John Fife
Public Health 100
I had the opportunity to speak to Mr. Cox who is a
representative of health care and human services in Sanpete County Utah. He said the major concerns were
immunizations, depression/suicide, teenage pregnancy, Health Care, and alcohol
abuse amongst teenagers.
Immunizations- The concern was not of great
proportion amongst babies receiving the recommended shots. It was however, a great concern amongst the
older generation. This county
(especially Manti from where I am from) has a large aging and retired population. Currently they are not seeking the flu
vaccine at a rate that is pleasing to the most public health professionals in
this area.
Depression/Suicide- Depression seems to be very
epidemic in this day of age. It is hard
to control and monitor because usually depressed people don’t seek help early
enough. Depression is a real and very
dangerous thing. It not only affects the
psychological functions of the person but it also affects the immune system and
physical well-being of the individual.
Teenage Pregnancy- Over the past decade there has
been a huge increase in the numbers of teenage pregnancy. In Sanpete County it is a large problem. Sex education needs to be more effective in
this area and needs to have a better method of surveillance. Just because most people in Sanpete County
are Mormon Christian does not mean they are immune to this problem.
Health Care- Sanpete County is a pretty poor area. Most people do not have private health care
and are really not educated to a high degree.
As a result, most people do not seek medical help until the disease has
intensified to such a degree that tertiary care is needed.
Alcohol Abuse- There isn’t much to keep a Sanpete County
teenager busy if he is not involved in sports or some other extracurricular
activity. Many resort to alcohol as a
mode of entertainment. DUI and deaths
from alcohol are on the rise and public health officials are scrambling to find
a solution.
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