In honor of National Teen Pregnancy Awareness Day, which was May 6, I wanted to write about teen pregnancy. Did you know that teen or adolescent pregnancy is considered to be all females/pregnant people under the age of 20? At 18 and 19 they can vote, join the military, move out, rent an apartment, etc. Years ago, we had a few young girls at my high school who were pregnant. I recall discussing teen pregnancy with my grandmother and she told me stories about how they had homes for young girls … [Read more...] about Educating about Teen, Adolescent Pregnancy
Hedda Fay
Arizona Ranks Highest for New Cases of Syphilis
It is springtime everyone! Yes, the birds and bees are humming and buzzing around us. Here in Yavapai County, the waves of yellow and green pollen are floating gracefully through the air. Pollen is tree sperm, which is why it is so sticky and effective with pollination. Love, or lust, with mammals is also in the air. This month, I want to highlight the state of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in Arizona. Arizona is No. 1 in the nation for new cases of syphilis, the multi-system … [Read more...] about Arizona Ranks Highest for New Cases of Syphilis
Discarded Syringes: A Dangerous Byproduct of the Drug Epidemic
Yavapai County has an opioid epidemic; we have for more than a decade. In 2021, the DEA singled out Yavapai County as a “hot spot” for opioid and illicit drug abuse and created an initiative called “Operation Engage” to help stop the abuse. Yavapai County is the fourth highest county in the state for overdose deaths. These deaths can happen in minutes and anywhere. Thankfully, we have a wonderful task force: PANT, MatForce, YCSO, Prescott Police Department, Prescott Valley Police Department, … [Read more...] about Discarded Syringes: A Dangerous Byproduct of the Drug Epidemic
Stopping HIV
Happy March everyone! Did you know that Northland Cares is celebrating 20 years of serving the residents of Yavapai County this July? It’s true. And we have experienced a lot of changes in these past two decades! We have two clinics and one outreach office. We have a clinic in Cottonwood, where our clients and patients can be seen by one of our providers, their medical case manager and a therapist if that is part of their treatment plan. Northland Cares also has a clinic in Prescott where our … [Read more...] about Stopping HIV
Discussing Two Herpes Viruses
There are those who do not believe herpes viruses are still around. Yes! Herpes is around and just as contagious today as it ever was. HSVI & HSVII: The two viruses are not as simplistic as their names suggests. There is a lot of misinformation out there about these two viruses, so let’s explore the facts. All strains of herpes are extremely contagious: saliva, sores and skin-to-skin contact is how they are typically spread. These viruses are known to “shed,” releasing small, trace … [Read more...] about Discussing Two Herpes Viruses
Tips for Preventing STIs
It is my passion and professional commitment to stop the spread of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and STIs (sexually transmitted infection) in our county and state! Today, I’d like to discuss prevention. Why? Because we need to increase our knowledge to stop the STIs from being shared. Here are some ways we can prevent STIs. Abstinence Abstinence is one way to prevent and stop the spread of HIV/STIs. If abstinence worked as the most solid solution, Arizona would not be No. 2 in the … [Read more...] about Tips for Preventing STIs
Understanding the Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Arizona
Most people in the United States are not aware that Arizona has the distinguished honor of being higher than the national average for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis cases. These bacterial infections are easily spread and can have no symptoms, which makes them that much easier to spread unknowingly. In 2020, there were 36,983 reported cases of chlamydia, 16,180 reported cases of gonorrhea and 2,671 reported cases of syphilis in the state. Reported is the key word, because often STDs are … [Read more...] about Understanding the Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Arizona
