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LATEST NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
CDC Announces Important Advances in Protecting Americans from Heat
The CDC, in collaboration with NOAA's National Weather Service, has launched the Heat and Health Initiative to combat the escalating health risks posed by heat exposure. Comprising three key resources, including the HeatRisk Forecast Tool and the HeatRisk Dashboard, the initiative empowers individuals to stay cool, stay hydrated, and recognize symptoms of heat-related illnesses.
With heat alerts affecting over two-thirds of Americans in 2023, and heat events growing in frequency and intensity, the initiative aims to mitigate the alarming surge in emergency department visits due to heat-related illnesses. CDC Director Mandy Cohen emphasizes the preventable nature of heat-related health issues and underscores the importance of these new tools and guidance in safeguarding public health. Read more from the CDC here.
Food Safety Reminders for Summer Picnics
The warmer weather not only invites us to enjoy a meal outside, but it also can invite unwanted party guests. If you’re packing a picnic this season, keep foodborne germs away from your spread by following some food safety tips from the CDC.
Before packing up the picnic basket, divide food cooked in advance into shallow containers to store in the refrigerator or freezer; this encourages rapid, even cooling. At your picnic, keep hot foods hot (at 140°F or warmer) with slow cookers or warming trays, and keep cold foods cold (at 40°F or below) in a cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs until just before serving. Perishable food, like meat, dairy, and cut fruit, should be thrown away after 2 hours (after 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F). Read more from the CDC about picnic food safety here.
How to Use ChatGPT to Refine—Not Define—Your Media Pitches
Facing job cuts and inundated with AI-generated pitches, news editors grapple with declining quality and quantity of story ideas. Generic, poorly written pitches flood inboxes, often traced back to ChatGPT's impersonal touch.
The frustration resonates among public relations professionals, recognizing the limitations of AI in providing genuine insights and fostering editorial relationships. While ChatGPT streamlines processes, its effectiveness hinges on originality. Leveraging AI to refine pitches rather than define them emerges as a prudent approach. Discover how to harness AI's potential while prioritizing unique angles in media outreach in this article by PRNews here.
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Six Steps to Using AI in Your Communication Strategies
In the realm of public health communications, the rapid emergence and integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is ushering in a transformative era. As a comprehensive leader in communications, public relations and marketing technologies, the Cision company understands the importance of embracing AI’s capabilities early in its development stages as a critical element in the future of addressing complex challenges, bolstering crisis response, and ultimately improving the health outcomes of communities worldwide.
During the Cision-sponsored showcase session “AI & the Future of Crisis Comms,” at the 2023 National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing & Media (NCHCMM), its panelists shared key findings and insights derived from real-life crises before delving into a focused conversation on how AI is re-shaping crisis communications in healthcare and empowering healthcare communications teams.
As a supplement to that inspiring and insightful discussion, Cision has followed up with six ways public health communicators, at all levels, can integrate the enormous power of AI tools into their daily work processes. The NCHCMM management team is happy to share these steps as part of our ongoing efforts to keep public health communicators informed and up to date on the evolution of public health communication in a changing world.
Please click here to access the Six Steps to Using AI in Your Communication Strategies.
Gun Violence is the Number One Public Health Threat
Many of the health threats that plagued Americans several decades ago—such as unclean drinking water, bacterial and viral illnesses, and the consequences from behaviors such as smoking cigarettes and not wearing seatbelts—have been successfully diminished. These health threats were reduced thanks in part to the work of public health initiatives.
However, a significant public health threat lingers without much hope on the horizon for a definitive resolution – the threat of gun violence.
Unfortunately, results from a recent Axios/Ipsos American Health Index poll indicate that the majority of Americans surveyed now name gun violence in their communities as the number one health threat, followed closely by the threat of the opioid epidemic.
The discussion of gun violence is intrinsically linked to political divisiveness. However, regardless of political lines, the threat to everyday Americans’ safety remains. The more that public health communicators and health organizations can reframe the issue of gun violence as a salient public health threat, the more progress may be made to ensure that Americans are safe.
Here’s what you need to know about the state of gun violence in 2023 and how this kind of violence represents a threat to public health.
U.S. Preparedness for the Next Pandemic
The end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) declaration came on May 11, 2023. One significant lesson emerging from the COVID crisis is that the U.S. and most of the world were unprepared for it. Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other agencies stress that it is never too soon to prepare for the next global emergency.
Will the U.S. be able to respond to the next global public health crisis?
“We Cannot Kick This Can Down the Road”
While it may feel like the country is winding down from the effects of COVID, many public health leaders and experts warn against complacency and inaction. Instead, they urge governments to negotiate policies and enact legislation to prepare for the next pandemic.
At this year’s United Nations annual assembly, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed the inevitability of the next pandemic. He claimed, “We cannot kick this can down the road” because it is only a matter of when, not if, the next public health threat will emerge.
The WHO is drafting a pandemic treaty that the member states will vote on in next year’s general assembly. This new treaty represents an agreement including more than 200 recommended actions countries can take to improve global security. Also, the treaty’s call to action covers the entire spectrum from pathogen identification to widespread vaccination.
Recognizing June as National Men’s Health Month
Men and women should be proactive about their health. However, some health issues pertain specifically to men. Each June, healthcare organizations around the country recognize Men’s Health Month as a way to encourage men to take care of their health and prevent future illnesses.
National Men’s Health Month can also serve as a helpful nudge for some men who are reluctant to discuss health issues with their medical providers.
Whether you work in public health, are a man, or are a person who loves a man, raising awareness about specific men’s health concerns is a great way to recognize Men’s Health Month this June.
This article will show you how to encourage men to take care of their bodies, prevent disease, and seek medical attention to stay well. Furthermore, supporting men’s health overall can also help men in minority groups stay healthier.
How Can Men Stay Healthy Over the Long Term?
Staying healthy as a man means maximizing one’s longevity and taking steps to avoid the development of disease. This lifelong mission boils down to a few key pillars of healthy living that include exercising, healthy eating, and sleeping enough. And avoiding habits that can impact your long-term health, such as smoking cigarettes or drinking heavily.
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CDC Online Newsroom
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- CDC Announces Important Advances in Protecting Americans from Heat
- CDC warns of Salmonella Infections linked to Contaminated Basil sold at Trader Joe's
- CDC's Disease Detectives Share Findings from the Forefront of Public Health
- New U.S Global Health Security Strategy Advances Commitment to Protect Americans and People Around the World from Emerging Health Threats
- CDC Investigating Harmful Reactions to Counterfeit Botox
- CDC Data Modernization Efforts Accelerate Nation's Ability to Detect and Rapidly Respond to Health Threats
- CDC Data Modernization Efforts Accelerate Nation's Ability to Detect and Rapidly Respond to Health Threats
CDC Latest COVID-19 Science Update
CDC FluView Weekly Summary
CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
- Notes from the Field: Increase in Nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae - Washington, 2018-2023
- QuickStats: Percentage of Residential Care Communities That Use Electronic Health Records, by Community Bed Size - United States, 2018, 2020, and 2022
- Erratum: Vol. 72, No. 29
- Prevalence of Positive Childhood Experiences Among Adults - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Four States, 2015-2021
- Cigarette Smoking Among Pregnant Women During the Perinatal Period: Prevalence and Health Care Provider Inquiries - Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, United States, 2021
NPHIC YouTube Channel
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Sun Safety Tip: Wear a Hat
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Sun Safety Tip: Wear Clothing that Covers
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Sun Safety Tip: Seek Shade
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