National Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month

April showers bring May flowers 

And, with those flowers, brings in allergy season. This might be the case with some people, but for many sufferers, allergic rhinitis last all year long. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, over 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year. Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S. with an annual cost of $18 billion. People with perennial allergic rhinitis experience these symptoms year-round. Perennial allergic rhinitis is generally caused by sensitivity to house dust mites, animal dander, bugs and/or mold spores. 

Allergies are not something that can be prevented however allergic reactions can be. Once diagnosed, there are multiple ways that allergic rhinitis can be treated, including: avoidance, eliminating or decreasing your exposure to the irritants or allergens that trigger your symptoms, medication and allergy shots. Allergy shots can reduce the symptoms of rhinitis in about 85% of people. 




Asthma is a chronic disease involving the airways in the lungs. These airways allow air to come in and out of the lungs. If you have asthma your airways are always inflamed. They can become even more swollen and the muscles around the airways will tighten when something triggers your symptoms. This makes it difficult for air to move in and out of the lungs. Symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and/or chest tightness will arise.



For many asthma sufferers, timing of these symptoms is can be closely related to physical activity. And, some otherwise healthy people can develop asthma symptoms only when exercising. This is called exercise-induced broncho-constriction, or exercise-induced asthma. Staying active is an important way to stay healthy, so asthma shouldn't prevent you hold you back. Your physician can assist in developing a management plan to keep your symptoms under control before, during and after physical activity.

To learn more about Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month, go to www.aafa.org

For facts about Asthma, check out the Asthma Foundation

For Allergy Facts, learn more here

And, for the most up-to-date CDC information, go to CDC Asthma and CDC Allergies

Immunization Week

Immunization Week

This week is World Immunization Week and National Infant Immunization Week. This years world theme is Protected Together, #VaccinesWork. Immunizations can prevent illnesses, disability and death from numerous preventable diseases. This includes but is not limited to cervical cancer, diphtheria, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, polio, rota virus diarrhea, rubella and tetanus. Worldwide, approximately 19.5 million infants are still missing out on basic vaccines. From this, at least 1.5 million deaths per year could be avoided is immunization coverage is improved. In order to make improvements, the World Health Organization has been diligently working with many countries that are most in need of immunization improvement. 

Here in the US, we recognize this week as National Infant Immunization Week. This week highlights the importance of immunizing children 2 years and younger. According to the CDC, routine childhood immunization in one birth group prevents an estimated 381 million illnesses, 24.5 million hospitalizations, and 855,000 early deaths over the course of their lifetimes, at a net savings of $360 billion in direct costs and $1.65 trillion in total societal costs. The National Immunization Survey has consistently shown that childhood immunization rates for vaccines routinely recommended for children remain at or near record levels. Not all diseases in the US are totally wiped out. In recent years, many cases of measles in the US have been on the rise despite the fact that this can be prevented due to a vaccine. 

For information on how you and your organization can highlight both immunization weeks, go to:

• World Health Organization: www.who.int
• CDC: www.cdc.gov/vaccines
• Information on where to find a health center near you, click here!

U Drive. U Text. U Pay.

This week is Distracted Driving Awareness Week, and it highlights the whole month of April which is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that approximately 660,000 drivers per year are using a cell phone while driving during the daytime. In 2015, 14 percent of fatal accidents involved a cell phone! According to the DMV and a survey that was conducted, 96% of the study's participants admitted to using a cell phone while driving. 


Ways that you can practice safe driving would be to:

• Designate a passenger to respond to text and phone calls

• Obey the speed limit

• Drive sober

• and ALWAYS wear your seat belt

For more safety tips, check out some suggestions from Nationwide. 

To see other distracted driving statistics, go to the DMV, CDC, or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration websites. 

If you would like to spread more awareness, visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov for more information!

The Cost of Preventing Diabetes

The American Diabetes Association estimates that the average cost for a person diagnosed with diabetes is about $7,900 per year in the United States. Studies have shown the cost of preventing diabetes is well worth paying for a program which can help patients who have been identified as prediabetic. The National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is based on the results of a DPP study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The study found that lifestyle changes resulting in modest weight loss sharply reduced the development of type 2 diabetes in people at high risk for the disease. A study presented by CMS showed that over the course of 15 months, Medicare-eligible individuals who participated in a version of the DPP, the Y-DPP, avoided $2,650 in healthcare costs. Additionally, the average cost of the DPP is $500 per person even without a disease specific diagnosis, and in Ohio we’ve seen the cost as low as $279 to $300 per person to enroll in a year-long DPP.  Enrollment in a DPP by high-risk individuals results in important health benefits and represents a good value for money out of the patient’s pocket.

Medicare began covering the cost of patients enrolling in the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) as of April 1, 2018. This program is an expanded model of a structured intervention with the goal of preventing type 2 diabetes in individuals with an indication of prediabetes. The program consists of 16 intensive “core” sessions of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved curriculum, over six months in a group-based setting that provides practical training in long-term dietary change, increased physical activity, and behavior change strategies for weight control. After the core sessions are completed, less intensive follow-up meetings continue monthly in order to maintain the patient’s healthy behaviors. The primary goal of the MDPP is for at least 5 percent weight loss by participants. The final rule on MDPP coverage by Medicare appears in the November 2, 2017, Federal Register and can be downloaded from the Federal Register here. Additional information and resources can be found on the CMS MDPP website here.

To read more about steps to prevent your patients from being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, see the presentation from the American Medical Association, hosted by OACHC on March 27, 2018, here.

Resources:

·       Clinical Diabetes and Endocrinology20151:9

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40842-015-0009-1

·       AADE (American Association of Diabetes Educators) DPP

Economic costs of diabetes in the U.S. in 2012. Diabetes Care. 2013;36:1033–46.

·       https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/employers-insurers/manage_costs.html

·       https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/preventing-diabetes