La Paz County, AZ- La Paz County Health Department is pleased to announce National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW); an annual observance to highlight the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases, April 26st-May 1st.  Whopping cough (pertussis) is a fast growing concern in the United States and Arizona where rates are at an all time high since 1950. Pertussis is a vaccine-preventable disease that causes severe coughing in all ages, but it is more likely to kill infants. The Tdap (tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine) is the best way to protect against pertussis but vaccination rates are staggering low among the group that spreads it the most: adults.

“56% of infant pertussis cases can be traced back to an adult spreader because only 14% of adults were vaccinated for pertussis in 2012 ,” said Diana Grazier, Director of Nursing for La Paz County Health Department. “In order to protect the youngest in our communities, adults should come in for a Tdap vaccination, especially if they are pregnant, live with an infant or care for an infant.”

Pertussis is known for uncontrollable, violent coughing which often makes it hard to breathe. After fits of many coughs, someone with pertussis takes deep breathes which result in a "whooping" sound. Pertussis most commonly affects infants and young children and can be fatal, especially in babies less than 1 year of age. Each year, 10,000 to 40,000 cases of pertussis are reported. Out of those cases, many lead to hospitalization. Infants are at greatest risk for getting pertussis and then having severe complications from it, including death. About half of infants younger than 1 year old who get pertussis are hospitalized, and 1 or 2 in 100 hospitalized infants die.

“Infants are especially vulnerable. That’s why we target the adults in order to create a cocoon of protection,” said Grazier. Adults need just one Tdap vaccination and La Paz County Health Department has it. Tdap is $40 at the health department or free to adults with no insurance but it is in limited supplies so please call ahead. Residents can also talk to their healthcare provider about the Tdap vaccine. For more information, visit www.lpchd.com. 

La Paz County, AZ- On March 18th, students from La Paz County will take a STAND against tobacco use at the Arizona State Capitol. Students Taking a New Direction (STAND) is organizing their first legislative day on March 18th. More than 250 students from 25 local youth chapters will gather at the State Capitol to showcase their efforts to pass local legislation that promotes smoke free environments.

“We are seeing a downward trend in tobacco use. Right now, 14% of kids under 18 use tobacco. That’s a 30 percent drop in four years,” explained Teen Solutions, the La Paz County chapter of STAND. Recent news of CVS’s decision to stop carrying tobacco products on the heels of the 50th anniversary of the Surgeon General’s report is inspiring hope that tobacco use will soon be a memory. “While we are making great strides, we are still picking up a lot of cigarette butts in our parks.  We have a lot of work to do.”

During the legislative day event, students will meet with their district senators and representatives to discuss local tobacco issues. STAND members will discuss tobacco issues and how each local chapter is working to improve the health and wellness of their local cities and towns. The program will run from 11am to 1pm with a formal presentation beginning at noon on the Senate Lawn with a special guest speaker: former Cardinal football player, Ron Wolfley.

STAND is partnering with the Arizona Attorney General’s Counter Strike Program, Arizonans Concerned about Smoking, The Arizona Chapters of the American Heart Association, American Lung Association and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network to highlight that tobacco use is still an issue. 

“Tobacco use is the leading cause of death in Arizona,” said La Paz County Teen Solutions.  “It’s not just lung cancer but heart disease, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and it can worsen existing health problems.” 

The STAND Legislative Day is open to the public from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18th, at the Arizona State Capitol, 1700 West Washington, Phoenix AZ 85007.

STAND is a statewide coalition of students ages 13-18 who work to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco use and to urge elected officials at all levels of government to treat cigarettes as hazardous materials by creating regulations for forage, transport, sale and disposal. For more information visit www.standaz.com.

La Paz County, AZ- The Great American Smokeout is a day when smokers are encouraged to quit for a day, quit for life. This year members of Arizona’s statewide anti-tobacco youth coalition Students Taking a New Direction, better known as STAND, will take that one step further urging Arizonans to ‘decide today for life-long-strong lungs.’

In partnership with the American Lung Association (ALA), STAND will be holding events throughout Arizona not only promoting the health impact of living and working in a smoke free environment. STAND members are partnering with members of the ALA’s Better Breather’s club to provide interactive demonstrations on how smoking can affect your lungs.

“When it comes to smoking and the health effects, it is usually cancer related problems that you hear about,” said Lee Ann Anderson of the La Paz County Health Department’s Public Health Education and Prevention Program. “We want to also remind people that smoking affects your lungs too. But not just your lungs, it affects those around you too.”

STAND members will also be showcasing their efforts to make their community smoke free by passing out quit kits at an informational booth at Blue Water Resort and Casino from 9:00am-2:00pm, and the Teen Solutions Coalition will be promoting tobacco prevention at Wallace Junior High from 12:00-1:30pm.

Community prep will also occur as coalitions across the state will display pledge walls in high traffic areas for smokers and non-smokers alike to either pledge to quit for the day or to never start. To further promote and draw attention to their cause, STAND members will change their personal and coalition Facebook profile photo to a singular image.

Participants are members of STAND, Students Taking a New Direction, a statewide coalition of students ages 13-18 who work to not only raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco use, but urge elected officials at all levels of government to treat cigarettes as hazardous materials - including creating regulations for storage, transport, sale and disposal. www.standaz.com

The Great American Smokeout is organized nationally by the American Cancer Society. It is held the on the third Thursday of November each year. In Arizona, it is supported by the Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Tobacco & Chronic Disease. The first Great American Smokeout was held in 1977. www.cancer.org/smokeout

La Paz County, AZ- Arizona has been a leader in tobacco control and beginning August 12th 2013, we will take another step forward. The CIGNAL is Arizona’s newest effort to help tobacco users quit and stay quit.

     The average age of initiation for smokers, meaning the first time they try a cigarette, is between 11 and 12. Ninety percent of current adult smokers are fully addicted by the time they reach age 19. Despite the small window of time between trying that first cigarette and becoming addicted, most tobacco cessation services are not aimed at young adults.

     Diversion based programs exist but they have shown little to no impact on getting young adults to quit. They are often seen as a punishment. The CIGNAL seeks to provide a positive experience for young tobacco users ready to quit.

Modeled after and implemented by the highly successful Arizona Smokers’ Helpline (ASHLine), the CIGNAL will use the same proven approach but will direct callers under the age of 23 to specially trained youth coaches.

     “The idea behind using youth quit coaches is simple,” says ASHLine Stephen Michael. “We’re using the same methodology as the ASHLine, but going at it in a way that the young smoker can relate to.” Challenges do exist with reaching young tobacco users. In Arizona, just over seventeen percent teens under the age of 18 use tobacco.  Despite knowing the health effects; teens do continue to try tobacco due to peer pressure and/or curiosity.

     “Our major challenge is relating to a group of young people who, while they smoke, do not consider themselves smokers,” says Courtney Ward, Tobacco Office Chief at the Arizona Department of Health Services. “To reach them we had to come up with messaging that they can relate to.”

     A public service campaign that seeks to speak to young tobacco users through depictions of common phrases such as, “I only smoke when I’m at a party” or “I only smoke on the weekends” will also launch on August 12th to promote the CIGNAL.

     The CIGNAL is a free service and be reached via the toll-free number 1-800-55-66-222. For callers under the age of 18, parental consent is not needed. Medications and other quit aids such as the patch, gum and lozenge will not be provide to anyone under 18. Teens interested in this method of quitting are encouraged to talk to their doctor. www.theCIGnal.com