Joslyn Evans, Community trends

-->

Joslyn Evans

Nevada, Las Vegas: Karen Milman, M.D., Health Officer

Obesity

-About ¼ of the kids in Clark county are obese. This increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Video games and sedentary lifestyles have contributed to this. They are trying to provide healthier food and exercise programs in elementary schools. A decrease in breastfeeding has increased obesity.

Alcohol

-Alcohol is a major problem. Binge drinking is common so alcohol toxicity happens, especially among college students. They have to be rushed to the hospital or death can occur. Because kids are intoxicated they engage in unsafe activities like unprotected sex and even drugs. Fatal motor vehicle accidents are a sad consequence of this public health issue.

Smoking

-About ¼ of adults in NV smokes and the number is projected to rise to half of all adults in 15 years. NV is among the highest-ranking states for smokers in the nation. People who work in casinos are especially affected because smoking is allowed during gaming therefore they are constantly breathing in secondhand smoke. This is contributing to more cardiovascular and respiratory disease as well as cancer. Children are also affected by secondhand smoke in the home, which has given rise to more cases of asthma.

Teen Pregnancy

-Nevada has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the US. Given the pregnancies, unsafe sex is usually practiced. This also gives rise to more STD’s that are seen. Many young women struggle with the decision to have an abortion or not so counseling is widespread. Pregnancies usually force a girl out of school, which in itself is a public health problem because these girls don’t learn more about how to take care of themselves and provide for their families and can’t obtain a good job.

Pertussis (whooping cough)

-There have been twice as many cases this year as last year. It is highly contagious and babies younger than one year are most vulnerable, the worst time to get it. Kids have to be immunized before attending school. Those who are constantly with infants should be revaccinated. NV has “cocooned” in that family members and those in contact with vulnerable infants are protected from the disease by revaccinations so this has lessened the effect.