Division of NH Public Health Services Recognizes the 36th Great American Smokeout

Concord, NH — The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS) Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) in conjunction with the

City of Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services and City of

Manchester Health Department recognizes the 36th Great American Smokeout on

Thursday, November 17, 2011. This event, which is sponsored by the American

Cancer Society, encourages tobacco users to quit for at least a day in the

hope that this might challenge them to stop permanently.


It is estimated that 1,700 New Hampshire adults die each year from smoking;

and another 160 adult non-smokers will die from exposure to secondhand

smoke. Annual health care costs in New Hampshire directly caused by smoking

come in at $554 million. It is therefore important that New Hampshire

public health officials help residents quit tobacco and provide cessation

resources.


DPHS currently offers free counseling and nicotine replacement patches to

residents who call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or self-refer via the web to the NH

Tobacco Helpline’s website (www.TryToStopNH.org ). The Helpline provides

no-cost counseling and encouragement for quitting tobacco use to all New

Hampshire residents. According to the 2010 National Adult Tobacco Survey,

64% of New Hampshire residents who smoke report wanting to quit.


“Smoking is the number one preventable cause of death and disease in New

Hampshire, causing harm to nearly every organ in the body,” said Dr. José

Montero, Director of Public Health at DPHS. “It is vital that we encourage

people who use tobacco in New Hampshire to want to quit and offer any

support and cessation services that we can.”


Both the City of Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services

and the City of Manchester Health Department have received grants from DPHS

to establish the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program in their respective

cities and have worked to encourage New Hampshire residents to quit

smoking. For information or free support in quitting, call the NH Tobacco

Helpline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit www.TryToStopNH.org .

Visit www.cancer.org  for more information on the Great American Smokeout.

For more information about the New Hampshire Tobacco Prevention and Control

Program or Nashua or Manchester Health Departments, visit www.dhhs.nh.gov,

www.NashuaNH.Gov , or www.manchesternh.gov .

NH DHHS Celebrates National Rural Health Day

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS) Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) Rural Health and Primary

Care Section is celebrating National Rural Health Day on Thursday, November

17, 2011. National Rural Health Day is an opportunity to raise awareness

about rural health related issues. NH’s Public Health Director Dr. José

Montero will discuss the healthcare opportunities and challenges for

citizens and providers living and working in Rural America at The Chase

House in Meredith at 2 PM on Thursday, November 17th.


EVENT: DHHS Celebrates National Rural Health Day



WHEN: 2 PM, Thursday, November 17



LOCATION: Chase House at the Inns and Spas at Mill Falls

Meredith, NH

$250,000 Awarded to NH DHHS as Part of Public Health Improvement Programs for Systems and Infrastructure

Concord, NH - The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS), Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) received an award of

$250,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This

funding, made possible through the Prevention and Public Health Fund

created by the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and administered by the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office for State, Tribal, Local

and Territorial Support, aims to make fundamental changes and enhancements

in health department organizations and their practices to help improve the

delivery and impact of public health services.


This includes increasing health departments’ efficiencies of program

operations to ensure seamless and coordinated services, the readiness for

health departments to apply and achieve accreditation by the Public Health

Accreditation Board, and building upon the national network of performance

improvement managers by sharing and utilizing evidence-based policies and

practices for improving the public health system.


The money will be distributed for year 2 of a 5-year cooperative agreement

program known as the National Public Health Improvement Initiative (NPHII)

Strengthening Public Health Infrastructure for Improved Health Outcomes.


DPHS is using these funds to train staff and contracted agencies in

performance management and quality improvement methods and tools; develop a

performance management system based on public health program indicators and

measures; assist DPHS programs and contracted agencies in conducting

performance improvement initiatives and implementing scientific

evidence-based policies and practices; and assist them in applying for

national public health accreditation.


“A strong, efficient, effective public health system is critical for

building a healthy society,” said CDC Director, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden.

“Investing in preventive services, system improvement and policy level

interventions in an atmosphere of accountability is essential to reducing

the burden of health care costs in the future.”


“New Hampshire will utilize these funds to measure and improve upon the

effectiveness of the public health services we deliver,” said Dr. José

Montero, Director of Public at DPHS. “We believethat this investment in

staff training and improved measurement of the services we provide will

lead to a higher level of accountability and improved delivery of public

health services.”


“These investments propel public health toward a new era of productivity

and effectiveness,” said Dr. Judith A. Monroe, CDC’s Deputy Director for

State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support. “We will be supporting health

departments in strengthening systems that are critical for detecting and

responding to unexpected disease outbreaks or other threats to the public’s

health.”


In response to the CDC’s original funding announcement March 25, 2011, CDC

received 74 applications from previously funded NPHII health departments

seeking funds through this cooperative agreement. This award was one of the

many the Prevention and Public Health Fund created through the Affordable

Care Act of 2010. For more information, please visit www.cdc.gov/ostlts  and

http://www.cdc.gov/ostlts/nphii/

NH DHHS - National Birth Defects Prevention Month Spotlights Medication Use During Pregnancy

Concord, NH – January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month, and this year’s campaign focuses on medication use before, during, and after pregnancy. The New Hampshire Birth Conditions Program and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) is joining over 350 members of the National Birth Defects Prevention Network to share the message that women of childbearing age should talk with a doctor about which medications are safe to take while pregnant. Medication use during pregnancy is common: two out of every three women take prescription medications during pregnancy.

“Women of childbearing age should discuss any medications they plan to take or are taking, whether prescription or over-the-counter, with a doctor,” says Dr. José Montero, Director of Public Health Services. “Though many women know that certain prescription medications can cause birth defects, they may not be aware that some dietary supplements and herbal remedies may also harm a developing fetus.”

Not all medications should be discontinued during pregnancy; some may need to be changed or adjusted. Medical conditions such as diabetes, influenza, and asthma need to be managed during pregnancy and may harm both mother and baby if left untreated. In some cases, doctors may need to weigh the benefits of a medication against the potentially harmful effects.

A baby’s organs, such as the heart, brain, and spine, begin developing in the first few weeks, before a woman may even realize she is pregnant. For that reason, it is important for women to have conversations with their health care providers about medications before pregnancy. Every woman should take a multivitamin with 400 mcg of folic acid daily, starting before pregnancy, to improve the likelihood of delivering a healthy baby. Pregnant women should also eat a healthy diet, not smoke, avoid alcohol, and get a flu shot.

The National Birth Defects Prevention Network has members from all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The Network collects and distributes information about birth defects and their prevention, encourages research, and provides technical support to state and local birth defects monitoring programs. To learn more about the Network and Birth Defects Prevention Month, please visit www.nbdpn.org.

The New Hampshire Birth Conditions Program is a member of the Network and works with DPHS to detect trends in the occurrence of birth conditions in New Hampshire; evaluates access to supportive health services; guides and assesses the progress of statewide prevention activities; and educates the community, health care providers, and service agencies regarding birth conditions. To learn more about the New Hampshire Birth Conditions Program call 603-653-3163 or visit www.nhbcp.org. For more information about having a healthy baby, visit the New Hampshire DHHS Maternal and Child Health website at www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/bchs/mch/index.htm.



NH DHHS - Releases Childhood Obesity Report

Concord, NH – The NH Obesity Prevention Program (OPP) in the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) will be working hard in the New Year to help New Hampshire children achieve and maintain a healthy weight. In recognition of Healthy Weight Week, January 16-22, 2011, the OPP released Childhood Obesity in New Hampshire 2008-2009.

The four-page report describes key findings of the New Hampshire Third Grade Healthy Smiles – Healthy Growth Survey, which found that one in three New Hampshire third graders are overweight or obese. It also gives New Hampshire leaders examples of policies and environmental changes that can help reduce children’s risk of obesity.

Carrying excess weight in childhood predicts obesity later in life; 80 percent of children who were overweight at any time during the elementary period were overweight at 12 years of age. Diseases seen in overweight and obese children include hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, glucose intolerance, sleep-associated breathing disorders, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

“Changing the environment where children live and learn plays a significant role in helping children achieve and maintain a healthy weight throughout their lives,” said Dr. José Montero, Director of DPHS. Many settings can support children and their families in working toward that goal – child care, schools, worksites, health care organizations, cities and towns, grocery stores, small food stores, and concession stands.”

For example, child care policies can assure adequate daily physical activity for children of all ages and limit the use of television and other screen time; schools and child care settings can require fruits and vegetables at all meals and snacks; schools can allow the use of playgrounds and community gardens by the public during non-school hours; worksites can allow breastfeeding women sufficient break time and private non-bathroom space to pump and a place to store breastmilk; cities and towns can promote healthy active transportation and improve access to affordable fruits and vegetables through community gardens and farmers’ markets.

To learn more, contact the Obesity Prevention Program at 603-271-4551.To read the report, go to http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/nhp/obesity.htm.