Name: Catherine Black
Job Title:. Frankie Dees, RN - Northwest Medical Center of Bentonville
After unsuccessfully attempting to contact my county health department or even my state health department, I finally got a hold of Frankie Dees (RN) who works for one of the medical centers that helps the whole Northwest Arkansas area. The health trends that the clinic has been seeing in the community, especially as of late include:
Gallbladder Disease
This one was very surprising! She told me that there's been a high number of cases in which people have been coming in with abdominal pains and have been diagnosed with gallbladder disease or stones. The gallbladder stores bile and helps with the breakdown of fats in the small intestine. Gallbladder Disease is not only easily treatable, but is many times preventable. Having a diet that is high in fat can be a contributing risk factor in contracting Gallbladder Disease. Being obese is also a contributing risk factor.
Obesity
Arkansas was ranked the #7 fattest state in America this year according to WebMD. Obesity can lead to so many other health concerns, problems, and events. Obesity is a contributing factor to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, myocardial infarction and heart disease, diabetes, respiratory problems asthma and sleep apnea; obesity is even a risk factor for developing certain kinds of cancer. I know from living there one of the newest ways that my city is combating obesity is by putting in walking and bike trails that encompass our whole town, and even spread to the next towns over. The city also has a farmers market (promoting a fresh and healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables, as well as, organic grains and meat) , and many times activities in our central town area (town square) are being held that promote physical fitness and activity (such as charity walks or runs, or family activities such as culture days, fairs, or fundraisers that help the schools that include physical games).
Flu
Frankie informed me that a large number of people have already been coming into the clinic with the flu in Northwest Arkansas this year. I saw on my county health department website that on October 26th and November 2nd, the county had mass flu clinics in certain towns where they were making the flu shot available to the public for free. Every year thousands of people die from the flu, a vaccine-preventable disease. It was nice to see that my home community is trying to prevent such a thing from happening in our county.
Bronchitis
This was not surprising at all. Bronchitis was something that I grew up around in Northwest Arkansas.One of the biggest risk factors in contracting Bronchitis is to have respiratory allergies, which is very common in that area due to high pollination that exists in the area due to the very woodsy environment. Many times at school while growing up, if I got the cold (or any of my friends) Bronchitis was soon to follow.
Pneumonia
I'm not sure why this one surprised as much as it did. Pneumonia is a respiratory disease that affects the lungs in such a way that oxygen intake becomes low and breathing is painful. Pneumonia is a disease that those with weak or compromised immune diseases are very susceptible to, including young children and the elderly. In fact according to the World Health Organization, pneumonia is the leading cause of death among children worldwide. "Pneumonia kills an estimated 1.2 million children under the age of five years every year – more than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined." Pneumonia is a very treatable disease, usually treated with antibiotics, but yet only 30% of children ever get the antibiotics they need to overcome the disease. One of the biggest ways to protect children and other susceptible populations in vaccination from other diseases. Many time illness from the measles, and other vaccine preventable diseases increases the risk for contracting pneumonia. On my county health department website I saw that they have programs in my home community where they help the public in promoting the population, especially kids, to be vaccinated.
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