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LiveHealthyPA News 1st Quarter 2018

Healthy Living Practice Highlight

Healthy Living Practice Highlight: EPIC® Pediatric Obesity: Evaluation, Treatment and Prevention in Community Settings

EPIC® Pediatric Obesity presentations are for medical and other professionals in Pennsylvania. The program is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. A local team consisting of a physician and a registered dietitian come to you and present this free, one- to two-hour program live.
Content:

Assess the impact of overweight and obesity on all body systems
Develop approaches to help families start off right with infants and toddlers – early detection and early intervention - and promote healthy habits for all ages and at all weights
Recognize the interaction of sleep and mental health with obesity
Utilize latest science to provide practical help for patients and families regarding food, diet, beverages, sugar, sleep, mental health, screen time, and activity
Apply motivational interviewing techniques to develop and track interventions
Connect with community resources related to family wellness
Code and obtain reimbursement for obesity-related care [Medical sites].

For more information visit the EPIC® Pediatric Obesity: Evaluation, Treatment and Prevention in Community Settings submission on LiveHealthyPA

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Brain Injury

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) leads the nation in observing Brain Injury Awareness Month by conducting an awareness campaign in March each year. The theme for 2018 through 2020 is Change your Mind. The #ChangeYourMind campaign provides a platform for educating the public about the incidence of brain injury and the needs of people with brain injuries and their families. The campaign also lends itself to outreach within the brain injury community to de-stigmatize the injury, empower those who have survived, and promote the many types of support that are available.

The Department of Health is committed to expanding public knowledge regarding Brain Injury as well as providing programs to aid in the recovery of a brain injury. BrainSTEPS (Strategies, Teaching Educators, Parent and Students) is a program, facilitated by the Bureau of Family Health, which works to ensure that persons providing educational support to children with brain injury have a good understanding of brain injury, the resulting challenges, and supports and interventions that will assist these students achieve educational success. There are currently 30 BrainSTEPS teams throughout the state of Pennsylvania.

School districts throughout the state of Pennsylvania have adapted Return to Learn (RTL) Concussion Management Teams (CMT). As part of the BrainSTEPS program, RTL CMTs support students returning to the demands of school while promoting recovery, prior to making a referral to local BrainSTEPS team. The RTL CMT focuses on academics during the school day, monitoring both student athletes and non-athletes.

The Department of Health, Bureau of Family Health also offers the Head Injury Program (HIP). The HIP is a funding source for individuals 21 years and older that have sustained a traumatic brain injury. The HIP funds rehabilitation services through a specialized brain injury provider within the state of Pennsylvania.

To learn more about services available for individuals with brain injury and their families, please contact the toll-free Brain Injury Help Line at 1-866-412-4755 and speak with a Brain Injury Specialist. Specialists are available from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Colorectal Cancer Month

National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is one of only a few cancers that can be prevented because colorectal cancer screening allows doctors to find and remove hidden growths (called “polyps”) before they become cancer. Removing polyps can prevent cancer altogether.

Health care professionals play an important role in getting people screened for colorectal cancer. Please visit LiveHealthyPA.com to view the 80% by 2018 Toolkit for free materials to help you encourage colorectal cancer screening among your patients.

In fact, researchers believe that half of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented if everyone age 50 and older received recommended screenings.

Once an individual turns 50, it is important that they talk to their doctor about getting screened regularly for colorectal cancer. Individuals should talk to their doctor sooner if they have a family history of the disease or other condition that puts them at increased risk.
Take the time to learn the facts about colorectal cancer. Visit NCCRT for information and links to resources.
Talk to friends and family about the importance of getting screened for colorectal cancer starting at age 50 and other ways to help prevent the disease, like not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, eating less red meat, and consuming alcohol in moderation or not at all. You can help save lives.

For more information, on colorectal cancer please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Donate Life Month

April 2018 is recognized as National Donate Life Month. Donate Life America was inspired by the image of a rainbow and Maya Angelou’s quote, “Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” We all know rainbows — people who have helped carry us through life’s challenges. In turn, we may have the opportunity to be rainbows in other people’s clouds through the gift of organ, eye and tissue donation. By registering to be a donor or considering living donation, you can change one ray of light into a spectrum of healing and compassion. To hear the inspiring stories of Pennsylvanians, check out the #HumanSide of Donation at http://donatelifepa.org or www.facebook.com/DonateLifePennsylvania

Don’t forget to celebrate National Blue & Green Day on Friday, April 13.
Someone in Pennsylvania dies every 18 hours waiting for a life-saving organ. Wear blue and green and post your photos on social media to draw attention to the significant need for registered donors and celebrate the success of transplantation.

Heart Disease: Project FIT

Heart Disease: Project FIT

Project FIT - Erie County Department of Health According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 data, heart disease is still the leading cause of death in both men and women and accounts for 1 in every 4 deaths across the nation. Given this data and in recognition of American Heart Month it is important to highlight programs that aim to reduce the prevalence of heart disease. In Pennsylvania, one such program is Project: FIT developed by the Erie County Department of Health. Project: FIT is an initiative developed in partnership with local NBA G-League affiliate the Erie Bayhawks, to provide a series of youth basketball clinics, specifically targeted to inner-city and rural communities. Five clinics were implemented in 2017, to teach basketball skills, which then led to an additional 4-week physical activity challenge. Over 400 children participated in the initiative and the project gained sponsorship from UPMC Health Plan and local business Iron Empire Clothing. Due to partnerships and collaborations, the program is set to continue into 2018 and another four clinics have already been planned. For more information please contact Laura Luther at LLuther@eriecountypa.gov.

Nutrition

March is National Nutrition Month^®

National Nutrition Month® is a yearly nutrition education campaign by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Each March, the campaign focuses on healthy eating and physical activity habits. This year’s theme is "Go Further with Food”, which puts a spotlight on the many benefits of healthy eating while also encouraging us to reduce food waste. We are encouraged to eat a variety of healthy foods from all food groups to ensure we are meeting all of our nutritional needs. To help reduce the amount of food waste, we are challenged to plan meals and snacks in advance. Any leftovers should be refrigerated or frozen rather than wasted. This helps save us money and time in preparing the next meal. MyPlate tells us to be mindful of the portion sizes that we are eating, which helps to reduce food waste and ensures we aren’t consuming more food than we need. By eating nutritious foods with proper portion sizes and engaging in regular physical activity, we can all “Go Further with Food”.

Public Health Week

National Public Health Week

National Public Health Week 2018 is an annual observance of a growing movement to create the healthiest nation in one generation. For the week of April 2-8, public health advocates will celebrate the power of prevention, advocate for healthy and fair policies, share strategies for successful partnerships, and champion the role of a strong public health system.

Daily Themes

Monday: Behavioral Health
Tuesday: Communicable Diseases
Wednesday: Environmental Health
Thursday: Injury and Violence Prevention
Friday: Ensuring the Right to Health

Visit National Public Health Week 2018 for more information.

Visit National Public Health Week 2018

Smoking in the Movies

In 2003, Dartmouth researchers found that the more smoking in movies kids saw, the more likely they were to start to smoke. Kids who saw the most smoking in movies were nearly three times more likely to start smoking than kids who saw the least. Since 2003, studies from a dozen other countries have confirmed the same effect.

It's now estimated that exposure to on-screen smoking accounts for 37 percent of US smokers younger than eighteen. The US Surgeon General (2014) concluded that giving an R rating to future movies with smoking would be expected to reduce the number of teen smokers by nearly 1 in 5 (18%) and prevent one million deaths from smoking among children alive today (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

Oscars® and smoking

For the past four years, SmokeFree Movies has tracked smoking in Oscar-listed movies and by Oscar-nominated actors. This year, 86% of films listed in major 2018 Oscar categories feature tobacco imagery — up from 60% in 2015. Half of PG/PG-13 films and all the R-rated films featured smoking. Only 15% of smokers in Oscar-listed bio films smoked in real life (like Winston Churchill). 85% of the smokers were fictional characters and film extras added to the story.

If you are interested in learning more, download a #HelpOscarQuit campaign kit from SmokeFree Movies.

Download Campaign Kit