Awareness
There’s a lot of reasons to love the holiday season. We get the chance to take time off and enjoy time with family and friends, celebrate life, and of course there’s always the reason for the season: take time to reflect and remember all the reasons why we have to be grateful in our lives. « read more »
Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates there were 15,000 injuries involving holiday decorating seen in emergency departments nationwide during November and December 2012, making it the fourth consecutive year those numbers increased. « read more »
Thanksgiving is tomorrow. That means you’re probably home for the holiday and spending time with family. Maybe you’ll be watching a parade or a football game; maybe you’ll do some evening shopping. Just maybe you can take the opportunity with your family…to talk. The holiday season offers m... « read more »
Just driving around town, you can see the signs. “Get Your Flu Shots Here”, “Flu Shots: No Appointment Needed”, and so on. It means flu season is coming whether we like it or not. Seasonal flu activity can begin as early as October and continue as late as May, and the problem is it’s not... « read more »
Governor Susana Martinez, in partnership with the New Mexico Department of Health, New Mexico Adult Fall Prevention Coalition, the Healthy Aging Collaborative, and Aging and Long Term Services Department, are working together to raise awareness that older adult falls are not a normal part of aging a... « read more »
The Pino Fire is currently burning in an area of the Santa Fe National Forest five miles south of State Highway 4 and six miles east of Jemez Springs. Fire crews will begin multiple hand and aerial ignitions today to manage the wildfire. Based on forecasted weather conditions, smoke from the Pino Fi... « read more »
A New Mexico Department of Health analysis reveals that the southeast and northwest regions had the highest hospitalization rates due to ambulatory care sensitive conditions in 2012 -- conditions for which outpatient care or early interventions can prevent hospitalizations and/or complications. The... « read more »
The Diego Fire, located seven miles southwest of Coyote, NM has grown to 1,000 acres. Smoke from the fire is expected to impact Los Alamos, Santa Fe, and Rio Arriba counties starting late Monday afternoon through at least 9 p.m. Additionally, communities downwind from the fire may also experience... « read more »
The New Mexico Council on Asthma (NMCOA) and the New Mexico Department of Health are pleased to announce the recent publication of a five-year plan to be used as a guide to reduce the burden of asthma and improve asthma outcomes in New Mexico. The plan, Breathing Easy in New Mexico: Addressing the... « read more »
When wildfires happen, both the New Mexico Department of Health and Environment Department track the fires, advising residents in areas affected by fire how to reduce the risk to themselves and their families from smoke exposure. « read more »
The New Mexico Department of Health and Environment Department continue to track the Assayii Lake Fire along the McKinley/San Juan county line in New Mexico. The departments advise residents in areas vulnerable to wildfire to learn how to reduce risk to themselves and their families from smoke expos... « read more »
In 2013, New Mexico high school students were less likely to binge drink than their counterparts across the United States (17.1% vs. 20.8%), according to results from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today. While New Mexico students wer... « read more »
The New Mexico Department of Health is reminding New Mexicans to take precautions against mosquito bites. Infected mosquitoes can transmit West Nile Virus to humans. « read more »
The New Mexico Department of Health and the Children’s Youth and Families Department advise New Mexico residents to take extra precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke and to be extra vigilant to not leave children in vehicles. Temperatures over the next... « read more »
There a fine line between prescription drug use and abuse, and the New Mexico Department of Health reports this week progress in reducing the state’s prescription drug abuse problem. The New Mexico Department of Health and the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy announced this week a 10 percent decrease... « read more »
The New Mexico Department of Health and the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy announce today a 10 percent decrease in the total amount of prescription opioids dispensed by pharmacies in New Mexico from 2012 to 2013. « read more »
Thanks to immunization, we can now protect infants and children from 14 vaccine-preventable diseases before age two, and the National Immunization Survey consistently shows childhood immunization rates for vaccines routinely recommended for children remain at or near record levels. « read more »
Remember that old saying, “Big things come in small packages”? It’s all about great things like engagement rings, but it turns out big trouble can come in small packages too. While many New Mexicans are aware how mosquitoes can carry West Nile virus, there are many lesser known and equally tr... « read more »
While many New Mexicans in our state are aware how mosquitoes can carry West Nile virus and fleas potentially are infected with Plague, there are lesser known but potentially deadly diseases in the state where the infectious agent is carried by ticks. « read more »
A traumatic brain injury is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal functions of the brain. With one-fourth of all injury-related deaths in New Mexico involving traumatic brain injuries, the New Mexico Department of Health encourages everyone... « read more »