Blog

World Cancer Day

February 4 is World Cancer Day. Why is this important? More than 10 million people die from cancer each year, and that number is expected to grow. It is the second leading cause of death worldwide.

We know more about cancer than ever before! Learn more about ways you could reduce your chance of developing cancer. At least 1/3 of cancers are preventable.

Not every risk factor is changeable, but there are lots of ways to reduce your risk.

Ways to Reduce Your Risk 

  • Choose a healthy lifestyle. Proper diet, physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight all help reduce your risk. 
  • Reduce how much you drink. Alcohol is linked with cancers of the mouth, bowel, and breast, among others. 
  • Quit smoking and using other forms of tobacco. Use of tobacco has been found to cause 15 different types of cancers! 
  • Avoid ultraviolet radiation, such as the sun and tanning beds. Take care if you must be outdoors. Stay in the shade, cover your skin, wear sunscreen, and do self-examinations.  
  • Get regular checkups and cancer screenings. Virginia’s Every Woman’s Life program offers free breast and cervical screenings. 
  • Talk to your doctor about HBV and HPV vaccines, which can help reduce the chance of liver, cervical, and other cancers. 
  • Lower your exposure to radon. Test your home for radon with an inexpensive test from the VDH. 

Join us on World Cancer Day and take a step toward reducing your risk for cancer. Every step reduces your risk.

Healthy Weight Week

If you’re concerned about some of those extra pounds added on during the holidays, you’re not alone. Being overweight can lead to chronic health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. But the good news is that you can take control. Consider adding a few changes to your routine to take off those extra pounds. Not only will you feel better, but maintaining a healthy weight will result in you operating at your best.

  • Know your weight range
  • Stay active
  • Get enough sleep
  • Lose excess weight gradually
  • Make a healthy eating plan
  • Drink more water

If you need more help and some tips on how to get started, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Also, consider talking to your health care provider for added support.

Winter Sports Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Awareness Month

January is Winter Sports Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Awareness Month. We would like to remind you that while winter sports are fun, they can be dangerous, so taking the proper precautions can help you avoid injuries, like a TBI!

How does a TBI occur?  

A TBI can occur when an external force impacts the brain. This can happen if you fall or are hit in the head with a hard object. In addition to winter sports, other aspects of winter weather, like icy walkways, can also increase risk of falls leading to TBIs.

What are the signs of a TBI?  

  • Headache 
  • Nausea or vomiting 
  • Confusion 
  • Dizziness 
  • Fatigue  
  • Trouble with speech 
  • Blurry vision

How can I prevent a TBI?  

  • Wear protective gear, especially a helmet, when participating in winter sports.
  • Move carefully over slippery surfaces.
  • Be aware of changes in the weather that may affect roads and slopes.

If you suspect you or someone else has a TBI, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Getting fast treatment can reduce the chances of more serious complications.

Virginia Health Officials Investigating Potential Measles Exposures in Northern Virginia

January 13, 2024

VIRGINIA HEALTH OFFICIALS INVESTIGATING POTENTIAL MEASLES EXPOSURES IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Virginia Department of Health is Working to Identify People Who Are at Risk

(Richmond, Va.) – The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) was notified of a confirmed case of measles in a person who traveled through Northern Virginia when returning from international travel. Out of an abundance of caution, VDH is informing people who were at various locations, including Dulles International Airport on January 3, 2024, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 4, 2024, that they may have been exposed. Health officials are coordinating an effort to identify people who might have been exposed, including contacting potentially exposed passengers on specific flights. more>>

National Radon Action Month

January is National Radon Action Month. But what is radon? Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas. It’s naturally occurring, and you can’t see, smell, or taste it. It’s created when uranium in the soil, rocks, or water breaks down. 

Want to know more? Here are some facts about radon.  

  • Radon can cause cancer. It is thought to be the second leading cause of lung cancer, and the first leading cause in people who have never smoked.
  • Radon seeps into homes through exposed dirt. This often happens in the lower levels of homes, such as the basement or other rooms in direct contact with the ground.
  • Radon exposure from drinking well water is low, but it can increase the amount of radon in the air.
  • Radon levels will be higher in the winter and lower in the summer. It’s best to test your home during fair weather.  

Do you want to know if you’re at risk? Are you interested in testing your home for radon? You can order an inexpensive test kit from the Virginia Department of Health. You can also view the EPA’s Radon Risk Map for Virginia.  

Would you like even more information? Visit VDH’s frequently asked question page.

How To Set a Good Goal for the New Year

New Year’s Goals and Resolutions  

The new year is upon us, and many of us will make New Year’s Resolutions. Unfortunately, many people have lost sight of those resolutions by the second Friday in January! This year, instead of making grand resolutions, try setting a few good goals.  

How to set good goals

  • Start small. Setting small, sustainable goals is better than setting lofty goals that are out of reach. You can always build on small goals as you reach them.  
  • Track your progress. Take photos of your journey, track your wins in a journal, or log successes on your calendar. Seeing that progress will help encourage you to continue when your motivation starts to wane.  
  • Tell others and seek support. Share your goals with friends and family, or look for groups on social media of other people who are working on the same or similar goals. Having someone to cheer you on makes hard work a little easier. 
  • Celebrate your successes. Success doesn’t only happen when you meet the end goal. Celebrate each milestone and win along the way as well. If you think of your bigger goal like a football field, you may be aiming for the endzone, but don’t forget that every time you cross a yard line, you’ve accomplished something!  

Great, let’s set some goals! But, now what? What goals should you set? VDH has some suggestions for you!  

Here’s to a happy and healthy new year from all of us at VDH.  

Safe Driving This Holiday Season

Holidays mean travel for many people. Keep yourself and your fellow travelers safe by following these tips while traveling during the holiday season.

  • Avoid distractions. Keep your eyes on the road when you’re driving and use voice-activated and hands-free services if you must use navigation, make a call, or send a text. An even better alternative would be to ask a passenger to do it for you!
  • Use safety tools. For adults and older children, this means to wear your seatbelt. For younger children, this means to be secured in a car seat or booster with harnesses properly fastened. Even if you’re only traveling a short distance, these safety tools can save lives.
  • Plan ahead. Plot your route ahead of time and check the weather conditions. Check for road closures and other traffic delays, especially if you’re traveling in an unfamiliar area. Watch weather conditions, don’t drive if the roads are unsafe, and carry an emergency kit.
  • Don’t drive when you’re impaired. Ask a friend or family member for a ride or use a ride-share service.  

Following these tips will help make sure you get to your holiday destination and back home safely. It’ll keep other drivers on the road safer too.

Happy Holidays from VDH!

Governor Glenn Youngkin Unveils Youth Mental Health Strategy on the One Year Anniversary of Right Help, Right Now Initiative

Announcing $500 million in additional Right Help, Right Now funding

Governor Glenn Youngkin joined behavioral health leaders, community partners and families who have struggled with behavioral health challenges in Richmond this afternoon to mark the accomplishments of the first year of the Right Help, Right Now (RHRN) behavioral health transformation plan in Virginia, outline next steps and funding for RHRN, and announce his Youth Mental Health Strategy.

On the one-year anniversary of the Right Help, Right Now plan, the Governor announced $500 million in new funding for the continued transformation of our behavioral health system, including the expansion of school-based mental health services. Additionally, the Governor outlined a Youth Mental Health Strategy and legislative package that would limit the addictive elements of social media platforms to protect children and empower parents with information and resources to best care for their children

“After a year of implementing critical changes in our mental and behavioral health system through my Right Help, Right Now plan, we are forging ahead with additional RHRN funding and a Youth Mental Health strategy to assist and support our next generation of Virginians,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. It’s clear that young Virginians face a myriad of challenges ranging from addictive social media platforms to an increasingly dangerous opioid epidemic to mental health challenges and we need to offer support. Our new Youth Mental Health Strategy will work to protect and support our young people from predatory practices online while also empowering families with new tools to support their children’s mental health.”

“The goal of Right Help, Right Now is to support Virginians before, during, and after a behavioral health crisis occurs. During the first year of this initiative, we have advanced key elements of the infrastructure needed to ensure that there is someone to call, someone to respond and somewhere to go in a mental health or substance use crisis,” said Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Littel. “Year two of this transformation aims to ensure that families have more information about threats to children’s mental health as well as tools to support their children.”

After a year of the Right Help, Right Now plan, some of the incredible progress includes: the continued growth of the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline system through a marketing campaign, the launch of a behavioral health reserve corps of volunteers, awarded funding to build emergency room alternatives, expanded waiver slots for individuals with developmental disabilities on the priority one waitlist, and additional compensation for targeted state hospital staff.

“This is just the start of the work we are doing to transform our behavioral health care system,” said Nelson Smith, Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. “We’ve seen tremendous progress over the last year as we have continued to build our crisis continuum of care, expand community-based services, strengthen our workforce, and modernize our systems. This was the result of a lot of hard work and creative and collaborative thinking by staff from across our system and state government.”

Youth Mental Health Strategy

To better equip parents and support our young people, Governor Youngkin is taking immediate action in year two of Right Help, Right Now. In 2023, according to Mental Health America, Virginia ranked 48th in the nation for youth mental health, which demands a collective and comprehensive approach to prioritize the health of the Commonwealth’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens. Children spend on average nearly five hours daily on social media; recent studies have suggested that children who spend more than a few hours per day on social media have double the risk of poor mental health. Through budget proposals, legislation and executive action the youth mental health strategy will address critical components and harmful aspects of social media on our youth.

To address addictive and harmful aspects of social media on youth:

  • We will protect minors from TikTok’s predatory influence in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  • We will protect the privacy of all children under 18 years of age from social media companies by banning targeted advertising to children, selling children’s data, or creating a marketing profile of a child without parental consent.
  • We will prohibit social media companies from using addictive practices, designs, or features, such as auto-playing videos, gamification, and virtual gifts, on children.
  • We will give parents the ability to implement guardrails on minor’s social media use and limit social media companies from disrupting teens’ sleep by knowingly or intentionally keeping children on their phones.

Inside our schools:

  • We will expand eligibility for school-based mental health services to students across Virginia using a waiver and provide technical assistance and support to localities that provide matching funds and wish to utilize these services.
  • We will require school divisions who monitor student Internet use to disclose what activity is tracked and monitored, obtain parental consent, and notify parents when a safety alert is issued.
  • We will expand the behavioral health workforce in schools and other community settings.
  • We will increase access to care by providing funds for tele-behavioral health for children in grades 6-12, with their parents’ permission, as well as in our public colleges.

In behavioral health care settings:

  • We will ensure that Virginia families have the right to be in close physical proximity to a relative during a medical, mental health or substance use emergency and provide the relative with previously prescribed medications.
  • We will empower parents with the right to consent for their child to receive inpatient psychiatric care and choose where their child receives inpatient psychiatric care, and exclude minors from code-mandated state psychiatric treatment.

Year 2 Right Help, Right Now Budget Priorities

Governor Youngkin proposed $500 million in new funding for his biennium budget. This is a giant step forward when combined with the funding appropriated in the last budget—bringing the commitment to nearly $1.4 billion, including:

  • $307 million to provide 3,440 waiver slots, a slot per person on the Priority 1 Waitlist.
  • $23 million to expand access to school-based mental health services for children, including telehealth.
  • $46 million to meet the three-year target of emergency room alternatives, such as crisis receiving centers and crisis stabilization units, and publicly funded mobile crisis response teams to ensure that people have someone to respond and somewhere to go in a crisis.
  • $10 million for partnerships with hospitals to build specialized emergency rooms for psychiatric patients called comprehensive psychiatric emergency programs.
  • $23 million to ease law enforcement burden, including expanding alternative transportation.
  • $58 million for building a best-in-class behavioral health workforce through salary increases in state hospitals, behavioral health loan repayment, and more clinical training sites and residency slots.
  • $28 million in opioid abatement and response initiatives including a campaign to reduce youth fentanyl poisoning, wastewater monitoring, naloxone availability, and services for those with substance use disorder.

We will continue to transform our behavioral health system in a way that will positively affect generations to come. The Youngkin administration is committed to doing our part to make Virginia an even better place to live, work and raise a healthy family.

National Handwashing Awareness Week

Washing your hands is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of germs. Did you know that you can prevent 1 in 3 diarrhea-related and 1 in 5 respiratory-related illnesses, just by washing your hands? It’s true! Good hand hygiene starts with washing your hands properly.  

Follow these five steps to clean hands.  

  1. Wet your hands with clean, running water. Warm or cold is fine.  
  2. Apply soap and lather by rubbing your hands together. Remember to get the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. 
  3. Scrub for at least 20 seconds. You can hum the Happy Birthday song from beginning to end twice if you need a timer.  
  4. Rinse your hands under clean, running water.  
  5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them. 

Yes, it’s that easy!  

But, wait! What if soap and water aren’t available? You can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer as well, but make sure it’s at least 60% alcohol. Need more information? Visit www.cdc.gov/handwashing. 

Aah! Fresh clean hands!  

VDH Announces New Syphilis Webpage

Today, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announces the unveiling of a new syphilis webpage, including a data dashboard tracking the number of reported syphilis cases, to help bring attention to the rising number of cases in Virginia.

Reported total early syphilis (TES) cases in Virginia increased 14% from 2018 to 2022. To date in 2023, syphilis case reports are 21% higher than for the equivalent period in 2022. Most TES cases are diagnosed among men (84% in 2022); however, cases among women are on the rise (70% increase from 2018-2022). Syphilis diagnoses among persons who misuse substances (such as opioids, methamphetamine, and cocaine) are also increasing. Cases of congenital syphilis, which occurs when a mother with syphilis passes the infection on to her baby during pregnancy, have similarly increased dramatically in the last decade. National data show comparable trends.

The new syphilis webpage summarizes important information about syphilis infections, including common symptoms, risk factors, testing and treatment recommendations. Virginians can use this information to better protect themselves and their communities from syphilis. Additional resources specifically for healthcare providers are also available. Provider resources are designed to assist with identifying, staging, treating, reporting, and preventing syphilis.

For more information on sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing, visit the VDH testing page.  For testing or other health services, consult your local health department.  For specific questions about STDs or testing locations, you may call the Virginia Disease Prevention Hotline at (800) 533-4148.

The syphilis data dashboard includes up-to-date information on annual and monthly TES case counts by patient residence and demographics.  Cases are reported by the local health district of the patient’s residence at diagnosis with standard VDH data suppression rules in place to protect patient privacy. Data on congenital syphilis diagnoses are also presented by year and health region. The dashboard data will be updated weekly on Tuesdays.

The public may learn more about syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases at the VDH website for STDs.