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Health Awareness News

Mental Health Screening Online

5/1/2024

 
Online screening is one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. Mental Health America has resources available for anyone looking to improve their mental health.  Click the button below to take a mental health test.
Take a Mental Health Test
Please note: Online screening tools are meant to be a quick snapshot of your mental health. If your results indicate you may be experiencing symptoms of a mental illness, consider sharing your results with someone. A mental health provider (such as a doctor or a therapist) can give you a full assessment and talk to you about options for how to feel better.

Alcohol Abuse Awareness

4/1/2024

 
April is Alcohol Awareness Month, an opportunity to update your knowledge about alcohol use disorder (AUD) and the adverse impact of alcohol abuse and misuse on health and society. Alcohol-related problems continue to take a heavy toll on individuals, families, and communities. Researchers estimate that each year there are more than 178,000 alcohol-related deaths, making alcohol a leading preventable cause of death in the United States. In addition, more than 200 disease and injury-related conditions are associated with alcohol misuse.  Drinking too much, on a single occasion or over time, can take a serious toll on your health.  Here’s how alcohol can affect your body:
Brain:
Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination.  
Heart:
Drinking a lot over a long time or too much on a single occasion can damage the heart, causing problems including:
  • Cardiomyopathy – Stretching and drooping of heart muscle
  • Arrhythmias – Irregular heart beat
  • Stroke
  • High blood pressure  
Liver:
Heavy drinking takes a toll on the liver, and can lead to a variety of problems and liver inflammations including:
  • Steatosis, or fatty liver
  • Alcoholic hepatitis
  • Fibrosis
  • Cirrhosis
Pancreas:
Alcohol causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances that can eventually lead to pancreatitis, a dangerous inflammation in the pancreas that causes its swelling and pain (which may spread) and impairs its ability to make enzymes and hormones for proper digestion. 
Cancer:
According to the National Cancer Institute: "There is a strong scientific consensus that alcohol drinking can cause several types of cancer. In its Report on Carcinogens, the National Toxicology Program of the US Department of Health and Human Services lists consumption of alcoholic beverages as a known human carcinogen.
"The evidence indicates that the more alcohol a person drinks–particularly the more alcohol a person drinks regularly over time–the higher his or her risk of developing an alcohol-associated cancer. Even those who have no more than one drink per day and people who binge drink (those who consume 4 or more drinks for women and 5 or more drinks for men in one sitting) have a modestly increased risk of some cancers. Based on data from 2009, an estimated 3.5% of cancer deaths in the United States (about 19,500 deaths were alcohol related."
Clear patterns have emerged between alcohol consumption and increased risks of certain types of cancer:
  • Head and neck cancer, including oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx cancers.
  • Esophageal cancer, particularly esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, people who inherit a deficiency in an enzyme that metabolizes alcohol have been found to have substantially increased risks of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma if they consume alcohol.
  • Liver cancer.
  • Breast cancer: Studies have consistently found an increased risk of breast cancer in women with increasing alcohol intake. Women who consume about 1 drink per day have a 5 to 9 percent higher chance of developing breast cancer than women who do not drink at all.
  • Colorectal cancer.
For more information about alcohol and cancer, please visit the National Cancer Institute's webpage "Alcohol and Cancer Risk" (last accessed October 21, 2021).
Immune System:
Drinking too much can weaken your immune system, making your body a much easier target for disease.  Chronic drinkers are more liable to contract diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis than people who do not drink too much.  Drinking a lot on a single occasion slows your body’s ability to ward off infections – even up to 24 hours after getting drunk.



For this and additional information, please visit the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism (NIAAA) online.

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

3/4/2024

 
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, after lung/bronchus cancer. In 2002, a total of 139,534 adults in the United States had colorectal cancer diagnosed, and 56,603 adults died from colorectal cancer. The impact of colorectal cancer can be lessened through regular screening, which has been shown to reduce incidence and mortality. CDC directly supports National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month through its Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Control Initiative, which includes "Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign" (SFL), research related to colorectal cancer prevention and control, and activities aimed at increasing colorectal cancer screening. CDC and other public health agencies encourage all persons aged >50 years in the United States to discuss colorectal cancer screening options with their health-care providers. Health consumers can learn more about preventing colorectal cancer through routine screening by becoming familiar with the SFL campaign, which is designed to provide clear and concise information about colorectal cancer screening to adults aged >50 years. Additional information regarding the SFL campaign and CDC's national colorectal cancer prevention programs is available at http://www.cdc.gov/colorectalcancer. 

CDC Launches New Campaign to Encourage People to Quit Smoking

2/22/2024

 
Released by CDC
Monday, February 5, 2024 

​The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Tips From Former Smokers® (Tips®) campaign returns today with new ads to encourage people to quit smoking. This year, seven new people are featured in the ads sharing their stories about how cigarette smoking and smoking-related diseases have negatively impacted their lives.
Many of this year’s new ads include messaging about the harms of menthol cigarettes, which can contribute to tobacco-related health disparities. Menthol in cigarettes can make it easier to start smoking and harder to quit. The Tips campaign promotes messages and free resources to help adults quit smoking. Year after year, the campaign has proven its effectiveness and has saved lives and money by helping more than one million U.S. adults to quit smoking and inspiring millions more to try to quit.
Real people, real stories inspire people to quit smoking
Tips tells the stories of more than 45 brave people from different backgrounds who have been impacted by the serious long-term health effects from smoking and secondhand smoke exposure. New 2024 ads feature the following people:
  • Angie P. smoked menthol cigarettes because she thought it would help her cope with the fear that people around her would not accept that she is gay. She smoked for 26 years. She wants to encourage other LGBTQ+ people who smoke to love themselves and protect their health by quitting smoking.
  • Elizabeth B. and Stephen B. Elizabeth smoked menthol cigarettes for 35 years. She has smoking-related peripheral artery disease, which makes walking difficult and sometimes painful. She also developed kidney cancer. Her husband, Stephen, helps take care of her.
  • Ethan B. smoked menthol cigarettes for 39 years. He grew up seeing ads that convinced him smoking menthol cigarettes was “cool.” As an adult, he had multiple smoking-related strokes.
  • John B. smoked for 22 years. He tried several different ways to quit smoking, but nothing seemed to work. He kept trying until he found the methods that worked best for him. Those methods included counseling and two quit-smoking medicines.
  • Noel S. smoked menthol cigarettes for more than 20 years. He suffered a smoking-related heart attack at age 36. Noel quit smoking so he could be around to watch his younger family members grow up.
  • Tammy W. ate healthy, exercised regularly, and ran marathons. She also smoked menthol cigarettes for 23 years. She told herself that menthol cigarettes were less harmful than non-menthol cigarettes. At age 44, she had severe heart disease and needed open heart surgery.
“While cigarette smoking among adults has declined, it remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability and death in the United States, and some groups continue to be affected more than others,” said Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, PhD, MPH, Director of CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health. “The Tips campaign reaches adults with compelling messages and information to motivate them to quit smoking. It also promotes free resources that can help them quit – no matter who they are or where they live.”
Tips is the first federally-funded national tobacco education campaign. It uses multi-media platforms to increase the reach of quit smoking messages. Tips ads will run nationally on broadcast and cable TV, and on digital and social media channels. Additional ads will be placed to reach specific audiences including people who are African American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders, LGBTQ+, and deaf or hard-of-hearing.
Menthol cigarettes contribute to tobacco-related health disparities in the United States
Though fewer people in the U.S. smoke cigarettes now than in recent decades, the use of menthol cigarettes among people who smoke has increased. This includes groups that already have higher percentages of tobacco use and tobacco-related health problems.
Tobacco companies add menthol to make their products seem less harsh and more appealing to people who have never used cigarettes. Menthol enhances the effects of nicotine on the brain and can make cigarettes even more addictive. People who smoke menthol cigarettes can be less likely to successfully quit than people who smoke non-menthol cigarettes.
Young people, racial and ethnic minority groups, LGBTQ+ people, women, people with a low income, and people with mental health conditions are more likely to smoke menthol cigarettes than other groups. Tobacco companies aggressively market menthol-flavored tobacco products to different groups of people, especially people who are African American. This marketing contributes to certain groups being more likely to smoke menthol cigarettes than other groups.
Quitting is possible and free resources are available
The Tips campaign promotes free resources to help adults quit smoking. Quitting smoking is beneficial at any age and is one of the most important steps people can take to improve their health. For free quit smoking resources and more information about the Tips campaign, including links to the ads, visit
 www.cdc.gov/Tips.

Mask Policy Extended

1/18/2024

 
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Holiday Mask Policy

12/18/2023

 
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Signet Holiday Hours 2023

11/27/2023

 
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Accountable Care Organization (ACO)

3/23/2023

 
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Stress, Depression and the Holidays: Tips for Coping

12/25/2022

 
Stress and depression can ruin your holidays and hurt your health. Being realistic, planning ahead and seeking support can help ward off stress and depression.


Tips to prevent holiday stress and depression
When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Try to prevent stress and depression in the first place, especially if the holidays have taken an emotional toll on you in the past.
  1. Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can't be with loved ones for other reasons, realize that it's normal to feel sadness and grief. It's OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.
  2. Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events or communities. Many may have websites, online support groups, social media sites or virtual events. They can offer support and companionship.

    If you're feeling stress during the holidays, it also may help to talk to a friend or family member about your concerns. Try reaching out with a text, a call or a video chat.
    Volunteering your time or doing something to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships. For example, consider dropping off a meal and dessert at a friend's home during the holidays.
  3. Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children or other relatives can't come to your home, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, emails or videos. Or meet virtually on a video call. Even though your holiday plans may look different this year, you can find ways to celebrate.
  4. Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all of your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression, too.
  5. Stick to a budget. Before you do your gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts.
    Try these alternatives:
    • Donate to a charity in someone's name.
    • Give homemade gifts.
    • Start a family gift exchange.
  6. Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, connecting with friends and other activities. Consider whether you can shop online for any of your items. Plan your menus and then make your shopping list. That'll help prevent last-minute scrambling to buy forgotten ingredients. And make sure to line up help for meal prep and cleanup.
  7. Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can't participate in every project or activity. If it's not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.
  8. Don't abandon healthy habits. Don't let the holidays become a free-for-all. Overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt.
    Try these suggestions:
    • Have a healthy snack before holiday meals so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks.
    • Eat healthy meals.
    • Get plenty of sleep.
    • Include regular physical activity in your daily routine.
    • Try deep-breathing exercises, meditation or yoga.
    • Avoid excessive tobacco, alcohol and drug use.
    • Be aware of how the information culture can produce undue stress, and adjust the time you spend reading news and social media as you see fit.
  9. Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Find an activity you enjoy. Take a break by yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm.
    Some options may include:
    • Taking a walk at night and stargazing
    • Listening to soothing music
    • Reading a book
  10. Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for a while, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.


Take control of the holidays
Don't let the holidays become something you dread. Instead, take steps to prevent the stress and depression that can descend during the holidays. Learn to recognize your holiday triggers, such as financial pressures or personal demands, so you can combat them before they lead to a meltdown. With a little planning and some positive thinking, you can find peace and joy during the holidays.




This article and other related articles can be found at mayoclinic.org

Important co-pay Information for signet patients

7/26/2022

 
Beginning July 1, 2022, copays for certain services that were previously eligible for $2 or $3 copays will now be a $4 copay. The change only applies to services and beneficiaries who previously were charged copays. This increase is in accordance with a statewide decision passed by the North Carolina General Assembly. We encourage all patients to visit the following link for more information and to see how this increase will affect you.
CLick Here for more information
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