Pump Handle Awards

Maine CDC recently recognized four organizations by presenting them with the Pump Handle Award for their contributions to help reduce the impact of infectious diseases in Maine.

Camp Sunshine was honored for its quick response to an outbreak viral gastroenteritis outbreak, which led to the containment of a highly contagious virus. The camp also worked closely with the Maine CDC epidemiology and health inspections programs, providing information that allowed for surveying, follow-up on test results, and strengthened outbreak response in the community.

Mercy Hospital was recognized for its response to a highly publicized case of a rabid fox in Portland and for its decision to immediately make medication for treatment for exposure available to other healthcare systems, which were seeing a high volume of people with symptoms. The hospital also cared for five people who were exposed to rabies.

The Bangor Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic, one of two clinics in the State, has been instrumental in Maine's ability to provide STD screening, treatment and disease surveillance in the Northern part of the state. The commitment and dedication of Clinic staff have helped many people living with HIV/AIDS know their status, get connected to important medical care and support services, and identify and test potential partners who may have been exposed to HIV.

The Maine School Nurses Association was chosen for the hard work and dedication of Maine's school nurses, particularly for their dedication to organizing and operating Maine's school located vaccine clinics. School Nurses responded to the need during H1N1 and have continued to assure availability of influenza immunization to students in the school setting because that is where children are and because as they have said, "it is the right thing to do."

The Pump-Handle Award has been given for more than a decade in Maine. The award's name is a tribute to Dr. John Snow, who is considered by many to be the father of epidemiological science. Snow identified that a public water pump was the source of a cholera outbreak in London in 1854. He convinced authorities to remove the handle of the pump, preventing any more of the infected water from being collected. The spring that fed the pump was later found to be contaminated. 

The Health Consequences of Smoking-50 Years of Progress

The Health Consequences of Smoking-50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General was released on Jan. 17, a half century after the historic 1964 Surgeon General's report that concluded that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer. Since that time, smoking has been identified as a cause of serious diseases of nearly all the body's organs. 

Today, scientists add diabetes, colorectal and liver cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, erectile dysfunction, age-related macular degeneration, and other conditions to the list of diseases that cigarette smoking causes. In addition, the report concludes that secondhand smoke exposure is now known to cause strokes in nonsmokers.

For the full report, executive summary, consumer guide and PSA, visit http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/50-years-of-progress/index.html.

For free help quitting smoking, visit www.tobaccofreemaine.org or call 1-800-207-1230

Prevent adult-onset occupational asthma

Isocyanates (eye-so-sigh-a-nates) are chemicals that can cause asthma and cancer, irritate the skin, eyes, nose and throat, and even cause death.  It is important for medical providers to know the health risks associated with isocyanates and be aware that patients who work in certain industries are in danger of being exposed.  The risks are so well documented that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced an emphasis program to protect workers from exposure to isocyanates.

  

Patients potentially exposed to isocyanates may have:

• Persistent or recurring eye irritation
• Nasal congestion
• Dry or sore throat
• Cold-like symptoms
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Chest-tightness

Direct skin contact can cause:

• Sensitization
• Inflammation
• Rash
• Itching
• Hives
• Swelling

Isocyanates are found in the following compounds:

• Paints
• Varnishes
• Foams
• Sealants

They are used in the following industries:

• Residential/commercial construction to coat cement, wood, fiberglass, steel and aluminum
• Automotive painting and spray on bed-liners
• Commercial manufacturing of ridged and flexible foams
• Boatbuilding coatings to protect boats

  

When dealing with a patient, medical providers should consider that patient's occupation and work environment. Isocyanates are powerful irritants to the eyes, gastrointestinal, and respiratory tracts. Isocyanates can sensitize a patient through skin contact which means a patient could be subject to a severe asthma attack if they come into contact again (death from severe asthma in some sensitized subjects has been reported).  Isocyanates cannot easily be washed off skin or clothing because they are not water soluble.  OSHA is hoping that by focusing on this problem it will raise physician awareness of the risk, reduce employee exposure, and lessen the overall negative health effects associated with isocyanates. 

  

For more on the National Emphasis Program, visit: http://go.usa.gov/Zp7h (See appendix C for a patient questionnaire.)

 

Maine Youth and Suicide Prevention

Maine youth are making healthier choices, including smoking and drinking less, but are increasingly struggling with their emotional wellbeing.

Those findings and other insights directly from tens of thousands of Maine students about their health and habits are detailed in the newly released results of the 2013 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS).

The survey, which has been given every odd year since 2009, is a collaboration of the Maine Department of Education and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services in the Department of Health and Human Services. The results inform prevention and program planning, as well as future funding proposals.

While students largely feel more supported by parents, teachers and their communities, they also admit they are increasingly struggling with feelings of sadness and hopelessness. At the high school level, 14.6 percent of students said they have seriously considered attempting suicide, and 16.8 percent of seventh and eighth graders said the same. 

In October, Maine was one of six states awarded a 3-year federal Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration grant, which will expand statewide education, training, and outreach services and offers new screening, assessment, treatment and follow-up services for youth to age 24 at risk for suicide.

The Maine Suicide Prevention Program is collaborative initiative among: the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Corrections, Labor, Public Safety, and Veteran's Affairs; advocacy organizations like American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, NAMI ME; crisis agencies; parents, survivors and young adults.

Although suicide is a rare event, we must encourage and support our youth and young adults who may be feeling overwhelmed and hopeless to reach out to a trusted adult who will provide support and connect them to helping resources, such as:

• Statewide Crisis Hotline: 1-888-568-1112 - connects callers to crisis service provider in area from which they are calling. This is for ALL individuals in crisis to provide immediate, local assistance in a crisis situation. The crisis worker will ask what is going on and ask about everyone's safety to help figure out what kind of help is need. If you believe a person might be in danger of suicide, call the statewide crisis hotline or the police (911) to keep the person safe if needed.

• Statewide Information Resource Center (IRC): 1-800-499-0027 Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services IRC has suicide prevention informational materials for adults and teens including: print and audio/visual educational materials, Maine and national data, etc.

For more information:

• Maine Suicide Prevention Program: www.maine.gov/suicide

• Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey summary results and press release: at http://mainedoenews.net/category/news-views/press-releases/

• 2013 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey result: https://data.mainepublichealth.gov/miyhs/