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Did you miss your colorectal cancer screening this year because of the pandemic? If so, we as nurse advocates are encouraging you to get that screening, if it is indicated. Did you know that colorectal cancer is the second deadliest cancer in men and women combined? But it is one of the most preventable, if you get your regular screenings.
Admit it. We have all let quite a few things slide in the last year – the year of Coronavirus. Some have used the changes forced into our everyday lifestyles to adopt a healthy option – exercising on a Peloton in between those Zoom calls and with the weather and quarantine challenges here in the northeast, actually planning and cooking meals. Good for you if that is how you survived! While not sure of the actual statistics, I would say that this is a group in the minority.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) since the inception of the vaccine program in December, more than 57 million vaccine doses have been administered, reaching 12.4% of the total U.S. population. Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which are currently being given in the U.S. are 95% effective against COVID-19. Despite this high level of effectiveness and coverage, many people who have received the vaccine still have questions about antibody development and the implications of being vaccinated.
You know the old proverb "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”
The list of stress-related diseases grows daily, and many of us are employed in highly stressful jobs. The stresses of the past year are numerous and overwhelming. These extreme times can make it extra hard to even think about playing when things are so serious. Many of you may feel so exhausted physically or mentally, that there is no energy to play.
What’s The Value in Play?
There are 900,000 divorces every year and fewer than 10% talk to anybody about their relationship! That is an amazing statistic. Scientific research has created a new understanding of love relationships. A leader in this field is John Gottman who has an excellent Tedx talk titled The Science of Love. He also wrote the book The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. We know how damaging a loss of a relationship can be and it certainly can affect your overall health and wellbeing.
February is American Heart month, with a focus on hypertension and stroke but with the COVID-19 pandemic happening, healthcare providers are also talking about the effects of the coronavirus on the heart. COVID-19 is a disease that is known to affect the lungs, but this is also a virus that affects many organs of which the heart is one. According to researchers who put out a series of articles about this topic in the Journal of Cardiology in October 2020, they found that about one-quarter of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 developed cardiac complications that included the development of blood clots and arrhythmias.
How To Navigate Challenging Times
These times are challenging and tumultuous. The external events of this year, from the massive physical effects of the pandemic to the multiple violent physical and verbal events and presidential election, can overwhelm our minds and spirits which can directly affect the health of our physical and mental wellbeing.
Initially, when I sat down to write about coverage regarding Preventative Care Benefits vs. Diagnostic Care Benefits, I thought my research would focus on the many missed opportunities we all have when it comes to our Preventative Care Benefits. I quickly realized that the conversation, for a high percentage of the time, goes to the area of coverage for that dreaded test - the colonoscopy. The confusion over Preventative vs. Diagnostic in this particular area is without a doubt, dominant.
It has been a little over a month since the first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were administered in the U.S. on December 14th. There is still hope and excitement regarding the vaccine and how it can help stem the transmission of the virus and stop the progression of the pandemic. Although there has been some mix messaging about the vaccine and who should get vaccinated, the important message is that people should get vaccinated!
What groups should be vaccinated now?
The initial roll-out of the vaccine program targeted front-line healthcare workers and the elderly in nursing homes.
