Got Shots?

While you may believe you’re safe from influenza or pneumonia, think about this: 2,468,435 total people in the United States died in 2010; among the top 10 causes were influenza or pneumonia (listed as the 9^th most popular cause of death that year).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, slightly more than 50,000 people died that year from influenza or pneumonia, a significant number of them being over the age of 65. What’s disappointing about that number is that nearly all of these cases were preventable by a simple vaccine.

Senior citizens are among the highest at-risk populations to obtain either influenza or pneumonia. They are also at the greatest risk of dying from either disease. While this group is among the largest percentage of people who routinely receive the vaccinations for both diseases, that percentage is around only 65%. That means that 35% of our elderly population is at risk for catching the flu or pneumonia.

Of interest, the number of senior citizens who received vaccinations for influenza or pneumonia in 2010 was lower than those who had gotten them in 2009. Data beyond 2010 is still being analyzed; however, preliminary reports suggest that the number of people age 65 and older who got their influenza or pneumococcal vaccinations in 2011 had increased by nearly 4 percentage points. That’s a good sign as we move forward – when the population of people reaching and exceeding age 65 will surge in the coming years.

It should be of no surprise that the United States is experiencing the highest growth rate of senior citizens in its history. A CDC report, “The State of Aging and Health in America 2013,” credits two elements for this: the aging Baby Boomer generation and longer life expectancies. According to the CDC, by 2030, we will have about 72 million people age 65 and older living in the country – that’s approximately 20% of the total U.S. population.

While the report presented some interesting statistics, there are two key areas that remain national target goals: vaccinations for influenza and vaccinations for pneumonia. If the vaccination rate of 65% of senior citizens remains stagnant over the coming years, it will leave 25.2 million older adults unprotected from two deadly yet preventable diseases within the next two decades.

So, is it too late to get a flu shot?

According to the CDC, it is definitely not too late. Flu season peaks in January or February, but can extend into May. Therefore, you’re still gaining protection if you get the shot now. It is highly recommended that people over age 65 obtain the high dose shot of the influenza vaccine, which provides the additional antibodies needed to ward off the virus. As we age, the body’s ability to fend off illnesses weakens; therefore, stronger immunities through stronger vaccinations can be valuable. The important thing to remember about seasonal influenza is that you will need to get the vaccine each year. The virus mutates annually, so the antibodies you have for this season will not be effective in the next season. Don’t wait this long next season…mark your calendars to get the shot in September.

What about the pneumococcal vaccine? In contrast to influenza, pneumonia is not a mutating virus that changes annually. It is bacteria that cause the illness. The pneumococcal vaccination is a one-time shot and protects against 23 separate strains of bacteria that can produce pneumonia. It is important to know that those who were vaccinated earlier than age 60 are strongly encouraged to have a second vaccination at age 65 to boost immunity through the upper ages.

Of interest, there are more than 80 strains of bacteria that can cause pneumonia; however, the most common infections are produced by the 23 strains that the vaccine protects against.

Before signing up for any vaccination protocol, a senior citizen should first consult their primary care physician.

The CDC has discovered that there are certain health-related reasons why the influenza vaccine should be avoided: 1) those with allergies to chicken eggs; 2) those who have suffered severe reactions to the flu vaccine in prior years; 3) those who have a fever at the time the vaccination is to be given; and 4) those with a history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

As for the pneumonia immunization, those with a history of any negative health reaction to past vaccinations should avoid the vaccine. For pregnant women, it is unclear if the vaccine is harmful to either the mother or fetus if given to the pregnant woman. Research is still underway.

Regardless, if you’re interested in getting your influenza or pneumonia vaccine, contact your doctor to find out if you qualify for the immunizations and schedule your appointment today.

References

Bemis, E. (2012). Flu and pneumonia shots for seniors – is it too late? Retrieved from http://www.umh.org/assisted-independent-living-blog/bid/243191/Flu-and-Pneumonia-Shots-for-Seniors-Is-it-Too-Late.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Receipt of influenza vaccination. Receipt of pneumococcal vaccination. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/released201206.htm#4.

Flu.gov. (2013). Vaccination and vaccine safety. Retrieved from http://www.flu.gov/prevention-vaccination/vaccination/.

Murphy, S. L., Xu, J., Kochanek, K. D. (2013). Deaths: Final data for 2010. National Vital Statistics Reports, 61(4), 1-118. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr61/nvsr61_04.pdf.

Schiffman, G. and Shiel Jr., W. C. (2012). Pneumococcal vaccination. Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/pneumococcal_vaccination/article.htm#what_is_pneumococcal_vaccination.

Crawford County: Healthier than its Neighbors?

The 2013 County Health Rankings showed that Crawford County ranked the highest in overall health among all five northwestern Pennsylvania counties.

The recently released county-by-county health rankings, compiled as a complementary document to America’s Health Rankings, measured the overall health and health factors combined to rank the health status of all the U.S. counties.

Out of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania, Crawford was came in just above the 50 percent mark at No. 32 in overall health outcomes. While only at No. 32, Crawford County far exceeded the health outcomes of its neighboring counties of Erie, Mercer, Warren, and Venango.

Erie County to the north came in at No. 49; Venango (southeast) slotted in at No. 37; Warren County (east) ranked No. 40; and Mercer County to the south fared the worst of the five counties at No. 51. The closest county with a higher ranking is Butler County, just to the north of Pittsburgh, which came in at No. 10.

This implies that Crawford County may be doing more to improve the overall health of its residents than its neighbors. A complete scientific analysis would have to be done to make an official determination of this nature.

However, despite the positive outcome in comparison to its neighbors, the county is still struggling with several key health concerns. Its biggest overall health outcomes that kept it from a higher rank included a significant number of premature deaths, a high number of self-reported poor health days, and low birth weights among newborns. Factors that affected those outcomes included high rates of smoking, obesity, excessive drinking, physical inactivity, and sexually transmitted infections; as well as poor access to health care insurance, lower education levels, unemployment/low incomes, and lack of adequate social support systems.

Furthermore, the county ranking report indicated that low water quality, high levels of environmental pollution, limited access to healthy foods, an increasing number of fast food restaurants, and poor access to recreational facilities all factored into the county’s ranking.

Of interest, Chester County in the southeast part of the state ranked as the healthiest county with Philadelphia County on the eastern side of the state ranking the worst. The county rankings were performed by the University of Wisconsin and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Pennsylvania’s overall health ranking was similar to Crawford County’s mid-range rank. The recent release of America’s Health Rankings 2013 placed the Commonwealth at No. 29 out of the 50 states, three places worse than the previous year when it was ranked at 26, and one place lower than the No. 28 spot it earned in 2011. Based on this report, Pennsylvania, as a whole, has grown weaker in the areas that were measured to determine overall health.

America’s Health Rankings is the longest-running annual assessment of our nation’s health listed on a state-by-state basis. This report, put together by United Health Foundation, American Public Health Association, and Partnership for Prevention, analyzes various health measures and compares changes over time.

Measures factored into the rankings included: behaviors such as smoking, drinking, obesity, and physical activity; environmental factors such as crime, poverty, pollution, and occupational hazards; polices such as access to health insurance, public health funding, and immunization requirements; and clinical care such as primary care physician and dentist shortages, low birth weight, and preventable hospitalizations.

For Pennsylvania, the three biggest issues that led to the lower ranking were high rates of drug deaths, high levels of air pollution, and low levels of public health funding. Furthermore, the report revealed that obesity rates increased from 2012 to 2013 to nearly 30%. That means that nearly 3 million adults in Pennsylvania are obese.

Despite these issues, there was some good news in the report.  It was discovered that smoking rates did decrease by about 5 percent; yet, more than 2.1 million adults still smoke in Pennsylvania. Also, physical inactivity decreased from 26.2 percent to 23.4 percent over the past year; youth immunization rates increased to nearly 75 percent; and cardiovascular deaths decreased by 31 percent.

The highest ranking states were Hawaii, Vermont, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, respectively.  What stands out for these states is the low prevalence of smoking and obesity, high childhood immunization rates, low preventable hospitalization rates, and reduced cancer deaths.

The lowest ranking states were Mississippi (50), Arkansas (49), Louisiana (48), Alabama (47), and West Virginia (46). These states measured high in obesity rates, physical inactivity, poverty, low birth weights, and a very low graduation rate. Furthermore, these states suffer from doctor and dentist shortages, a factor that has been affiliated with poor health outcomes.

Regardless of how you spin either the county or state rankings, we still have some work to do to improve our health and reduce our risk of diseases. By improving our health, we can ultimately reduce the expense of health care and the financial strain on the health care system.

References

United Health Foundation. (2012). America’s Health Rankings 2012 Edition. Minnetonka, NM: United Health Foundation.

United Health Foundation. (2013). America’s Health Rankings 2013. Pennsylvania. Retrieved from http://www.americashealthrankings.org/PA.

University of Wisconsin. (2013). County Health Rankings & roadmaps. 2013 Rankings Pennsylvania. Retrieved from http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/sites/default/files/states/CHR2013_PA_0.pdf.

Photographs: A danger to your memory

With smart phones, digital cameras and other technologies, we are taking far more pictures than ever before. While photographs are nice for capturing the moment, they may actually be hurting your memory.

A recent study by psychologist Linda Henkel of Fairfield University (Connecticut) revealed that people who take pictures have worse memories than those who simply looked at and studied the subject of that picture without whipping out the camera.

Henkel set up her research experiment by leading undergraduate students on a tour of Bellarmine Museum of Art at the university, asking them to take note of things either by photographing them or looking at them. The next day, the students were asked to recall information from their tour. Of interest, those who studied the objects rather than snapping a photograph of them were better able to recall the objects as well as some of their details.

The effect was coined “photo-taking impairment effect.”

According to research, we have become far too reliant on technology to do the work for us that we’ve trained our minds to be lazy. In this case, the camera was expected to take over for brain function. In Psychological Science, where some details of this research were presented, Henkel concluded that “the sheer volume and lack of organization of digital photos for personal memories discourages many people from accessing and reminiscing about them. In order to remember, we have to access and interact with the photos” rather than just snap and forget about them.

In another study by the same researcher, people were asked to look at various photographs of the same completed action – one that they never actually performed themselves. They were later asked if they remembered participating in that action. Of interest, the study found that “despite being wrong, people stated with relatively high confidence that they did remember performing the falsely attributed actions,” meaning that by regular exposure to photographs leaves a memory impression that they were physically involved in that picture in some way.

The key element here: The mind is a powerful tool. Because of that, most of us do not want to lose that power.

Harvard Health came up with a good list of what to do to improve your brain, and none of them involved taking pictures. Here are my favorite four for keeping your mind sharp:

1. Keep learning. Whether you read or take formal classes, keep your brain challenged so that you will stimulate those cells to function properly. Better yet, try to complete the newspaper’s crossword puzzle every day!

2. Use all your senses. Don’t just look at something (or take a picture of it), but smell it, listen to it, touch it, and perhaps taste it. Studies have shown that the more senses that are involved with an element, the better you will be able to retain and recall that memory.

3. Believe in yourself. Self-doubt will have you on the road to poor health, especially memory. Harvard Health states that those who are positive thinkers and believe they can be sharp will have improved memory power.

4. Repeat what you want to remember. Write down a thought or a fact you want to remember, read it over and over, or repeat it several times to commit it to memory. Research has proven that this type of action has improved the memories of those with cognitive issues. Think about what it can do for healthy brains.

It’s okay to take pictures, but remember, use your brain regularly and don’t rely on a camera to remember something for you. It likely won’t help and could hurt you in the long run.

References

Harvard Medical School. (2010). 7 ways to keep your memory sharp at any age. Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/7-ways-to-keep-your-memory-sharp-at-any-age

Henkel, L. A. (2011). Photograph-induced memory errors: When photographs make people claim they have done things they have not. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 25, 78-86.

Science 2.0. (2013). You don’t need to take pictures of everything – and taking photos may impede memory. Retrieved from http://www.science20.com/news_articles/you_dont_need_take_pictures_everything_and_taking_photos_may_impede_memory-125920.

Healthy Improvements for 2014

Last year, various bloggers posted lists of some of the strangest New Year’s Resolutions that revolved around personal health. While they aren’t the traditional “lose weight” or “eat more fruits and vegetables” types of resolutions, they are truly exceptional goals – all revolving around healthy improvements to your life. Here are six that I encourage you to put on your list for 2014:

1. Learning how to live in an aging body. As we age, our bodies seems to fail us in areas we never expected. A body at age 80 is far different than the same body at age 60. Likewise, a 40-year-old body is truly not an 18-year-old one. The resolution is “learn about how your body changes as you age and adjust your health requirements as needed.”

2. Schedule your prostate or breast cancer screening. Both are not very pleasant, yet they can really help improve your chances of early detection and prevention. Most health insurances will fully cover such preventative care, so there is no need to keep putting it off. The resolution: “Call your doctor and schedule your exam.”

3. Be pesticide-free. Along with the expansion of genetically modified foods and the ever-increasing use of chemicals on our nation’s food supply comes an increase in cancers and other health issues associated with such harmful substances. Resolve to remove or reduce them from your home and your life. The resolution: “eat more organic foods, wash your fruits and vegetables and take care to eliminate exposure to chemicals.”

4. Achieve the perfect smile. Dental health has been associated with a variety of other health issues such as blood disorders and heart disease along with various mental health concerns such as depression. You can start this resolution with little effort: brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss, and maintain routine dental appointments. For some, tooth extractions, braces or even dentures may help you with this goal. The resolution: “Improve your smile with good dental hygiene.”

5. Learn something you never learned as a child. Can you jump rope? How about playing hopscotch? What about riding a bike or swim? Most of us learned how to do these things as children, yet some never did. Find that one thing that you should have learned when you were young but never did. Put in on your list. Some of these can boost not only your mental health but also your physical health. Resolution: “learn how to _______ (you fill in the blank).”

6. Listen to more music. Studies have shown that listening to music – almost anything you like, actually – can help reduce stress. Some say that playing music at work aids in increased productions while others prefer to use music to relax them after a long day. Regardless, music is soothing and is a good resolution to have. Resolution: “Play more music.”

New Year’s resolutions have long been intended to focus on self-improvement. That means that you exit the New Year as a better person than you came into it. It began back in the Babylonian era when the custom of setting such resolutions had moral intentions: be good to others. Early Christians prepared for the coming year through prayer and self-resolutions all based on the concept to improve the self. Resolutions have come quite a long way since their original intent, and today, they are often superficial and more attention-getting than ever before.

Let’s get back to the New Year’s resolutions as they were meant to be: a positive, moral improvement of yourself and others. So, whatever you do as a resolution, do it for you, do it for your health and well-being. Be a better person next December than you are today!

References

Alexander, J. (2013). A history of New Year’s resolutions. The Newsline, Oklahoma State University. Retrieved from http://reslife.okstate.edu/January2013.pdf.

Hughes, A. (2012). Here’s to health: unique and unusual New Year’s Resolutions. Retrieved from http://health.yahoo.net/articles/alternative-medicine/heres-health-unique-and-unusual-new-years-resolutions

The Real Buzz Group Ltd. (2013). 10 unusual New Year’s resolutions. Retrieved from http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/10-unusual-new-year-s-resolutions/#pagination-top.

Rose, V. (2011). My five unusual/funny New Year’s resolutions. Retrieved from http://voices.yahoo.com/my-five-unusual-funny-years-resolutions-7517518.html?cat=74.

De-Stress Your Holiday OR Just Skip It Altogether!

Does this sound like you: Go shopping, visit the family, go shopping again, bake holiday cookies, shop some more, decorate the house, shop again, visit in-laws, pick up stocking stuffers, prepare holiday feast, shop for Secret Santa gift for work, mail Christmas cards, wrap presents, head to church services….and the list goes on and on.

Talk about being stressed out, not to mention maxing out your credit cards on gifts most people don’t need or even want (maybe)! There’s no doubt about it, this time of year can be stressful. And, as I get older, it seems to get worse every year.

I think John Grisham had it right when he wrote the book Skipping Christmas in 2001. Most of you might be more familiar with the 2004 movie based off of the Grisham story, Christmas with the Kranks, but the premise is the same: No shopping, no baking, no holiday parties…no Christmas. It really points to a “no stress” holiday. That was the point. Did you get it? I sure did.

When I read the book in 2002, I posed the idea to my husband to “skip” Christmas that year so we weren’t pulled in so many directions on Christmas day: visiting multiple families, exchanging gifts, cooking a feast and then cleaning mounds of dishes afterward, decorating to the hilt. Although we weren’t as elaborate in our Christmas skip day as Grisham’s character’s The Kranks, who planned a peaceful Caribbean cruise in place of Christmas, my husband and I took off for the ski slopes and enjoyed each other’s company from dawn to dusk. No stress. Seriously, we didn’t overeat, didn’t over buy, and we didn’t feel pulled in all directions.

With a successful first Christmas skip day under our belt, we realized that the world didn’t end because we skipped out on a stress-filled day. Of course, we still celebrated some of the traditional holiday stuff and visited family between Christmas and New Year’s Day…but at our leisure over several days. The best part of it all was that our health didn’t suffer: We had a stress-free holiday!

Your health is a vital part of being able to enjoy the holiday season – regardless if you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or just New Year’s Eve/Day. Staying stress-free can not only reduce health hazards such as heart problems, high blood pressure, and headaches, it can actually benefit your overall health. In fact, a study published in the journal Health Psychology discovered something even beyond actual stress and poor health. Researchers found that high amounts of stress coupled with the perception that stress will impact health were associated with poor health and mental health outcomes. In addition, they concluded that “individuals who perceived that stress affects their health and reported a large amount of stress had an increased risk of premature death.” 

Is this really a death-laden holiday? It doesn’t have to be.

While some people simply don’t feel they can “skip” the holiday, health and psychology professionals do offer several tips to help you reduce your stress (which will improve your overall holiday enjoyment):

1. Practice being calm and quiet. Taking several deep breaths or practicing meditation will help you relax, especially if you do this before you start your day.

2. Stay positive. People can be harsh and terse during the holidays, especially at the mall. Do not let their bad mood affect you. Smile or say a kind word instead. You do not know their specific situation, so don’t react negatively.

3. Get moving. Exercising regularly is probably one of the best ways to overcome stress. Getting your blood flowing reduces tension and fatigue and improves your ability to think clearly. While you may want to, don’t skip your workout. It’s critical for your health.

4. Limit the holiday “comfort” foods. Besides cakes, cookies, and candies, this also includes alcoholic beverages. When offered such treats, be kind and take polite bites or sips, but avoid over-indulgence. Sugar, alcohol, and caffeine can increase stress.

5. Be generous. This doesn’t mean cleaning out your retirement account for the holidays. What it does mean is to give compliments and heart-felt sentiments. Giving makes you feel good about yourself, regardless of the gift itself.

6. Make a concrete Christmas shopping list. This will allow you to stay within budget and not overspend on whim or inspirational purchases.

7. Sleep well. Holiday parties that last into the wee hours of the morning rob you of much needed sleep. Make sure you keep as normal a sleep schedule as possible, limiting those late night rendezvous.

Be well and have a wonderful holiday season!

References

Bennett, C. (2009). 7 tips to relieve holiday stress. Psychology Today. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/smart-habits-highly-successful-people/200912/7-tips-relieve-holiday-stress. 

The Better Health Channel. (2013). Christmas – tips to reduce the stress. Retrieved from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Christmas_tips_to_reduce_the_stress?open&utm_term=Christmas_tips_to_reduce_the_stress&utm_source=&utm_campaign=newsletter.

Keller, A., Litzelman, K., Wish, L., E., Maddox, T., Cheng, E. R., Cresswell, P. D. and Witt, W. P. (2012). Does the perception that stress affects health matter? The association with health and mortality. Health Psychology, 31(5), p. 677-684.