Communities that endure health and safety risks like high rates of violence, or unsafe air and water have a major impact on health and quality of life. Knowing that unsafe communities produce unhealthy residents is what made neighborhood and built environment a social determinant of health. The four components of neighborhood and built environment are: [...]
Health literacy is a key component of improving health and fostering a trusting relationship with healthcare professionals. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines personal health literacy as “the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.” Every [...]
*If you or someone you know is in desperate need of help, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or TTY 1-800-787-3224. Every 15 seconds domestic violence takes place in the United States. In 2021, 112 victims lost their lives to domestic violence in Pennsylvania. Two of those victims lived in Cambria County. In [...]
Exercise, eating healthy, and regular medical appointments are well-known factors in a person’s overall health; however, a surprising factor – education – has been studied and is now included as a factor of life expectancy. The County Health Rankings interactive model identifies education as a Social and Economic Factor, which accounts for 40% of a [...]
Alcohol use during pregnancy can cause Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), which can be physical, behavioral, or intellectual disabilities and last a lifetime. FASD is often a mix of disabilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are preventable if a developing baby is not exposed to alcohol [...]
Tell us about yourself I grew up in Geistown most of my life. I went to a private Christian high school where I met my husband. We reconnected in college and have been together 14 years and married for 8 years. We have two kids (ages 7 and 5) and a Rottweiler mix that we [...]
*If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call or text 988 Although it’s important to address suicide prevention year-round, September is set aside as a dedicated month to address the very difficult topic. At the local level, the County Health Rankings (data from 2016-2020) show that Cambria County experienced 126 deaths by [...]
Raising community awareness and remembering those who lost their lives to an overdose is the goal of International Overdose Awareness Day, which falls on August 31. According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), it’s “the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose and remember those who died without stigma and acknowledge the grief [...]
National Immunization Awareness Month is observed annually in August to highlight the importance of vaccination for everyone, especially children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “On-time vaccination throughout childhood is essential because it helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases.” Extensive lab testing is done before vaccines [...]
In an all-day conference August 9, social service organizations, healthcare providers, community-based organizations, and non-profit groups from Cambria and Somerset counties gathered at the Living-Learning Center on the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown’s campus for a Community Health Summit, as part of the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) process. The summit featured morning sessions [...]
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