Announcements
Community Health Assessment for Jasper and Newton Counties
December 21, 2009
Contact: Dan Pekarek, Director of Joplin Health
Dept, 417-623-6122
Tony Moehr, Administrator of Jasper County Health Dept, 417-358-3111
Bob Kulp, Administrator of Newton County Health Dept, 417-451-3743
The Jasper and Newton Counties Community Health Collaborative (CHC) is in the process of conducting a new comprehensive community health assessment for the two-county area. The CHC conducts a new assessment approximately every 3-4 years to identify health issues in the two-county area (including the City of Joplin). This community health assessment process involves a review of local community health status indicators such as disease or injury rates, environmental or societal issues that may impact community health, and community perception of the status of community health.
The survey is now closed
Media release from Jasper County Health Department |
| May 28, 2009 The Jasper County Health Department would like to inform you that there have been twelve confirmed cases of pertussis (whooping cough) and an ongoing investigation continues into an additional two suspect cases in Jasper County residents. Pertussis is highly communicable and can cause severe disease in very young children. It begins with mild upper respiratory tract symptoms and progresses to cough. The condition can further progress to severe paroxysms, often with a characteristic inspiratory whoop followed by vomiting. Fever is absent or minimal. Among older children and adults, the disease usually results in symptoms that can be mistaken for bronchitis and URI’s – persistent cough, but no whoop. In infants younger than six months, apnea is a common manifestation and the whoop may be absent. It is important to remember that while pertussis is most often considered a young child’s disease, it can occur at any age. Pertussis should be considered in older children and adults who have a persistent cough lasting more than 7-14 days, which cannot be attributed to another specific illness. If untreated, these older children and adults can act as a reservoir for pertussis disease and infect younger children. Cases of pertussis in schools and communities can last for several months, causing disruption in school and extracurricular activities, and placing burden on affected families. The attack rates in school settings can range from 3-5% to 50-74%. Thus, prompt recognition and control of cases is of paramount importance. Existing epidemiological experience from different outbreaks shows that pertussis may occur in fully vaccinated persons. Pertussis vaccination is only 85% effective, and the immunity wanes over time. However vaccination remains our best defense against pertussis. The best way to reduce the incidence of pertussis is to have a highly vaccinated population. This should be accomplished through physicians’ offices and public health clinics. Children under the age of 7 who are unimmunized or underimmunized should have pertussis immunization initiated or continued according to the recommended schedule. A primary series of DTaP vaccine consists of four doses given by age 18 months with a 5th booster dose given after 4 years of age. A booster Tdap vaccine should be given to people 11–18 years of age. Adults 19-64 years of age should receive a single dose of Tdap if it has been more than two years since their last Td vaccine, especially if caring for infants or persons at high risk for complications from the pertussis disease. We ask that residents of Jasper County be on alert for signs and symptoms of pertussis. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, report your symptoms to your health care provider prior to returning to work or school. For additional information on pertussis, please contact the following websites: • Centers for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov • Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services at www.dhss.mo.gov Or you may contact the Jasper County Health Department at (417) 358-3111. |
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