Report from the CDC: Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week 2012

Swimming is one of the most popular sports activities in the United States (1). Although swimming is a physical activity that offers numerous health benefits, pools and other recreational water venues are also places where germs can be spread and injuries can happen.

May 21–27, 2012, the week before Memorial Day, marks the eighth annual Recreational Water Illness and Injury (RWII) Prevention Week. Recreational water illnesses (RWIs) are caused by germs spread by swallowing, breathing in mists or aerosols of, or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, hot tubs/spas, water play areas, interactive fountains, lakes, rivers, or oceans. RWIs can also be caused by chemicals in the water or chemicals that evaporate from the water and trigger indoor air quality problems. In addition to illnesses, injuries—such as drowning and slips, trips, and falls—can occur in or around the water.

RWII Prevention Week 2012 Theme: Preventing Drowning and RWIs

Drowning Prevention

Drowning is the leading cause of injury death among children 1–4 years old. Every day, 10 people die from drowning; two of those ten are children under the age of 15 years. Of drowning victims who survive and are treated in emergency departments, more than half are hospitalized or transferred for further care. These individuals often experience brain damage that might result in long-term disabilities, including memory problems, learning disabilities, or permanent loss of basic functioning (for example, permanent vegetative state).

To prevent drowning:

• Everyone (adults and children) should know how to swim,
• Caregivers should know CPR,
• All boaters and weaker swimmers should use lifejackets, and
• Backyard swimming pools should be separated from the house and yard by a fence with a self-closing and self-latching gate.

CDC’s Injury Center has additional drowning prevention tips on its Injury Prevention Program’s Resources webpage.

RWI Prevention

You share the water you swim in with everyone who enters the pool. Contrary to popular belief, chlorine does not kill germs instantly. Once germs get in the pool, it can take anywhere from minutes to days for chlorine to kill them. Swallowing just a little water that contains these germs can make you sick with a recreational water illness (RWI). RWIs include a wide variety of infections, such as gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections. The most commonly reported RWI is diarrhea caused by germs such as Crypto (short for Cryptosporidium), Giardia, Shigella, norovirus and E. coli O157:H7.

With the number of RWI outbreaks on the rise, swimmers need to take an active role in helping to protect themselves and prevent the spread of germs. The simple steps below can help you protect yourself and other swimmers from germs in the water you swim in.

Three Steps for All Swimmers

1. Don’t swim when you have diarrhea.
2. Don’t swallow the pool water. Avoid getting the water in your mouth.
3. Practice good hygiene. Shower with soap before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. Germs on your body end up in the water. 

Three Steps for Parents of Young Kids

1. Wash your child thoroughly (especially the rear end) with soap and water before swimming. Even invisible amounts of fecal matter can end up in the pool.
2. Check diapers every 30–60 minutes. Change diapers in a bathroom or a diaper-changing area and not at poolside. Germs can spread in and around the pool.
3. Take your kids on bathroom breaks every 60 minutes. Waiting to hear “I have to go” may mean that it’s too late.

CDC’s Healthy Swimming website offers a variety of useful materials for the public, including brochures, posters, videos, podcasts, and fact sheets on its Resources webpage.  Last year’s Healthy Swimming Video Contest Winner and Runner-Up videos are also available on the Healthy Swimming Videos/TV webpage.

References:

1) US Census Bureau. 2012 statistical abstract of the United States. Recreation and leisure activities: participation in selected sports activities 2009  [PDF - 152 KB]

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Meningococcal Disease: Help Prevent It

Meningococcal disease is a serious, vaccine-preventable infection. The meningococcal conjugate vaccine is recommended for all 11-18 year olds. Kids should get this vaccine at 11-12 years of age and a booster dose at age 16.

Did you know that there are approximately 1,000 cases of meningococcal disease in the United States each year? Meningococcal disease can be very serious — even life-threatening — in 48 hours or less. Meningococcal disease can refer to any illness that is caused by Neisseria meningitidis, also known as meningococcus bacteria. The two most severe and common illnesses caused by Neisseria meningitidis include meningitis (infection of the fluid and lining around the brain) and septicemia (bloodstream infection).

Symptoms of Meningococcal Disease

Symptoms of meningococcal disease are usually sudden onset of fever, headache, and stiff neck. It can start with symptoms similar to influenza (flu), and will often also cause nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, rash, and confusion. Even with antibiotic treatment, people die in about 10-15% of cases. About 15% of survivors will have long-term disabilities, such as loss of limb(s), deafness, nervous system problems, or brain damage.

How Meningococcal Disease Spreads

Meningococcal disease can be spread from person to person. The bacteria are spread by exchanging respiratory and throat secretions during close (for example, coughing or kissing) or lengthy contact, especially if living in the same dorm or household. Many people carry the bacteria in their throats without getting meningococcal disease. Since so many people carry the bacteria, most cases of meningococcal disease appear to be random and aren’t linked to other cases. Although anyone can get meningococcal disease, adolescents and college freshmen who live in dormitories are at an increased risk.

Meningococcal Disease Prevention

The good news is that there’s a vaccine to help prevent meningococcal disease and it can prevent two of the three most common disease-causing strains. The vaccine is routinely recommended for all 11 through 18 year olds. Kids should get the first dose of this vaccine, known as the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4), at their 11-12 year old check-up. Now, teenagers are recommended to get a booster dose at age 16. If your teenager missed getting the vaccine at his/her check-up, ask the doctor about getting it now…especially if your child is heading off to college to live in a dorm.

CDC created a video to help you learn more about meningococcal disease and how to prevent it. This video features a CDC doctor who is an expert in meningitis and, most importantly, a concerned mom. You can download the video or podcast at CDC-TV or access it on your mobile phone.

Vaccines for Teens

Your preteen or adolescent is at risk for other diseases like pertussis (whooping cough) and HPV that can be prevented with vaccines. If your child hasn’t had a check-up within the last year, make an appointment now and ask your child’s doctor what vaccines are recommended.

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This year the theme for World AIDS Day 2011 is ‘Getting to Zero’. According to unaids.org, this year the global community has committed to focusing on achieving 3 targets: “Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths”.  With stats like the following ones from unaids.org, it is crucial that we increase our awareness and seek out what we can do as individuals to help.

At the end of 2010 an estimated:

• 34 million [31.6 million – 35.2 million] people globally living with HIV
• 2.7 million [2.4 million – 2.9 million] new HIV infections in 2010
• 1.8 million [1.6 million – 1.9 million] people died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2010

On November 30, 2011, a report by the WHO, UNICEF and UNICEF and UNAIDS Global Report on the global HIV/AIDS response showed that having increased access to HIV services resulted in a 15% reduction of new infections over the past decade and a 22% decline in AIDS-related deaths in the past five years.

“It has taken the world ten years to achieve this level of momentum,” says Gottfried Hirnschall, Director of WHO’s HIV Department. “There is now a very real possibility of getting ahead of the epidemic. But this can only be achieved by both sustaining and accelerating this momentum over the next decade and beyond.”

The report highlights what steps have been working to combat AIDS:

• Improved access to HIV testing services enabled 61% of pregnant women in eastern and southern Africa to receive testing and counseling for HIV – up from 14% in 2005.
• Close to half (48%) of pregnant women in need receive effective medicines to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in 2010.
• Antiretroviral therapy (ART), which not only improves the health and well-being of the infected people but also stops further HIV transmission, is available now for 6.65 million people in low- and middle-income countries, accounting for 47% of the 14.2 million people eligible to receive it.

The report brings out what steps still have to be taken:

• More than half of the people who need antiretroviral therapy in low- and middle-income countries are still unable to access it. Many of them do not even know that they have HIV.
• Despite the growing body of evidence as to what countries need to focus on to make a real impact on their epidemics, some are still not tailoring their programmes for those who are most at risk and in need. In many cases, groups including adolescent girls, people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers, prisoners and migrants remain unable to access HIV prevention and treatment services.

Other sites to visit to learn more about World Aids Day and what you can do to help:

http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/

http://www.unaids.org

http://www.avert.org/world-aids-day.htm

http://www.youtube.com/theonecampaign

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About Heart Disease & Stroke

PREVENTION

Heart disease and stroke are an epidemic in the United States today. The good news is that many of the major risk factors for these conditions can be prevented and controlled.

Remember Your ABCS

Keep the ABCS in mind every day and especially when you talk to your doctor:

• Appropriate Aspirin Therapy
• Blood Pressure Control
• Cholesterol Control
• Smoking Cessation

Talk to Your Doctor

Share your health history, get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked, and ask if taking an aspirin each day is right for you.

Control Your Blood Pressure and Cholesterol

High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of heart disease and stroke. One in 3 U.S. adults has high blood pressure, and half of these individuals do not have their condition under control.

Similarly, high cholesterol affects 1 in 3 American adults, and two-thirds of these individuals do not have the condition under control. Half of adults with high cholesterol do not get treatment.

If your blood pressure or cholesterol is high, take steps to lower it. This could include eating a healthier diet, getting more exercise, and following your doctor’s instructions about medications you take.

Eat Healthy for Your Heart

What you eat has a big impact on your heart health. When planning your meals and snacks, try to:

• Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Check the labels on your food and select those with the lowest sodium. Too much sodium can increase your blood pressure.
• Limit foods with high amounts of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. You can find this information on the Nutrition Facts label.
• Cook at home whenever possible. This way, you’re in charge of the ingredients and you know exactly what you and your family are eating.

 

Get Moving

Obesity can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. To keep your body at a healthy weight and to fight high blood pressure and cholesterol, make physical activity part of your daily routine. Try to fit in 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on most days of the week. For example, you could take a brisk 10-minute walk 3 times a day, 5 days a week.

Quit Smoking

Cigarette smoking greatly increases your risk for heart disease. If you’re a smoker, quit as soon as possible, and if you don’t smoke, don’t start. You can also support smoke-free policies in your community and try to avoid secondhand smoke.

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In June, Texas made a law banning children under the age of 16 ½ from tanning beds and requiring in-person parental consent for those under 18 years of age. In Delaware, a new law prohibits those under 14 from tanning facilities unless they have a doctor’s prescription and requires those under 18 to have a parental or guardian sign a consent form in person at the facility. Other states are working on bills to restrict the use of tanning facilities for those under 16.

Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers – accounting for nearly half of all cancers within the United States. More than 2 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are found each year in the U.S. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), reports that tanning is extremely dangerous to young people. People who use tanning beds prior to age 30, increase their risk of melanoma by 75%. According to www.skincancer.org an estimated 123,590 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the US in 2011 – 53,360 non-invasive and 70,230 invasive, with nearly 8,790 resulting in death. Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults ages 25-29 and the second most common form of cancer for people ages 15-29. People who use tanning beds are 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 time more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma. Both of these types of skin cancer are classified as non-melanoma and develop on sun-exposed areas of the body and are likely to be cured if caught and treated early.

It is vital that we protect ourselves and our children from the sun’s harmful rays and we need to be aware of the dangers of the sun and tanning beds.

The following information is from www.cancer.org and will help us to learn more on what precautions we can take to protect ourselves from skin cancer and what the risk factors and warning signs are.

What are the risk factors for skin cancer?

Risk factors for non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers include:

• Unprotected and/or excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation
• Fair complexion
• Occupational exposures to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds, or radium
• Family history
• Multiple or atypical moles
• Severe sunburns as a child

What are the signs and symptoms of skin cancer?

Skin cancer can be found early, and both doctors and patients play important roles in finding skin cancer. If you have any of the following symptoms, tell your doctor.

• Any change on the skin, especially in the size or color of a mole or other darkly pigmented growth or spot, or a new growth
• Scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the appearance of a bump or nodule
• The spread of pigmentation beyond its border such as dark coloring that spreads past the edge of a mole or mark
• A change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness, or pain

Can skin cancer be prevented?

The best ways to lower the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer are to avoid intense sunlight for long periods of time and to practice sun safety. You can continue to exercise and enjoy the outdoors while practicing sun safety at the same time. Here are some ways you can do this:

• Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Seek shade: Look for shade, especially in the middle of the day when the sun’s rays are strongest. Practice the shadow rule and teach it to children. If your shadow is shorter than you, the sun’s rays are at their strongest.
• Slip on a shirt: Cover up with protective clothing to guard as much skin as possible when you are out in the sun. Choose comfortable clothes made of tightly woven fabrics that you cannot see through when held up to a light.
• Slop on sunscreen: Use sunscreen and lip balm with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Apply a generous amount of sunscreen (about a palm-full) and reapply after swimming, toweling dry, or perspiring. Use sunscreen even on hazy or overcast days.
• Slap on a hat: Cover your head with a wide-brimmed hat, shading your face, ears, and neck. If you choose a baseball cap, remember to protect your ears and neck with sunscreen.
• Wrap on sunglasses: Wear sunglasses with 99% to 100% UV absorption to provide optimal protection for the eyes and the surrounding skin.
• Follow these practices to protect your skin even on cloudy or overcast days. UV rays travel through clouds.
• Avoid other sources of UV light. Tanning beds and sun lamps are dangerous because they can damage your skin.

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A few simple things you can do to help protect your kids from ticks while they are outside are:

• to have them wear long pants tucked into their socks
• to wear long sleeved shirts
• to wear Light colored clothing so you are more apt to see the sesame seed sized tick
• apply insect spray
• check your child for the tick when they come in from the outdoors

In the early stages of Lyme disease, you may experience flue-like symptoms such as a stiff neck, chills, fever, headaches, and muscle aches just to name a few. You also may see a large expanding skin rash – the bullseye rash - around the area of the tick bite. Watch the video below from ABCNEWS.com –  GMA Health for more details about Lyme Disease and how to detect whether your child has been bit by one of these ticks and what treatment is necessary for your child.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Coronary heart disease is the most common in the US and it often appears as a heart attack. Following are a few statistics that show how serious this disease is and how it is claiming far too many lives:

• In 2006, 631,636 people died of heart disease. Heart disease caused 26% of deaths—more than one in every four—in the United States.¹
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2006 were women.¹
• Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease. In 2005, 445,687 people died from coronary heart disease.²
• Every year an estimated 785,000 Americans have a new coronary attack, and about 470,000 have a recurrent attack. About every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event, and about one every minute will die from one.³
• In 2010, heart disease will cost the United States $316.4 billion.³ (This includes the cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity).

These numbers are staggering. Knowing that each and every one of us could be at risk, it is vital that we take action to reduce our risk by learning how to help prevent such conditions and knowing the warning signs and symptoms. People who have survived a heart attack can work to reduce their risk of having another one. There are many tools and resources available to us so there is no excuse not to learn more. Also, it would be a good idea to talk to your doctor about your current health status and discuss family health history with them to see if you have more of a risk than others.

Over the next month we will be posting information about what conditions affect your heart or increase your risk of heart disease, what the signs and symptoms are and how a healthy diet and lifestyle are mandatory weapons to help protect your heart.

So if you are running out to buy a box of chocolate for your sweetheart during your lunch hour today, think twice and reach for that fruit basket. Take care of yourself and your loved ones and have a wonderful and healthy Valentine’s Day.

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1. Heron MP, Hoyert DL, Murphy SL, Xu JQ, Kochanek KD, Tejada-Vera B. Deaths: Final data for 2006   [PDF–2.3M]. National Vital Statistics Reports. 2009;57(14). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.
2. Heron MP. Deaths: Leading causes for 2004   [PDF–3.2M]. National Vital Statistics Reports. 2007;56(5). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.
3. Lloyd-Jones D, Adams RJ, Brown TM, et al. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2010 Update. A Report from the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Circulation. 2010;121:e1-e170.

The following article is from the San Francisco Chronicle:

By: Kathryn Roethel

Five of Nature’s Best Cancer-Fighting Foods 

As a veteran faculty member at the Stanford University Medical School, Dr. John Farquhar has seen thousands of patients try to beat cancer with aggressive chemotherapy treatments that “blast them with terrible side effects.” But, as the founder of Stanford’s Prevention Research Center, he believes he has helped other patients beat cancer before it starts using nature’s medicine: vegetables and fruits.

Farquhar has worked at the university for 30 years as a professor, a cardiologist and the co-founder of the Stanford Prevention Research Center. He co-teaches a popular course called “The Best Diet Ever,” (see box) in which he preaches the merits of five foods with strong anti-cancer agents: soy, onions, broccoli, tomatoes and blueberries.

“There’s still uncertainty about how important nutrition is in cancer prevention,” Farquhar said, “but I’ve found that if you deal with these specific foods, there’s evidence that they all have cancer-fighting nutrients. As opposed to genetics, nutrition is something that people can control.”

Joyce Hanna is the associate director of Stanford Prevention Research Center. A 19-year Stanford faculty member and former marathon runner, she teaches “The Best Diet Ever” class with Farquhar. Hanna also counsels clients who want to engage in healthier lifestyles and oversees a program that helps cancer patients exercise and eat well during and after treatments.

Beating disease back

“One of the biggest fears cancer patients have is that their cancers may come back,” Hanna said. “Other people haven’t been diagnosed with cancer, but they’re out of shape and their doctors have warned them about risk of disease. I try to help them take small steps to improve their lifestyles. Obesity increases cancer rates, and in a lot of these cases, lifestyles are more important than genetics.”

In the 1980s, for example, U.S. Public Health Service researchers working with the Honolulu Heart Health Program determined that men who never ate tofu, or ate it only once per week, were 1.3 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than men who ate tofu two to four times a week. They were almost three times more likely to have the disease than men who ate tofu five times a week or more.

Daily serving of soy

Scientists at the Shanghai Cancer Institute found similar results when they studied the relationship between soy intake and breast cancer rates. The Shanghai Women’s Health Study, published last year, showed the more soy protein women ate in a day, the less likely they were to be diagnosed with breast cancer. Farquhar recommends daily helpings of 8-10 grams of soy protein, which can be found in tofu, soy nuts, soy milk or edamame.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, breast cancer is the most common cancer for women in the United States, followed by lung and colorectal cancers. The list is the same for men, except that prostate cancer replaces breast cancer at the top of the list. According to Farquhar, a strategic, healthy diet can help prevent these cancers.

He recommends a daily serving of berries, especially blueberries, which deliver a high concentration of antioxidants that help prevent cell damage that occurs naturally with age. Slowing age-related cell damage helps prevents cancer and other diseases.

Tomato touted

A study published in 2009 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology shows that tomatoes, which contain lycopene, help prevent prostate cancer. Lycopene is a strong antioxidant that may also prevent other types of cancers, so Farquhar recommends three servings of tomatoes a week for men and women.

Likewise, he suggests a daily serving of broccoli or another cruciferous vegetable like cabbage, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts or bok choy. Studies have shown that the natural compounds in cruciferous vegetables may help prevent colorectal cancer.

And one serving a day from the onion family, including garlic, leeks, scallions and shallots, will deliver multiple compounds shown to have anti-cancer qualities. Farquhar noted that red onions have the added value of being a “rainbow veggie,” or a uniquely colored vegetable. Adding servings of red, yellow, orange, white or purple vegetables to the usual greens maximizes a person’s chance of getting all the micronutrients that could potentially help fight off cancer.

Farquhar cites another important factor in the diet that affects cancer rates, but this time, it’s something people shouldn’t eat in large quantities: red meat.

American Cancer Society researchers published a study in 2009 that compared rates of colon, breast and prostate cancer in different countries over the last 30 years. It showed that the incidence of cancer was much lower in nations with diets traditionally low in red meat consumption and high in fresh vegetables and fruits.

The United States, which has a diet high in meat consumption, had colon cancer rates 10 times higher than those in Peru, Thailand or India. However, these countries’ cancer rates gradually increased over 30 years. Farquhar attributes this, at least in part, to these countries becoming more economically developed and shifting toward more Westernized diets.

“There’s something going on as a nation changes diets,” Farquhar said. “There’s such a magnitude of difference.”

Farquhar says that he eats red meat about once every two months – and recently ate flank steak for the first time in 30 years. While he doesn’t expect his patients to make dietary changes that drastic, he recommends a diet that is “near vegetarian.” He suggests people switch out red meat protein for soy, fish or nuts or egg whites.

According to Farquhar, if a person eats many healthy vegetables, but still eats a lot of red meat, “the increased veggie intake would only partly remove the harmful effects of meat.”

Take small steps

When counseling overweight patients, Hanna encourages them to take small steps to build vegetables, fruit and soy protein into their daily routines.

“I tell them to focus on what they want to accomplish next week,” Hanna said. If you never buy fresh vegetables, can you try buying two? If you have fast food seven days a week, can you try to cut down to four? I always tell them they have to take small steps because radical, sudden changes lead to radical, sudden defeat.”

Top foods to cut cancer risk

Recommended Foods in Dr. Farquhar’s “Best Diet Ever”

Soy - 8-10 grams tofu, soy nuts, soy milk or edamame a day to help prevent breast and prostate cancer.

Berries - one cup per day for antioxidants to help ward off cell damage that can lead to cancer and other diseases.

Broccoli - 1/2 cup of cooked broccoli or other cruciferous veggies a day to aid in prevention of colorectal cancer.

Onions - 1/4 cup of onions, garlic, leeks or shallots for several anti-cancer agents.

Tomatoes - 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw tomatoes three times a week to help prevent prostate cancer. Adding three daily servings of “rainbow vegetables” (red, orange, yellow, white, green or purple) provides even more disease-preventing micronutrients.

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A personal health record, or PHR,  is a health record that that you keep for yourself and your loved ones. Your health records are in different places and possibly with many different providers – some information may even be stored online. You can simplify life by putting together a health record that will give you peace of mind and provide healthcare professionals with a complete and accurate summary of your health and medical history. You can do this by gathering the following information: 

• personal identification, including name and birth date
• emergency contact(s)
• names, addresses, and phone numbers of your physician, dentist, and specialists
• health insurance information
• living wills, advance directives, or medical power of attorney
• organ donor authorization
• allergies
• allergic reactions to medications (including latex)
• medications (dose and how often taken)
• over the counter medications and herbal remedies (dose and how often taken)
• family health history (hereditary illnesses)
• blood type
• hospitalizations
• significant illnesses (dates they occurred)
• surgeries (dates they occurred)
• vaccinations (dates they were received)
• test results from lab work performed
• physical exam records
• eye and dental records
• dietary habits
• exercise routines
• track past and present health conditions
• any other changes in your health

A personal health record does not normally replace the legal electronic health record that your healthcare provider maintains*. Electronic health records contain information about your health compiled and maintained by each of your healthcare providers and usually are not combined. If you see multiple doctors and forget to mention you are taking a drug prescribed by another doctor, you are risking being prescribed a potentially lethal combination of prescription drugs. Many doctors do not keep electronic records and it is estimated that 18% of medical errors are due to the lack of accurate patient information. A personal health record is information about your health and is maintained by you – overall it improves the quality of your healthcare and it can reduce or eliminate duplicate procedures which saves money, your time and the provider’s time. More importantly, keeping a copy of your personal health record in your wallet or purse could help save your life in the event of an emergency where you are incapable of speaking for yourself.

Keeping a personal health record is not only important for your health, it also helps to control healthcare costs. A study from the Center for Information Technology Leadership at Partners Healthcare System in Boston shows that a widespread use of PHRs could save the US healthcare industry between $13 and $21 billion a year.

A PHR is usually kept in paper form. However, with technology constantly advancing, PHRs are being stored on SmartPhone apps, CD’s and USB drives. An electronic PHR makes it easier to interact with multiple healthcare providers. Information in your personal health record can be conveyed to your health-care providers verbally, in print out form, sent by email, or shared over the web prior to office visits.

Click here for a sample of a personal health record. You can use this as a guide and create your own. There are also several online resources for building your own PHR.  This is important to do now, so that you are not caught in an emergency situation without any answers! Having a PHR for yourself and your family members could save a life.

Check out this great short video created by IBM that shows how having our health information connected together for all our health providers is a new concept for a “smarter planet”.

*Every time you see a doctor, visit a hospital, clinic or health care facility a record of your personal health information is kept. This information is compiled into what is known as your medical or health record and is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known as HIPAA. It is important to understand that PHRs generally are not part of a provider’s electronic health record and would not be considered legal health records – so they would not covered by HIPAA.