June 25, 2024
The Community Health Corner
Submitted by Stephanie Gutierrez
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.
June Is National Men’s Health Month: This annual observance encourages men and boys to be proactive in their health by implementing healthy living decisions. This year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) is focusing on improving health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) men through its theme Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections. This theme calls for a better understanding of how the unique environments, cultures, histories, and circumstances (known as social determinants of health, or "SDOH") of racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN men impact overall health.
Making Swimming Lessons More Accessible Can Save Lives: Drowning deaths are on the rise in the United States, following decades of decline. According to a recently released CDC Vital Signs study, over 4,500 people died due to drowning each year from 2020 to 2022—500 more per year compared to 2019. CDC experts examined drowning deaths, self-reported swimming skills, participation in swimming lessons, and exposure to recreational water for this latest Vital Signs report. The report explores how increased access to basic swimming and water safety skills training can save lives. Learn more here.
Recognizing and Treating Fungal Infections: Bacteria and viruses are common causes of illness, but certain fungi can also be harmful, causing skin issues, lung infections, and other diseases. Fungi, which usually reside in soil and plants, can thrive indoors and be inhaled, posing a risk particularly to those with weakened immune systems. Diagnosing fungal infections is challenging due to overlapping symptoms with other infections, and current antifungal treatments often have severe side effects due to the similarity between fungal and human cells. Learn more about recognizing fungal infections and how NIH-funded researchers are developing new antifungal drugs derived from marine animals here.
For more information, contact Elaine Johannes, ejohanne@ksu.edu; and Stephanie Gutierrez, smgutier@k-state.edu