From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

Each year on June 27, we observe National HIV Testing Day. On this day, we unite with partners, health departments, and other organizations to raise awareness and plan events about the importance of HIV testing and early diagnosis of HIV. Contact your county health department in the North Georgia Health District in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens or Whitfield County (see above LOCATIONS tab) or at one of our Living Bridge Centers in either Canton or Dalton. Click here to learn more about our district HIV/AIDS Program and services.

Get Involved

Help encourage HIV testing on National HIV Testing Day and every day to ensure people get tested for HIV, know their status, and get linked to care and treatment services. Plan a testing day event, or use the resources below to raise awareness of the importance of HIV testing

This year’s theme, “Doing It My Way,” highlights how and why people make testing part of their lives—on their terms and in their way. Doing It My Way encourages individuals to share their personal testaments of why testing is important, what motivates them to get tested and stay healthy, and how they get tested—be it at home, at the clinic, or with the company of a friend or loved one.

Get the Word Out

Share these posts and the accompanying Doing It My Way visuals on social media using the #DoingItMyWay hashtag (#HaciéndoloAMiManera in Spanish).

Updated U.S. Recommendations for HIV Screening

Just recently, the United States Task Force on Prevention released updated recommendations for HIV Screening. This update emphasizes the importance of getting screened between the ages of 15 and 65, with those who are younger and older being at higher risk of HIV infection. It also recommends that for every pregnancy, women should be screened; and, it ends with a reminder that the only way to know if you are HIV positive is to be screened. Please refer to the link below for these updated recommendations:

https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/RecommendationStatementFinal/human-immunodeficiency-virus-hiv-infection-screening1

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More Resources about PrEP and HIV Awareness and Treatment:

file:///C:/Users/tscott/Downloads/hiv-screening-prep-final-rec-news-bulletin.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/awareness/testingday.html

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This Year’s Theme for National HIV Testing Day: #DoingItMyWay

National #HIVTestingDay is Thursday, June 27. Share how you’re #DoingItMyWay—getting tested for HIV. #NHTD www.cdc.gov/doingit

Spanish: Hoy es el #DíaNacionalDeLaPruebaDelVIH. Comparte cómo estas #HaciéndoloAMiManera– haciéndote la prueba del VIH. www.cdc.gov/haciendolo

What motivates you to make HIV testing part of your health routine? Use #DoingItMyWay to tell the world why YOU get tested for HIV. #HIVTestingDay #NHTD www.cdc.gov/doingit

Have you heard about #DoingItMyWay? It’s about sharing why HIV testing is important to you, the things that motivate you to get tested and stay healthy, and how you get tested. Share how you’re #DoingItMyWay this National #HIVTestingDay! #NHTD  www.cdc.gov/doingit

From DMV.org by Bridget Clerkin

A vehicle's interior can warm rapidly and prove fatal to children and pets.

With its longer days and warmer air, summer is a seasonal favorite of many. But the same things that make this time of year so pleasant can also make it potentially dangerous.

The hottest months are here again and many children are at risk of losing their lives to vehicular heatstroke. Most tend to be infants.

The statistics are undoubtedly tragic, but sadly, they’re nothing new. Since 1998, hundreds of children age 14 and under have passed away from vehicular heatstroke. This is the leading auto-related killer of children outside of roadway accidents. 

Children under 1 are the primary victims.

And that’s to say nothing of the thousands of animals that lose their lives each year inside a hot car.

But the heartbreaking situation is nothing if not preventable.

Below are some tips, tricks, and facts to help make this summer as safe as possible for your smallest passengers.

Heat Rising

One of the things that makes vehicular heatstroke so dangerous is how quickly it strikes.

In 10 minutes, the interior of a car can heat up by 19 degrees. And cracking a window doesn’t help.

In 10 minutes, the interior of a car can heat up by 19 degrees.

The issue arises from the rays of shortwave radiation beaming down from the sun. The solar energy is absorbed particularly well by dark-colored objects, such as a dashboard, steering wheel, or car seat, which can reach temperatures of up to 200 degrees from exposure to the rays. 

The heat-absorbed objects then, in turn, emit longwave radiation, which works quickly and effectively at warming the air inside of a vehicle.

Children and animals are particularly at risk in the superheated environment as it takes far less to bring up their core temperatures. 

Even in a vehicle parked in the shade, a 2-year-old’s body can reach a potentially fatal 104 degrees in under 2 hours, according to a recent study conducted by the University of Arizona. (Cars parked in the sun could become deadly in just one hour, the study found.)

And while vehicles with light-colored interiors take slightly longer to reach dangerous levels, they aren’t immune to the lethal effects, which can take place on days with a temperature as low as 57 degrees.

Still, a number of technological solutions are being developed to help combat the problem—and they’re becoming more widely available (go to DMV.org to learn more).

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Time to take steps to be healthier, but you're NOT alone!

National Men’s Health Week is observed each year leading up to Father’s Day. This week is a reminder for men to take steps to be healthier, but they don’t have to do it alone! Whether it’s your husband, partner, dad, brother, son, or friend you can help support the health and safety of the men in your life.

For more information, contact your local North Georgia public health department in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens or Whitfield County (click on county name to link to health department page and contact information).

Set an Example with Healthy Habits

You can support the men in your life by having healthy habits yourself and by making healthy choices.

• Eat healthy and include a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Fruits and vegetables have many vitamins and minerals that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Limit foods and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt, fat, and alcohol.
• Regular physical activity has many benefits . It can help control your weight, reduce your risk of heart disease and some cancers, and can improve your mental health and mood. Find fun ways to be active together. Adults need 2½ hours of physical activity each week.
• Set an example by choosing not to smoke and encourage the men in your life to quit smoking. Quitting smoking has immediate and long-term benefits. You lower your risk for different types of cancer, and don’t expose others to secondhand smoke—which causes health problems. Call your state’s tobacco quitline (for English speakers, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW [1-800-784-8669]; for Spanish speakers, call 1-855-DÉJELO-YA [1-855-335-3569])
• Help the men in your life recognize and reduce stress.Physical or emotional tension are often signs of stress. They can be reactions to a situation that causes you to feel threatened or anxious. Learn ways to manage stress including finding support, eating healthy, exercising regularly, and avoiding drugs and alcohol.

Remind Men to Get Regular Checkups

Encourage men to see a doctor or health professional for regular checkups and to learn about their family health history.

• Men can prepare for doctor’s visits and learn which preventive tests or screenings they need. Certain diseases and conditions may not have symptoms, so checkups help identify issues early or before they can become a problem.
• It’s important for men (and women) to understand their family health history, which is a written or graphic record of the diseases and health conditions present in your family. It is helpful to talk with family members about health history, write this information down, and update it from time to time.

Know the Signs and Symptoms of a Heart Attack

Every 43 seconds someone in the U.S. has a heart attack. Know the signs of a heart attack and if you think you or someone you know is having a heart attack call 911 immediately. Major signs of a heart attack include:

• Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back
• Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Pain or discomfort in arms or shoulder
• Shortness of breath

Encourage Men to Seek Help for Depression

Depression is one of the leading causes of disease or injury worldwide for both men and women. Learn to recognize the signs and how to help the men in your life.

• Signs of depression include persistent sadness, grumpiness, feelings of hopelessness, tiredness and decreased energy, and thoughts of suicide.
• Those that suffer from depression or anxiety should seek help as early as possible. If you or someone you care about is in crisis, please seek help immediately.
  • Call 911
  • Visit a nearby emergency department or your health care provider’s office
  • Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255); TTY: 1-800-799-4TTY (4889) to talk to a trained counselor

this Summer in North Georgia!

 Come get your delicious fresh fruits and vegetables this summer at several Farmers Markets presented by North Georgia's Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services.

Affordably priced and locally grown, these fresh fruits and vegetables come with free recipes for preparing healthy, nutritious and scrumptious meals! By the way, active WIC participants get $30 worth of FREE fruits and veggies, so be sure to bring your WIC folder.

The Farmers Markets will be held this summer on these dates at these locations:

• Whitfield County Health Department, 800 Professional Boulevard, Dalton - Thursday, June 13th, 8 AM - 2 PM
• Murray County Health Department, 709 Old Dalton-Ellijay Road, Chatsworth  - Tuesday, June 18th, 8 AM - 11 AM
• Cherokee County Health Department, Canton Health Center, 1219 Univeter Road, Canton - Wednesday, June 19th, 8 AM - 11 AM
• Fannin County Health Department, 95 Ouida Street, Blue Ridge - Thursday, June 20th, 8 AM - Noon
• Dalton's Mack Gaston Community Center, 218 N. Frederick Street, Dalton - Monday, June 24th, 8 AM - 2 PM
• Gilmer County Health Department, 28 Southside Church Street, Ellijay - Tuesday, June 25th, 8 AM - 11 AM
• Cherokee County Health Department, Canton Health Center, 1219 Univeter Road, Canton - Wednesday, July 3rd, 8 AM - 11 AM
• Pickens County Health Department, 60 Health Way, Jasper - Tuesday, July 16th, 8 AM - 11 AM
• Cherokee County Health Department, Canton Health Center, 1219 Univeter Road, Canton - Wednesday, July 17th, 8 AM - 11 AM
• Whitfield County Health Department, 800 Professional Boulevard, Dalton - Thursday, July 18th, 8 AM - 2 PM
• Murray County Health Department, 709 Old Dalton-Ellijay Road, Chatsworth  - Tuesday, July 23rd, 8 AM - 2 PM
• *Dalton's Mack Gaston Community Center, 218 N. Frederick Street, Dalton - Monday, July 29th, 8 AM - 2 PM *Moved from July 22nd
• Gilmer County Health Department, 28 Southside Church Street, Ellijay - Tuesday, July 30th, 8 AM - 11 AM
• Cherokee County Health Department, Canton Health Center, 1219 Univeter Road, Canton - Wednesday, August 7th, 8 AM - 11 AM
• Fannin County Health Department, 95 Ouida Street, Blue Ridge - Thursday, August 15th, 9 AM - Noon
• Murray County Health Department, 709 Old Dalton-Ellijay Road, Chatsworth  - Tuesday, August 20th, 8 AM - 11 AM
• Cherokee County Health Department, Canton Health Center, 1219 Univeter Road, Canton - Wednesday, August 21st, 8 AM - 11 AM
• Gilmer County Health Department, 28 Southside Church Street, Ellijay - Tuesday, August 27th, 8 AM - 11 AM
• Cherokee County Health Department, Canton Health Center, 1219 Univeter Road, Canton - Wednesday, September 4th, 8 AM - 11 AM

For more information, call (706) 370-4700.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

We are joining organizations across the country to team up for Men’s Health!

To celebrate Men’s Health Month, North Georgia Health District joins Men’s Health Network, the Congressional Men’s Health Caucus, and hundreds of other local and national organizations to educate the public about the many preventable health problems that affect men and boys, and empower them and their loved ones to move towards a healthier, happier life.

Men die five years younger than women, on average, and die at higher rates for nine of the Top Ten causes of death. Men are the majority of workplace injuries, less likely to be insured, and far less likely to see a doctor for preventive care. All of this impacts their ability to be an involved father, supportive husband, and engaged member of their community.

“This year continues to be a pivotal one for men’s health—new guidance on prostate cancer screenings and the declining mortality rates for large groups of men means awareness and education is paramount,” says Ana Fadich, Vice President at Men’s Health Network.

More information is at our health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties. Click on the above LOCATIONS tab to find the one nearest you. 

June is also National Men’s Health Week (NMHW), passed by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton in 1994. It starts Monday, June 10, and ends on Father’s Day, June 16, 2019. Additional support comes from governors and mayors who issue proclamations for Men’s Health Week in their jurisdictions. You can find the proclamations here: http://www.menshealthmonth.org/week/proclamation.html You can also find more information on a variety of health issues at the Men’s Health Resource Center: www.MensHealthResourceCenter.com and health profiles of men and boys in each state can be found at www.stateofmenshealth.com