In honor of National Teen Pregnancy Awareness Day, which was May 6, I wanted to write about teen pregnancy. Did you know that teen or adolescent pregnancy is considered to be all females/pregnant people under the age of 20? At 18 and 19 they can vote, join the military, move out, rent an apartment, etc. Years ago, we had a few young girls at my high school who were pregnant. I recall discussing teen pregnancy with my grandmother and she told me stories about how they had homes for young girls … [Read more...] about Educating about Teen, Adolescent Pregnancy
Northland Cares
Arizona Ranks Highest for New Cases of Syphilis
It is springtime everyone! Yes, the birds and bees are humming and buzzing around us. Here in Yavapai County, the waves of yellow and green pollen are floating gracefully through the air. Pollen is tree sperm, which is why it is so sticky and effective with pollination. Love, or lust, with mammals is also in the air. This month, I want to highlight the state of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in Arizona. Arizona is No. 1 in the nation for new cases of syphilis, the multi-system … [Read more...] about Arizona Ranks Highest for New Cases of Syphilis
Stopping HIV
Happy March everyone! Did you know that Northland Cares is celebrating 20 years of serving the residents of Yavapai County this July? It’s true. And we have experienced a lot of changes in these past two decades! We have two clinics and one outreach office. We have a clinic in Cottonwood, where our clients and patients can be seen by one of our providers, their medical case manager and a therapist if that is part of their treatment plan. Northland Cares also has a clinic in Prescott where our … [Read more...] about Stopping HIV
Addressing the Rental Housing Crisis
As a HUD Housing grant manager through the Arizona Department of Housing for Central/Northern Arizona, we manage both STRMU (Short Term Rent Mortgage Utilities) and TBRA (Tenant Based Rental Assistance) grants. We manage a grant written to serve those with specific medical conditions/records/infectious disease control; however, there are various applications of these grants for various demographic populations. In the management/facilitation of an HUD/ADOH grant, STRMU addresses those in … [Read more...] about Addressing the Rental Housing Crisis
Touch is Contagious
As we enter the last month of the year 2021 and work our way through the end of the “giving season,” many of us have already contemplated how keeping our distance has affected us, our relationships, our friends and families – heck, even our co-workers! After all, right before COVID-19, I had just painted and hung a picture on my office door that said, “Free Hugs.” Wasn’t I disappointed when I couldn’t follow through with my favorite form of giving affection anymore! Before we were all afraid … [Read more...] about Touch is Contagious
Understanding the Significance of Dec. 1
Human nature dictates the things that capture – and keep – our attention. If you send a survey out to 300 random people and ask them about the significance of Dec. 1, I can guarantee you most of them will not know. Unless something affects us directly, we tend to not pay attention. Admittedly, there is too much going on in every individual life that we can barely pay attention to what is right in front of us, let alone the significance of any random date on the calendar. After all, there … [Read more...] about Understanding the Significance of Dec. 1
Discussing Two Herpes Viruses
There are those who do not believe herpes viruses are still around. Yes! Herpes is around and just as contagious today as it ever was. HSVI & HSVII: The two viruses are not as simplistic as their names suggests. There is a lot of misinformation out there about these two viruses, so let’s explore the facts. All strains of herpes are extremely contagious: saliva, sores and skin-to-skin contact is how they are typically spread. These viruses are known to “shed,” releasing small, trace … [Read more...] about Discussing Two Herpes Viruses
Are People with HIV More at Risk for COVID?
About 40 years ago, a new illness appeared, and because it was spreading like wildfire through the male gay community, it was dubbed the “gay cancer.” As the pandemic took life after life, the medical/scientific communities fought to understand it and how to stop it. After countless hours of research, advocacy, blood, sweat and tears, advances were made in medicine, and today, contracting HIV is no longer a death sentence. Untreated, it is still a potentially life-threatening virus, but thanks … [Read more...] about Are People with HIV More at Risk for COVID?
Tips for Preventing STIs
It is my passion and professional commitment to stop the spread of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and STIs (sexually transmitted infection) in our county and state! Today, I’d like to discuss prevention. Why? Because we need to increase our knowledge to stop the STIs from being shared. Here are some ways we can prevent STIs. Abstinence Abstinence is one way to prevent and stop the spread of HIV/STIs. If abstinence worked as the most solid solution, Arizona would not be No. 2 in the … [Read more...] about Tips for Preventing STIs
Understanding the Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Arizona
Most people in the United States are not aware that Arizona has the distinguished honor of being higher than the national average for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis cases. These bacterial infections are easily spread and can have no symptoms, which makes them that much easier to spread unknowingly. In 2020, there were 36,983 reported cases of chlamydia, 16,180 reported cases of gonorrhea and 2,671 reported cases of syphilis in the state. Reported is the key word, because often STDs are … [Read more...] about Understanding the Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Arizona
