Bite the Bullet
There are lots of things about turning 50 that make you stop and think. Near the top of the list is the conversation you’ll have with your doctor about getting a colonoscopy screening to looks for polyps and cancer. Not every polyp turns into cancer, but just about every colon cancer starts as a polyp. And since colon cancer is [...]
What’s Preconception Health- and Why’s it Important?
Being born too soon is the number one killer of infants in Arizona and in the nation. Death rates from prematurity are declining but babies born too soon (before 37 weeks) often face medical, developmental and social challenges as they get older. More than 8,000 babies in Arizona were born too soon last year. This week the March of Dimes released the 2011 [...]
Valley Fever Week
This is Valley Fever Awareness Week- an annual event to provide awareness of coccidioidomycosis (also known as Valley Fever)- the second most commonly reported infectious disease in Arizona. Events for the general public include a “Learn about Valley Fever – Ask the Doctor Your Questions” held in Tucson on Sunday, Nov. 6 and the Walk for Valley Fever in Sun City West on Sunday, Nov. [...]
Turning 50
Two things happen when you turn 50. First, you start getting invitations to join the AARP in the mail every couple of weeks (until they give up). Second, your doctor tells you it’s time for your colonoscopy screening. That’s the one that puts a lump in your throat. At 51, I finally bit the bullet and got my colonoscopy screen- [...]
Scheduled Maintenance 11/3, 8p-10p
Due to scheduled maintenance, users may experience intermittent access to https://directorsblog.health.azdhs.gov on Tuesday, November 3 from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience.
Prescription Drug Abuse III
I know I read like a broken record- but prescription drug misuse and abuse is a huge public health issue not just here- but nationally. The newest edition of CDC Vital Signs presents information about prescription painkiller overdoses in the United States and highlights promising strategies for addressing the issue. Please share this information broadly with your colleagues and partners and [...]