http://www.tulsa-health.org/about-us/media/current-news/ Current press releases from the Tulsa Health Departmenten-us Thu, 17 Nov 2005 10:50:32 AMTue, 04 Oct 2011 11:15:07 AM http://www.tulsa-health.org/about-us/media/current-news/?i=2703(Tulsa, OK) Students throughout Tulsa and Oklahoma City Counties will be lacing up their walking shoes this Wednesday, October 5th in observance of International Walk to School Day. Studies show that fewer children are walking and biking to school, and more children are at risk of becoming overweight. In an effort to curb obesity trends across the state, the Tulsa and Oklahoma City-County Health Departments are working together to encourage children to exercise more and improve their health by either walking or bicycling to and from school. In support of their efforts, the Mayor’s Office in Tulsa has declared October 5th as the official International Walk to School Day for the City. The Tulsa Health Department’s It’s All About Kids Program worked with several local schools to coordinate walking events and programs. Approximately 150 students from Roy Clark, McKinley, and Penn Elementary Schools will be walking home from school along with parents, teachers, and community leaders.   In the U.S., International Walk to School Day is expected to be celebrated at over 3,500 events at participating schools. Walkers from the U.S. will join children and adults in 40 countries around the world.   Walk to School events work to create safer routes for walking and bicycling and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, concern for the environment and building connections between families, schools and the broader community.   The It’s All About Kids Program is a prevention program for elementary school-aged children that encourages kids to make healthy choices and habits for a brighter future. Focused on reducing obesity, improving school performance and decision-making skills, the program is modeled after the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) Coordinated School Health Program.   For more information about this event, please contact Charley Daniel at (918) 595-4084.   # # #Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:14:00 AM http://www.tulsa-health.org/about-us/media/current-news/?i=2374(Tulsa, OK) In light of whooping cough epidemics in other states over the past few years, Tulsa Health Department officials are reminding the public about the importance of receiving protective vaccinations.  Public health officials are advising Oklahomans to make sure their children are up-to-date with DTaP vaccinations, which protect against diptheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough).  In addition, parents, siblings, family members, and other caregivers of infants are strongly advised to get a Tdap booster if they have not already had one.  Although childhood vaccines offer protection against whooping cough, it takes at least four doses of vaccine within the first two years of life to assure adequate protection. And because immunity to whooping cough decreases over time, a booster dose is needed at 4 to 6 years of age and at 11 to 12 years of age up to 64 years of age. Whooping cough is usually not a serious illness for adults and teenagers, but it can be very serious for small children, especially babies not yet old enough to complete the vaccination series. Approximately 90 percent of whooping cough deaths in the U.S. occur in babies less than 6 months of age. More than half of all babies infected with whooping cough get it from their parents. It is easily spread because it is most contagious during the first few weeks of infection when it appears to be simply a cold with a cough. Older children and adults may not know they have whooping cough, yet they can still spread it to babies. “It is very important that parents, grandparents, siblings and other people who have contact with babies are vaccinated with a single dose of Tdap,” urged Tulsa Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart. “Pregnant women and new moms who have not received a dose of Tdap can receive it as soon as the baby is born. Expectant fathers should receive it before the baby is born.” Aside from protecting themselves, parents and caregivers should also be vigilant in protecting their infants with timely immunizations. The first dose of the infant immunization series can be started as early as 6 weeks to 2 months of age. All individuals who anticipate having close contact with an infant aged less than 12 months (e.g., parent, siblings, grandparents, child-care providers and healthcare providers) should receive a single dose of Tdap to protect against pertussis if they have not previously received Tdap. Ideally, these adolescents and adults should receive Tdap at least 2 weeks before beginning close contact with the infant. Specially funded Tdap vaccine is currently available at the Tulsa Health Department clinics at no charge for household contacts and caregivers of infants less than 12 months. DTaP and Tdap immunizations are available at the following Tulsa Health Department locations on a walk-in basis. The cost is $20 for adults and available free of charge to children who qualify for the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. Expo Square Health Center  4616 E. 15th Street, Tulsa, OK 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Friday James O. Goodwin Health Center 5051 S. 129th E. Avenue, Tulsa, OK 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Friday Central Regional Health Center 315 S. Utica, Tulsa, OK 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Friday North Regional Health Center 5424 N. Madison Avenue Tulsa, OK 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mondays 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Thursdays 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Fridays Collinsville Community Health Center 1201 W. Center Collinsville, OK 74021-3111 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mondays 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.  and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Wednesdays   Sand Springs Health Center 306 E. Broadway Sand Springs, OK 74063-7911 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mondays 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.  and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Wednesdays   Bixby Community Health Center 8120 E. 126th Street Bixby, OK 74008 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays   For more information contact the Tulsa Health Department at 918-582-9355 or visit http://www.tulsa-health.org/community-health/epidemiology/pertussis/ # # #  Mon, 03 Oct 2011 03:38:00 PM http://www.tulsa-health.org/about-us/media/current-news/?i=2698(Tulsa, OK)  According to a recently released Sleep Report produced by the Tulsa Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Program (TFIMR), sleep related deaths account for 19% of all Tulsa County infant deaths. The Sleep Report, which details the TFIMR Program’s infant sleep related death findings, notes a 13.2% increase in sleep related infant deaths over a five year period, from 2005-2009. On average, there are 14 infant sleep related deaths in Tulsa County each year, a number the TFIMR Program seeks to reduce. The Sleep Report was created to increase awareness of the role sleep related deaths play in overall infant mortality in Tulsa County. The Report highlights certain modifiable risk factors that impact infant mortality including: bedsharing (also known as co-sleeping), sleep surface, sleep position, loose bedding or other objects in the sleep area, exposure to tobacco smoke, overheating, and maternal alcohol and illegal drug use. According to the Report, 88.6% of sleep related deaths were considered to be in a non-safe sleep environment. The Report’s authors believe that sleep related deaths may be prevented through increased awareness and education throughout the community.   “TFIMR is working hard to establish community partnerships to champion and implement changes to prevent sleep related deaths, as well as to develop resources to ensure providers understand and deliver safe sleep messages to new parents.” stated Alicia Plati, Division Manager of Health Data & Evaluation for the Tulsa Health Department   The TFIMR Program studies fetal and infant deaths in the community to identify trends and implement systems changes to reduce Tulsa County’s infant mortality rate. The TFIMR Case Review Team (CRT) reviews physician and hospital records and parent interviews. This information is shared with a Community Action Team (CAT) which identifies, develops, and facilitates policy and system changes, such as Help Us Wake Up Tulsa!, an initiative to increase awareness of safe sleep practices.   TFIMR is a collaborative effort of the Tulsa Health Department, the Oklahoma State Department of Health, the Tulsa Healthy Start Initiative, and the Family Health Coalition.   The Sleep Report was prepared through parent interviews, observations, data abstraction, and the CRT and CAT process. Members of CRT and CAT represent practitioners and community members dedicated to reducing infant mortality for Tulsa County through systems changes.   To view the entire report, please visit www.tulsa-health.org. For more information, please contact Alicia Plati at (918) 595-4069.   # # #Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:52:00 AM http://www.tulsa-health.org/about-us/media/current-news/?i=2344(Tulsa, OK) The Tulsa Health Department will begin offering seasonal flu vaccinations for the 2011-12 flu season on September 26, 2011. This season's flu vaccination requires only one shot for most individuals. Children under 9 who have not received a flu vaccination before will need a second dose 28 days (or later) after receiving the first dose. This season's flu shot includes the H1N1 vaccination as well as other strains of flu expected to circulate this flu season. "Flu vaccinations are the most effective way to protect yourself from the flu. Being sick with influenza can result in missed work, missed school, doctor visits and even hospitalization. In today's economy, it makes even more sense to protect yourself and your family, friends and coworkers by getting the protection the flu shot provides." stated Tulsa Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart.     Flu vaccines will be available for anyone who wants to be protected from influenza. The shot is now recommended for everyone over 6 months of age. Persons at high risk of serious complications from flu are especially advised to get the flu vaccine, including pregnant women and those persons with asthma, diabetes, or other chronic conditions. Persons who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from the flu, including health care workers, should also get the vaccine.   No fee will be assessed for persons who meet income guidelines or are on Medicare and do not belong to an HMO, who are on SoonerCare (Medicaid), or who are enrolled in Community Care insurance. Children eligible for the Vaccines for Children program will also not be charged. Those with private insurance and resources to pay will be assessed a $25 fee.   The flu vaccines will be offered beginning September 26, 2011 to anyone over the age of six months on a walk-in basis Mondays thru Thursdays 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Fridays 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at the following Tulsa Health Department locations: James O. Goodwin Health Center located at 5051 S. 129th E. Avenue, Tulsa, OK Central Regional Health Center located at 315 S. Utica, Tulsa, OK Expo Square Health Center located at 4616 E. 15th Street, Tulsa, OK     The flu vaccine will also be offered at the following locations:   North Regional Health Center 5424 N. Madison Avenue, Tulsa, OK Call (918) 591-6006 for clinic dates and times   Bixby Community Health Center 8120 E. 126th Street Bixby, OK 74008  Call (918) 369-3155 for clinic dates and times   Collinsville Community Health Center 1201 W. Center Collinsville, OK 74021-3111 Call (918) 596-8650 for clinic dates and times   Sand Springs Health Center 306 E. Broadway Sand Springs, OK   74063-7911 Call (918) 591-6100 for clinic dates and times   For more information visit www.tulsa-health.org. # # #      Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:41:00 AM http://www.tulsa-health.org/about-us/media/current-news/?i=2667(Tulsa, OK) Celebrating a child’s first birthday is a milestone that many parents look forward to, but for some, that day never comes.  In an average week in Oklahoma, 9 babies will die before reaching their first birthday. It’s a sobering statistic, but one that area health officials are working to change. This September, as the nation recognizes Infant Mortality Awareness Month, the Tulsa Infant Mortality Review Program (TFIMR) is working to ensure that all babies in Tulsa reach that milestone. Oklahoma ranks 46th in infant mortality, with 8.5 deaths per 1,000 births compared to the national infant mortality rate of 6.7 deaths per 1,000 births. The rates are even worse for Tulsa County, as Tulsa’s infant morality rate has consistently remained above the state rate. In 2007, the Tulsa infant mortality rate was 9.42 per 1,000 births.   The TFIMR program studies fetal and infant deaths in the community to identify trends and implement systems changes to reduce Tulsa County’s infant mortality rate. The TFIMR Case Review Team reviews physician and hospital records and parent interviews. This information is shared with a Community Action Team (CAT) which identifies, develops, and facilitates policy and system changes, such as Help Us Wake Up Tulsa!, an initiative to increase awareness of safe sleep practices. Currently, CAT has formed a Preconceptual Response Team, which is working to raise awareness of the Reasor’s Pharmacy free prenatal vitamin program. In addition, the Preconceptual Response Team has also partnered with the Community Service Council to develop bus shelter ads that will raise the public’s awareness of the importance of taking folic acid while pregnant.   The TFIMR program is a collaborative effort of the Tulsa Health Department, the Oklahoma State Department of Health, the Tulsa Healthy Start Initiative, and the Family Health Coalition.   “The Tulsa Fetal & Infant Mortality Review Project works closely with the Oklahoma State Department of Health and the “Preparing for a Lifetime” campaign to stress the importance of systems changes to reduce infant mortality through community led response and partnership.  We are fortunate to have providers, advocates and educators as part of our effort, and continue to seek additional community partners to join us.” stated Alicia Plati, Division Manager of Health Data & Evaluation for the Tulsa Health Department.   Through their case reviews, TFIMR has identified the top causes of infant death in Tulsa, including disorders related to low birth weight and preterm births, congenital defects, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and sleep related deaths. Throughout Infant Mortality Awareness Month, the TFIMR program will be working within the community to promote safe sleeping habits to decrease the risk of sleep related deaths and to educate mothers about the importance of having a healthy, full term pregnancy.   TFIMR will release their Safe Sleep Report later this month, which will detail the program’s infant sleep related death findings.   For more information about the TFIMR program, please visit www.tulsa-health.org or call Alicia Plati, (918) 595-4069.   # # #Thu, 08 Sep 2011 02:38:00 PM http://www.tulsa-health.org/about-us/media/current-news/?i=2658Tulsa, OK – This September, as our nation marks the ten year anniversary of 9/11, the Tulsa Health Department will participate in National Preparedness Month (NPM), an event founded after 9/11 to increase preparedness in the U.S. The event, now in its eighth year, is a nationwide, month-long effort hosted by the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps that encourages households, businesses, and communities to work together and plan for emergencies.   Preparedness is a shared responsibility; it takes a whole community. This year’s National Preparedness Month theme, “This September: A Time to Remember. A Time to Prepare,” focuses on turning awareness into action by encouraging all individuals and all communities nationwide to make an emergency preparedness plan.   THD wants you to be prepared in the event you must go three days without electricity, water service, access to a supermarket, or local services. You may also be without aid from police, fire and rescue, especially if trees and power lines are down or if they're overwhelmed by demand from an emergency.   Preparation begins with three important steps: Get a kit. You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. Be sure to include enough supplies for you and for those you care for, such as water, non-perishable food, a battery-powered radio, a first aid kit, prescriptions, and a flashlight. An entire list of kit supplies can be found at Ready.gov  Make a plan. Create a family emergency plan that details how to contact one another, how to get back together, and what to do in different situations. Be informed. Learn more about the potential emergencies and the appropriate way to respond to them. Federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial resources have free information available to assist you. For more information about the Ready Campaign and National Preparedness Month, visit Ready.gov or call 1-800-BE-READY, 1-888-SE-LISTO, and TTY 1-800-462-7585Mon, 29 Aug 2011 03:41:00 PM http://www.tulsa-health.org/about-us/media/current-news/?i=2230(Tulsa, OK) Tulsa Health Department officials confirmed that a sampling of mosquitoes from Tulsa County has tested positive for West Nile virus. Although residents are spending more time indoors due to the extreme heat this summer, it's important to remember to take appropriate precautions to prevent not only West Nile virus, but also tickborne diseases, when outdoors. Mosquitoes are known to transmit West Nile virus (WNV). WNV is spread primarily by Culex mosquitoes. These mosquitoes pick up the virus when they feed on infected birds, and then transmit the virus when they bite humans, horses, and some other mammals. Infection can cause severe and sometimes fatal illness. In 2009, there were 10 cases of WNV reported in Oklahoma and one death. Only one case of WNV was reported in Tulsa County in 2009 and no deaths. Some of the symptoms of WNV include sudden onset of fever, headaches, dizziness, and muscle weakness. Long-lasting complications can include difficulty concentrating, migraine headaches, extreme muscle weakness and tremors, and paralysis of a limb. Some of the neurological effects of WNV may be permanent. The highest risk months in Oklahoma for WNV exposure are July through October. Some precautions to take against mosquito bites include: • Use insect repellent on exposed skin and clothing when you go outdoors and according to product instructions, particularly if you are outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are more likely to bite. • Repair or install window and door screens to keep mosquitoes out of your home. • Prevent items such as buckets, cans, pool covers, flower pots, and tires from holding standing water so mosquitoes don’t have a place to breed. • Empty your pet’s outdoor water bowl and refill daily. • Regularly clean leaves and debris from rain gutters to ensure they are not clogged. In addition to concern about West Nile virus, it is important to remember that Oklahoma consistently ranks among those states with the highest number of reported cases of tickborne illnesses, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and tularemia. In 2009, there were 494 cases of tickborne illnesses in Oklahoma, including two deaths.  There were 57 cases of tickborne illnesses in Tulsa County and no deaths. Persons who participate in outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, bicycle trail riding, yard work,  and gardening should take the following precautions to prevent tick bites: • Wear light-colored clothing to make ticks easier to see. • Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks to deprive ticks of attachment sites. • Wear closed-toe shoes, not sandals. • Hikers and bikers should stay in the center of trails to avoid grass and brush. • Check for ticks at least once per day, particularly along waistbands, in the armpits and groin area. • Use a tick repellent with DEET on skin and clothing according to directions. • Use a tick repellent with permethrin on clothing only and according to directions. Some of the symptoms of a tickborne illness may mimic other diseases.  These symptoms include fever, headache (often severe), muscle aches, vomiting, and abdominal pain.  Other symptoms may include skin rash and swelling of the lymph nodes in the area of the tick bite.  Tickborne diseases can be treated successfully with early diagnosis and appropriate antibiotics. If you experience symptoms consistent with a tickborne illness or WNV within 14 days after a tick bite, mosquito bite, or after participating in outdoor activities, contact your physician immediately. The Tulsa Health Department works to control mosquito populations during the spring and summer. In a typical mosquito season, THD sprays over 800 square miles for adult mosquitoes. To place a complaint about mosquitoes in your area, please call 918-595-4219. For information about tickborne illnesses and WNV, visit the Tulsa Health Department web site at www.tulsa-health.org.   ###  Mon, 08 Aug 2011 06:57:00 AM http://www.tulsa-health.org/about-us/media/current-news/?i=2493(Tulsa, OK)  The Tulsa Health Department's Know Your Numbers program invites you to a Free Mini Health Screening at various clinic locations this August. The screening tests are open to adults 18 years and older and include Blood Pressure and Hemoglobin (no fasting required). After the tests are performed, the results will be reviewed with a Health Mentor.   The Mini Health Screenings will be held in the lobby area at each of the following clinic locations: Monday, August 8, Collinsville Community Health Center, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Monday, August 8, North Regional Health Center, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 9, Bixby Community Health Center, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday, August 15, Central Regional Health Center, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Monday, August 15, Sand Springs Health Center, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 17, James O. Goodwin Health Center, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Know Your Numbers, part of the Tulsa Healthy Pathways Project, is a grant-funded program that offers free health screenings and follow up referrals for individuals in specific areas of Tulsa County for up to three years.   For more information, please contact Rosaline Cupples at 918-595-4088 or rcupples@tulsa-health.org. Additional information about the Know Your Numbers program is available at www.tulsa-health.org, under the Community Health section.   # # #Thu, 04 Aug 2011 02:50:00 PM http://www.tulsa-health.org/about-us/media/current-news/?i=2268(Tulsa, OK) The Tulsa Health Department is promoting World Breastfeeding Week with a local celebration honoring mothers in the WIC (Women, Infants & Children) program who choose to breastfeed. The event will be held on Friday, August 5th at 11:00 a.m. at Southwood Baptist Church, located at 10110 East 41st Street in Tulsa.  Approximately 100 local women take part in the event each year. The theme for this year's celebration is Support Breastfeeding: It's Worth It. This year’s theme focuses on the importance of supporting mothers who choose to breastfeed. Supporting breastfeeding is worth it for mothers and their infants, as well as for employers, the community, and the environment. Every day a mom breastfeeds is one more day of better health for both mom and baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants receive only human milk (no formula, food or water) for the first six months of life, with continued breastfeeding and the addition of complimentary foods for up to one year or beyond. The Tulsa Health Department has resources to help inform mothers, breastfeeding advocates, health professionals, and the community on how they can actively support mothers to continue to breastfeed for at least the baby’s first year and beyond. “Workplaces that provide a supportive environment can help ease the stress and help mothers feel good about their decision to combine working and breastfeeding,” said Tulsa Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart. “An environment where breastfeeding is supported will encourage women to meet their breastfeeding goals. Mothers know the benefits of breastmilk, and by providing every ounce of breastmilk possible, they help keep their babies healthier.”  Many women who would like to breastfeed make the decision either not to breastfeed or to wean early, due to their need to return to work. According to recent data, 77.6 percent of Oklahoma mothers breastfeed initially, but only 25.4 percent continue to breastfeed for six months or longer.  In Oklahoma, one-third of women who choose not to breastfeed cite returning to work or school as the reason. Continuing to breastfeed after returning to work can be a challenge for many working mothers, and having a supportive workplace can impact a mother's decision on whether or not to continue to breastfeed throughout her baby's first year. With the newly-passed healthcare reform bill, employers are required to accommodate breastfeeding employees. This legislation recognizes that the ability to express milk at work is a necessity for breastfeeding mothers who must balance their own need to work with caring for their babies. According to Section 4207 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: • Employers must provide women in the workforce a reasonable break time and space to express their milk for their babies. • This must be provided for one year after the child’s birth. • The place employers provide must not be a bathroom. It must be shielded from view and free from intrusion by coworkers and the public. • Employers are not required to pay their employees for the time they spend expressing their milk. • Employers with fewer than 50 workers are exempt from these requirements if they would pose an undue hardship by causing the employer significant difficulty or expense when considered in relation to the size, financial resources, nature, or structure of the business.    Oklahoma already has a program in place to recognize worksites that have met criteria to become breastfeeding friendly. These worksites allow flexible break times and a private location for nursing mothers to express milk, have access to a nearby water source for washing hands and breast pump equipment, and have a written breastfeeding policy. For more information about breastfeeding resources and the Tulsa event, please contact Tulsa Health Department WIC Manager Cheryl Schendt at 918-594-4820. ###Mon, 01 Aug 2011 08:31:00 AM http://www.tulsa-health.org/about-us/media/current-news/?i=2609(Tulsa, OK) Families are invited to join the Tulsa Health Department, YWCA, Community Health Foundation and the Tulsa Dream Center for a FREE Summer Carnival on Saturday, July 16th from 11:00am-2:00pm at the North Regional Health Center, located at 5424 N. Madison Ave, Tulsa, OK 74126. The Summer Carnival will feature free food, live music by Sax Appeal, a Zumba dance workout, health and dental screenings, and door prizes. Children will also enjoy Jupiter Jumps, face painting, water games, a Fun Run, and a mascot dance-off.   Parents can also avoid the back-to-school rush and have their children immunized at the Summer Carnival! All immunizations required for day care and school enrollment will be available, including the newly required Tdap vaccine for children entering the 7th grade this 2011-2012 school year. Infants, children, and adolescents must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian and have a copy of their current immunization records to receive immunizations. For more information on back-to-school immunizations, please visit www.tulsa-health.org   For more information on this event, contact Deidre Hall at (918) 595-4471 or dstanley@tulsa-health.org or Beverly Baul at (918) 595-4455 or bbaul@tulsa-health.org # # #Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:33:00 PM