First Health Education!

So as the week go by I am starting to get into the groove and have begun to map out the next few months.  One of the biggest components to that is integrating health education into the different clinics.  Maria (my superstar AmeriCorps counterpart) and I have decided to put our heads together and will be educating on the same topics around the same time to create some continuity.

First topic up: The Flu.  We decided that this would be a great place to start up because we could tie it into the flu vaccinations we are trying to give out at the clinics.  It all comes back to numbers here people - that is what the government and private funders like to see.  The flu season runs from October-ish  until as late as May.  Because we work with some of the most vulnerable populations it is important to get them vaccinated as soon as possible so they can build up an immunity (it takes two weeks) before the worst of the flu season (January/February) hits.  

Here are some of the hot topics we touched upon:

• The flu virus contains three strains and changes every year (that is why you need to get vaccinated every year)
• Discussion of common symptoms: fever/chils, muscle aches, sore throat, etc. 
• People who are allergic to eggs CANNOT get the vaccine.  When the vaccines are created the virus (the flu is a virus, not a bacteria hence there being no cure) is grown in an egg and takes on some of its protein for survival.
• The shot contains a killed virus and the nasal spray a partially killed virus. 
• High risk people who should get a shot: kids over the age of 6 months, people with asthma, diabetes, congenital heart disease, pregnant women*

For more of the fascinating details check out the CDC's website.  

After comparing the pre and post test data I can successfully say that the class had some impact with everyone's scores improving or staying the same.  I would love to go back and test the same people to see if they had any retention, but sadly this is not an option because not all the same people show up at the drop in center.  

*  I recently found out that pregnant women have a decreased immunity so their body does not reject/attach the fetus.  As a result it can put them at an increased susceptibility for things like the flu.