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Awareness

Vaping and Children’s Health 2023

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By Ashley Barnes, M.S. What is vaping? Vaping is synonymous with e-cigarettes (electronic cigarettes) and has increased in popularity over the last decade. According to a description from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): E-cigarettes/vapes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of small particles in the air. E-cigarettes/vapes come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid. Some e-cigarettes/vapes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items. Larger devices such as tank systems, or “mods,” do not look like other tobacco products. E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are sometimes called “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).” Using an e-cigarette is sometimes called “vaping.” Big tobacco companies have marketed vaping …

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Meaningful Engagement for Seniors: Why it’s Important

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By Ashley Barnes, M.S. Why Meaningful Engagement Matters A growing body of research suggests that the strongest predictor of happiness in old age is meaningful engagement – with society and each-other.  The McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) analyzed over 70 recent, peer-reviewed academic studies on the societal participation of older adults and “found six thematic health benefits: reduced mortality rates; reduced cognitive disability; less functional disability and frailty; decreased loneliness and depression; increased physical activity levels, and enhanced meaning and quality of life” (2023).  A McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) analysis that surveyed individuals 55 and older across 21 countries recently added to this research, indicating that having a sense of purpose in life and meaningful connections with others were among the most important factors that bolster the health of older adults around the world (2023).  Meaningful Engagement The findings support the concept of societal participation being important to mental health and …

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Menopause and Mental Health

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By Ashley Barnes, M.S. Menopause Menopause describes the point in time where changes in a woman’s hormones lead to the end of menstrual cycles. It usually is diagnosed after a woman has gone 12 months without a menstrual period. The menopausal transition most often begins between ages 45 and 55. It usually lasts about seven years but can be as long as 14 years. The duration can depend on lifestyle factors such as smoking, age it begins, and race and ethnicity. During perimenopause, the body’s production of estrogen and progesterone, two hormones made by the ovaries, varies greatly (2021). Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that “many healthcare providers actually use the term menopause to refer to the period of time when a woman’s hormone levels start to change. Menopause is said to be complete when menstrual periods have ceased for one continuous year. The transition phase before menopause is often referred …

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DEA’s National Take Back Day 2023

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By Ashley Barnes, M.S. What is DEA’s National Take Back Day? The drug overdose epidemic in the United States is a national security threat to public health and safety.  The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) holds a “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day” every year as a reflection of the DEA’s “commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting” (DEA, 2023).  Last year, there were a total of 4,902 collection sites and 647,163 pounds (324 tons) of unneeded medications collected (DEA, 2023). This year, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is on October 28, 2023. Find a collection site near you using the Collection Site Locator. Statistics According to the most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people who died from a …

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How to Cope with War Anxiety 2023

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By Ashley Barnes, M.S. War Anxiety War anxiety, also known as nuclear anxiety, is a common reaction to the news and images about conflict. This has been extremely relevant in light of the devastation of the Israel-Hamas war. Though research is still being conducted on the long-term effects of war anxiety, a Finnish study found that teens worried about a nuclear war were at increased risk for mental health disorders (ex: generalized anxiety disorder) five years later (Poikolainen et al., 2004). Research also indicates that media exposure to mass violence events can fuel a cycle of distress, and those more prone to anxiety are also more likely to seek out media coverage of crises (Thompson et al., 2019).  Symptoms Symptoms of war anxiety are similar to many symptoms of anxiety disorders. Symptoms may be more cognitive, in the form of worries and anxiety thoughts. Symptoms can also be more physical, …

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