The Mass. Department of Public health is short for Massachusetts Department of Public Health. This public health agency is commonly known as the DPH. The DPH is based in Boston, Massachusetts.

The Mass. Department of Public health is a government agency that focuses on health care, education, and disease prevention. The DPH has a wide range of programs and services that are designed to help the public and create better public health. The services of the Mass. Department of Public health include communicable disease control, environmental health assessment, health information, statistics, research and evaluation and family and community health care services.

This public health agency offers health aid focusing on adolescent health issues, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), asthma, mad cow disease, cancer, polio, lung diseases, tuberculosis and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). Additionally, it provides clinical laboratory, drug control, food protection, and radiation control programs.

The Mass. Department of Public health has a list of programs and public health services from A to Z. Some of the programs include:

Adolescent Health and Youth Development: This program focuses on implementing strategies to improve the overall health of youth, adolescents and young adults under the age 10 to 24. The program also tries to promote public health services and policies that are formed based on a holistic youth development approach.

Birth Defects Research and Prevention: The Massachusetts Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention was established in 1996 and is a joint venture of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), Boston University’s Slone Epidemiology Center (SEC), and Brigham and Women’s Hospital Active Malformations Surveillance Program (BWH). The Center conducts birth defects surveillance. The Center also detects the prevalence of birth defects and tries to investigate potential causes and plan appropriate interventions. The Center ensures services and appropriate care for children with special health needs.

Cancer Prevention and Control: This program focuses on an integrated, coordinated, and collaborative approach to cancer prevention and control. The program also tries to eliminate disparities in health outcomes.

Communicable Disease Control: The Bureau of Communicable Disease Control (BCDC) leaves no stone unturned in trying to improve the longevity of  the lives of all Massachusetts residents, through the elimination of communicable diseases.

Health Survey Program: This Health Survey program operates the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) in Massachusetts. The health survey program conducts annual telephonic surveys to collect data on emerging public health issues, health conditions, risk factors and behaviors.  The data collected, helps to study the racial discrepancies in health and health care, trends in chronic diseases, and health risk factors.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health conducts detailed studies on the health conditions of the residents of Massachusetts and uses this information to educate the public on various health issues, prevention methods and more.  The most recent report known as the ‘Health of Massachusetts’ has broken new grounds in providing useful data on the health of Massachusetts residents, in an easy-to-understand and accessible format. For the first time, the DPH has put combined statistical information with policy perspectives from leading experts in the field of public health.

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Every country and/ or state has a Department of Health that is responsible for enhancing the overall health of the state and focuses on offering essential health services to all citizens. In the United States, the Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services.

The US Department of Health and Human Services is comprised of the Office of the Secretary and 11 operating divisions. The operations of the HHS are conducted by these entities. The various subdivisions of the Office of the Secretary provide direct support for the Secretary’s initiatives.

The Department of Health and Human Services has over three hundred programs that cover a wide range of activities. These programs are administered by 11 operating divisions, including eight agencies in the U.S. Public Health Service and three human services agencies.

Some of the subdivisions of the Office of the Secretary include

Office of the Deputy Secretary (DS): This office directs operations of the largest civilian department in the federal government.

Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA): This office supports the communication regarding initiatives of the HHS with state, local, and tribal governments.

Office of the Secretary’s Regional Directors: This office oversees regional and state office directors. Regional offices are present in various areas of 10 cities of the US which include Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Denver, San Francisco and Seattle

Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE): This office is responsible for directing the major activities in policy coordination, legislation development, strategic planning, policy research, evaluation, and economic analysis

The HHS also works closely with several agencies. These agencies perform a wide variety of tasks and health services which include conducting research in various areas, ensuring food and drug safety, appropriation of grants and other funding, providing health insurance, and many others.

Some of the major agencies that are associated to the activities of the HHS include:

NIH: The National Institute of Health is a premier medical research organization, supporting over 38,000 research projects nationwide.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – This agency is dedicated to improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment and mental health services.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – The FDA ascertains the safety of foods and cosmetics, and the safety and efficacy of pharmaceuticals, biological products, and medical devices.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – The CDC works closely with states and other partners and provides a system of health surveillance to monitor and prevent disease outbreaks. The Centre implements disease prevention strategies and maintains national health statistics. The Centre provides various health services such as immunization services, workplace safety, and environmental disease prevention.

The services funded by the Department of Health and Human Services are provided at the local level by state or county agencies, or through private sector grantees. In addition to the services they deliver, the HHS programs provide for impartial treatment of beneficiaries nationwide, and they enable the collection of national health and other data.

The Department of Health and Human Services also provides the highest amount of grants compared to all other grants administered by other federal agencies put together. In fact Medicare program of the HHS is the nation’s largest health insurer, handling more than 1 billion claims per year. Medicare and Medicaid together provide health care insurance for one in four Americans.

In the US each state has a Department of health that is committed to delivering a variety of health services and ensuring that all Americans receive the hest health care without any discrimination.

The Health and well being of their citizens is of great importance to all countries across the globe. In the United States the Department of Health and Human Services is the principal government agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.

The Department of Health and Human Services was established in the year 1921 with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Right from its inception, the HHS has been working towards providing the United States with the best in health care and related services. The Health and Human services Department upholds the motto of “improving the health, safety, and well-being of America”.

The activities of the Health and Human Services department in the US, are conducted by the Office of the Secretary and 11 agencies. The agencies perform a wide variety of tasks and services that are not restricted to research, public health, food and drug safety, grants and other funding and health insurance. The subdivisions of the Office of the Secretary, offer direct support for the Secretary’s initiatives.

The Health and Human Services Department has over 300 programs, covering a wide spectrum of activities that include health and social science research, preventing disease, including immunization services, assuring food and drug safety, medicare (health insurance for elderly and disabled Americans) and Medicaid (health insurance for low-income people). There are also programs for health information technology, financial assistance and services for low-income families, improving maternal and infant health etc.

The Health and Human Services Department also has several grants under it. In fact the HHS  takes pride in the fact that it represents almost a quarter of all federal outlays. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services appropriates billions of dollars in grants and is the only federal agency, that offers more money in grants than all the other federal agencies combined. The HHS works closely with agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Indian Health Service (IHS), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Agency for Health care Research and Quality (AHRQ) to name a few.

Health and human services are essential for the sustenance of any community. An agency that can take care of the health related issues in a country and find solutions to such problems or prevent impending health related problems, is of great importance in the world. The Department of Health and Human Services Strategic Plan, Fiscal Years 2007–2012 addresses the issues of health care; public health promotion and protection, disease prevention, and emergency preparedness; human services; and scientific research and development.

The HHS states that “Healthy and productive individuals, families, and communities are the foundation of the Nation’s present and future security and prosperity”. Therefore a dynamic and dedicated agency for health and human services can ensure a healthy and secure future for the community and the world.

The world we are living in has changed tremendously from what it used to be about 10 years ago. There are more industries, more cars, more people and greater advancements in all fields of science and technology. But what about the environment we live in? Is it better than it used to be? The world has undergone great climatic changes and environmental conditions have altered drastically and this has a great impact on the health and well being of man.

In today’s world people must take positive steps to ensure that their surroundings are safe and healthy. Several countries face the grave dangers of not having clean drinking water, being infested with diseases carrying pests or improper waste management.

Environmental health is therefore crucial to the sustenance of any community. The Department of Environmental Health plays a major role in improving the quality of life by protecting public health and safeguarding environmental quality. Environmental health is that branch of public health that is concerned with the health, well-being and safety of people and the environment in which they live, work or visit.

Environmental health focuses on the prevention of ill health through education and promotion across a variety of areas, for example health and safety, pollution control, consumer protection, housing and food safety. Environmental public health and environmental health and protection are two other terms that remain associated to the discipline of environmental health.

Every state/county in the United States has a Department of Environmental Health or a Department of Environmental Public Health. Although the environmental laws may differ from state to state the main aim of these departments is to help and protect people and the environment they live in. The DEP educates the public and increases environmental awareness and implementing and enforcing local, state, and federal environmental laws. The Department of Environmental Health works towards identifying, preventing, and controlling harmful environmental factors.

The Department of Environmental Health has groups of skilled and highly experienced Environmental Health Specialists who examine health issues, identify the causes and plan possible future approaches to control of the major environmental health problems in industrialized and developing communities.

The Department of Environmental Health conducts various programs to ensure the well being of all citizens in the community. For instance, the Oregon Office of Environmental Public Health has a Drinking Water Program which administers and enforces drinking water quality standards for public water systems in the State of Oregon. They also have a Food borne Illness Prevention Program. This program works closely with local health departments, the food service industry, and the public, to reduce or eliminate the known causes of food borne illness. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has Radiation Protection Programs which protect the citizens of the Commonwealth from unnecessary exposure to radiation.

Our environment is burdened with air pollution, water pollution and the dire effects of overcrowding industrial development. A well organized and dedicated Department of environmental health acts as the primary authority that can ensure effective and efficient environmental management.

They say “Health is wealth”. Your health is something that you obtain by birth and something that you can keep or lose. Fate (to get some good genes) and lifestyles are  the important factors that can affect your health. But here is, what the wise people have got to say about health. Take a look at some famous health quotes by these learned scholars.

“Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see through these eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is clouded.”

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749-1832) German poet, novelist and dramatist

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“Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.”

Buddha (563 BC-483 BC) Founder of Buddhism

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“Health is the condition of wisdom, and the sign is cheerfulness — an open and noble temper.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) U.S. poet, essayist and lecturer.

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“A feeble body weakens the mind.”

Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) Swiss political philosopher and essayist

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“One of the signs of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important.”

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) British logician and philosopher

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“The way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d rather not.”

Mark Twain (1835-1910) U.S. humorist, writer, and lecturer

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“Ill-health, of body or of mind, is defeat. Health alone is victory. Let all men, if they can manage it, contrive to be healthy!”

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) British historian and essayist

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“Energy is eternal delight.”

It’s an unwelcome holiday for the schools goers! According to media reports, New York had closed down 30 schools including one private school on Thursday. Increasing reports of students with flu-like symptoms prompted the schools to take such step. Twenty-eight government schools were closed at the recommendation of the health department and two private schools closed down on their own. One private school in Manhattan — Horace Mann — has also decided to close down on its own after a number of students exhibited flu-like symptoms.

According to the news release, of the 30 schools closed by the Department of Health, five will re-open Friday.In the city’s news release, city Health Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden repeated what has become a familiar refrain: “We continue to see a rising tide of flu in many parts of New York City. As the virus spreads, we will look to slow transmission within individual school communities by closing individual schools.”

Last week in New York, 11 schools in Queens and one in Brooklyn were closed down after reports confirming cases of the H1N1 virus, commonly called swine flu, at Intermediate School 238 in Queens and unusually high levels of flu-like symptoms in the others. An assistant principal of Intermediate School 238 died Sunday after being hospitalized with H1N1. Frieden has said the administrator, Mitchell Wiener, had an underlying condition.

There I just knew it! Lapping up that jalapeno-laced salsa and the molten, golden cheese pasta was simply loved by your tongue. But the spices have lit a fire below your rib-cage. The stomach acid travels north through the lower esophageal sphincter to the esophagus causing the fire-in-the-furnace feeling. Heartburn is what it is called.

Don’t worry smoke wont come out of your ears. Listed below are a few tips that help to prevent heartburn.

* Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may cause acid reflux. Have antacids before the intake of such drugs the next time. For chronic conditions consult your doctor.
* Holding the head high can help prevent acid reflux. Sleeping with pillow below the head helps.
* Lying down in full stomach can cause the food to exert pressure against the lower esophageal sphincter causing the acid to spill in the esophagus. Don’t lie down for a snooze after dinner.
* Obesity increases the pressure exerted on the abdomen which pushes the food towards the esophagus. However by reducing the weight by ten percent fat people can help you to get rid of of heartburn.
* Tight outfits squeeze against the stomach thus pushing the food against the lower esophageal sphincter. This increases possibility of acid reflux.
* Eating the sinful chocolates, drinking tea-coffee,citrous juice etc increases acid reflux. Drinking and smoking, too enhances the acid reflux.
* Emotional disturbances can lead to heartburn. Remember this the next time you fight with your spouse!

Keeping a record of the heartburn and using it to modify your lifestyle helps to keep acid reflux at bay. Lastly, alleviation of stress helps, so beat stress!

Just a few months of peace and we are at war again. This time against Swine Flu or Mexican Flu or North American Influenza. Just when we thought that we had seen enough of the viruses with the SARS and Bird Flu, comes the recent threat – Swine influenza! World Health Organization has raised the alarm declaring it as Pandemic of Phase 5 status. Cases of this disease were reported from various states of Mexico including Mexico City.

People are tensed, scared and worried too. To go by the recent reports, Swine flu has spread to some of the states in USA. Isolated cases have been reported in the states of California, Texas and Kansas. It does not end here, there’s more to it. Cases of swine flu in King County and two cases of swine flu in Washington State are reported which is off course no good news. However there have been no reports of swine flu in Seattle .

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Despite the widespread fear of swine influenza, majority of the people infected with this virus have had full recovery without the need for medical attention or antiviral drugs. Since there are myths surrounding swine flu it’s time to burst the bubble and know the facts:
What is swine flu?
Swine flu is a type A influenza virus which is found in pigs. Human infection is uncommon except for people who work and live close to pigs.

What is unusual about the present strain?
The new strain is a hybrid of swine, human and avian flu viruses. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – “it can spread from human to human but the level of virulence is not yet clear”.

What are the symptoms of Swine flu?
Symptoms are very similar to regular human flu such as fever and chills, a cough, sore throat, headaches, aching limbs, and general malaise. However, there are reports of swine flu also causing vomiting and diarrhea. Respiratory failure and Pneumonia is also a symptom which can cause death.

Are there warning signs in children?
Children having averse to drinking, trouble in breathing, lethargy not waking up or not interacting, being so irritable that the child does not want to be held, flu-like are prone to swine flu. These symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough or fever with a rash.

Are there any drugs to treat swine flu?
Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) are the possible pharmaceutical drugs for cure of the disease and are effective in treating patients at an early stage . There is no vaccine for this flu.

Has the disease spread to the USA?
There have been cases in California, Texas, and Kansas, reported and tests are being carried out on students at a school in New York.

Equipped with the power of knowledge now off course we are ready too fight against swine influenza . After all, it is always easier to fight with a known enemy!

“Smoking is injurious to health” – a statement of caution we often come across. But I wonder, how many of us really pay attention to this word of warning.

Problem Statement

Smoking has become quite a rage among the people across the globe. While the youth consider smoking to be in vogue, aged finds it hard to get out of the trap. Requests and pleadings of the Doctors and nature conservationists often fall on deaf ears. Besides, the poor non smokers have to bear the threat by indirect inhalation of the smoke and turns into a passive smoker.

A Small Suggestion

Break through addiction to realize the truth and the word of life. Check out the small but effective tricks. They can work wonders for you!

Switch on to other medium: Many people take the help of tobacco smelled chewing gums. Whenever you feel like smoking, you can chew one such gum.

Quit by steps: Another common practice is to quit by steps. Reduce your number of cigarettes gradually. If you used to smoke 8 cigarettes in a day, make it 7 for one week, then reduce it to 6 for the next week and so on. After quitting, for first few days, you will feel a strong urge to smoke at least a puff. This is where, it becomes very much challenging. Very few people can overcome this, thereby making themselves successful quitters. But for others, they again go back to the same cycle of taking cigarettes and plan to quit smoking in near future.

Mental strength: The best way out to score a victory over smoking is to have enough mental strength and will power to quit. You can stop smoking just in one day, if you possess mental power. Resort to Yoga and regular exercise and improve your mental stability. Deep breathing exercise can also help you to regain your mental strength after you quit smoking.

Gel with your family: You should always keep a picture of your loved ones or someone in your family all the time with you. Whenever you feel the urge of smoking, just see that picture and say that you won’t smoke for yourself and for them.

No one can turn the clock ten years back. We cannot rectify the damage that has already been made. But we can make an honest effort to quit smoking. Heal your self. Make the world a better place to live in!