Arizona Making Progress Against Healthcare-Associated Infections
On March 3rd, the CDC released the National and State Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) Progress Report for 2014 National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) data. This annual report provides an update on previous reports, detailing state and national progress towards reducing, and ultimately eliminating, HAIs. The infection types highlighted in the report include Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI), Catheter-Associated Urinary [...]
Public Health Works Behind the Scenes to Make Our Communities Healthy
When I was younger, my grandmother gave me two books, and I don’t think she realized they ended up shaping my career. After reading Outbreak (by Robin Cook) and Level 4: Virus Hunters of the CDC (by Joseph McCormick and Susan Fisher-Hoch), I was hooked on working in public health. After learning more about what public health could do and [...]
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Make it a priority this March to know the facts about colorectal cancer. Not enough Arizonans are up-to-date on their screenings, and too many are being diagnosed with colorectal cancer at late stages. According to the American Cancer Society, the lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is about one in 20. In the U.S. and in Arizona, colorectal cancer is [...]
Flu Still Widespread in Arizona
The news is true… Arizona continues to top the country in reports of influenza-like illness for the fourth week in a row. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that Arizona has more people sick with flu than anywhere else in the country (not all flu cases get reported to public health departments), it does mean that we’re currently seeing a lot [...]
Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program Helps Families Eat Arizona Grown Foods
During the last federal fiscal year 10,490 participants in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program received checks from the Arizona Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, a program that has participation from ten local agencies in seven counties. The WIC moms were able to purchase $120,132 of Arizona Grown fruits and vegetables at approved farmers' markets. The highest redemption rates were [...]
Partnerships for Improved HIV Health Outcomes
Our HIV Prevention and HIV/AIDS Care & Services Programs, in collaboration with Maricopa County’s Ryan White Part A Program are hosting the second annual 2016 Integrated HIV Symposium on March 1 and 2 at the Black Canyon Conference Center in Phoenix. This free event will feature exciting presentations from individuals who have been locally and nationally recognized for their work to improve linkages to, and retention [...]