Georgia Coastal Health District

February is heart month. Every year, 1.5 million heart attacks or strokes happen in the United States and about 800,000 people die from heart disease in our country. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. You can make healthy changes to lower your risk of developing heart disease. Controlling and preventing risk factors is also important for people who already have heart disease. To lower your risk:

• Watch your weight.
• Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
• Control your cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Get active and eat healthy.
• Participate in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week.
• Eat a healthy diet that is high in fruits and vegetables and low in sodium, saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol.
• Manage stress.
• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink (no more than one drink each day for women and two for men).
• If you have high blood pressure and are prescribed medication, take it as directed.
• If you have a family member who has high blood pressure, you can help by taking many of the steps listed above with them. Go for walks together or cook meals with lower sodium. Make it a family affair!
• Check your blood pressure regularly.

How much do you know about heart disease? Find out by taking this six question Heart Disease Quiz.

Let someone you love know how important it is to control and prevent heart disease by sending an E-Card.

Learn more about preventing heart disease and stroke via Million Hearts campaign.

Whether it’s the one you are born into or the one you create, family matters. For people living with HIV, having the support of loved ones makes a big difference in health outcomes and general well-being.

WE ARE FAMILY is a new campaign from Greater Than AIDS and the Georgia Department of Public Health to reinforce the importance of social support for people living with HIV. Produced as part of the Georgia Greater Than AIDS (Georgia>AIDS) public information partnership, the multi-platform media and community outreach campaign profiles families from across the state who have a loved one living with HIV.

Research shows people with HIV who have strong support networks are more likely to get and stay in care, which both improves health outcomes and reduces the spread of the disease.  Conversely, fear of judgement and rejection can delay a person from seeking lifesaving treatment or even knowing their status.

“Getting Georgians tested and linking HIV-positive patients with treatment is essential to reducing HIV transmission in Georgia,” said Patrick O’Neal, M.D., director of Health Protection for the Georgia Department of Public Health. “An HIV-positive person is 96 percent less-likely to pass the virus to others if they’re adhering to an appropriate treatment regimen.”

According to a new statewide survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation that is being released today in conjunction with the new campaign, nearly half (46%) of Georgians say they personally know someone living with, or who has died of, HIV/AIDS.  More than one in four (28%) Black residents report having a family member affected by the disease.

Georgia has the fifth highest number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses in the country. As is the case nationally, Blacks are the most severely and disproportionately affected of all races and ethnicities, accounting for two thirds (67%) of new diagnoses in Georgia in 2013, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

“HIV has touched many lives, yet it’s not talked about even with those closest to us,” says Tina Hoff, Senior Vice President and Director of Health Communication and Media Partnerships at the Kaiser Family Foundation, which directs Greater Than AIDS. “Too many are getting HIV, and even dying, because of the stigma and silence.”

The large majority of Georgians surveyed say HIV “rarely,” if at all, comes up in conversations with friends, family or even intimate partners. Blacks and those with a personal connection to HIV are more likely to report talking about HIV, though most say not often.

Anchored by a series of documentary-style short videos, We  Are Family features a grandmother and her grown son, a college student and his parents, a pastor and his congregation, a recovering addict and his mother, a transgender woman and her sister, and childhood best friends. Their stories provide a powerful illustration of the difference it can make for people with HIV to have the support of family and friends.

In one profile, Masonia, a young mother who was diagnosed when she was pregnant, says of her best-friend Crystal, “she saved my life by showing me love.” In another, Abraham, a pre-med student, shares how his mother checks in regularly to make sure he’s doing okay: “She’s always asking me: ‘Did you take your medications today?’”

A statewide outdoor, transit, radio, TV and digital media campaign promotes local resources to support individuals living with HIV and their loved ones.

Community toolkits – including informational resources, posters, and other items highlighting local services – are being distributed to AIDS service and other community-based organizations across the state to support on-the-ground outreach.

For more about the campaign, informational resources, and to watch the videos, go to:  georgia.greaterthan.org

It’s not too late to vaccinate – Get your flu vaccine today! After November when you see signs that advertise: “Get Your Flu Vaccine Here,” you might think, “Isn’t it too late for that?” As long as flu viruses are spreading, it’s not too late to get a vaccine to protect yourself and your loved ones.

“Flu season typically peaks between December and February but significant activity can occur as late as May,” says Dr. Dan Jernigan, Deputy Director of the Influenza Division in the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) at CDC. “We are encouraging people who have not yet been vaccinated this season to get vaccinated now.”

For millions of people every season, the flu can mean a fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, fatigue, and miserable days spent in bed. However, you may not realize that each flu season, flu also causes hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and thousands or sometimes tens of thousands of deaths.

But there is a vaccine that can prevent flu. While how well the vaccine works can vary, the benefits from vaccination are well documented. Studies show that flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations.

This is why CDC recommends an annual flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older. Flu vaccine is available as a shot and as a nasal spray. According to Dr. Jernigan, however, “the most important thing is that you get vaccinated, not necessarily which vaccine you get.” Talk to your doctor or other health care professional about which vaccine is best for you and your family.

Some people are at high risk for serious flu-related complications, like pneumonia, that can lead to hospitalization and even death. This includes young children, pregnant women, people 65 and older and people with certain medical conditions, like asthma, diabetes or heart disease. For those at high risk for complications, getting the flu vaccine is especially important. It’s also important to get the vaccine if you care for anyone at high risk, including babies younger than 6 months because they are too young to get the vaccine. To learn more about high risk conditions, visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/high_risk.htm.

Children 6 months through 8 years of age who are getting vaccinated for the first time may need two doses of flu vaccine to be fully protected. If a child has not received his/her first dose, get them vaccinated now. For children who are 6 months through 8 years of age and who have been vaccinated with one dose, parents should check with the child’s doctor or other health care professional to see if a second dose is needed. “Getting the flu vaccine is simple, and it’s the most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your family from the flu,” says Dr. Jernigan. Millions of people have safely received flu vaccines for decades.

As long as the flu is spreading, you can still benefit from a flu vaccine.  For more information about influenza or the flu vaccine, talk to your doctor or other health care professional, visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu or call CDC at 1-800-CDCINFO (800-232-4636).

Temperatures in the South tend to change quickly during winter months so being prepared is key. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests taking these steps to prepare your home to stay safe and warm during the winter months.

Winterize your home.

• Install weather stripping, insulation, and storm windows.
• Insulate water lines that run along exterior walls.
• Clean out gutters and repair roof leaks.

Check your heating systems.

• Have your heating system serviced professionally to make sure that it is clean, working properly and ventilated to the outside.
• Inspect and clean fireplaces and chimneys.
• Install a smoke detector. Test batteries monthly.
• Have a safe alternate heating source and alternate fuels available.
• Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) emergencies.
• Install a CO detector to alert you of the presence of the deadly, odorless, colorless gas.
• Learn symptoms of CO poisoning: headaches, nausea, and disorientation.
• Keep grills and generators out of the house and garage. Position generators at least 20 feet from the house.

Be prepared for weather-related emergencies, including power outages.

• Stock food that needs no cooking or refrigeration and water stored in clean containers.
• Keep an up-to-date emergency kit, including:
  – battery-operated devices, such as a flashlight, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio, and lamps;
  – extra batteries;
  – first-aid kit and extra medicine;
  – baby items; and
  – cat litter or sand for icy walkways

Your car also needs to be winterized. Make sure that you have the appropriate amount of antifreeze and that your tires are in good condition. Keep a first-aid kit in your car and get your vehicle serviced as recommended by the manufacturer.