Chikungunya Coming Soon?
First there was West Nile virus and then dengue on our doorstep. Now it’s Chikungunya (pronunciation: \chik-en-gun-ye click to hear pronunciation)- which is a new disease threat in the Western hemisphere. Like dengue, this virus is spread by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitos, causing fever and severe joint pain 3-7 days after a mosquito bite. There’s no cure- just supportive care. Over 4,400 confirmed cases [...]
Dengue and the World Cup
GOOOOAAAAAL!!! With the World Cup just around the corner, soccer fans are dusting off their jerseys and getting ready to cheer on their favorite team. For super-fans lucky enough to travel to Brazil to see the matches first hand, fans of opposing teams aren’t the biggest threat… a mosquito-borne disease is. Dengue, spread by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus [...]
Administrative Law Judge Recommends Reversing PTSD Decision
Last December I denied a petition to add Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to the list of debilitating medical conditions that qualify people for an Arizona Medical Marijuana Registration Card. I denied the petition because there was a lack of scientific evidence to document whether Cannabis is helpful or not to treat or provide palliative care for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Here’s the [...]
Working Hard for Public Health
Every year, the Arizona Medical Association works with us to find one person who really stands out in the public health field to win the Public Health Service Award. This year Dr. Frank Walter, the medical director for our Bureau of Public Health Emergency Preparedness, was given the award at last week’s annual dinner. Dr. Walter’s enthusiasm for public health [...]
American Indian Healthcare Matrix (Part V): Wrap-up
In this 5-part series on American Indian Healthcare we’ve covered the basics the Indian Health Service and ”638’s” administered by tribes and tribal organizations. Here we learned about unique opportunities Native Americans have when seeking health care services. Members of 566 federally recognized American Indian Tribes and their descendants are eligible for services provided by the Indian Health Service without [...]
Get In the Health Care Driver’s Seat
Let’s face it. When it comes to being in control as a consumer- information is power. And being in control of your own health and health care is probably one of the most important things you can do as you go through life. Up until the last couple of years, the healthcare world has been opaque when it comes to [...]