January-National Blood Donor Month By: Naome Wright

Dawson County

Health Department News

O rgan i zat i on N am e

Inside this issue:

Radon Action Month 2

A Healthier You 3

Quit Tobacco 4

MT Tobacco Quit Line 4

Thyroid Awareness 5

Asthma Home Visits 5

Cervical Cancer Month 6

Traumatic Brain Injury 6

Walk With Ease 7

MT Cancer Control Prog. 8

Calendar 9

Volume , Issue January 2020

207 W. Bell

Glendive, MT 59330

Tel: (406)377-5213

Website:

dawsoncountymontana.com/departments/publichealth

Public Health:

Tel: (406)377-5213

WIC Program:

Tel: (406)377-5213

Home Health:

Tel: (406)377-5213

Family Planning:

Tel: (406)377-2935

Tobacco Prevention:

Tel: (406)377-5213

Yes, it’s a good cause, but did you know that

donating blood also has health bene-

fits? According to Benefit & Risk Management

Services, the benefits of donating blood in-

clude good health and a reduced risk of can-

cer. It may help in reducing the risk of damage

to the liver and pancreas and even assist in

improving cardiovascular health and reducing

obesity.

Every day, blood trans-

fusions take place and

save the lives of many

people all over the

world. About 5 million

Americans are in need

of a blood transfusion,

according to the Nation-

al Institutes of Health (NIH). Donating blood is

good for the health of donors as well as those

who need it. Donors should ensure that they

are in good health to avoid any health issues

post-transfusion to those who use it.

Donating blood can help in treating patients

suffering from cancer. It is important to know

that human blood cannot be manufactured,

people are the only source for it and that is

why it is important to donate blood and help

those in need. It is also possible to store your

own blood for your future needs. Make sure

the blood is stored in a good blood bank.

A mini health exam, which includes a checklist

for diseases related to blood pressure and

infectious diseases should be conducted be-

fore initiating the collection of blood. Those

who have medical conditions such as AIDS and

hepatitis should not do-

nate blood. People who

have taken vaccinations

or have undergone any

surgery or have cancer,

diabetes, cold and flu

should consult health ex-

perts before donating

blood. Pregnant women

should seek expert advice before donating

blood.

You have to wait for 56 days or 8 weeks

between whole blood donations. The waiting

period is 112 days or 16 weeks between

power red donations. Avoid donation if

you’re suffering from any disorders, and con-

sult your doctor before doing it.

(Continued on page 2)

Cervical Health Awareness Month

National Birth Defects Prevention

Month

National Blood Donor Month

National Glaucoma Awareness

Month

National Radon Action Month

National Stalking Awareness

Month

National Winter Sports Traumatic

Brain Injury (TBI) Awareness

Month

Thyroid Awareness Month

Upcoming Events

1 New Year’s Day—Offices

Closed

1-7 New Year’s Resolutions Week

5-11 National Folic Acid Aware-

ness Week

20 Martin Luther King Jr.

Day— Offices Closed

31 Give Kids a Smile Day

Dawson County Health Department Newsletter Page 2

January-National Blood Donor Month (cont.) By: Naome Wright

You can donate one unit or 350 ml of blood every 8 weeks. Organizations such as the

American Red Cross organize donation camps where one can participate and donate

blood. You can also donate blood at any hospital.

The age of the donor must be at least 17 years and their weight should be more than 45 kgs to be able to donate blood. Any

healthy person can donate blood after the required gap of 56 days. This wait time helps replenish the blood levels in the donor’s

body. There is ideally no upper limit for donating blood as long as you are healthy.

Each year 4.5 million lives are saved by blood transfusions.

Universal donors are those with O negative blood type. It is routinely in short supply and high demands by hospitals-both because it’s

the most common blood type and because type O negative blood is used for emergencies and immune deficient infants. It is a small

donation that can possibly help others, during disasters-natural or other. Consider donating blood today!

National Radon Action Month By: Renee Steinbron

January is National Radon Action Month. Radon is a ra-

dioactive gas that has no color, odor, or taste. It is formed from the

natural decay of uranium in rock, soil, and water and can be found in every state of the U.S. Some states are effected more than

others. If you look at the zone map of Montana https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-08/documents/montana.pdf,

Dawson County and surrounding areas are considered to be in Zone 1, where potential higher rates of radon are found.

How does this affect us? Radon is shown to be cancer causing.

Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped

into your lungs when you breathe. As they break down further,

these particles release small bursts of energy. This can damage lung

tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. The

Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading

cause of lung cancer in the United States today just below smoking.

Children are also at risk for lung cancer from radon.

So where should we start with this information? The first plan of

action is to get a radon test that can be found online or at most

home improvement stores for around $30. There are short-term

and long-term tests that can be done. The result of 4pCi/L or

above is considered the level in which action should be taken. If

you are in need of finding a provider to test for radon or fix your

home, you can contact your state radon program. They can help

you find qualified professionals in your area. https://deq.mt.gov/

Energy/radon Contact John Podolinsky and Paul Tschida at the toll

-free Information hotline 1-800-546-0483. Finding a fix for this

problem is surprisingly not as costly as one would think. Most homes

can be fixed at the same cost as other common home repairs. Take

the time this January and protect your health by testing for radon in

your home. Source: www.epa.gov

A Healthier You By: Laureen Murphree

When we hear Happy New Year, our thoughts often turn to resolutions. We often think negative thoughts when attempting resolutions

because they are often broken. Instead, we should turn to small things that can change our life for the better. Create healthy habits

that can last a lifetime.

We all know we need to eat right, exercise, get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water in order to be healthy. Many of us think we’re

doing a decent job of being healthy. However, most of us are not. One study found that very few adults (only 3 percent) actually

meet all the criteria of living a healthy lifestyle. Researchers looked at four keys

to healthfulness, including:

✓ Not smoking.

✓ Maintaining a healthy weight (a BMI of 18-25) or successfully losing weight.

✓ Eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

✓ Exercising 30 minutes or more, five times a week.

Few of us actually do all these things. And while these are important, there is

more to good health than checking those boxes. It’s also about having a positive

attitude, a positive self-image, taking care of your mental health and spending time with friends and family. So, before you enter into

a commitment to begin a healthier “you” in the New Year, decide which areas you desire to strengthen. Begin with your top one or

two areas and work down your list. (entrepreneur.com)

Don’t try to make huge life changes all at once. That can leave you feeling overwhelmed and tempted to give up altogether. Start

small and build.

It is amazing how quickly we can build a daily habit. Start with a small change and try to do it every day. For example, if you want

to increase your exercise, start with 5 or 10 minutes a day. When you feel like that is manageable, increase your intensity or length.

Before long, it will become a daily habit.

Getting rid of addiction is very hard. Whether it be smoking, eating, gambling or drinking alcohol in excess. There are places to get

support. If you want to quit smoking, calling the Montana Quit Line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW is a great place to start.

Another area is eating a healthy diet. Your food choices each day affect your health — how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the

future. Breakfast is a very important meal. Getting in those 5 servings of fruits and vegetables can be tough. If you eat fruit and/or

vegetables as a part of your breakfast, it helps your body and subtracts from that 5 servings. Scrambled eggs with some peppers,

mushrooms, broccoli and onions (or your favorites) are a great source of protein and vegetables. It also helps keep you from being

hungry later on. Don’t forget to drink water—some say eight 8 oz. glasses others say half your body weight in ounces. Regardless—

drink that water!!

Sometimes we overlook the importance of getting enough sleep. After all, if we’re eating right, working out and avoiding bad habits

like smoking, does it really matter if we’re getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep a night? It sure does! Sleep plays a vital role in

our health and well-being through our lives. Getting enough quality sleep aids in both mental and physical health. Sleep is key to

brain function -- it affects how well you learn, work, think, react and get along with others. Hav-

ing an ongoing sleep deficiency raises your risk for chronic health problems. (entrepreneur.com)

Managing stress and slowing down to appreciate the ones/things around us also helps create a

healthier you.

So this year try something different. Since success is never overnight but the result of a series of

small, incremental, repeated steps, simply pick a few things to do differently every day.

Page 3 Volume , Issue

New Year, New Chance to Quit Tobacco for Good! By: Lindsay Sadorf

Every year, thousands of Montanans look at the new year as an oppor-

tunity to make positive life changes. For Montanans who use tobacco,

quitting tobacco is one of the best things they can do for their health. The

Montana Tobacco Quit Line and American Indian Commercial Tobacco

Quit Line are free services available to all Montanans and are here to

help anyone quit tobacco.

Remember the Quit Line is for all types of tobacco: cigarettes, smokeless,

and e-cigarettes. No matter what type of tobacco you use, the Quit Line

can help.

The Quit Line offers free and reduced cost medications, free counseling

with a certified quit coach and a personalized quit plan. The Montana

Tobacco Quit Line also offers a special program to pregnant women who

want to quit for their own health and the health of their baby, and offers

an American Indian call line that connects callers with American Indian

coaches. All Quit Line programs deliver tailored services for each caller

creating the best opportunity for success. Montana also launched a new

help line for teens. My Life My Quit is a free and confidential program

to help teens quit vaping and other tobacco products. Learn more by

visiting MyLifeMyQuit.com or texting “Start My Quit” to 855-891-9989.

Quitting tobacco can be the most important thing you do for your health

this New Year. The Quit Line, along with FDA-approved cessation medi-

cations available through enrollment, is a proven effective way to help

you quit tobacco use successfully. Tobacco users who use the Montana

Tobacco Quit Line are 7 to 10 times more likely to quit than if they were

to try alone.

To get started call 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669), or visit the

website at www.QuitNowMontana.com or www.MyLifeMyQuit to enroll.

American Indian callers can reach Native coaches directly by calling

1-855-372-0037. Set yourself up for success in the New Year by calling

the quit line today!

Dawson County Health Department Newsletter Page 4

The program provides:

•Free quit coaching

•Free personalized quit plan

•Free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (patches, gum or lozenges)

•Reduced-cost quit medications

•Specialized programs for pregnant women, American Indians and youth

Program benefits:

•Over 95,000 Montanans have called the Quit Line since 2014 and 32,300 callers have successfully quit.

Lindsay Sadorf

Tobacco Prevention Specialist

Dawson County Health Department

Dawson|Prairie|Wibaux

sadorfL@dawsoncountymontana.com

(406) 377-5213

Jacklyn Damm

Tobacco Prevention Specialist

Richland County Health Department

jdamm@richland.org

(406) 433-2207

Montana Tobacco

Quit Line

The thyroid is a critical part of one’s overall health. Unfortunately, many still

are inadequately informed or are completely unaware of this butterfly-

shaped gland located just under the larynx. January is Thyroid Awareness

Month, which provides an excellent opportunity to read up on this small

gland that is so important to our health.

So, how common is thyroid disease?

Thyroid disease is more common than diabetes or heart disease. Thyroid

disease is a fact of life for as many as 30 million Americans – and more than

half of those people remain undiagnosed. Women are five times more likely

than men to suffer from hypothyroidism (when the gland is not producing

enough thyroid hormone). Aging is just one risk factor for hypothyroidism.

How important is my thyroid in my overall well-being?

The thyroid gland produces thyroid hormone, which controls virtually every

cell, tissue and organ in the body. If your thyroid is not functioning properly,

it can produce too much thyroid hormone, which causes the body’s systems to

speed up (hyperthyroidism); or it can create too little thyroid hormone, which

causes the body’s systems to slow down (hypothyroidism).

Untreated thyroid disease may lead to elevated cholesterol levels and sub-

sequent heart disease, as well as infertility and osteoporosis. Research also

shows that there is a strong genetic link between thyroid disease and other

autoimmune diseases, including types of diabetes, arthritis and anemia.

Simply put, if your thyroid gland isn’t working properly, neither are you.

How do you know if you have a thyroid problem?

First, you must understand how to recognize the symptoms and risk factors of

thyroid disease. Since many symptoms may be hidden or mimic other diseas-

es and conditions, the best way to know for sure is to ask your doctor for a

TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) test, a simple blood test to verify your

thyroid gland’s condition. Also, take a minute and perform a self-Neck Check.

Because thyroid disease often runs in families, examinations of your family

members and a review of their medical histories may reveal other individuals

with thyroid problems.

What are some of the reasons to consider a thyroid evaluation?

1. Family history: A familiar place to look for thyroid disorder signs and

symptoms is your family tree.

2. Prescription medications: If you are taking Lithium or Amiodarone, you

should consider a thyroid evaluation.

3. Radiation therapy to the head or neck: If you have had any of the following radiation therapies, you should consider a thyroid

evaluation: radiation therapy for tonsils, radiation therapy for an enlarged thymus, or radiation therapy for acne.

Help be a part of Thyroid Awareness Month by informing others of the incredible little gland keeping your body in balance and

working at its best.

Sources: https://www.holtorfmed.com/thyroid-awareness-month/ & http://www.thyroidawareness.com/about-your-thyroid

January is Thyroid Awareness Month

By: Andeen Raymond

Breanne Josephson, RRT

Montana Asthma Program Coordinator

Richland County Health Department

Dawson|Richland

bjosephson@richland.org

(406) 433-2207

Montana Asthma

Home Visiting Program

The program provides:

•6 visits with a home visiting nurse or respira-

tory therapist over 12 months

•Custom asthma education

•Educational resources and referrals to

community services

•Care coordination with a healthcare

team

•Allergen proof pillow and mattress covers

•HEPA air purifier for those with animals or

smokers present in the home

Program benefits:

•Significant decrease in the number of hos-

pitalizations, ED or urgent care visits

•Improved inhaler technique

•Increased asthma knowledge and control

•Fewer daily symptoms and limitations

At least 2 potential patients required per county to enter program. Max capacity of 15 patients

Page 5 Volume , Issue

Dawson County Health Department Newsletter Page 6

Traumatic Brain Injury

By: Kari Granmoe

For those impacted by TBI, the letters TBI cause one to take pause and remember that safety matters. Recognized in January, Nation-

al Winter Sports Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Awareness Month serves to remind us that if an activity is fun, adding speed to the

equation does not always bring added pleasure. Heed caution

when sledding, skiing, snowboarding, or snowmobiling! These winter

sports place participants at risk for head and neck injuries, the most

common being a concussion. A concussion is caused by sudden move-

ment of the brain, leading to damaged blood vessels or nerves.

Common concussion symptoms include amnesia (loss of memory),

headache, and confusion. Symptoms typically manifest within three

to six hours; avoid sleep during this time frame. Always seek medi-

cal care for anything more than a “bump” to the head (even if it is

just a call to your doctor). Visit the nearest emergency room if symptoms are progressively worsening. A computerized tomography

(CT) scan can offer invaluable insights: the scan creates an image whereby bleeding, tissue damage, or fractures may be diagnosed.

Treatment protocols include: adequate rest, increased water consumption, avoidance of bright light or noises, and engaging in activi-

ties that are not mentally stimulating. TBI prevention is focused on protecting the head and neck. Wear a properly fitted helmet,

avoid recreating in highly congested areas, canvas areas for obstacles, sled or ski in the center of a path or slope, and know individ-

ual limitations. Sipping hot cocoa after enjoying some frosty fun is much more enjoyable than the heartache and concern caused from

accidents and injuries.

JANUARY IS CERVICAL CANCER AWARENESS

MONTH!

Dawson County Family Planning encourages women

to protect themselves against cervical cancer.

What Steps Should You Take?

Get a Pap Test

Avoid Tobacco Use

Get Vaccinated

Call 377-2935 to Schedule Your Exam.

Walk With Ease By: Jessi Tompkins

Page 7 Volume , Issue

The top three New Year’s resolutions from a Google search

were:

71% diet/eat healthier

65% exercise more

54% lose weight

If your New Year’s resolution is to exercise more or lose weight, Walk With Ease may be worth trying.

Walk with Ease is a six-week walking program that can help improve flexibility, strength and stamina while also reducing pain, fa-

tigue and depression. It is through the Arthritis Foundation, but it’s not just for those with arthritis; anybody can join Wa lk with Ease.

It’s easy to walk and doesn’t require a gym membership, just a decent pair of walking shoes. You can also take your dog!

It’s a custom-made fitness program that is self-motivated. Just walk a minimum of three days per week and report your weekly

minutes; there are no required distances or times. You’ll receive a weekly email with a link to report your minutes walked.

According to BetterHealth.org, walking for thirty minutes a day or more, most days of the week is a great way to:

✓ Increase heart and lung fitness

✓ Reduce risk of heart disease/stroke

✓ Strengthen bones and improve balance

✓ Reduce body fat

✓ Increase muscle strength and endurance

✓ Manage conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint/muscle pain/stiffness, and diabetes.

The class will start Monday, January 13, 2020 go through February 17, 2020. If interested, you can go to this website and sign up.

The deadline to sign up for the class is January 6, 2020. https://chronicdiseasedata.undeerc.org/PatientPortal/default.aspx?

CourseID=2713

You’ll begin receiving emails the week before class begins and you’ll receive one each week, with tips and songs to help motivate

you. The final email will include a survey to take. You receive a certificate of completion.

If you have any questions, call Jessi at the Health Department at 377-5213.

Services Provided by the Health Department

Immunizations: Adults and children, Thursdays: 8:30 am - noon and

1:00-5:00. Walk-ins are welcome. To schedule an appointment call 377-

5213.

Insurance Billing: Yes, the Dawson County Health Department does

bill insurance for children’s immunizations.

WIC (Women, Infants and Children): Thursdays 8:00 -12:00

and 1:00 -5:00 . Appointments may be made by calling 377-5213.

Family Planning: Walk in hours are Monday—Tuesday: 1-5 pm,

Wednesday: 8 am - noon and 1-5 pm, Thursday: No Clinic, Friday: 10 am

- noon and 1-3 pm. Services are based on a sliding fee scale. To schedule

an appointment call 377-2935.

Blood Pressure Clinics: Wednesday-Thursday: 8 - noon—no charge.

Labs: Wednesday 8:00 - noon. Some labs require 12 hour fast.

Home Health Services: In home services including skilled nursing.

Certified Nurse Assistant, Homemaker and Meals on Wheels. Call

377-5213 for more information or to make a referral.

Public Health Home Visiting: Home visiting program for pregnant

women, infants and children. Services help to build parental resilience,

social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development, concrete

supports in times of need and social and emotional competence of children.

Tobacco Prevention: Preventing tobacco use among youth and

promote quitting among adult users. Free signs for CIAA compliance.

Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Planning and

coordination of community resources to prepare for public health

emergencies.

The program provides:

•Free mammograms and pap tests

•Free patient navigation services

•Financial assistance for screening and di-

agnostic tests (limits apply)

Program benefits:

•Provides ongoing quality screening services

and education to Montana women that are

accessible, cost effective and sensitive to

the client’s needs

•Screening services include mammograms,

clinical breast exams, and Pap tests for the

early detection of breast and cervical can-

cers

Ashley VandeBossche, BS

Chronic Disease Program Coordinator

Richland County Health Department

Dawson|Fallon|McCone|Prairie|Richland|Wibaux

avandebossche@richland.org

(406) 433-2207

Montana Cancer

Control Program

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