February 25, 2025
Community Health Corner
The National Extension Framework for Health Equity and Well-being recommends using community development strategies and health literacy programs to ensure that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. The following resources help us improve well-being for all, and achieve Healthy Kansas 2030 and Healthy People 2030 objectives.
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAW), February 24-March 2: NEDAW highlights the impact of eating disorders across the United States, and provides information and resources for those seeking help. From February 24-March 2, join others to reduce stigma, support recovery, and connect with helpful resources. Fact sheets and campaign resources are available from National Eating Disorders Association. NEDAW resources from the HHS Office of Women’s Health focus on addressing eating disorders among women in their 40s, 50s, and beyond. Information includes how menopause can contribute to an increased risk of eating disorders associated with hormonal changes, body image struggles, and societal pressures.
Federal Funding and Rural Health: According to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Senior Policy Advisor, Katherine Hempstead proposed federal funding reductions in ACA (Affordable Care Act) Marketplace health care insurance could impact rural health care access, affordability and health outcomes due to the important role that federal financing has in systems of rural health care. The ACA is an important source of coverage for rural America, where many people are self-employed, or work for small employers that don’t offer coverage. According to a RWJF report, farmers and rural residents increasingly count on the ACA. A new report from Georgetown University’s Center on Children and Families also reveals that the nearly 46 million residents of small towns and rural areas across the nation are more likely than their metro counterparts to rely on Medicaid for coverage. In six states, at least half of rural children are covered by Medicaid. In fifteen states, Medicaid covers more than one third of non-elderly adults living in rural areas. Additionally, USDA released a report last spring about the Nature of the Rural-Urban Mortality Gap which reveals information about higher mortality rates among men than women who live in rural locations.
Measles Outbreaks: The CDC reports that as of February 6, a total of 14 measles cases were reported by 5 jurisdictions: Alaska, Georgia, New York City, Rhode Island, and Texas, and that 43% of those cases resulted in hospitalization. As of Feb. 19, Texas Department of Health and Human Services reported that the ongoing measles outbreak in West Texas has infected 58 individuals— mostly children and teens who are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status.
Johns Hopkins, Bloomberg School of Public Health reports that measles is extremely infectious — the virus can linger in the air for several hours or spread via droplets and infected surfaces — and preventing outbreaks relies on a 95% or higher vaccination rate in a community. Measles vaccinations are not just for children, but are also available to adults. If an individual has been vaccinated with two doses of vaccine to prevent measles as per routine, they will have a 95%-plus chance of being completely protected throughout your life. However, some health experts have stated that for those vaccinated before 1968 the version of the vaccine they may have received may not work as well. Check with your health care provider if you are concerned about the risk of measles and whether your vaccinations are current.
For more information, contact Elaine Johannes, ejohanne@ksu.edu; and Stephanie Gutierrez, smgutier@k-state.edu