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RCAHD Health Updates Newsletter

06.07.23
Health updates for residents of the
Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts (RCAHD)
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Maximizing Summer Fun
Our beautiful Southwestern Virginia summers offer a great opportunity to spend time outdoors with friends and family.

What precautions against preventable diseases and risks can make the season more enjoyable?


  • Food Safety
  • Water Safety
  • Sun Exposure
  • Heat Awareness
Where There's Smoke...

As smoke from wildfires in Canada has blanketed the East Coast, air quality across the state this week has dropped. Ground level ozone and particle pollution may raise health concerns in some people in the Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts area.

Visit the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) air quality monitoring webpage for the latest air quality reports and health alerts.
June is Men's Health Month

More than half of men don't get regular health screenings.

The increased risks to men of heart disease and cancer can be reduced through regular doctor’s visits and healthy lifestyle choices.

You should visit your health care provider regularly, even if you feel healthy. The purpose of these visits is to:

  • Screen for medical issues
  • Assess your risk for future medical problems
  • Encourage a healthy lifestyle
  • Update vaccinations
  • Help you get to know your provider in case of an illness



(National Institutes of Health)
Atlantic Hurricane Season
Jun 1- Nov 30

Even in our mountainous home several hundred miles from the shore, heavy rainfall from a hurricane could cause flooding, landslides and other damage.
 
Whether you’re evacuating or sheltering-in-place, you’re going to need supplies:
  • Assemble an emergency preparedness kit
  • Review your family emergency plan, or create one if you don't have one (don't forget to include pets in your plan)
 
Visit the 2023 Virginia Department of Emergency Management's Hurricane Preparedness - Inland Impacts Guide for more information about emergency supplies, flood insurance, disaster myths and more.
RCAHD Health Situation Update
A note about Invasive Group A Strep (iGAS): "Invasive disease" means that germs invade parts of the body that are normally free from germs. When this happens, disease is usually very severe, requiring care in a hospital and even causing death in some cases. Residents of long-term care facilities are particularly at risk for severe iGAS infections.
  • The best way to protect yourself from group A strep infection is to practice good hygiene, like washing your hands often.
  • Parents and caregivers should see a healthcare provider if they think they or their child have strep throat, or another less severe group A strep infection.
  • Make sure everyone in the household is up-to-date with flu and chickenpox vaccines, since getting these infections can increase risk for iGAS infections.
RCAHD Adolescent & Reproductive Health Summit

Over 70 participants representing 22 local agencies attended the May 23 summit to discuss the latest data and strategies to engage with youth on reproductive health.

Above, from left: Taylor Suttenfield, Partnership for Community Wellness (PCW); Karen Hogan Pillis, West End Center for Youth, Nancy Hans, PCW; MaryBeth Dunkenberger, Virginia Tech

Lower, from left: Linnea McCarty, RCAHD; Khishi Enkhbayar, Virginia Tech; Courtenay Alleyne, Blue Ridge Behavioral Health; Dana Mabry, Child Health Investment Partnership
Join Our Team!
 

  • Nutritionist Sr. - Roanoke City

  • Nutritionist Associate - Roanoke City

  • Office Services Associate - Salem