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June 2024 Public Health E-Newsletter |
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 Pride Month and LGBTQ+ Health
As the Village and communities across the country celebrate Pride month this June, we want to uplift the LGBTQ+ community and share resources for the unique health needs of this diverse population.
Over the course of their lifetime, LGBTQ+ individuals experience significant health disparities due to stigma, discrimination and limited access to culturally competent care. Issues such as depression, substance use, increased rates of HIV/AIDS and obesity are more frequent among people in the LGBTQ+ community, often due to societal prejudice and lack of access to care. Transgender individuals often encounter additional barriers to gender-affirming healthcare, negatively impacting their well-being. Addressing these disparities requires inclusive policies, provider training and targeted interventions tailored to the LGBTQ+ community's unique needs.
Oak Park and our surrounding communities provide resources to address physical and behavioral health needs for LGBTQ+ individuals. Check out a few resources below:
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ICYMI
The Oak Park Farmers' Market, managed by Public Health Department staff, opened for the 2024 season on May 18! Go Green Days kicked off the season. The Market will be open rain or shine every Saturday through October 26.
We participated in Blast Off to Kindergarten, hosted by the Early Childhood Collaborative at Rehm Park on May 19. Department Director Dr. Theresa Chapple enjoyed meeting so many rising kindergartners and their families.
We also attended the OPRF High School Block Party on May 19 where we shared information on our injury prevention programs and enjoyed the celebration of 150 years of the OPRF High School.
Public Health Department Director Dr. Theresa Chapple participated in Career Day on May 24 at Percy Julian Middle School, where she answered student questions and gave an overview of each of the six Public Health Department divisions.
We celebrated the 50th year of A Day in Our Village on June 2 at Scoville Park, giving away free bike helmets and hosting a public health trivia game for adults and kids alike!
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Catch us in the community
Juneteenth Cookout, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m Saturday June 15, south lawn of Village Hall. Join us at the family-friendly event that features music, food and activities for children. We will be sharing heart-healthy recipes for your summer cookouts and giving away fresh Farmers' Market produce! Click here for more details.
Community Blood Drive, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday June 25, Village Hall. Help address the critical blood shortage by donating blood this June! Walk-ins are welcome, but we recommend making an appointment first.
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Creating smoke-free policies for multi-unit housing
Each year, an estimated 28 million multi-unit housing residents in the U.S. are exposed to secondhand smoke in their home or apartment that entered their space from another part of their building. In response to calls from Oak Park residents requesting assistance when faced with secondhand smoke in their homes, the Public Health Department applied for and received grant funding from the Illinois Department of Public Health to develop resources on smoke-free multi-unit housing.
The Village of Oak Park is supporting residents, housing providers and condominium associations in creating smoke-free policies for their buildings. We’ve pulled together resources to help with the process: from research and planning to enacting and enforcing smoke-free policies. Visit our smoke-free multi-unit housing webpage to learn more.
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Donate blood, save a life
The United States is currently experiencing a blood shortage, and about every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood or platelets. A single blood donation often saves more than one life!
To help supply local community blood centers, the Oak Park Public Health Department is sponsoring a blood drive from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25 at Village Hall, 123 Madison St.
Though walk-ins are welcome, appointments are recommended.
The day of the the drive, we encourage you to stay very well hydrated, eat nutritious meals and make sure you bring your ID with you.
Contact the Public Health Department with any questions at 708.358.5480 or health@oak-park.us.
A focus on Men's Health
June is a month full of celebrations, and Men's Health is among the things we're elevating this month. One of the goals of this month is to build the knowledge of men and boys to impact their lifestyle for actionable, healthier choices that influence decisions, lifelong.
We want to encourage preventive care specifically, which includes regular health screenings, and addressing health issues that most affect men, such as heart disease, cancer, injury, lung disease, stroke and diabetes. We encourage men to reduce preventable illnesses by creating or maintaining a relationship with a regular health care provider and getting annual checkups. Click here for more resources to care for your health.
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Ask the Public Health Department
Q: What does Oak Park do to monitor West Nile virus?
A: The Oak Park Public Health Department, specifically the Environmental Health division, keeps tabs on the West Nile Virus through regular testing of mosquitoes in the area annually during the spring and summer. Staff also collect dead crows, robins and blue jays, the birds most likely affected by West Nile Virus, when they are found, and work with labs to test these animals for West Nile Virus as well.
In Illinois, West Nile virus was first identified in September 2001. The following year, the state's first human cases and deaths from West Nile disease were recorded and all but two of the state's 102 counties eventually reported a positive human, bird, mosquito or horse.
The chance of being infected with the West Nile Virus actually is very small. Less than 1% of mosquitoes are infected, and less than 1% of the people who are bitten by an infected mosquito will become severely ill. Persons 50 years old or older, and those with compromised immune systems, are most susceptible.
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