Public Health Buzz
MPHA Co-sponsors Mississippi Health Summit
The general consensus among health care professionals is that Mississippi will remain near the bottom of major health-related statistics unless a unified effort is made to combat the problem.
With collaboration as the overarching theme, The University of Southern Mississippi's College of Health will host the first Mississippi Health Summit set for April 29 at the Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship. As many as 200 leaders in health care and related fields throughout Mississippi are expected to attend the unique summit, scheduled to run from 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
"By bringing together so many individuals with influence over one or another facet of Mississippi's health system, the Summit will underscore opportunities for collaborative synergy and identify some specific steps we can take to move forward," said Dr. Michael Forster, dean of the College of Health at Southern Miss. "In a state as health-challenged as Mississippi, what could be more important?"
The event is being co-sponsored by The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Forrest General Hospital, the Mississippi Hospital Association and the Mississippi Public Health Association. Three primary topics have been identified as key points of discussion – workforce development, research and health-related economic development.
A broad range of speakers will highlight the three panels of discussion, including a keynote address by Dr. Rick deShazo of the University of Mississippi Medical Center and host of Mississippi Public Radio's Southern Remedy broadcast.
"We all know Mississippi's BIG problem, obesity, is driving an epidemic of diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis and stroke among others in our state," said deShazo. "This will be our first generation that lives a shorter and lower quality of life than their parents. I think Mississippi's bigger problem is who will lead us out of this quagmire? No one person, or group, seems to be doing that."
One component of the Summit involves the use of breakout sessions following each of the three primary topic discussions. During these sessions, attendees will have an opportunity to exchange ideas about a given theme and find ways to unify efforts between their respective organizations to help solve the state's health problems. Each breakout group will have a reporter who will document the session, and those notes will be compiled into a report that will be made available for public viewing.
For more information about the Mississippi Health Summit, contact Ryan Kelly at 601.266.5103 or michael.kelly@usm.edu.
MPHA Featured in National Publication The Nation's Health, May/June 2011 Issue
Arizona, Mississippi Build Capacity as Membership Grows
With a shared goal of improving the health of their constituents, APHA's affiliated state and regional public health associations continue to be among the strongest voices for public health in their communities. Though turbulent economic and political waters have put many states' health budgets at risk and threatened access to crucial health services, APHA's affiliated organizations are moving forward as they improve their infrastructures, flex their advocacy muscles and add new members.
Among the Affiliates seeing robust growth is the Arizona Public Health Association, which over the past two years has expanded from 426 members to 575 members.
"A lot of members are state and county health department employees, and they recognize that we are able to fight for the public health infrastructure," said APHA member Jennifer Bonnett, executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association. "We are their voice when they can't have one, and they see value in joining our association and making it stronger."
To pinpoint where improvements could be made, APHA's Arizona Affiliate conducted a membership survey last year.
Improvements resulting from the survey include discounted prices for workshops and conferences. The organization's website has also been redesigned to be more user-friendly.
The Arizona Affiliate has also stepped up its advocacy efforts, Bonnett said. Keeping pace with the fastmoving state legislature, the Affiliate informs members about important legislative actions through weekly phone meetings.
Amplifying its voice as it plans advocacy strategies that promote and protect public health, AzPHA also partners with groups and organizations that have similar goals.
"Partnerships are key in this day and age of limited resources," Jennie Mullins, MPH, immediate past president of the Arizona Public Health Association, told The Nation's Health.
More than 1,000 miles to the southeast, the Mississippi Public Health Association is seeing similar infrastructure improvements. In just three years, APHA's Mississippi Affiliate has seen its membership grow from 500 members to nearly 700 members, "partially because we reached outside of the state health department for membership," said MPHA Executive Director Charles "Buddy" Daughdrill, CPM.
MPHA's members still hail predominantly from the state health department, Daughdrill said, "but just by improving our capacity and visibility, it has helped us to develop other partnerships and memberships."
Thanks in part to a recent grant from the Bower Foundation — a health organization that supports innovative strategies to improve the health of Mississippians — MPHA continues to bolster its infrastructure. The Affiliate recently hired two new part-time workers on a contractual basis and overhauled its website. Previously provided through the health department's domain, the redesigned website now boasts its own domain and serves as a distribution point for association newsletters, public health news, membership information, policy and advocacy updates and upcoming educational opportunities.
Advocacy efforts are also moving forward at MPHA, which in 2009 established a Legislative and Policy Committee to monitor state public health legislative developments during legislative sessions. In recent years, MPHA has mounted advocacy campaigns supporting the state's immunization requirements, tobacco control and public health funding.
Both AzPHA and MPHA were recipients of a 2007 APHA Affiliate capacity-building grant supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
For more information, email kimberly.moore@apha.org.
Teddi Dineley Johnson
County Health Rankings Released
Recently released information allows you to look at various health indicators and rankings of counties within a state. To access this valuable information go to: http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/ and click on Mississippi to see where your county ranks.
About the Project
The County Health Rankings show us that where we live matters to our health. The health of a community depends on many different factors – ranging from individual health behaviors, education and jobs, to quality of health care, to the environment. This collection of 50 reports – one per state – helps community leaders see that where we live, learn, work, and play influences how healthy we are and how long we live. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is collaborating with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute to develop these Rankings for each state's counties.
Mississippi Now Nationally Recognized as No. 1 in Childhood Immunization Rates
JACKSON, Miss. - Mississippi is now the national leader - ranked No. 1 - in immunizations for children 19-35 months of age, according to 2009-2010 data released by the National Immunization Survey (NIS). Mississippi was also named "most improved." For the 2008-2009 year, Mississippi ranked 18th.
With an average immunization rate of 81.1 percent for the major childhood vaccinations for children 19-35 months of age (including DTaP, Polio, MMR, and other recommended vaccinations), Mississippi exceeded the national average rate of 71.5 percent. The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) gives about 40 percent of all childhood vaccinations, while private providers throughout the state give about 60 percent.
"We focus on making sure each child has the best possible protection against vaccine-preventable diseases," said MSDH State Health Officer Dr. Mary Currier. "Our immunization nurses in health department clinics and health care providers - especially pediatricians and family practitioners - across the state have been essential in achieving this goal."
Dr. Currier said new tools such as the MSDH statewide Immunization Registry also help MSDH track when vaccinations are due for children, and help notify parents with reminders and recalls. Providers of immunizations record vaccines administered in the statewide Immunization Registry. Records for most children are available for parents and qualified professionals.
The NIS is a telephone survey conducted in each of the 50 states, in the six cities that receive Section 317 immunization grant funding, and in other selected large city/county areas.
Mississippi State Department of Health news release