May 6, 2025
Community Health Corner
The National Extension Framework for Health Equity and Well-being recommends using community development strategies and health literacy programs for everyone’s health. From urban, metro, suburban, rural and frontier locations, Extension works in partnership with communities to deliver meaningful and relevant programs and initiatives to keep health closer to home. The following resources help us improve well-being for all, and achieve Healthy People 2030 objectives.
Whooping Cough Cases Are Soaring: The rise in whooping cough (pertussis) cases since a low in 2021, is largely due to declining vaccination rates. According to the CDC’s provisional report of whooping cough, in 2024 cases of pertussis increased by more than 1,500% nationwide since hitting a recent low in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Deaths tied to whooping cough were also up, hitting 10 in 2024, compared with about two to four in previous years. So far in 2025, there have been 8,485 cases reported which is twice as many cases as this time last year. Health experts say the outbreaks of vaccine-preventable illnesses, like measles and whooping cough, could be indicative of changing attitudes toward vaccines. U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates fell in 2024. Recommendations for pertussis vaccination and other preventable diseases are available at the IKC (Immunization Kansas Coalition) online Tdap Toolkit.
Maternal Mental Health Awareness: Spread the word about HRSA’s National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA)—a free and confidential service offering 24/7 support via call or text to new and expecting moms and their loved ones. The Hotline’s trained counselors help thousands of women and their families needing emotional support during or after pregnancy. The Hotline is available in English and Spanish and offers interpreters in more than 60 languages. HRSA also has resources for pregnant or postpartum women, their loved ones, or caregivers in their online partner toolkit. Maternal mortality is increasing with Kansas ranked 21 among all states in maternal deaths (number of deaths related to or aggravated by pregnancy occurring within 42 days of the end of a pregnancy per 100,000 live births. New York state is ranked 20 while neighboring state Missouri is 23rd.
In response to high maternal mortality in Kansas and Missouri, KDHE is co-sponsoring the Maternal Mortality Prevention conference, A Million Moments in Kansas City, August 7-8. Additional details and registration will be coming soon from KDHE / Kansas Connecting Communities. For questions, contact kcc@ku.edu.
The Myopia Surge: The rise of myopia (nearsightedness) in children is drawing increased attention. The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) released a report, Myopia: Causes, Prevention, and Treatment of an Increasingly Common Disease, focused on the connection between eyesight and education. The report reveals that, while the rise in myopia has coincided with an increase in screen time for children, a clear link has been established between limited outdoor time and myopia. Experts are urging action to address this growing public health concern. Explore the interactive resource to learn more about the science behind vision and learning and what steps can be taken to support children’s eye health.
For more information, contact Elaine Johannes, ejohanne@ksu.edu; and Stephanie Gutierrez, smgutier@k-state.edu