ADHS Publishes 2019 Arizona State Health Assessment
Today, we are very excited to announce that we have published the 2019 Arizona State Health Assessment! The Assessment highlights both successes and challenges in our state with the intent of driving data for action. The Assessment also identifies key social, economic, and environmental factors contributing to the health of Arizonans. Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) utilizes an evidence-based [...]
Arizona State Lab has Vital Role in Protecting Public Health
At the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), we have about 100 public health laboratory staff who work hard every day to detect critical infectious diseases, test suspicious substances, screen drinking water for contaminants, conduct early identification of genetic and metabolic disorders in newborns, inspect and license clinical and environmental labs across Arizona, and work to ensure our laboratory is [...]
Increased Use of Immunization Exemptions Put Arizona At-Risk for an Outbreak in 2019
In the midst of nationwide outbreaks of measles, and increases in Arizona cases of vaccine-preventable diseases, Arizona’s vaccine coverage rates continue to decrease. This places more Arizona children, families, and communities at risk for vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. For the third year in a row, non-medical exemption rates--the percentage of students exempt from one or more vaccines--increased across all age categories. [...]
Several ADHS Programs Focus on Early Childhood Development
Today we know more than ever about the importance of children's earliest years in shaping their learning and development. Yet, never before have the needs of young children and their families been more pressing. According to Harvard’s “Center on the Developing Child,” there are three basic foundations of lifelong health that are fundamental to early childhood development: 1) stable and [...]
Public Health Week Wraps Up with Launch of ADHS Annual Report
As we wrap up Arizona Public Health Week and National Public Health Week, today we published our Annual Report, which highlights many of the great accomplishments of our agency from the last fiscal year: July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018. As you will read in the Annual Report, we made great strides in continuing to improve the overall health [...]
ADHS Announces New “Must Stop Bullying” Comic Contest for Arizona Youth
Bullying has emerged as an important public health issue prompting the need for effective prevention measures and interventions in schools and community settings. Significant long-term implications for victims of bullying include mental trauma, decreased school performance, and in extreme cases, suicidal ideation. Children with special health care needs may be at increased risk of being bullied. People who bully can [...]