Grundy County Health Department
1716 Lincoln / Trenton, MO 64683
PH: 660.359.4196 FAX: 660.359.5470
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Grundy County Health Department 1716 Lincoln / Trenton, MO 64683 PH: 660.359.4196 FAX: 660.359.5470
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Public Health PostOctober - December 2004
Contents Pneumococcal Vaccine for Adults Soft Drink Consumption Contributes to Obesity What Public Health Is (And Is Not)
Hand Washing Prevents DiseaseThe most important thing that you can do to keep from getting sick is to wash your hands. By frequently washing your hands, you wash away germs that you have picked up from other people, or from contaminated surfaces, or from animals and animal waste. What happens if you do not wash your hands frequently? You pick up germs from other sources and then you infect yourself when you--
One of the most common ways people catch colds is by rubbing their nose or their eyes after their hands have been contaminated with the cold virus. You can also spread germs directly to others or onto surfaces that other people touch. And before you know it, everybody around you is getting sick. The important thing to remember is that, in addition to colds, some pretty serious diseases, like hepatitis A, meningitis, and infectious diarrhea, can easily be prevented if people make a habit of washing their hands. When should you wash your hands? You should wash your hands often. Probably more often than you do now because you can't see germs with the naked eye or smell them, so you do not really know where they are hiding. It is especially important to wash your hands--
What is the correct way to wash your hands?
It is estimated that one out of three people do not wash their hands after using the restroom. So these tips are also important when you are out in public. Washing your hands regularly can certainly save a lot on medical bills. Because it costs less than a penny, you could say that this penny's worth of prevention can save you a $50 visit to the doctor.
From the Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Infection Diseases
Pneumococcal Vaccine for AdultsPneumococcal pneumonia begins with a high fever, cough, and stabbing chest pains and is one of the most common causes of death in America from a vaccine-preventable disease. Drugs such as penicillin were once effective in treating these infections; but the disease has become more resistant to these drugs, making treatment of pneumococcal infections more difficult. This makes prevention of the disease through vaccination even more important. The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria but is not guaranteed to prevent all symptoms in all people. All adults 65 or older should get PPV. Also anyone over 2 years of age who has a long-term health problem such as heart disease, lung disease, sickle cell disease, diabetes, alcoholism, cirrhosis, Hodgkin's disease, kidney failure, damaged spleen, lymphoma, leukemia, HIV infection or AIDS, or an organ transplant should get the vaccine. Vaccination is also recommended for anyone over 2 who is taking any drug or treatment that lowers the bodys resistance to infection. For most people, a single dose of PPV is all that is required; available data do not indicate a substantial increase in protection in the majority of revaccinated persons. However, a second dose of PPV may be required if the first dose was given under age 65 and if 5 or more years have passed since that dose. A second dose is also recommended after 5 years for those with conditions mentioned above. The Grundy County Health Department routinely gives PPV to people who are 65 or older getting the vaccine for the first time. If you are younger or have one of the above conditions you should consult your doctor.
Bag Lunch SafetyIf you are going to “bag” lunch it, here are some tips for carrying a safe lunch to school or work. Keep Foods Clean—Wash your hands before you prepare or eat food. Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next. Sanitize surfaces and utensils with a solution of 1 teaspoon of bleach in 1 gallon of water. Keep Cold Foods Cold—Harmful bacteria multiply rapidly in the “danger zone” (between 41˚F and 140˚F). Perishable food transported without an ice source won’t stay safe long. The best way to keep food cold is with an insulated box with an added cold source such as freezer gel packs or cold food items like frozen juice packs. Place meat, poultry or egg sandwiches between cold items. Prepare the food the night before and store the packed lunch in the refrigerator. Freezing sandwiches helps them stay cold but for best quality don’t freeze sandwiches containing mayonnaise, lettuce or tomatoes, add these later. Freezer gel packs will hold cold food until lunchtime, but will not work for all-day storage. Any perishable leftovers after lunch should be discarded. Keep Hot Foods Hot—Use an insulated container to keep soup hot. Fill the container with boiling water, let stand for a few minutes, empty and then put in the preheated hot food. Keep the container closed until lunchtime then keep the food 140˚F or above.
Smoking Is A Costly HabitHealthcare providers usually focus on the negative health impact of smoking cigarettes but the tobacco habit is also very costly for families. Look what you can purchase for your family for the price of a single carton of cigarettes: 122 Diapers 2 Cans of Powdered Infant Formula 11 Jars of Peanut Butter 19 Pounds of Apples 10 Gallons of Whole Milk 21 Loaves of Bread 11 Bottles of Juice 77 Pounds of Potatoes 13 Boxes of Infant Cereal 49 Jars of Baby Food 19 Pounds of Frozen Vegetables 1 Car Seat (2 cartons) 1 Infant Crib (5 cartons)
Soft Drink Consumption Contributes To ObesityWith the rising rate of child and adolescent obesity, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has written a policy statement encouraging pediatricians, school authorities, and parents to be more aware of the role soft drinks and fruit drinks have contributed to children’s diets and, consequently, to this medical condition. The following are some dietary observations made by AAPs policy statement, Soft Drinks in Schools, which state some of the concerns:
From the MO Department of Health and Senior Services, Health Promotion Unit
What Public Health Is (And Is Not)Public health and its benefits are not often well understood. Many people know some of the things public health can do, immunizations, restaurant inspections, disease prevention, for example. What many people do not understand, however, is what public health does not do. Most health departments have no jurisdiction over the condition of an individual’s home. While it may seem to be a health hazard for someone to be living in an unclean environment, the health department does not have the responsibility or authority to make them change. The same is true for pest control. Homes that are infested with insects or rodents are not healthy, to be sure, but not under the control of the health department. An effective public health system:
Public health is a sophisticated science for identifying and dealing with real or potential health threats to the community. Public health makes life better!
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Grundy County Health Department is an Equal Opportunity
Provider.
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