Striving for health equity in health education programming in a county as large and diverse as Cook County, Illinois is no small task. Cook County is the second-most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County, California. As of 2015, the population was 5.2 million. Health...

You might have seen announcements about screening for Hepatitis C. Over 3.5 million people are infected with Hepatitis C and about ¾ of them do not know it. Hepatitis C is inflammation of the liver which will kill cells. Over time, there will be build up of dead cells leading to scarring. This can...

The American Dental Association (ADA) and the ADA Foundation commemorate National Children's Dental Health Month every February to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. The health of our teeth and gums depends on a lifetime of care and so developing healthy habits at an early age and...

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. Each year, nearly 13,000 women in the United States get cervical cancer. Cervical cancer can be curable if found and treated early. It is the most preventable and the only gynecologic cancer with a screening test (Pap test) and a vaccine...

An apple way keeps the doctor away. How many times have we heard that familiar adage? While it refers to the fact that eating apples, or any nutritious food, can keep you healthy and hopefully save you a trip to the doctor's office, visiting the doctor is not...

It's here, It's here, It's here….. Yes… Summer is finally here (after a long winter) but we have to make sure we are prepared for the Sun!! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015) skin cancer is the number one cancer in the United States which and most cases of melanoma...

2015 is the 20th anniversary of National Public Health Week! What exactly is public health you might ask? The World Health Organization (2015) defines public health as "all organized measures (whether public or private) to prevent disease, promote health, and prolong life among the population as a...

As American Heart Month wraps up, and after a recent news statement about women and heart attacks, providing data and facts about heart health and heart attack warning signs in women seems appropriate. What is Heart Disease you ask? Heart Disease is the buildup of plaque in the...

Teen dating violence (TDV) has surfaced as a significant public health issue as incidence of TDV has escalated substantially in recent years. Research by the U.S. Department of Justice (2003) found that one in three high school students have been or will be involved in an...

Exercise more, lose those extra pounds, handle stress better, these resolutions seem to top the list every year for many of us. While almost everyone can relate to striving to be a healthier, stronger, stress free individual, I would like to send a friendly reminder that slow, progressive lifestyle...