|
|
|
Wood County Health Department
|
March, 2016
|
|
|
Zika is a virus spread through mosquito bites and possibly blood or body fluids. Symptoms include fever, rash, red eyes, headache and joint or muscle pain. The illness is usually mild, lasting up to 1 week. As of today, the only people in the US with Zika Virus became ill from travel to affected areas which include: parts of Central and South  America, Mexico, Caribbean Islands, Cape Verde, American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga. In the US there has been 1 case of Zika transmitted through sexual contact from a person who traveled to an affected area. The CDC advises pregnant women to postpone travel to these areas. If you are already pregnant and have traveled to one of these areas contact your medical provider. Zika can pose health risks such as birth defects to unborn children. For all travelers traveling to these affected regions make plans to protect yourself from mosquito bites. For more information go to www.cdc.gov/zika or call the Wood County Health Department at 715-421-8911 or 715-387-8646.
|
Celebrating National Condom Month
|
February was celebrated among sexual health providers as National Condom month. Consistent condom use is still the best way to help protect your sexual health and well-being. While condom resistance is a global issue, the United States has the highest rate of sexually transmitted infections. There are nearly 20 million new cases of STIs in the U.S. each year. This public health issue tallies up billions of dollars each year in medical costs.
The design and materials of condoms have evolved greatly from the original product, some of which were made from animal intestine and even fish skin. Condoms are relatively inexpensive and are often offered for no charge at family planning clinics. With the advancement of oral and implantable birth control, it seems people have forgotten that a condom is useful for more than just pregnancy prevention; aside from abstinence, condom-use is the only way to protect against sexually transmitted infections. It is still important to emphasize the importance of condom-use in preventing STIs, especially among teens and young adults.
|
|
Wood County WIC Receives Community Partnership for Healthy Mothers & Children Grant
|
The Wood County WIC Program received a 15 month Community Partnership for Healthy Mothers and Children Grant from the National WIC Association, which is a sub-recipient of a grant through the Center of Disease Control Division of Community Health.
The purpose of the grant is to build and strengthen community infrastructure to implement population-based strategies to improve community's health through the collaboration of the WIC program and the Healthy People Wood County Chronic Disease Coalition. The goal is to build and enhance community partnerships, perform a community needs assessment, and develop and implement strategies to achieve community health goals. Some of the grant objectives include: increasing SNAP benefits at local farmers markets, healthy foods/labeling in restaurants and grocery stores, worksite wellness initiatives, school wellness initiatives, increasing the number of chronic disease prevention programs, non-pharmaceutical prescriptions from providers to chronic disease prevention programs and WIC, and increasing the number of people utilizing the WIC program for services. The Community Partnership for Healthy Mothers and Children Grant provides WIC the opportunity to collaborate and enhance community partnerships to foster practices that increase the health and wellbeing of our community. If your organization is interested in partnering with this grant please contact: Amber France, MS,MPH, IBCLC (Nutrition & Lactation Program Supervisor) (715)421-8937 or afrance@co.wood.wi.us
|
|
Bed Bugs-Unwanted Hitchhikers
|
Cimex lectularius, aka the Bed Bug, has been living with humans since ancient times. They may only seem new to us because the old pest control methods of the 1900's and the toxic chemicals first used in pest control were so effective in reducing their numbers and pushing them to exotic and remote corners of the world. Now, with modern travel and accommodations, which permit people to visit or stay in a  different room, or in a different city every night; they have come home with us again.
Bed bugs are hitchhikers. They can't fly and they can't jump. They must crawl into our belongings to hide. Hiding is what they are good at and it is what they have done to survive the millennia with us. Knowing this, we can prevent them from spreading to our businesses and homes. Looking for them is easy; they are not invisible. It simply takes time and effort. Keeping them out of our belongings is also easy if you keep your belongings off the floor and away from the bed which will help prevent them from hitching a ride with you. To help kill bed bugs, wash and dry your belongings when you return home. Fight back, be observant, and be on guard!
|
|
Prescription Take Back Event
|
A prescription take-back event will be held on April 30, 2016. The following law enforcement agencies are hosting a location for this event:
- Nekoosa Police Dept.: Nekoosa Municipal Building (951 Market Street): 10am-2pm
- Wood County Sheriff's Dept.: Aspirus Riverview Hospital (Parking lot #2): 10am-2pm
- Wisconsin Rapids Police Dept.: WR Police Dept.: 10am - 2pm
- Port Edwards Police Dept.: PE Police Dept.: 10am-2pm
- Rome Police Dept.: Rome Police Dept.: 10am-2pm
-
Marshfield Police Dept.: Shopko (1306 North Central Avenue, Marshfield): 10am-2pm
An additional collection, hosted by Marshfield Police Department, will be held on Friday April 29th, at Marshfield Clinic's Main Lobby (1000 North Oak Ave, Marshfield) from
9am-4pm.
Click here for information on the regular pharmaceutical drop-off locations in Wood County!
|
|
| |
Perinatal Emotional Complications
Most people have heard of postpartum depression, but many are not informed or educated about the range of perinatal emotional complications that they may experience. These complications are a common consequence of  pregnancy and often occur before the baby is born. For women, 60% of depression starts before or during pregnancy, and 10% of dads experience perinatal depression. Thanks to social media and various programs or groups, women are sharing their stories making more information available about perinatal emotional complications. Common symptoms include sleep disturbances, anger, anxiety and irritable isolation. These symptoms can occur during pregnancy and/or postpartum. Perinatal emotional complications can be hard to recognize because it shares similar symptoms with depression and anxiety. It is important to know that treatment does work.
HPV Rates Drop Due to Increased Vaccinations
A decade has already passed since the CDC first started recommending the HPV vaccine. Though HPV vaccination rates remain well below the target, new research was recently published to show evidence of vaccine effectiveness. The evidence also shows that the vaccine may either provide some herd immunity or still be effective at less than the full 3 doses recommended. While this evidence is a great step forward in the battle against stigma related to the HPV vaccine, the most important step is still for physicians to make a strong recommendation for teenage females and males to receive and complete the full HPV 3-immunization series.
To read the full article regarding this study click here!
New Treatment for Hep C
Recent medical advancements have developed a new treatment for hepatitis C that can offer a cure for about 90% of users. There are very strict guidelines for those who qualify for receiving the treatment. For patients who haven't previously undergone treatment for HCV, this daily regime could offer them the prospect of being hepatitis free  in 12 short weeks. The main difficulty of this treatment regiman is that the patient cannot miss a single dose. In fact, being just 24-48 hours late in taking one pill could render the entire treatment process ineffective; and at a cost of around $1,000 a day, a rather costly mistake. Strict adherence to the daily routine is vital to achieving a cure, which will be truly life-changing for some of the estimated 3.2 million people living with hepatitis C.
|
|
|
Weight Check & Breastfeeding Clinics
When: Every Tuesday & Friday
Where: Wood County Health Department, Wisconsin Rapids
Time: Tuesdays 1:00pm-4:00pm & Fridays 9:00am-Noon
March Lunch-n-Learn: Cultural Diversity
When: Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Where: Wood County Courthouse Auditorium
When: Noon-12:45pm
To view the dates and topics for the upcoming Trauma Informed Care Lunch-n-Learn Series click here:
Car Seat Safety Check
4 out of 5 car seats are used incorrectly! Make sure that your children are riding safely.
When: Tuesday, March 15
Tuesday, April 19
Tuesday, May 17 
Where: Marshfield Fire Dept.
Time: 11:00am-1:00pm
When: Wednesday, March 23
Wednesday, April 27
Wednesday, May 25
Where: Wood County Health
Dept.
Time: 11:00am-1:00pm
Milky Miles 5K/10K
When: Saturday, April 23, 2016
Where: Wildwood Park, Marshfield
Time: Registration: 7:30-8:30am
Kids Fun Run: 8:45am
10K Start: 9:00am
5K Start: 9:15am
Awards Ceremony: 10:30am
|
|
| |
Wood County Health Department
Wisconsin Rapids Office
Aspirus Riverview Clinic Building - 4th Floor
420 Dewey St.
P.O. Box 8080
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495
Phone: (715) 421-8911
Fax: (715) 421-8962
Hours: 8:00am - 4:30pm Monday-Friday
Marshfield Office
Wood County Annex & Health Center
1600 North Chestnut Ave.
Marshfield, WI 54449
Phone: (715) 387-8646
Hours: Call for appointment and clinic dates
|
|
|
