Grundy County Health Department
1716 Lincoln / Trenton, MO 64683
PH: 660.359.4196 FAX: 660.359.5470
|
Grundy County Health Department 1716 Lincoln / Trenton, MO 64683 PH: 660.359.4196 FAX: 660.359.5470
|
|
October - December 2005
Contents October Is Domestic Violence Awareness Month Take 10,000 Steps To Improve Your Health
October Is Domestic Violence Awareness MonthDomestic violence is a problem that is shockingly prevalent in the U.S. Unfortunately, nearly one-third of American women (31 percent) report being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives, according to a 1998 Commonwealth Fund survey. Nearly 5.3 million incidents of intimate partner violence occur each year among U.S. women ages 18 and older, and 3.2 million occur among men. Most incidents of domestic violence are not reported to the police. It is estimated that 20% of domestic partner rapes or sexual assaults, 25% of physical assaults, and 50% of stalkings directed toward women are not reported. Thus, it is believed that available data greatly underestimate the true magnitude of the problem. People that have never experienced abuse may wonder why women don’t simply leave an abusive partner. Relationships don't usually begin with abuse; there is usually love and intimacy along with abuse. In some cases, the abusive partner may be the financial provider. He may have isolated her from friends or relatives that can offer emotional or financial support. In some cases, he has threatened to kill her or her children if she leaves. Abuse can take many forms and may include physical, emotional, social, economic, sexual, and even spiritual abuse. Women that experience abuse in their relationship may be confused by the abuse because their partners may exhibit other good qualities. So how do you know if you might be in an abusive relationship? Abusive relationships can be defined as a pattern of assaultive and coercive behavior between two people in an intimate relationship, including couples who are married or unmarried. Here are some warning signs that a relationship could be abusive. Does your partner:
(Checklist from the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence) If you know a battered woman, it's important to listen and offer support without passing judgment. She may stop communicating with you if she believes you think she’s "stupid for staying." If you are a victim of domestic violence, you can make a plan to leave. Contact the Green Hills Women's Shelter at 800/942-0649 about creating a safety plan. The Women's Shelter can also assist with obtaining a protective order, provide shelter, and offer crisis support and stress management.
For more information about domestic violence, visit these websites:
Bats Can Carry RabiesGrundy County recently experienced a confirmed case of animal rabies. The culprit? A bat. Most of the human cases of rabies in recent years in the United States were caused by rabies virus from bats. Many people have misconceptions about bats. Bats are mammals, not rodents or birds. Bats are not blind, they do not suck blood, and most do not carry rabies. They play an important role in the ecosystem by eating insects, many of which are agricultural pests. Even though most bats do not carry rabies, it is best never to handle a bat. Bats infected with the rabies virus may exhibit strange behavior, such as being active by day (bats are nocturnal animals), being found in a place where bats are not normally seen (a room in your home or on the lawn), or being unable to fly. Rabies can be transmitted from bats to humans through bites or infectious material from the bat, such as saliva, getting into a wound or the eyes, nose, or mouth of a human. The virus cannot be transmitted through bat guano, blood, or urine or by a person being in the same area as a bat, a cave, for example. The only way to know for sure that a bat has rabies is through laboratory testing. If you think you may have been bitten or come in contact with bat saliva, or if you believe your pet has been bitten, make every effort to recover the bat. Contact animal control. If professional help is unavailable, take the following precautions:
Bats can enter your home through openings as small as a quarter-inch. The best time to bat-proof your home is during the fall and winter months, when most bats leave to hibernate. For more information on bats, bat-proofing your home, and rabies, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov or contact the Grundy County Health Department.
Take 10,000 Steps To Improve Your HealthMost of us know that we should get more exercise. If you are not an active person, you may find the idea of running or other vigorous exercise too daunting to contemplate. However, you can get health benefits, such as, reduced risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, from walking. Easier still, research shows people who set a goal of 10,000 steps get more exercise than those who walk briskly for 30 minutes a day. Walking 10,000 steps (about five miles) is an easy way to get your recommended exercise in for the day. Wear a pedometer or step counter to record your steps. If your pedometer shows you walk significantly less than 10,000 steps per day, increase your steps gradually. You don't have to take all 10,000 steps at once, try these tips to squeeze in some exercise throughout the day:
For more information about the benefits of walking and tips on incorporating walking into your day, visit www.thewalkingsite.com.
Flu Vaccine Facts And MythsDon't let misinformation keep you from getting the flu shot. Here are the facts about flu vaccine.
Myth: The flu isn't a serious disease. Fact: Influenza (flu) is a serious disease of the nose, throat, and lungs, and it can lead to pneumonia. Each year about 200,000 people in the U.S. are hospitalized and about 36,000 people die because of the flu. Most who die are 65 years and older. But small children less than 2 years old are as likely as those over 65 to have to go to the hospital because of the flu.
Myth: The flu shot can cause the flu. Fact: Because the vaccine is made from an inactivated (killed) virus, you CANNOT get the flu from the flu vaccine. Some people get a little soreness or redness where they get the shot. It goes away in a day or two. Serious problems from the flu shot are very rare.
Myth: The flu shot doesn't work. Fact: Most of the time the flu shot will prevent the flu. In scientific studies, the effectiveness of the flu shot has ranged from 70% to 90% when there is a good match between circulating viruses and those in the vaccine. Getting the vaccine is your best protection against this disease.
Myth: The side effects from the vaccination are worse than the flu. Fact: The worst side effect you’re likely to get from a flu shot is a sore arm. The nasal mist flu vaccine might cause nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat and cough. The risk of a severe allergic reaction is less than 1 in 4 million.
Myth: Only senior citizens really need the flu shot. Fact: Adults and children with conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease need to get a flu shot. Doctors also recommend children 6 to 23 months of age and pregnant women get the vaccination.
Myth: You must get the flu vaccine before December. Fact: Flu vaccine can be given before or during the flu season. The best time to get vaccinated is October or November. But you can get vaccinated in December or later.
From the Centers for Disease Control
Putting Baby Safely To SleepNewborn babies wake up every few hours to eat; parents look forward to a time when baby will sleep through the night. Sleeping through the night for newborns means your baby is sleeping six straight hours. She naps throughout the day, sleeping a total of 16 to 20 hours. By the end of her first year, your baby will probably be sleeping 10 to 12 hours at night, with one or two naps during the day. Here are a few tips to get you to the end of that first year.
Time for Bed Avoid putting anything on the mattress other than a fitted sheet. Newborns don’t need pillows, toys or stuffed animals. In fact, these items could possibly present a smothering hazard to newborns. Motion is soothing to babies. A rocking sensation and a loving touch help many babies fall asleep. Because you want to teach your baby how to soothe herself, you may want to rock her until she's almost asleep. She can then be laid in her crib to finish falling asleep on her own. Create a bedtime routine that’s different from nap time. Bedtime can involve eating, then bathing, changing into pajamas, reading a book, then rocking. For daytime naps, use a simpler routine: perhaps feeding, then rocking. Pick a routine and stick with it. The familiar is soothing to a baby. Familiar surroundings will help your baby at bedtime. Your baby should wake up where he falls asleep to avoid disorientation. Encourage your older baby to fall asleep on his own. Older babies can safely take a pacifier or blanket to bed. Put your baby to bed at night in a darkened room.
The Safest Position Always put your baby to sleep on his or her back, at bedtime and naptime, as it greatly reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also called crib death. Make sure everyone who takes care of your baby knows this. Other ways you can lower the risk of SIDS: put your baby to sleep on a firm mattress, remove loose blankets and toys from the crib, keep your baby from getting overheated, and create a smoke-free zone around your baby at all times. From Parlay International
Community Health AssessmentOne of the three core functions of a public health agency like the Grundy County Health Department is assessment (along with policy development and assurance). The Grundy County Health Department regularly assesses the health status and perceptions of our county residents. We use data that has been collected by someone else (secondary data), it tells us information like the leading causes of death for Grundy County. We collect and analyze our own data, such as disease surveillance. We also survey our clients and residents to find out their perceptions of their own health status and of local health resources. Data is used to write grants and to implement programs for county residents.
The primary purpose of
the Community Health Assessment is to help the health department and the
hospital better understand community members’ opinions about local health care.
We need to hear from you so we can continue to provide quality health programs and services for ALL county residents. When you receive your survey, please FILL IT OUT and return in the postage-paid envelope.
|
Grundy County Health Department is an Equal Opportunity
Provider.
|
