CDC Releases the 2018 Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) have surged for a fifth consecutive year, reaching an all-time high nationwide. What is most concerning is the rise in syphilis, which has led to multiple stillbirths and many more babies spending their first 10 days of their life hospitalized for syphilis treatment. Last year, Arizona […]
Help Raise Awareness of Fungal Diseases by Joining our Second Annual AZ Valley Fever Poster Contest
Ja’Maryn H., 2018 winner
Valley fever is one of the most commonly reported infectious diseases in Arizona, with over 7,000 cases reported to the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) this year. Still, most Arizonans do not know the symptoms of this debilitating and potentially deadly fungal […]
Arizona’s State of Obesity 2019
A new report was released by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) that shows 29.5 percent of Arizona adults are obese, ranking our state 34th in the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. We are tied with Alaska and […]
Update to Arizona Health Improvement Plan Published
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is excited to announce we have published the 2019 Update to the Arizona Health Improvement Plan (AzHIP). The purpose of the AzHIP is to describe how ADHS and our community partners are working together to improve the health and wellness […]
Tenth Anniversary of Arizona Infectious Disease Training and Exercise
At the end of June, we hosted our 10th annual Arizona Infectious Disease Training and Exercise (AZID 2019), where about 400 partners from a wide variety of organizations joined together to learn and share about best practices and current infectious disease trends in Arizona and surrounding […]
Record High West Nile Virus Activity in Arizona
Think it’s too hot for mosquitoes? Think again! Arizona is home to several mosquito species, including the Culex species that can carry West Nile virus and Saint Louis Encephalitis virus. West Nile virus causes symptoms in about 20% of infected people, which can range from fever, headaches, and body aches, to more […]
Cara M. Christ, M.D., M.S. became Director for the Arizona Department of Health Services in May 2015. Dr. Christ has served the agency for more than nine years. Among her many accomplishments at ADHS, Dr. Christ collaborated with health partners and stakeholders to develop strategic plans for infectious disease prevention and control including the Governor’s Council on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response. She was involved in leading statewide efforts during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, and worked with partners to find solutions to improve childhood vaccination programs. In 2012, Dr. Christ managed the development and implementation of 20 Articles of Arizona Administrative Code for Health Care Institutions allowing integration of physical and behavioral health services statewide. Dr. Christ obtained her master's degree in microbiology with an emphasis in molecular virology and public health. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Follow the Director on Twitter @DrCaraChrist.
