Welcome to HOSA 10/21/14

Most Participated Team for Strides Chachie's Team! Sierra Kaheela R. Clyde J. Prize: $7 Starbucks gift cards for each! Most Participated Team for Strides

HOSA Conference Events Did you look over what events you would be interested in? We will talk more about it in November http://hosa.org/node/116 Competition in mid February HOSA Conference Events

Intro to Health Literacy Month What is Health Literacy? the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions (Institute of Medicine [IOM])

What was your blood glucose reading after lunch? Problem: Healthcare system very complex & Inability to understand can indicate low health literacy which associates with poor health increase in preventable hospital visits and admissions more likely to skip important preventive measures (i.e. flu shots) enter the healthcare system when they are sicker What was your blood glucose reading after lunch? Um… What’s glucose? greater use of services designed to treat disease and less use of services designed to prevent it may also have negative psychological effects; sense of shame about their skill level likely to have chronic conditions and are less able to manage them effectively; have less knowledge of their illness and its management

Benefits of having health literacy Better patient – physician relationship Better communication (you know what you’re talking about!) Take better care of yourself Have more understanding and control over your health Navigate the healthcare system like a pro Know your health history Benefits of having health literacy http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/quickguide/ http://www.asha.org/slp/healthliteracy/ http://medcitynews.com/2011/01/health-literacy-advantages-better-ways-to-manage-personal-health/

How to increase health literacy? Requires the effort of healthcare professionals, the community, and YOU! How to increase health literacy?

How to increase health literacy? Do your research beforehand Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you see a doctor, it’s their job to inform you and it’s your HEALTH you’re talking about… Have someone accompany you during doctor visits Listen to the topics we discuss in meetings, and look out information we put out in the media (we’d appreciate it!) Have you and your family check out http://www.healthfinder.gov/ Health-related news Valuable Information through articles For more resources on health literacy, visit: http://www.nih.gov/clearcommunication/healthliteracy.htm How to increase health literacy?

Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever What is it?

Transmission Dead bodies Infected stool or urine Fruit that has been eaten by an infected animal Unprotected sex w/ an infected or recently recovered individual Infected medical equipment Infected blood & all other body fluids

Symptoms Fever Bleeding Muscle/joint pain Vomiting Skin rash Diarrhea

Prevention Avoid undercook food & bush meat Wash hands w/ soap Wear proper protective clothing Go to a health facility as soon as you exhibit any of the symptoms

FIGHT MISINFORMATION BY SPREADING THE TRUTH ABOUT EBOLA!!!

True or False: Ebola is airborne Spreads when bodily fluids of infected person comes in contact with mucous membranes of healthy person e.g. mouth, eyes, nose, ears, genital area, open wounds

True or False: We are currently experiencing the first major Ebola outbreak NOT the first, but the LARGEST outbreak First outbreak in 1976: Democratic Republic of Congo Largest outbreak, 2014 Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, Nigeria Approx. 1,700 infected, 900 killed

True or False: If you contract it, you die Contracting the virus DOES NOT equal a death sentence Strain of ebola has a death rate currently around 55% In actuality, many people have been successfully treated and released from health centers

True or False: Ebola liquefies organs/tissues CAN involve bleeding (hence “hemorrhagic”) of mouth, nose, ears, eyes but only 20% of cases Virus weakens blood vessels which causes the internal/external bleeding and prevents from clotting … but does NOT liquefy organs/tissues

True or False: Ebola can be spread through fruits Commonly thought that the virus can live in certain fruits and that you can contract it through these foods Insufficient evidence to support this thought

True or False: Antibiotics can help fight Ebola Ebola is a viral infection Many believe that antibiotics can cure viral infections Antibiotics effective only with bacterial infections Neither cure or vaccine for it

Works Cited http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/transmission/index.html?s_cid=cs_3923 http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ebola-virus/basics/symptoms/con-20031241 http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/prevention/index.html?s_cid=cs_284