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Both Louisiana and the nation have experienced declines in teen birth rates over the past decade, and Secretary Rebekah Gee of the Department of Health and Hospitals says that’s something to celebrate. Teen girls who become mothers are much less likely to complete high school. Teen fathers also see a decline in graduation rates.
DHH Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee today urged mothers across Louisiana to live healthily and to ensure that they get regular health checks, including annual mammograms and other cancer screenings when appropriate. Gee, a mother of five, cited the loss of her own mother as one reason why she makes sure to always get her own annual physicals and has begun to get an annual mammogram.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals’ Office of Public Health, Bureau of Family Health, in collaboration with the Southeast Louisiana Area Health Education Center, announces the recent implementation of the Parents as Teachers (PAT) home-visiting program in select areas of northern Louisiana. The voluntary and evidence-based program is currently available in the following parishes: Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Bienville, Red River, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Morehouse, West Carroll, East Carroll, Madison and Tensas.
DHH Secretary Kathy Kliebert visited Louisiana hospitals participating in the Best Fed Beginnings initiative this week to assess the progress made as each hospital approaches the final phase to become a designated “Baby Friendly” facility.
The [Best Fed Beginnings] program’s major goal is to increase the number of breastfed babies. The $6 million initiative began last year and will conclude in September 2014. The 89 participating hospitals must complete the American Academy of Pediatrics-endorsed Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding program. By doing so, they will receive a “baby-friendly” designation from the World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund.
In Louisiana, approximately 80 babies die each year from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which is the broad medical term for sudden, unexplained deaths of infants before they reach their first birthdays. This October, as part of SIDS Awareness Month, the Department of Health and Hospitals is encouraging families to create a safe sleeping space for their babies.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals celebrates National Women's Health Week, May 12-18. National Women's Health Week empowers women to make their health a top priority. It also encourages women to take steps to improve their physical and mental health and lower risks of certain diseases.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals’ Maternal and Child Health Program is conducting public awareness events during October, which is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month, to educate parents about the importance of a safe sleep environment in lowering a baby’s SIDS risk.
The Region 4 (Acadiana area) Office of Public Health has organized a donation drive that will combat one public health issue while providing a solution for another.
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein today gathered with the Louisiana Hospital Association (LHA), the Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and other Louisiana health care leaders at Woman’s Hospital to celebrate the 20 Louisiana hospitals that have demonstrated a commitment to healthier moms and babies through their participation in DHH’s 39-Week Initiative.
Since 1997, the Louisiana Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (Louisiana PRAMS) has served as a source of vital information needed to improve the health status of mothers and infants in Louisiana. We are pleased to present the 2008 Louisiana PRAMS Surveillance Report, which is a compilation of Louisiana PRAMS results for selected indicators.