|
Maine CDC is joining the nation in recognizing April as Sexually Transmitted Disease Awareness Month. This year’s theme is Know the Facts and GYT: Get Yourself Tested.
STDs occur mostly among younger populations, but can affect anyone. According to US CDC, many people make false assumptions about how STD tests are performed, who should get tested, and the treatment of STDs. This may prevent people from seeking the testing and treatment they need.
In the U.S., there are approximately 20 million STDs diagnosed annually, with nearly half occurring in teenagers and young adults. For example, in 2014, Maine had 3,538 cases of Chlamydia reported, with 68 percent of the cases occurring in 15 to 24 year-olds. Gonorrhea accounted for 243 cases with 53 percent of the cases being diagnosed in 20 to 29 year-olds.
All STDs are preventable and can be treated. Most have no physical signs or symptoms, so the only way to know with certainty is to be tested. Left untreated, some STDs can have significant long-term health consequences, like being unable to have children or long-term pelvic pain for example.
Several events have taken place this month to help raise awareness of STDs. Other events planned are being held at:
- Noon to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21, Frannie Peabody Center, 2 Medical Care Drive #3 in Biddeford
- 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, Portland Public Health, 103 India Street in Portland
For more information about where to get testing, treatment, or disease reporting in Maine, please visit http://www.mainepublichealth.gov/std
As part of National Infant Immunization Week (April 18-25), the Maine Immunization Program will be hosting a screening
of the 40-minute independent documentary, Invisible Threat.
The film focuses
on the science of vaccinations and the false information that parents are
receiving leading them to delay or decline immunizations for their children. The film was produced by chstvFILMS, an award-winning
high school broadcast journalism and documentary film program.
Following the showing Dr. Sewall, a pediatrician from Kennebec
Pediatrics, will be available to answer questions from parents and the
community.
The event is tentatively scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 27, at Kaplan University, 14 Marketplace Drive, Augusta. For more information, call Maine Immunization Program at 1-800-867-4775.
Governor Paul R. LePage has issued a proclamation announcing
that April is Child Abuse Prevention month. The announcement coincides with a new
partnership of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) with
the Maine Children’s Trust and the statewide network of community-based Child
Abuse Prevention Councils.
DHHS recognizes
the value of these community-based supports for families and has invested in
the child abuse prevention network through statutory responsibility of the
Maine Children’s Trust and the local councils. This investment includes
the provision of parenting education, safe sleep instruction, and shaken baby
syndrome awareness and prevention.
The 10 Child Abuse and Neglect Councils located across the
state are hosting events in their communities during the month of
April. For more information about child abuse prevention programs and
activities in your community, during the month of April and throughout the
year, visit the Maine Children’s Trust at www.mechildrenstrust.org.
The Maine Suicide Prevention Program will sponsor Beyond the Basics of Suicide Prevention 2015: Pathway to Prevention: Working Toward Zero Suicide in Maine on from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7, at the Abromson Center at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
This
event serves as a best practices conference offering participants in-depth and
progressive information and the latest research in the field of suicide and
suicide prevention. It is designed for an adult audience who has attained basic
training and knowledge in suicide and suicide prevention, and wishes to expand
its knowledge and ability to engage in suicide prevention in Maine.
The program includes the most up-to-date research on suicidology and evidence-based tools
and provides participants with information to use in everyday practical
applications.
The target audience for this conference is primary care physicians, physician
assistants, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health professionals,
alcohol and drug counselors, social workers, public safety professionals,
military personnel, public health professionals, educators, families and
community members.
For
more information and to register: http://msppconference2015.eventbrite.com
Cases of pertussis (whooping cough) continue to be reported statewide.
So far this year, 94 cases have been reported in Maine, as of March 31. The majority of the cases are in school-aged children.
Maine CDC encourages providers who see patients for cough in an outbreak area to treat empirically for pertussis and test. Providers do not need to wait for positive results to return or a two-week history of cough.
DTaP vaccine is recommended for all infants and children. Tdap vaccine is recommended for all preteens, teens, and adults, including health care providers and during the third trimester of every pregnancy. Per ACOG (American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), Tdap is also recommended for every pregnancy in
the third trimester.
For more guidance and information, visit http://go.usa.gov/dCO
Regional flu activity was reported in Maine for the week ending April 4.
Clinical recommendations and guidelines are available in the health alert issued January 15 (http://go.usa.gov/JXyY).
Weekly updates on flu cases are available online:
For more information, go to www.maineflu.gov or http://www.cdc.gov/flu/
The United States is currently experiencing a large, multi-state outbreak of measles. As of April 3, 159 cases have been reported in 18 states and the District of Columbia. There are no cases in Maine. The last confirmed case of measles in Maine was in 1997.
For more information, go to http://www.cdc.gov/measles/
As
of April 8, the latest Ebola case count reported from US CDC is 14,839 confirmed
cases globally with an estimated 10,600 deaths.
The
Maine CDC Public Health Emergency Operations Center continues to monitor the
situation.
US
CDC has established guidelines for active screening of all travelers arriving
from the three West African countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea who
must enter the US through the five designated international US airport ports of
entry (JFK, Newark Liberty, Atlanta, Dulles and O’Hare).
For
more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/
|
