October is MRSA awareness month, and October 2 was World MRSA Day. MRSA, short for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a bacterial infection that is resistant to many types of antibiotics. These events help raise the awareness of MRSA around the globe and to activate survivors, communities, governments, healthcare officials, and personnel to join together to [...]
This week we launched a new public awareness campaign called “Vape is a Lie” teaches youth about the dangers of nicotine and e-cigarettes. Vape is a Lie features a series of three public service announcements and a website, Vapeisalie.org, where Arizona youth can learn more about the dangerous chemicals often found in e-cigarettes, commonly [...]
This week, we acknowledge National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week and this year’s important theme: Lead Free Kids for a Healthy Future. The Arizona Department of Health Services is participating in this event along with CDC, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other state childhood lead poisoning prevention [...]
The National Immunization Surveys (NIS), sponsored by CDC, are a group of surveys used to monitor immunization coverage across the country. The Child National Immunization Survey assesses data for children, ages 19-35 months of age. Data from 2015 were released earlier this month. For 2015, the NIS shows that Arizona has reached the Healthy People20/20 [...]
Two scientific advances have provided the tools needed to end the HIV epidemic. First, for people who are not infected with HIV, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) can reduce the risk of HIV infection by more than 90%. Second, people living with HIV who get into medical care, take their HIV medicine and become virally suppressed are [...]
Influenza season has officially started in Arizona with the first locally-acquired case confirmed late last week. If you and your family haven't been vaccinated for influenza this season, the time is now. The CDC recommends annual influenza vaccination for everyone six months and older. Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent influenza, but it [...]
International Infection Prevention Week, October 16 to 22, raises awareness of the role infection prevention plays to improve patient safety. The 2016 theme, "Break the Chain of Infection", emphasizes how easily infections and germs can be spread from person to person, and ways to break the chain at each link. The chain of infection has [...]
There is a common misconception that bullying is just a part of growing up. The reality is children who bully and those who are bullied can experience negative health outcomes that may last into adulthood. Bullying, like other forms of violence, is about power and control, and that power can be based on popularity, size [...]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that up to 750,000 Americans travel out of the country each year for medical care. The most common reasons are for cosmetic surgery, dental work, and heart surgery. If you’re planning a medical tourism trip or find yourself receiving unplanned healthcare services while abroad, it’s important to [...]
Since the beginning of this year, public health, health care, and vector control partners have been working hard to prepare and protect Arizona communities. As of this week, 40 cases of Zika have been reported in Arizona, all in people who traveled to countries with ongoing Zika transmission. The CDC publishes a list of countries [...]
