Thanksgiving Day is November 25 this year and will also be National Family Health History Day, which the U.S. Surgeon General established in 2004. With the family gathered, it can be an excellent time to remind each other about check-ups, preventive screenings, and healthy habits. Taking some time on Thanksgiving Day also allows your family to discuss their family medical history.  Benefits of Knowing Your Family Health History  Families have several good reasons to discuss their health history. For instance, some diseases run in families. These include diabetes, heart disease, some cancers,...

Widespread vaccination against COVID-19 is paramount in preventing the continued spread of the novel coronavirus. Up until now, some 28 million Americans were ineligible for vaccination—specifically, elementary school-aged children.  Now, kids between the ages of 5 and 11 can receive an emergency child-appropriate dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to protect them from SARS-CoV-2 infection and help reduce community transmission.  Recommendations for Pediatric Populations  In a critical effort to ensure access to safe vaccines for pediatric populations, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently...

Now that COVID-19 vaccines are available for adults and children five years of age and older, families and individuals are thinking more about upcoming holiday gatherings. Although over 78 percent of the U.S. population has received at least one vaccine dose, families and friends should still exercise caution if celebrating in close contact.  COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to drop, but the possibility of viral transfer is still a reality, with most states currently experiencing high levels of community-wide spread. You can still do several things to preserve safety, reduce the...

If you smoke cigarettes, it can be difficult to think of your life any other way. One reason is that nicotine is a highly-addictive drug. In fact, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), most smokers use cigarettes because they are addicted to nicotine itself. However, nicotine addiction can have severe consequences—including lung cancer. Nicotine addiction also affects more than just smokers because of the harmful effects of secondhand smoke exposure.  This year, on November 18, the American Cancer Society will sponsor the Great American Smokeout. This event recognizes the...

Crisis often brings out the best in people and performance, and no better example has been the herculean efforts of public health workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. These people have worked tirelessly to conduct contact tracing, track the spread of disease, and issue mask and vaccination guidance at the peril of political and public backlash.  Unfortunately, since they are not frontline healthcare workers who deal directly with patients, they are often overlooked. However, the stressors they encounter are just as real, and as leaders, it is time for you to recognize these stressors and...