Iowa Awarded $10.5 Million to Fight Alcohol Abuse

2009.07.08

IDPH Press Release -- 7/2/2009

Grant to be administered by IDPH
The state of Iowa has been awarded $10.5 million to reduce binge and underage drinking, and the problems associated with both. The funding was awarded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) through the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) and will be administered by the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). IDPH will use a selection process to distribute the money to substance abuse prevention coalitions in counties with the highest rates of underage alcohol use, as well as youth and adult binge drinking.

"At least 30,000 Iowans will directly or indirectly be served through the programs this grant will fund," said IDPH Behavioral Health Division Director Kathy Stone. "In addition, all of Iowa will benefit from the increased health and safety of its citizens."

The grant is organized around the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF), which uses the findings from public health research, along with evidence-based prevention programs and policies, to promote the health of individuals, families, and communities. Iowa will receive $2.1 million dollars in each of the next five years.

For more information about Iowa's substance abuse programs, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/bh/substance_abuse.asp.

 

Compliance high in first year of Smokefree Air Act

2009.07.08

IDPH Press Release -- 6/30/2009

Violation notices necessary for only 1 percent of more than 82,000 employers
Compliance with Iowa's Smokefree Air Act is high among businesses during the law's first year. According to preliminary numbers from the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), only about 1 percent of Iowa's more than 82,000 businesses subject to the Act have received a Notice of Potential Violation from IDPH since the law went into effect July 1, 2008. Notices are generated following a valid complaint from the public or inspector visit.

"As Governor, I am committed to protecting the health of all Iowans," said Governor Culver. "The high level of compliance with the Smokefree Air Act means that we as a state are well on our way to achieving that goal. In addition, it demonstrates that the vast majority of employers in Iowa are abiding by this law, helping us create a brighter, healthier future for our state."

Since July 1 last year, Notices of Potential Violation have been sent to 1,015 businesses with employees. Preliminary numbers indicate the top four business types for which a first Notice of Potential Violation has been issued are: bars and restaurants (53 percent); retail stores and service-based businesses (20 percent); private and member clubs (3 percent); government (3 percent); hotels and motels (2 percent). The remaining 19 percent of employers who have received a violation notice represent a wide variety of Iowa businesses. Final numbers of these and other indicators of compliance will be released in mid-July.

"I am happy to say that our enforcement efforts have been very effective during this first year of the Iowa Smokefree Air Act," said IDPH Director Tom Newton. "The Notice of Potential Violation is primarily a tool for educating employers about what they need to do to come into compliance with the law. Of businesses who receive a first notice, 79 percent do not receive a second notice."

Prior to the Iowa Smokefree Air Act, non-smokers who were exposed to secondhand smoke at work increased their risk of heart disease by 25 to 30 percent, while their risk of developing lung cancer was 20 to 30 percent higher. The law protects employees in more than 99 percent of Iowa's businesses, making it one of the most comprehensive in the nation.

For more information about the law or to report a violation, visit www.iowasmokefreeair.gov.

Study: Cancer Connected to Weight and Fitness

2009.03.25

Improved diet, physical activity and weight control could dramatically reduce cancer cases.

The American Institute for Cancer Research presented a comprehensive report on cancer prevention policy for a Congressional briefing on Capitol Hill last month. The report concluded over 45 percent of colon cancer cases and 38 percent of breast cancer cases in the U.S. could be prevented by making changes in our diet, physical activity and weight control. In 2006, a total of 15,918 new cancer cases were diagnosed in Iowa. Of that number, 1,858 were colon cancer and 2,156 were breast cancer.

"The best way to statistically reduce your chances of cancer is still to avoid smoking," said Iowa Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) Iowans Fit for Life coordinator Dennis Haney. "But this report indicates a significant number of cancer cases could be prevented just by eating better, moving more and maintaining a healthier weight."

According to the 2006-2007 Iowa Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), more than 80 percent of all adults did not eat the recommended number of servings of fruits and vegetables (at least five each day). In addition, 60 percent of adults did not participate in the recommended amount of physical activity, and nearly 65 percent of Iowans were considered overweight or obese.

In addition to improvements in diet and fitness, cancer prevention should include limiting sun exposure and using sunscreen; drinking alcohol only in moderation, if at all; and having regular health screenings such as mammograms, pap tests and colorectal cancer exams.

To learn more about how IDPH is working to reduce the number of cancer cases in Iowa, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/strategic_plan/common/pdf/programs_profiles/Cancer.pdf. For more information about IDPH physical fitness and obesity control efforts, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/iowansfitforlife/default.asp.

IDPH Press Release -- 3/24/2009

Influenza Numbers Rise in Iowa

2009.03.25

Parents urged to keep ill children home.

While this year's influenza season has been relatively mild in Iowa and across the nation, there has been a rise in influenza activity in children and adolescents over the past two weeks, particularly in school-age children. High rates of absence due to illness were reported by more than 15 schools across Iowa last week. "It's important for parents to know the symptoms of flu so they can keep their children home when they are ill," said Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Medical Director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk. "Keeping ill children at home and away from other children and teachers will help control the spread of illness."

Children with influenza typically have a fever of over 101 degrees F, along with a cough and/or sore throat and should be kept home while suffering from these symptoms. Influenza is often a significant illness, and most children don't feel well for five to seven days, although younger children may be sick for as long as 10 days. Children ill with the flu may return to school once the fever has subsided and the child feels up to it. Some children may cough for several days after all the other symptoms have gone away. Parents who suspect their child may have influenza should:

Contact their health care provider if their child has flu symptoms, especially if a high fever develops or symptoms are severe or last several days. Treatment may be available if started within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.
Give their child plenty of fluids and encourage them to rest.
Keep their child isolated from others, including family members, while they are ill. Parents should consider designating one parent or caregiver to care for the child while they are ill. Designating a caregiver may help limit the spread of illness.
Keep their child home from school, child care, sports, social events and other activities until the fever has subsided and the child is feeling better.
Influenza may lead to more serious infections, such as pneumonia, and in rare instances, can cause death in children. In the last decade in Iowa, many children have become seriously ill with the flu and some have died; these deaths have occurred in previously healthy children.

For more information on influenza, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/adper/flu.asp. Current providers of the influenza vaccine can be found at www.lungusa.org/site/pp.aspx?c=aqKGLXOAIlH&b=1015035.

IDPH Press Release -- 3/13/2009