National Radon Awareness Month

January is "National Radon Awareness Month(NRAM). The purpose of NRAM is to draw attention to radon as a serious public health issue and more importantly to motivate Americans to take action to protect themselves from radon health effects.

Radon is a naturally occuring invisible, ordorless gas that is harmlessly dispersed in outdoor air, but when trapped in buildings, can be harmful at elevated levels. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer and is present in elevated levels in about 50% of area homes. New homes, as well as older homes, can have elevated radon levels. The only way to know if you have an elevated level in your home is to conduct a test. Act now as winter is the best time to test for radon gas. If your home has unsafe concentrations of radon gas, it can be fixed.

For more information and a free radon test kit, you may contact the Champaign Health District at 937-484-1606.

Influenza Surviellance

The Champaign Health District staff monitor influenza illness and influenza like illness beginning in the fall each year and publish a report for Champaign County.

Week 1 (2012)

Week 51

Week 49

Week 47

Week 43

Winter Fire Safety

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) are working together to remind everyone that home fires are more prevalent in winter than in any other season. This is due in part to an increase in cooking and heating fires. Holiday decorations and winter storms that can interrupt electrical service and cause people to turn to alternative heating sources also contribute to the increased risk of fire in winter.

Winter fires can be prevented! The following fire safety tips can help you maintain a fire-safe home this winter season.  More information can be found at: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/holiday-seasonal/winter.shtm

WIC Health Professional Position Available

A part-time position is available for a WIC Health Professional beginning immediately.  Qualifications for the position are: State of Ohio Registered Nurse or Registered/Licensed Dietician, Dietetic Technician Registered, Dietetic Technician; two years public health or related experience, and a valid Ohio driver’s license with an acceptable driving record. An individual who poses a direct threat to the health and safety of himself/herself or others in the work place will be deemed not qualified for this position.  The salary range is $13.07 to $17.15 dependent upon qualifications and experience.  For details concerning the position, please review the job description.      

All interested applicants may submit their resume to Mary Collier via e-mail to mary.collier@odh.ohio.gov or to 1512 S US Highway 68, Suite Q100 Urbana OH 43078. The Champaign Health District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

2012 Food Program Fees

The Champaign Board of Health accepted  the 2012 Food Program Fees at the Board of Health meeting on November 9, 2011.  The fees will increase slightly for 2012; there were no fee increases in 2010 or 2011 and there were some decreases in the fees during these two years. 

Additional information related to the Food Program can be found by following the Inspections and Licensing link above.  For additional information, please call the health district and speak with one of the Registered Sanitarians.

National Diabetes Awareness Month

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, so the Champaign Health District is asking: Are you in control? Do you know your numbers?  In Champaign County, 47.7% of respondents to the 2010 community health survey reported that they have had their blood sugar checked in the past year which is good news, but over half of the respondents stated that they or a family member have been diagnosed with diabetes.  Yet, according to the Ohio Department of Health 2010 Fact Sheet about diabetes, 268,671 people in Ohio over the age of 18 have diabetes and do not know.

You can take control of your risk for developing diabetes by staying healthy: increasing your activity daily, even with short frequent walks, taking the stairs, and parking farther away from a building entrance are a few ways to get more exercise into your life!  Another way to take control is to limit your dietary intake, which isn’t always easy since portion sizes have grown over the past years.  The good news is that you don’t have to carry a scale with your to make better portion size choices: a fist is about a cup, the palm of your hand is about 3 oz. if you are a women or 5 oz. if you are a man, the tip of your thumb is about 1 teaspoon, and your entire thumb is about 1 tablespoon. 

Knowing your numbers entails a little bit more than just knowing what your blood sugar is, although a fasting blood sugar should be below 109, if it is 110-125 you may be considered pre-diabetic.  Other numbers that are important are: the measurement of your waist, less than 36 for women and less than 40 for a man, blood pressure on or around 120/80, and total cholesterol less than 200 with LDL less than 100 and HDL greater than 40 for men and 50 for women. 

To determine your risk for diabetes the American Diabetes Association offers a Risk Test at www.diabetes.org/risktest.  Your Champaign Health District also offers blood sugar and blood pressure screenings for free as a walk-in clinic services Tuesday through Thursday from 8:00 AM until 4:00PM.  Cholesterol testing is also available for $25.00 on a scheduled basis.  Additionally, the health district offers individualized diabetes counseling for clients for no charge, partners with the Ohio State Extension office for Dining with Diabetes Classes for a $5.00 with the next scheduled classes starting in January, and partners with Mercy Memorial Hospital to provide Diabetes Management classes monthly at no charge.

It's Flu Shot Time!

The Champaign Health District recommends that all people 6 months of age and older get vaccinated for flu.  Vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of severe influenza and their close contacts, including healthcare personnel and close contacts of children younger than 6 months.

Influenza can occur at any time, but most influenza occurs from October through May.  In recent seasons, most infections have occurred in January and February.  Get the vaccination as soon as it is available.  This should provide protection if the flu season comes early, however, getting vaccinated in December, or even later, will still be beneficial in most years.

Influenza viruses are always changing, so annual vaccination is recommended.  Each year, scientists try to match the viruses in the vaccine to those most likely to cause flu that year.  H1N1 is included as one of the three strands of flu viruses selected to be used in the vaccine this year.  It can take up to 2 weeks for protection to develop after the shot.  Protection lasts about one year.

By getting the flu vaccine, you can protect yourself from influenza and may also avoid spreading influenza to others.  Flu clinics are planned to provide multiple opportunities close to where you live in Champaign County.  View Current Calendar

Charge for Flu Shot:

6 months through 18 years: $8.00     Adults $20.00     High Dose for Adults 65 and older $45.00 

Insurances Accepted:

Aetna                                                        Caresource        

Anthem                                                     Anthem BCBS

Cigna                                                        Humana

Medical Mutual                                         Medicare B and RR

Molina                                                       Ohio Health Choice

Summacare                                              Health Plan

UMYA                                                        United Healthcare

2010 Community Health Assessment Survey now available

The Champaign Health District is pleased to announce the results of the 2010 Community Health Assessment Survey are now available.

A Community Health Assessment is a Core Function of a Health District and is an attempt to efficiently measure indicators of a community’s health and well-being. Beginning in August, 402 Champaign County residents participated in the Community Health Assessment survey responding to questions about their individual health, the health of their family, and the health of the community. The demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents closely mimic the same characteristics of the county as identified by the US Census Bureau. These similar characteristics and the number of random sample respondents lend credibility to the results of the assessment being a suitable representation of Champaign County residents as a whole.

The results highlight various areas of the Champaign Health District’s 2010 Community Health Assessment Survey. An analysis of the survey results and comparisons to like counties in Ohio, the state of Ohio, and the nation will be completed in the first quarter of 2011. To see the survey results, click here.