Prevent, protect and plan during public health week

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- The Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health De-partment is encouraging all area residents to assess their current health conditions, identify potential health risks and create a plan for maintaining the best health possible.

According to SEK Multi-County Health Department Public Nurse Alice Maffett, April 7-14, which is National Public Health Week, is a good time for area residents to become more conscientious about their health. A good way for people to maintain optimum health, Maffett said, is to practice the three Ps -- prevent, protect and plan.

According to written documents provided by Maffett, life expectancy through the last 100 years has drastically increased.

"As we look back over the last 100 years, life expectancy in the United States has increased tremendously from 46 years to 78 years of age," the document said. "While there are many reasons including improved medical technology and increased medical knowledge, this improvement is largely attributed to the promotion of and advances in public health, which is strongly rooted in Kansas history."

Although the data indicates that Americans are living longer, Americans still suffer from various preventable illnesses, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Public Health Association are developing techniques to keep Kansans healthier, especially in their later years.

According to Maffett, Kansans are encouraged to get the recommended health screenings and immunizations, exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet including fruits and vegetables.

The SEK Multi-County Health Department offers several preventive screenings to area residents.

"The Bourbon County Health Department conducts blood pressure checks and blood sugar screenings, immunizations, Kan-Be-Healthy physicals and family planning clinics," Maffett said.

In addition, the local health department monitors and investigates reportable illnesses in the community. Currently, Maffett said, the health department is preparing for the possibility of a pandemic flu. According to Pandemicflu.gov, pandemic flu is a virus for which there is currently little immunity.

"A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity, and for which there is no vaccine.

"The disease spreads easily person-to-person, causes serious illness, and can sweep across the country and around the world in very short time," the pandemic Web site said.

In preparation for a possible future pandemic flu outbreak, the SEK Multi-County Health Department will be conducting a disaster drill from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on April 15 at the Fort Scott Middle School.

The drill will focus on mass dispensing of medications.

"This drill will prepare our community in case we had to dispense medications out to the public due to an illness," Maffett said in a written statement.

Anyone interested in volunteering to help with the drill should call (620) 223-4464.