Public health isn’t the most glamorous topic. But it’s something you might appreciate when you eat at a restaurant that has passed its safety inspection. Or drink potable water from your tap. Or live in a world in which smallpox has been declared eradicated.

We haven’t cured influenza yet, but we can help keep you from getting it. That also makes it a great time to remind you to get your flu vaccine if you haven’t done so already; call Monongalia County Health Department’s Clinical Services at 304-598-5119 to make an appointment.

In general, we prevent the spread of other diseases, promote health, protect the public and generally make the world a safer and more pleasant place to live.

National Health Education Week, presented by the Society for Public Health Education, began on Monday. The observation focuses on a different health topic each weekday. These issues are just a drop in the bucket of challenges facing people in today’s world, and they are the ones that the SOPHE leaders have decided deserve your attention in 2018. Here we go:

Monday, Oct. 15—The public health impact of gun violence. In this instance, the focus is on guns kept in the home that children can access. It’s estimated that there are firearms in one-third of United States households with kids 18 and under. Tips include keeping guns and ammunition locked in separate, out-of-the-way locations, with the keys or combinations also hidden. When a gun is not locked up, adult handlers should keep it in their sights. All firearms also should have child-resistant gun locks.

Tuesday, Oct. 16—Health equity and how the impact of inequality impacts us all. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines health equity as every person having the ability to achieve their greatest health potential regardless of socially determined conditions.

This is one of many areas in which MCHD can help. Ways we can do this include our Clinical Services program that provides vaccinations, Pap smears and breast exams, free testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, free and low-cost birth control options and more.

And MCHD Dentistry, our full-service dental practice, takes Medicaid and CHIP, in addition to private insurance and other forms of payment. Patients can also pay on a sliding-scale fee. Also, MCHD Smile Express, our mobile dental unit, just hit the road last month, visiting schools to treat students who do not have a dentist. Avoiding tooth decay also helps combat chronic conditions that negatively impact health.

Wednesday, Oct. 17—Emerging trends in school health. When it comes to school health, SOPHE’s focus is on tobacco use and vaping. In 2015, according to the CDC, 40 percent of West Virginia high school students reported using a tobacco product, while 18.8 percent of them reported smoking cigarettes.

This is a really important topic in West Virginia, where smoking rates tend to top the charts in the U.S. Not only that, some teens have also taken up vaping. E-cigarettes are just another method to deliver nicotine, and the CDC does not consider them safe.

Thursday, Oct. 18—Technology’s impact on health and the emergence of mHealth. This is referring to technological devices that people can wear to detect and monitor certain conditions, such as heart problems, as well as fitness trackers that let users count their steps and monitor their activity. This is a new field that offers a lot of promise. Look for this trend to improve and make a bigger impact in the future.

Friday, Oct. 19—The impact on environmental health. Poor air and water quality can make us sick. This can include asthma, and according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the prevalence of asthma in low-income and minority children in the U.S. is disproportionately higher. Also, there is growing concern that new cases are also arising in adults, particularly in the elderly. Clean air and good medical care are key here.

These topics are just a drop in the bucket compared to all the factors that impact our health. You can learn more at SOPHE.

MCHD Smile Express is riding around Monongalia County

If you see a blue, green and white RV driving around Morgantown, it’s probably MCHD Smile Express, Monongalia County Health Department’s dental office on wheels.

At 38 feet long and decorated with all those colors as well as the MCHD Smile Express map logo, it’s very noticeable. We started treating public school students in Braxton County in September.

And now, in October, we’re making the rounds in Morgantown. We had our Open House and "floss-cutting" last Friday, Oct. 5. Our staff was thrilled to show off this project—funded largely through a $150,000 Delta Dental grant—to members of the community.

It also happens to be National Dental Hygiene Month, so the timing is very fortuitous. Taking care of your teeth is a year-round job, but October is a great time to have a conversation about dental care. As part of National Dental Hygiene Month, the American Dental Hygienists Association (ADHA) emphasizes the daily four: Brush twice a day, floss daily, rinse with mouthwash and chew sugar-free gum.

And then of course, there is the annual two: See your dentist every six months. If you are looking for a dental home, MCHD Dentistry is a full-practice dental office that accepts many private insurances, Medicaid and CHIP. We also have a new patient special and a sliding-scale fee.

MCHD Dentistry also helps coordinate MCHD Smile Express. Tiffany Summerlin, an MCHD Dentistry registered dental hygienist, dreamed up the idea of a roving dental unit and wrote the grant to Delta Dental. She now serves as MCHD Smile Express coordinator as well as the on-board hygienist. She also drives it, a skill she perfected following her ultramarathoner husband, Jamie Summerlin, in an RV when he made a cross-country run.

As Tiffany noted during her remarks at the Open House, children from low-income families have more than twice as much untreated tooth decay—25 percent—than those from higher-income households at 11 percent. That’s according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The difference is linked to inadequate access to dental care, low rates of oral health literacy and the challenge of getting those children through the doors of a dental office,” she added.
Although Medicaid benefits for children ages 1 through 20 fully covers comprehensive dental services, she noted, fewer than half of those enrolled received a preventative dental service in 2014. “Further, only 16 percent of children ages 6 through 9 received a dental sealant on a permanent molar, one of the most effective methods for reducing dental disease in children.”

Services provided by MCHD Smile Express’ staff include an exam by the dentist, an assessment by a public health dental hygienist, cleanings, X-rays, sealants, fluoride treatment, oral health education and minor restorative services.

A converted Winnebago motorhome with three slide-outs, MCHD Smile Express features two dental operatories where patients can be treated, as well as a sterilization center, a waiting area complete with Nintendo for patients to play and a bathroom.

Also onboard is digital Panorex X-ray equipment, noted MCHD Dentistry’s Dr. Dan Carrier during his remarks. Thanks to new practice management software for the home office in Morgantown and on board MCHD Smile Express, as well as a Cradlepoint router, X-rays can be read on board the bus as well as by Dr. Carrier back in the Morgantown office.

“We have the technology in place where Tiffany can take an X-ray on a patient in Braxton County and see it on her computer right away,” he said. “As soon as she sees it, I can see it on my computer in Morgantown.”

As of last Friday, the number of students seen in Braxton and Monongalia counties by MCHD Smile Express was 128. That figure has grown since then and will continue to do so Tiffany, along with on-board dentist Dr. Mike Wiener and dental assistant Velvet Urgo, treat students not only in Braxton and Mon but also Lewis and Harrison, which are the next stops on the MCHD Smile Express.

And that means less tooth decay, healthier students and bigger smiles all around.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are great and provide everyone—especially growing kids—with a lot of different nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C and iron.

But fresh fruits and vegetables also can spoil easily. And sometimes busy families can’t make several return trips to the supermarket each week.

If you are a client of Monongalia County Health Department’s Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) program, you will be happy to know that as of Oct. 1—Monday—you will have more options when you are shopping for food with eWIC cards, which are similar to credit cards and include a family’s WIC credits for a month.

To help parents deal with the problem of fruits and vegetables that spoil before you get to them, the new WIC guidelines allow for the purchase of frozen and canned fruits and vegetables.

Other additions to the WIC Approved Shopping Guide include whole wheat pasta, corn tortillas, a wider variety of whole wheat tortillas and whole grain rice, as well as some new types of cereals, including Cinnamon Chex, Vanilla Chex and Blueberry Chex.

Many families also will be happy to hear that organic infant foods will now be covered by the eWIC card.

And a much-requested item—yogurt—also has been added.

The new approved foods come from the state WIC office, with a statement that says the list was updated to “better meet the nutrition needs of WIC clients, offer more varieties of food and encourage better eating habits.”

Parents, said MCHD WIC nutritionist Patty Jo Barlow, are especially excited about the yogurt. “Other states have done it and we’ve been talking about it for a long time,” she added.

And in addition to placing additional whole grains on the list, there are new approved sizes as well, Barlow pointed out. Currently, WIC clients must get the 16-ounce size of bread, but as of Monday, they can get a 20-ounce or a 24-ounce loaf. “It increases the options,” Barlow said.

Remaining on the list are other favorites such as cheese, peanut butter, eggs, dried and canned beans and cereals.

For those who are unfamiliar with WIC, its full name is Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, & Children. WIC is a federal program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture. MCHD WIC covers six counties—Monongalia, Preston, Marion, Harrison, Doddridge and Taylor.

Assistance is provided to pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women and babies and children up to the age of 5 who qualify. Income guidelines allow a family of four who make $46,435 or less to utilize the program; for a family of three, it’s $38,443. For each additional family member, add $7,992 to that income.

In addition to food eWIC Cards, the program has been updated in another way, with WIC Shopper App that clients can download. Using the app on their smartphones, they can scan items at the grocery store to see if it’s WIC-approved.

“Not only are the food choices expanding, but technology associated with the program is streamlining the grocery shopping experience for WIC clients,” said Anne MacBride, MCHD WIC program manager.

Clients also receive nutrition education, individualized nutrition counseling, breastfeeding counseling, nutrition assessment, health and social service referrals and immunizations.

We also offer free breastfeeding classes that can be attended by any mothers in the community, whether they are WIC clients or not. In Morgantown, those classes are the first and third Wednesday of the month at 4 p.m. and the second Wednesday at 10 a.m. In Preston County, the classes are held at 11 a.m. on the first and third Thursday of the month.
Even if your family doesn’t qualify or need WIC services, perhaps you know someone who could benefit. Feel free to have them call us at 304-598-5181.

Who knows, there could be some yogurt with their name on it at their local supermarket.

What’s on your schedule today? Working at your desk? Maybe watching some TV?

Do you plan to get some exercise in? What about meals? Treats are good now and then but are you trying to eat healthy, starting with breakfast, the food foundation of the day?

Today is Women’s Health & Fitness Day—a day to jump for joy. Or just jump. Or if you have knee issues like me, walking is good. Or swimming. There are so many options. How do you get your steps in?

The goal of this national event is to encourage women to take control of their health, according to the Health Information Resource Center, the organizer of the event. It’s also designed to showcase women’s health resources available.

In Morgantown, of course, we have a bounty of health care options—two hospitals, many specialists and primary care physicians and physician assistants, some of whom are available into the evening on a walk-in basis.

And of course, there is Monongalia County Health Department. Our Clinical Services program offer immunizations, breast exams and pap smears, pregnancy testing, low-cost and free birth control, free STD testing and treatment and colposcopy.

It might be time to take stock. When was your last Pap smear? Mammogram? MCHD Clinical Services can refer patients for those. What about a blood panel? Prevention is key to catching any issues early and can make treatment a lot quicker and easier.

We also offer a few clinics, and two of them can help people with ongoing health issues. People with diabetes can visit the Friday Diabetes Clinic to learn tips on how to deal with their condition better. There even is a meeting on the first Tuesday of every month that participants can attend for free.

Then there is the Hepatitis Clinic, which is also held on Fridays. Hepatitis rates are on the rise: There is an outbreak of Hepatitis A in southern West Virginia, and the state has the highest rates of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C in the country. Everyone born between 1945 and 1965 should be tested for Hepatitis C. There are guidelines to determine which other risk factors individuals might have that would necessitate a test.

If you would like to make an appointment for either clinic, or for any other MCHD Clinical Services treatments, call 304-598-5119.

Then there is exercise. Do you get at least 10,000 steps a day? A fitness tracker will not only count your steps for you, but it also can be very motivating. A few short walks a day can really improve your step count.

What about other forms of exercise? There are a plethora of gyms and classes in Morgantown. There is yoga, Pilates, cycling classes and the regimen known as CrossFit. There is a river where you can kayak—and West Virginia University’s Student Rec Center offers affordable rentals. And while Morgantown might not be the most walkable city, the rail-trail system greatly helps on that front and provides a handy bicycling path too.

If you want to work out at home, that’s totally understandable. Earlier this year, I set up a workout space in my basement. A stationary bicycle, a TV, a Blu-ray play and streaming devices can really let you mix it up. And if you want to skip the Blu-ray player, YouTube offers a ton of exercise videos that are tailored to your needs. Yoga for bad knees? Low-impact cardio? High-intensity workout? You can find just about everything and get a great workout without leaving the comfort of your home.

Eating right also contributes to your health goals. If this area needs improvement, don’t get overwhelmed trying to make too many changes at once. Maybe try to go a week without soda and see how that goes. Add more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Practice portion control. If you don’t finish your entire meal and then you get hungry later, eat a healthy snack.

Are you a pregnant, postpartum or breastfeeding mother? MCHD’s Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program targets women and their children up to the age of 5 who qualify. Clients get nutritional counseling as well as help at the supermarket to buy specific healthy food items. Want to learn more? Call 304-598-5181.

Making a few changes here and there can add up. In fact, if you’ve tried some methods of improving your health and want to share, we’d love to hear it.

Did you know that left untreated, chlamydia can cause permanent damage to a women’s reproductive system?

And that human papillomavirus (HPV) can lead to a variety of cancers in both women and men?

And if you’ve been reading the headlines lately, you’ve probably seen that both Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are on the rise.

September is Sexual Health Awareness Month. It’s not a topic that people love to discuss. But considering that 1 in 2 sexually active people will get a sexually transmitted disease before the age of 25, it’s one we should have.

Comedian Whitney Cummings, working with the American Sexual Health Association (ASHA), had the right idea by handing out free smoothies to young adults who listened to her spiel on sexual health in a video.

“I feel like everyone is concerned about their health from a food and exercise perspective, but they’re not taking care of their sexual health,” she told one young woman.

The statistics are not pretty. According to ASHA, only 12 percent of sexually active young people get tested for STDs in a year. In that same time frame, 3.7 million new cases of gonorrhea and chlamydia are diagnosed.

And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, having an STD such as chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis can increase your chances of getting HIV, which, when left untreated, can lead to AIDS. This is because the same behaviors and circumstances that may put you at risk for getting an STD can also put you at greater risk for getting HIV. In addition, having a sore or break in the skin from an STD may allow HIV to more easily enter your body.

However, many people avoid get tested. Why? Cummings and her crew offered some reasons: People are embarrassed, or they think they are invincible or that it’s not a big deal. Or they think there is a stigma attached. The same people might go to the gym, eat healthy and get regular dental checkups. But STD testing isn’t on their radar.

But there is good news. When caught early, chlamydia and gonorrhea are easily treatable with antibiotics. Hepatitis B and HPV can be prevented with vaccines. Children on the current CDC-recommended vaccination schedule already receive the Hepatitis B vaccine as babies. The HPV vaccine is recommended for both girls and boys at around the age of 12.

While we don’t have free smoothies at Monongalia County Health Department, our Clinical Services program does offer free STD testing and treatment. We also have vaccines, including for Hepatitis B and HPV. Our public health nurses provide confidential and judgment-free treatment to all their patients.

Because STDs don’t always exhibit symptoms, Cummings noted that it’s good to get in the habit of getting tested regularly. Women can do this annually when they visit their OB/GYN. One woman noted that she thought it was a good idea to get tested before you start dating a new person. “Like a reset or sorbet between courses,” Cummings replied. Men should get tested too, with the frequency based on their sexual habits.

And to the woman who said she already does get tested, Cummings noted that it sounded sexy, like “she respects herself.”

Of course, prevention also goes a long way. The CDC recommends reducing risky behaviors and, if necessary, the number of sexual partners. Limit or eliminate the use of alcohol and drugs before having sex, because they impair judgement. Use condoms consistently and correctly.

And remember, “Yes means test.”