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Press Releases February 3, 2012 Norovirus Infections Spreading Widely Across North Carolina: State Public Health Officials urge precautions to prevent possible exposure [more] January 23, 2012
DCDPH Awarded funding to
Continue TRU Initiative The Dare County Department of Public Health (DCDPH) was recently awarded a grant that will build upon the DCDPH’s work in tobacco prevention for the residents of Dare County. This grant was awarded by the Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch of North Carolina Division of Public Health and is part of the Tobacco Reality Unfiltered (TRU) Sustainability project. With this funding, the DCDPH will make the opportunity to quit smoking more convenient by providing tobacco users with cessation opportunities in their community, worksites or on school campus. The DCDPH will implement a public education awareness campaign to educate the community on the health benefits of quitting, the dangers of secondhand smoke and the benefits of a tobacco free Dare County. The TRU Initiative has already proven its success by advocating for over 100 restaurants to go smoke free. The Merchant Education component of the program has assisted in bringing our non-compliance rate of tobacco sales from 42% in 2004 to 21% in 2011. The TRU program is active in Dare County high schools, with tobacco prevention and education activities being taught by peers in the middle schools. Since The TRU campaign launch in 2003, North Carolina has 53,000 fewer teen cigarette smokers. For more information on the TRU Initiative, please contact the Dare County Department of Public Health’s Health Education Specialist, Lisa Phillips at (252) 475-5077. January 18, 2012
Dutton Receives Recognition
from NCPHA Debbie Dutton, School Health Program Supervisor for the Dare County Department of Public Health (DCDPH), was recently awarded the Citation of Merit from the North Carolina Public Health Association (NCPHA). The Citation of Merit is conferred upon individual members of NCPHA who, by long years of noteworthy service have made significant contribution within the recent past, have advanced public health in North Carolina. Dutton began working for the DCDPH as a school nurse in 1991. From the beginning she demonstrated strong leadership qualities, and a deep compassion for and commitment to the children of our community. In 1997 she was promoted to lead school nurse, responsible for coordinating and overseeing the day to day operations of the school nurse program in 9 schools throughout Dare County. In her role as lead school nurse, she serves as a champion for programs that improve the health of our children. Dutton has been instrumental in bringing a case management program for children with chronic diseases to Dare County. This program works with the children, families, and health care provider(s) to develop a plan of care to help keep children at their optimum level of health. This in turn leads to children playing a more active role in school activities and ultimately higher academic standards. She has also worked with DCDPH and Dare County Schools staff to provide in-school influenza vaccine clinics at each elementary school for the past three years. In addition to serving as lead school nurse, she also manages the school based dental van program to assure dental care for children who would not otherwise be able to receive dental care. Dutton maintains her school nurse national certification and has recently celebrated her 20 year anniversary with the Dare County Department of Public Health. “Debbie is a true public health leader that understands the link between good health and strong academics. Debbie’s compassionate nature makes her not only a care provider for her students, but a listening ear and mentor. Her contributions have enhanced public health services for the entire community. It is employees like Debbie who make our organization successful,” comments Health Director, Anne Thomas. For more information on the school health program, please contact Dare County Department of Public Health at (252) 475-5003.
January 9, 2012
An Important
Message for Women in Childbearing Years Many women of childbearing years are unaware of an important vitamin that should be introduced into their daily vitamin intake or eating habits. Folic acid can prevent major birth defects. Some experts say it plays a role in heart health and preventing cell changes that can cause cancer. A deficiency in folic acid can cause certain types of anemia (low red blood cell count) and can cause birth defects in unborn children. Folic Acid is a B-complex vitamin needed by the body to manufacture red blood cells. The Dare County Department of Public Health (DCDPH) recommends taking a multivitamin with folic acid every day. Taking folic acid supplements before the first few weeks of pregnancy greatly reduces the chances of birth defects like spina bifida or other spinal cord problems. For women in their childbearing years, it is particularly important to have the recommended amount of folic acid daily. Taking folic acid can reduce the risk of the most common spinal birth defects by up to 70 percent. Many believe they do not need to take multivitamins because they eat healthy foods. B complex vitamins may be destroyed in cooking. Multivitamins help fill in nutrition gaps in the diet, especially when it comes to getting enough folic acid. Folic acid is found in multivitamins and fortified foods like breakfast cereal, pasta and bread. There are two easy ways to consume enough folic acid each day: 1.Take a vitamin that has folic acid. Check the label to be sure it contains 100% of the daily value (DV) of folic acid, which is 400 micrograms (mcg). 2. Eat a bowl of breakfast cereal that has 100% of the daily value of folic acid. Check the label on the side of the box and look for one that has “100%” next to folic acid. The DCDPH has programs in place to promote the use of folic acid and help women reduce the risk of birth defects. Folic Acid supplements can be provided for enrolled, uninsured or underinsured women through the prenatal program. The WIC Program also provides nutrition education and information, and promotes healthy nutrition for eligible pregnant women through vouchers to buy healthy foods with folic acid. For more information on folic acid or prenatal care, please contact the Dare County Department of Public Health’s Maternal Health Nurse, Laurie White at (252) 475-5001. January 6, 2012
Cervical Cancer Awareness Month:
Prevention is Key Approximately 350 North Carolina women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer this year, and over 100 will die from the condition. This January, during Cervical Health Awareness Month, The Dare County Department of Public Health wants to educate women about the importance of the Pap test as a screening tool for cervical cancer/HPV and about vaccines that can further reduce the burden of this disease. With the start of a new year, many take time to reflect on their health. Women should contact their health care provider to schedule a Pap test to check for cervical cancer. This screening is an important part of a woman’s health care regimen, yet one that many overlook. “It’s important to remember that cervical cancer is a preventable disease– a vaccination is available for teen girls and women through age 26, and teen boys and men through age 21. PAP tests are also available for women and can detect cervical cancer in early stages. With cervical cancer being the easiest cancer to prevent in women and highly treatable when found early, no one should have to suffer from this disease. ” says DCDPH Health Director, Anne Thomas. Research has found several risk factors that may increase your chances of getting cervical cancer. Some risk factors that increase risk of cervical cancer include: human papillomavirus (HPV), lack of regular Pap tests, and smoking. HPV, a virus transmitted through sexual contact, is a known cause of cervical cancer. Two forms of the virus account for more than 70 percent of all cervical cancer cases. Vaccines are available to prevent the HPV types that most commonly cause cervical cancer. For more information on Cervical Cancer, PAP Smears or HPV Vaccines, please contact the Dare County Department of Public Health, Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program’s Public Health Nurse, Martha Jones at (252) 475-5622. January 4, 2012
QuitlineNC
Provides Free Nicotine Replacement Therapy QuitlineNC, the state’s free telephone coaching service to help tobacco users quit, has free nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum or lozenges) available for a limited time for North Carolina residents, 18 years of age and older, who enroll in quit coaching. According to a national study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while more than 70 percent of U.S. smokers wanted to quit in 2010, only about 6 percent of smokers successfully kicked the habit. In this New Year, the Dare County Department of Public Health encourages smokers to take advantage of this opportunity to fulfill their New Year’s Resolution and improve their health by quitting tobacco. The main reason smokers fail to quit, according to the study, is that most choose not to use a method that is proven to help quitters succeed, such as telephone support or quit medications. QuitlineNC, North Carolina’s free telephone service to help tobacco users who want to quit, has been shown to more than double a tobacco user’s chances of quitting for good. “Quitline offers access to coaches
anytime from 6AM to 3 AM. This vital service has been enhanced
by providing nicotine replacement
therapy,” said Lisa Phillips, Tobacco Prevention Coordinator with the Dare
County Department of Public Health.
“This added service will increase a smokers chance of quitting in
the New Year.” The N.C. Division of Public Health reported that participation in QuitlineNC increased from 7,624 in 2009 to a record 9,835 in 2010. The increase coincided with the implementation of the smoke-free restaurants and bars law, which went into effect in January 2010. Quitting smoking can improve your health immediately and it also can improve the health of people around you by limiting their exposure to secondhand smoke. QuitlineNC is free, confidential, and available daily, 7 a.m. until 3 a.m., to anyone calling from a N.C. phone number to 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). Spanish quit coaching and translation services are available. For more information on quitting tobacco please contact the Dare County Department of Public Health’s Health Education Specialist, Lisa Phillips at (252) 475-5077. |
