Category: Health

Norovirus hitting younger kids hard

By Sharon Salyer, The Herald

Norovirus, the same viral bug that sickened more than 200 people attending a cheerleading competition at Comcast Arena last year, is now the leading cause of tummy and intestinal illness among children four and under.

The virus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, is so common and widespread that one in six children age four or younger will be treated in clinics for norovirus, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated one in 14 children in this age group will be treated at an emergency room for the infection.

“The message that norovirus has been increasing, especially among those under age five is disturbing,” said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, health officer for the Snohomish Health District. “Those are the ones that get sick enough to end up in the doctor’s office.”

Although the disease can cause short-term, but very uncomfortable, problems for people of any age, it is of extra concern among the very young, he said. “They don’t tolerate getting dehydrated very well,” he said.

For some of the same reasons, norovirus can be a problem with older adults. Last year, 10 outbreaks of suspected norovirus were reported in facilities that care for the elderly, such as adult family homes and nursing homes, Goldbaum said.

Norovirus is sometimes called cruise ship disease because of outbreaks that move rapidly on such ships, sickening many people.

The virus “hits people really hard and then in a couple days, it gets better,” Goldbaum said.

Each year, noroviruses sickens more than 21 million people in the United Stats and approximately 800 people die, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Patients have been coming to area medical clinics with norovirus symptoms almost continuously for the past several months, said Dr. Yuan-Po Tu, who helps track communicable diseases at The Everett Clinic.

“It’s not an epidemic, but there’s always some level of it going around,” he said.

The virus typically sickens people for two to seven days, he said, often causing only a slight fever of 99 to 100.5 degrees.

Norovirus is extremely contagious. People near a person when they become ill can easily become infected themselves, Goldbaum said.

Those who are sickened by norovirus are contagious from the moment they begin feeling ill to at least three days and as much as two weeks after they recover, according to federal health officials.

The steps to help stop its spread include careful hand washing and not sharing food or drinks with someone who is ill.

The disease was blamed with sickening 229 teens and adults who were attending a cheerleading competition at Comcast Arena in February last year. Thirty-three people sought medical care for severe vomiting and diarrhea.

“Stop TB in my lifetime” awareness in Snohomish County, March 24

Tuberculosis control continues its long history in Snohomish County
 
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. – To build local awareness of an ongoing global tragedy, the Snohomish County Board of Health recently adopted a resolution proclaiming March 24 to be “World TB Day” in Snohomish County. The Snohomish Health District is responsible for carrying out the work of preventing and controlling tuberculosis in Snohomish County.
 
Worldwide, each day 4,000 people die from this curable disease.
 
The Health District’s TB prevention and control program manages the treatment of about 20-27 active cases of TB every year. They also manage150-200 people annually who have breathed in TB bacteria but are not actively sick, known as latent tuberculosis.  Snohomish County has among the highest number of TB cases in the state of Washington, which averages about 200 cases of active TB annually.
 
In the early part of the 19th century, TB killed close to 1,000 people in Washington every year, up to 96 percent of the people who had the active disease. Snohomish County had its own well-populated TB hospitalnear Snohomish, named Aldercrest Sanatorium. Over the decades, TB detection and treatment improved and brought the figures down dramatically—but the disease stubbornly remains present in our community.
 
“Although our work has forced the numbers down over the years, this disease is still alive in Snohomish County,” said Joseph Aharchi, Health District TB program manager. The best news is that TB is preventable and curable. It’s important for Snohomish County health care and social service staff to be aware of the disease potential in their patients and clients.”
 
In recent years, Aharchi’s staff of 11 have found and treated TB among school students, drug populations, transients, refugees, shopping mall staff, travelers to foreign countries, and government employees. The TB team continues to work on a current outbreak among mentally ill residents. To date, the Health District has screened 140 contacts of the original case, and found 11 positive for latent TB and eight with active disease.
 
Managing a TB case involves interviewing and perhaps treating the original patient’s close contacts for latent tuberculosis, and aggressively treating the patient with active TB. The standard course of treatment for TB lasts six to nine months.
 
“TB can affect and infect anyone,” said Aharchi. “We are here to help defeat it.”
 
Established in 1959, the Snohomish Health District works for a safer and healthier Snohomish County through disease prevention, health promotion, and protection from environmental threats. Find more information about the Health Board and the Health District at http://www.snohd.org. Learn more about TBat theinformation table in the Health District atrium at 3020 Rucker Ave., Everett.

Salmon bisque that’s doable on weeknights

Los Angeles TimesThis restaurant-grade salmon bisque can be made in less than an hour.
Los Angeles Times
This restaurant-grade salmon bisque can be made in less than an hour.

By Noelle Carter, Los Angeles Times

With the depth of flavor in this soup, you’d never guess it came together in under an hour.

Robin’s Restaurant in Cambria, Calif., was happy to share its recipe for rich and creamy salmon bisque, which we’ve adapted below.

Robin’s salmon bisque

¼ cup salted butter
1 cup sliced leeks
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2¾ cups (22 ounces) clam juice
2 cups crushed tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus fresh sprigs for garnish
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups cubed fresh salmon (bones removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes), about 1½ pounds
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups heavy cream

Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until hot. Add the butter, and, when it is melted, stir in the leeks, mushrooms and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the leeks are translucent and soft.

Stir in the clam juice, crushed tomatoes, chopped parsley and dill, and season with the salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the salmon. Continue to simmer until the salmon is fully cooked, 3 to 5 minutes.

While the soup is cooking, whisk the flour into the heavy cream in a small bowl. Slowly add the cream to the soup when the salmon is cooked. Continue to simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Ladle the soup into bowls, and serve garnished with dill sprigs.

Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 475 calories; 21 grams protein; 10 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 40 grams fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 147 mg cholesterol; 4 grams sugar; 535 mg sodium.

Adapted from Robin’s Restaurant in Cambria, Calif.

Passamaquoddy’s BlackBear Communications Launches Campaign To Improve Healthcare Options for Natives

By Eisa Ulen, Indian Country Today Media Network

To create a healthcare ad for the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), Passamaquoddy-owned public relations, marketing and advertising company BlackBear Communications looked through a pile of Polaroid pictures of ordinary, everyday Native Americans. One of the images was of a beautiful girl, Ta’Shon Rain Little Light, who had been misdiagnosed with depression at the tender age of 5. This child’s real condition was cancer, and Ta’Shon’s young life was lost because of the poor healthcare she received at a local clinic. She became the cover image of a stunning BlackBear-produced NCAI campaign to improve healthcare options for Native people, people like Ta’Shon, whose lives are too often cut short because of the socio-economic conditions that limit their access to quality medical care.

Ta’Shon Rain Little Light (Facebook)
Ta’Shon Rain Little Light (Facebook)

 

According to Elizabeth Neptune, BlackBear’s public health specialist and former councilor of the Passamaquoddy Tribe of Indian Township, Maine, the BlackBear NIH campaigns “will range the spectrum of health initiatives, from anti-obesity efforts to reminders to schedule prostrate exams. On any campaign that BlackBear is selected to participate in, BlackBear will provide a number of different services to ensure cultural sensitivity and message penetration.”

BlackBear is a Tribal owned venture between the Passamaquoddy Tribe of Indian Township and a team of public relations, advertising and marketing professionals, and the firm’s reach through this NIH partnership will extend throughout Indian country.

Neptune says BlackBear will “micro-target” the hundreds of diverse tribes throughout the United States. The firm, Neptune explains, understands that a person might self-identify as Native American and Choctaw, or Alaskan Native and Haida, and BlackBear “hopes to speak with the target audience in their own voice. Just as one wouldn’t tell a Texan to ‘fer git a bout it’ or invite a New Yorker to hoedown, BlackBear does not take a one-size-fits-all approach to communications.”

With health disparities and income inequality plaguing Native people, this great diversity within Indian country demands that the communications firm in place to help save lives understand the full range of Native experiences. “The prevailing image of Native Americans,” Neptune says, “is of destitute reservations in the backlands of America. While roughly half of all Native Americans live in rural reservations, millions of Native Americans live in urban settings.”

Neptune says that Native Americans living in cities struggle with the same issues of drugs, violence, and poverty facing other urban Americans, but “these problems run deeper and with much greater impact in the Native American/Alaskan Native population. When a national politician talks about the horrors of over 10 percent unemployment in the African American [community], imagine the difficulty for a rural tribal council member who faces over 50 percent unemployment amongst their people. Studies have proven that socio-economics play a major part in health and healthcare management.”

The major health disparities impacting Native health, Neptune says, are diabetes and substance abuse. Education through public communication helps identify substance abusers who need help, the best places for them to go to get help, and the training addicts and their family members can get to learn how to help improve health outcomes. Likewise, Neptune says, through public education, ordinary people can identify a pattern of family diabetes, learn how to talk to a nutrition expert, and begin to think about ways to cook healthier meals to have a positive impact on family wellness.

Neptune says her background as a public health specialist gives her a distinctive perspective within the BlackBear Communications team. “My particular experience in direct care and the whole health care system has placed me in the unique position to talk about those challenges faced in Indian country with authority. But the issues that confront Native American communities are many. Communities are learning, talking and tackling the problem with internal and external resources is the only way we will ever see improvement. There are also opportunities if the Native American communities want to fight for them in the realm of public debate. Whether it is a local, state or nationa initiative, Native Americans will only be heard if they speak up. BlackBear, we hope, will be more than a communications firm to reach Indian country. We want it to be a megaphone for Native Americans to address the issues and opportunities important to them.”

Perhaps BlackBear’s new partnership with NIH will help more people who deserve better healthcare information and access—and prevent tragic, avoidable loss of life, life as precious as young Ta’Shon Rain Little Light.

 

Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/03/18/passamaquoddys-blackbear-communications-launches-campaign-improve-healthcare-options

SnoCo teens drinking less; thinking more about suicide

The 2012 Healthy Youth Survey reflects ups and downs among local older kids

Source: Snohomish County Health District
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. – The state’s recently released 2012 Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) shows that Snohomish County’s youth are having their ups and downs when it comes to healthy choices and experiences. The biennial report issued by the Washington State Department of Health offers health-risk information reported anonymously by students statewide in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12.
 
Issues of concern among Snohomish County teens include an increase in planning and seriously considering suicide, and worrisome reports of physical abuse by adults. The good news is that the teens who are depressed or considering suicide are more likely to seek help.
 
Use of cigarettes in the last 30 days was the lowest since 2002 in all grades, dropping to 15% for 12th graders. Use of hookah tobacco, however, hit 19% in that age group, and more than 25% reported marijuana use.
 
Alcohol use was lower in Snohomish County than in Washington State across the board among all grades, decreasing 4-5% at each grade level. Most kids still are not getting enough exercise, with about 20-27% reporting that they are physically active for 60 minutes per day.
 
“When we focus on the kids in our community, we actually are focusing on the adult population of the immediate future,” said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, Health Officer and Director of the Snohomish Health District. “This is important information we use in planning as we attempt to meet the public health needs of the whole community.”
 
Data from select topics of concern in the 2012 survey are highlighted in new fact sheets on the Health District website at www.snohd.org. Health District staff has just begun analyzing this new data to identify trends and recommendations. The Snohomish Health District used data from the last Healthy Youth Survey in a community health assessment report that will be released in late April.
 
Find the state’s complete survey and fact sheets online at http://www.askhys.net/.
 
The 2012 HYS is the thirteenth survey since 1988 to sample Washington’s students about health risk behaviors that contribute to their illness, death, and social problems.
 
Students in each grade answered about 100 questions in six broad topics: demographics; alcohol, tobacco and other drug use; school climate; quality of life; risk and protective factors; and healthy weight, eating and physical activity.
 
The survey is a joint effort of the Department of Health, Department of Social and Health Services, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Liquor Control Board, the Family Policy Council, and the Department of Commerce. Results are used to plan, implement, and evaluate state youth programs.
 
Established in 1959, the Snohomish Health District works for a safer and healthier community through disease prevention, health promotion, and protection from environmental threats. Find more information about the Health District at www.snohd.org.

Healthcare blossoms at Seattle’s Pike Place Market

Source: SEIU Healthcare

CoverMe Rally sends message to Olympia to fund Medicaid expansion covering more than 250,000 people, saving the state $225 million and adding 10,000 jobs

SEATTLE – More than tourists flocked to Pike Place Market Thursday. Dozens of everyday Washingtonians rallied outside the Pike Market Medical Clinic calling for full implementation of Medicaid expansion. “Cover Me,” they chanted, as nearly 100 umbrellas printed with “Cover Me” opened in unison creating a display that rivaled the floral bouquets in the Public Market.

“Just because I work in the service industry doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have health insurance,” said Cassie Cotham, 27, of Seattle, a volunteer with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She delayed seeking medical care because she was uninsured, but two years ago she became so ill she could no longer work. Cotham was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. “Medicaid expansion would allow people like me to seek necessary medical care and not worry about balancing bills with going to the doctor.”

Cotham isn’t alone. More than 261,000 low-income Washington residents would be covered under Medicaid expansion, if the Legislature acts this session. The expansion would use Federal dollars to expand coverage to thousands of people, would save $225 million dollars and add 10,000 jobs statewide.

“Too often we see people desperately ill in the emergency rooms of our hospitals because they’ve postponed seeking treatment due to a lack of insurance coverage,” said Susan Tekola, a nurse with SEIU Healthcare 1199NW. “We support Medicaid expansion because it makes sense to provide quality coverage for all Washington residents allowing them to enjoy more healthy, productive lives.”

People at the rally wrote messages on two umbrellas which will be delivered to Washington House Speaker Frank Chopp and Senate Majority Leader Rodney Tom urging the Legislature to act swiftly.

“We hope our political leaders hear the message that Washington’s bounty should include not just salmon, great coffee and wonderful produce,” said Lynne Treat, of Chehalis. She’s a volunteer with AARP of Washington. She spoke Thursday about the need for people between ages 50 to 64 to have coverage. “All Washingtonians deserve quality health care.”

A recent Elway poll found that two-thirds of state residents support Medicaid expansion. Studies show that people without health insurance have a greater risk of prolonged illnesses, disability and death.

The rally was organized by the Healthy Washington Coalition, which represents a broad range of more than 70 organizations across the state.

Having fun and living healthy

By Kim Kalliber, Tulalip News staff; Photos Jeannie Briones

 

Tulalip Tribal member Thomas Reeves learns the importance of brushing his teeth properly.
Tulalip Tribal member Thomas Reeves learns the importance of brushing his teeth properly.

 

Staff at the Tulalip Early Head Start (EHS) Learning Center proved that learning to live healthy could be fun. On March 13th a crowd of young children were seen donning firemen hats, eating healthy treats, playing games, and learning the basics of proper healthcare at the EHS Mini Health and Safety Fair.

“Here at Early Head Start, we decided it [fair] would be a good opportunity to provide health and safety information to our parents in the program and other families,” said Katrina Lane, EHS Family Partnership Coordinator.

A variety of booths, filled with educational information and hands-on learning techniques, aimed to increase parents knowledge of healthy eating, including proper food portions and basic nutrition, along with treating head lice and common household products that can be poisonous to children. Tulalip Health Clinic staff stressed the importance of immunizations and well child examines to combat disease and viruses and ensure the overall well-being of children.

Members of the Tulalip Dental Clinic were on hand to teach kids and parents about proper dental care, and Tulalip firefighters talked about safety tips, and handed out bright red firemen hats to the kids.

Parent Heather Spencer talked about why attending the health fair was important, saying, “to learn and to teach my kids a better way of life.”

Based on the success of this event,  EHS staff are looking forward to the Health and Safety Fair becoming an annual event.

Benefits of Healthy Lifestyle

Melissa Cavender, Tulalip Tribes Health & Safety Specialist

Living a healthy lifestyle means living a way of life where you make healthy choices that contributes to your own health and wellness. It’s about practicing good eating habits to maintain a healthy weight and to prevent infections and diseases.

A healthy lifestyle also includes practicing healthy habits such as exercising, and avoiding harmful habits. It also comprises of having the right and positive attitude about life and living, loving your work or whatever you do and being in a healthy relationship.

Your body requires lots of water. But how many glasses of water can you drink in a day? And it needs fresh vegetables too. Too little water rich food, having too much food consisting of carbohydrates, proteins and high fat food and eating beyond moderation are among the causes of weight problem and low energy.

And this is why eating fruits is good for you. All fresh fruits provide nutrients, enzymes and are water rich and contain the natural sugar, fructose. And almost all of them contain fiber, protein and vitamins. They act as your body cleansing agent to eliminate waste. Dried fruits like figs, prunes, and raisins are equally healthy and provide medicinal benefits.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the easiest thing to do, provided you know the right tricks. Excess stress jolts your mind and you will see its spill-over effect in every aspect of your life. The key to counter daily pressures and stress is to lead a healthy life and develop healthy habits. You will find your productivity visibly enhanced and your mental framework quite positive, if you follow a healthy way of life.

 

“Spring Ahead” and Practice Your Home Fire Drill!

Safe Kids Snohomish County
 
Snohomish County, WA – Every day at least one child dies in a home fire.  In that same day, 293 children suffer from a non-fatal unintentional injury caused by a fire or burn. As you change your clocks this weekend to “spring ahead”, be sure to Practice Your Home Fire Drill! It isn’t enough to talk about it with children. They need to practice.
 
Remember,children younger than age 7 are more vulnerable to smoke and flames in a fire, less likely to wake up if a smoke alarm sounds while they’re sleeping and have a hard time escaping a burning home by themselves. Children under age 5 typically lack the motor skills and mental capabilities needed to quickly escape a burning building, but children as young as age 3 can follow an escape plan if they have practiced it often.
 
“Fire can spread rapidly through a home, leaving a family as little as two minutes to escape safely once the alarm sounds,” said Shawneri Guzman, Safe Kids Snohomish County Coordinator. “Along with a properly installed smoke alarm, parents should plan several escape routes out of their home and then designate a safe place to meet. Then practice with your kids so they know exactly what to do.”
 
When children see smoke or fire, they may try to hide in a closet or under a bed. So, as soon as your children are old enough to understand, make sure they know the sound of the smoke alarm and what to do when they hear it.
A voice recordable smoke alarm to supplement the smoke alarms in your home might be a good idea. Children often will wake to the sound of your voice giving them commands, rather than a beeping smoke alarm.
 
Teach your children:
  • Not to hide from firefighters.
  • How to crawl low under smoke to reduce smoke inhalation
  • How to touch closed doors to check for heat before opening
  • Two ways out of every room
  • Where your family meeting place outside your home is
 
Remember, working smoke alarms and a practiced fire escape plan with your entire family could mean the difference between life and death. Download your Home Fire Escape Plan Worksheet by visiting our website www.snosafekids.org.
 
 
Safe Kids Snohomish County works to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the number one cause of death for children in the United States. Its members include local fire & police agencies, hospitals, child focused organizations and more.  Safe Kids Snohomish County is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing unintentional injury. Safe Kids Snohomish County was founded in 1999 and is led by Providence Regional Medical CenterEverett. For more information about fire safety for children and families, as well as helpful tips and videos, call 425-261-3047 or visit www.safekids.org.