Carole Jakeway (left), Meshell McCloud and Judith Wold greet the nurses from across the state who joined via VICS for the first Virtual Nurses Tea to celebrate National Nurses Week..

If you've ever received an immunization at a local health department, had your blood pressure checked at a community health fair, or worked with one of the many programs that count on them to deliver services, then you know the important work that public health nurses do on a daily basis. As the background of public health, none of the work we do each day could happen without them. That's why the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) celebrated National Nurses Week with a Nurses Tea.

Public Health nurses gathered at 2 Peachtree and for the first Virtual Nurses Tea, districts joined the celebration remotely via VICS. Between 130 and 150 nurses from across the state were able to tune in to the celebration. Each district held their own tea party complete with refreshments, decorations, and of course, tea.

Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., commissioner of DPH shared messages to all the nurses via video. She told the nurses that they are essential in providing population health services.

"People trust you to delivery to them the health services they need," she said. "You have the knowledge and skills to educate and help people make healthy choices with such complex issues as obesity, smoking and sedentary habits."
 

If a family member was experiencing a stroke, how many people would know what to do?  According to the American Heart/American Stroke Association, stroke is a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain.  A stroke can occur when a blood vessel, responsible for carrying nutrients and oxygen to the brain, either bursts or is blocked by a clot. In the United States, stroke is the third leading cause of death, behind diseases of the heart and cancer. In 2007, strokes were responsible for 18 percent of all cardiovascular deaths in Georgia.
 
The Department of Public Health's (DPH) Cardiovascular Health Initiative (CVHI) powered up to end stroke by increasing awareness at 2 Peachtree during the month of May.  This is the month for people to know their numbers and their risk for stroke.  For example, if your combined cholesterol (LDL and HDL) is over 200 or of your blood pressure is over 140/90 or if your body mass index (BMI) is greater than 30, you could be considered a high risk for cardiovascular disease.  

Strokes are often categorized into three types:  ischemic, hemorrhagic and transient ischemic attack (TIA).  Ischemic strokes occur when there is an obstruction or blockage in a vessel that supplies blood to the brain.  Ischemic strokes account for 87 percent of all stroke cases. 

 

A billboard for the North Central Health District family planning campaign is meant to get teens thinking about the consequences of their actions.

The Family Planning program of the North Central Health District recently launched a campaign to address unintended pregnancy.  More specifically, the televised public service announcements and billboards target teen pregnancy.  

The PSA features a teenaged couple who are kissing and considering having sex.  The boys asks, "What's the worst that can happen?"  The screen then splits into two scenes.  The scenes on the left show the girl finding out she's pregnant, fighting with her boyfriend, driving away from the hospital alone, and struggling to finish school while working a menial job.  The scenes on the right show what happens when they choose not engage in unprotected sex.  It shows the couple laughing with friends, getting ready for prom, and later getting engaged.  It ends with the married girl happily announcing she's pregnant.  The PSA ends with this statement, "Your future is important.  Plan first."

 "The purpose of the family planning PSA is to remind anyone who watches it that all decisions have consequences," said Debbie Liby, nursing & clinical director for the district. "Decisions about one's sexual health need careful consideration and we know that often young people don't put enough thought  into whether or not they are ready for sex."

Motorists who refuse, or sometimes forget, to wear their safety belt will need to be extra vigilant this month. That's because the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) launched its annual May mobilization of Click It or Ticket.

The national campaign began on May 21 in Georgia and will run through June 3. All motorists, even if they're just passing through on vacation, can expect a ticket if they don't click it because hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the state will be partnering with GOHS by cracking down on those who don't buckle up.

Why? Because too many people in Georgia and across the country are still being killed in traffic crashes where their lives might have been saved if they were wearing a seatbelt.

In 2010, 423 people older than the age of 5 were killed in crashes where they were unrestrained. And while that number is down from 644 in 2006, it still indicates far too many people are not wearing their seatbelts when riding in passenger vehicles.
    

  

Childhood obesity is at an all-time high due to several reasons: food selection, lack of exercise, schools eliminating recess and children not getting the adequate amount of rest. This increase of childhood obesity affects the physical well-being of children by increasing the number of early childhood hypertension problems, heart complications, diabetes and other serious illnesses.

I am Jerico Wiggins, personal trainer and author of a book called "Fit Freddy."  As a child, I was not always fit and did not live a healthy lifestyle. I faced the struggle of being the "chubby" kid in the group which led to self-esteem issues.  Now as a father, it is easy for me to understand what our kids are going through in their adolescent and teen years.  So, my experience inspired me to help other kids to battle obesity and win.

Childhood obesity was my primary reason for wanting my children to be healthier. However, I didn't know where to begin. "Fit Freddy" is my way of assisting my children and others understand the importance of living healthy. This book is about a boy who is overweight and teased and bullied because of it.  But with the help of a personal coach or teacher, he makes the decision to lose the extra pounds to win.   

"Fit Freddy" takes the topic of something as serious as childhood obesity and adds humor to the story; but at the same time, it educates and informs children about the proper steps to live healthier and active lives. The book is very colorful, has great illustrations, is easy to understand and is very child friendly.
The ideal age for children to be introduced to Fit Freddy is pre-K- first grade, but it is designed to be integrated into the lives of children in second to fifth grades. Research shows that the earlier we introduce healthy living to children, the better chance we have to control childhood obesity.