Blogs

To aid state and territory officials in preparing for potential health impacts, HHS makes emPOWER data available to public health officials in Puerto Rico and Florida. This data shows the number of Medicare beneficiaries in each potentially impacted area who rely on any of 14 types of life-maintaining and assistive equipment, ranging from oxygen concentrators to electric wheelchairs, as well as data on the number of people who rely on dialysis, oxygen and home health services. These people are among the most vulnerable in their communities and are most likely to need life-saving assistance in prolonged power outages.

Henry, a veteran from Baltimore, experienced post-traumatic stress disorder with terrifying nightmares, mental health issues, and drug addiction. Then he found Chase Brexton, a health center near his home. Chase Brexton not only helped Henry better manage his health, it made him feel like he’s in a family. “I’ve been an addict for well over 20 years,” he said. “If you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, come to Chase Brexton.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is using one of the most extensive health-based telephone surveys available to help reverse a long-standing lack of health information about American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations.

Monique Baker lives in California with her fiancée and their 6-week-old daughter, Alexandria Nicole. As a mother and baby nurse, Monique sees firsthand both the joys and challenges that come with breastfeeding after a baby is born.

New moms have a lot to juggle. In the midst of all this, it’s easy to forget about their health, especially mental health. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), postpartum depression and anxiety occurs for mothers in 15% of births1. Postpartum depression is when feelings of sadness, anxiousness, and emptiness affect day-to-day life around the time of birth. Physical and emotional factors, including the big hormonal changes that come with pregnancy, cause the condition. Fortunately there are treatments for PMAD, such as talk therapy, antidepressant medications, or a combination of the two that can help.

I’ve always been a science nut. Growing up in Puerto Rico, I wondered why helium balloons raise your voice pitch – unless you have asthma like me. In sixth grade, my helium experiment testing lung capacity of people with asthma compared to those who did not won 1st prize at the school and regional science fairs.

As we commemorate June as Men’s Health Month, the Office of Minority Health (OMH) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) continues its work to help justice-involved males successfully return to their communities upon being discharged.

We’ve all been amazed by elite athletes able to dazzle and dictate a game’s outcome through their play-making ability, exceptional talent and sometimes, sheer will. Whether it’s in basketball, soccer, hockey, football or individual sports, the best play-makers serve up more than highlights; they also control the pace of the game to lead them and their teams to success. As the Office of Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services continues its observance of Men’s Health Month, we highlight five simple plays that men can make to stay at the top of their game and live

Registration is now open ! The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee will convene its fourth public meeting July 19 – 21, 2017. You can attend the meeting online via videocast.

To learn more about our name change and the reasons behind it, join us for our Facebook Livediscussion on Wednesday, June 7, at 12:00 p.m. (ET), with Dr. Richard Wolitski, Director of the HHS Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, Jesse Milan, Jr., President & CEO of AIDS United, and Kaye Hayes, Executive Director of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS.

Summary: In the United States, more than $300 billion, and globally, about $1 trillion are lost each year due to illness and lost productivity related to tobacco use.

Shemiah Sanchez may have lupus, but she doesn’t let the chronic autoimmune disease stop her from being an all-star athlete. Now a sophomore majoring in business, Sanchez plays infield for the Louisiana State University Tigers softball team.

Earlier this spring, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (The National Academies) released the National Strategy for the Elimination of Hepatitis B and C: Phase 2 Report to bring greater urgency to a set of diseases that is the seventh leading cause of death in the world. This report, co-sponsored by the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable, outlines a strategy to eliminate hepatitis B and C and prevent nearly 90,000 deaths by 2030.

If someone told me years ago that I’d one day run a full marathon, I would not have believed them. Me? A runner? No way. In 2012, I joined a running group as a way to fellowship with other women and stay healthy at the same time. I started out taking baby steps, and soon enough, I was walking less and running more. What started with a small group of women on the National Mall wanting to be more active has led me to the Chicago Marathon. And even though the race is still months away, I am getting ready now. Spring brings longer, warmer days perfect for women of all ages to get active and make their health a priority during National Women’s Health Week in May.

The Sharing the Journey series is by you and for you. In your own words, we highlight the perspectives and personal experiences of people who struggle with lupus each day. This month, we asked Sharing the Journey participants what they have planned for Lupus Awareness Month (May) and what they do throughout the year to raise awareness for this devastating and unpredictable disease.