
Many of the health disparities in the US are linked to income. In general… the lower a family’s income the greater the prevalence of health disparities. Health impacts from smoking cigarettes are no exception. Arizonans below the poverty line (100% of FPL) are 40% more likely to smoke than those with more money... and about 34% of [...]
