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Shedding light on the impact of viral hepatitis and encouraging testing and vaccination during Hepatitis Awareness Month
May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and May 19 is Hepatitis Testing Day. This is a great reminder to learn about the dangers of viral hepatitis, how to prevent the spread of the disease, and what to do if you become infected.Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that is often caused by a virus. The most common types of viral hepatitis's are A, B, and C. Both hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) can lead to liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and viral hepatitis-related deaths. In Idaho,
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November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and an opportunity to reflect on ways we can support those with an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, and measures we can take to reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer’s ourselves.
Many people we’ve spoken
Anyone who’s heard me talk very long about my work at the Department of Health and Welfare has also heard me say it’s the best and most challenging job I’ve ever had. It’s also been the greatest honor of my career.
My decision to retire at the end of December has
In the past five years I’ve signed 1,596 adoption papers for children being adopted from foster care into new families.
Signing adoptions is part of my job as director at DHW and one of the most moving and emotionally wrenching thing I do at work. I read each and
Fit and Fall Proof is a program in our Public Health Division that improves the lives of Idahoans. This program works for seniors in our communities to help prevent injuries and the subsequent loss of independence. Class participants learn simple exercises to increase strength,
The Department of Health and Welfare marked a significant milestone this month as it implemented a cutting-edge new background check system. The new system’s primary objective is to drastically reduce processing times for background checks, ensuring a smoother and faster
The vision of the Department of Health and Welfare’s Get Healthy Idaho plan is healthy people living and thriving in safe, healthy, and resilient communities. Differences in communities and neighborhoods can impact how long and how well people live. Get Healthy Idaho is a
Halloween is an exciting holiday for children and adults alike, and we’d like to remind parents and caregivers to take some simple precautions to make sure that everyone has a safe and happy Halloween. Here are a few tips:
Glow sticks can be dangerous
Glow
This Thursday, Oct. 19, marks the Great Idaho ShakeOut. As part of the worldwide Great Shakeout, it’s a day dedicated to reflecting on and preparing for the possibility of a significant earthquake. At 10:19 a.m. local time, people throughout Idaho will participate in the
Oversized scissors cut through a big blue ribbon and a giant door opened for the youth of Idaho. Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony at Pathways Youth Community Support Center on Emerald Street celebrated the launch of Boise’s first Youth Behavioral Health Community Crisis Center
Ageism is a subtle yet pervasive bias that infiltrates our lives, often without us even realizing it. It’s a prejudice based on age that can affect people of all generations, from the young to the elderly. While this past Saturday, Oct. 7, is known as as Ageism Awareness Day,
Southwest Idaho is experiencing an outbreak of measles (“rubeola” or “red measles”), with 10 cases reported to date. Measles stopped being continuously spread in the United States in 2000. Only two cases of measles were reported in Idaho during the last 20 years, both in 2019.