CAR SEATS
| How long should my child be rear facing? |
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Your child should be rear facing until they are at least 1 year old AND 20 pounds. This is the recommendation put out by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Keep in mind that this is the minimum requirement. The longer you can keep your child rear facing, the better. Most convertible seats will go rear facing up to 30 pounds, some even up to 35 pounds.
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| How long should my child stay in a car seat? |
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Many parents think their children are too big for car seats or have outgrown their booster seats. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that children should be restrained in a booster seat until they are 4'9" and about 80 pounds. Regular seat belts are made for men who are 5'10" and 160 pounds. They are not designed to secure a child under 80 pounds. Yes, this quite possibly means that your 10 year old should still be in a booster seat!
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| What is the best kind of car seat to buy? |
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The truth is, there is not a "best" car seat. The best style of seat is one with a five-point harness system. Other than that, find a car seat that fits your car, your child and your budget. Remember that spending more does not always equal a safer seat.
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CHRONIC DISEASE
| Where can I find resources and links for arthritis? |
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The Utah Arthritis Program web site is intended for people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. This link can provide information to assist you in accessing local resources, to help you manage your arthritis.
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The resources and links section of the Centers for Disease Control web site can guide you to further information on many topics relating to rheumatic conditions.
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| How many people have arthritis? |
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Utah County:
Results from the 2002-2003 BRFSS Surveys show that almost one in every five adults 45,970 (17.5%) in the Utah County Health District reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
State of Utah:
In Utah, the number of adults who report they have arthritis is 435,000 (31.1% of the population).*
United States:
Currently, an estimated 46 million Americans reported that their doctor told them they had arthritis. As our nation's population ages, the number of people with arthritis is expected to increase.
*SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adult and Community Health. Prevalence data collected in 2000 through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
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| What is recommended for people with arthritis? |
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The Center for Disease Control recommends the following for people with arthritis:
Early diagnosis and appropriate management of arthritis, including self-management activities, can help people with arthritis decrease pain, improve function, stay productive, and lower health care costs. Key self-management activities include the following:
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* Develop Your Skills-Learning techniques to reduce pain and limitations can be beneficial to people with arthritis. Self-management education, such as the Arthritis Foundation Self Help Program (AFSHP), or the Chronic Disease Self Management Program (CDSMP) help you develop the skills and confidence to manage your arthritis on a day to day basis. For example, AFSHP has been shown to reduce pain even 4 years after participating in the program.
* Be Active- Research has shown that physical activity decreases pain, improves function, and delays disability. Make sure you get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity 3 days a week. You can get activity in 10-minute intervals.
* Watch Your Weight- The prevalence of arthritis increases with increasing weight. Research suggests that maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of developing arthritis and may decrease disease progression. A loss of just 11 pounds can decrease the occurrence (incidence) of new knee osteoarthritis.
* See Your Doctor- Although there is no cure for most types of arthritis, early diagnosis and appropriate management are important, especially for inflammatory types of arthritis. For example, early use of disease-modifying drugs can affect the course of rheumatoid arthritis. If you have symptoms of arthritis, see your doctor and begin appropriate management of your condition.
* Protect Your Joints- Joint injury can lead to osteoarthritis. People who experience sports or occupational injuries or have jobs with repetitive motions like repeated knee bending have more osteoarthritis. Avoid joint injury to reduce your risk of developing osteoarthritis.
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| Annual U.S. Arthritis Burden
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* 9,500 deaths
* 36 million ambulatory care visits
* 750,000 hospitalizations
* Nearly 19 million people with limitations
* 46 million people with self-reported, doctor-diagnosed arthritis
* $81 billion in medical costs and $128 billion in total costs
Source: CDC data compiled from different years and multiple sources. For more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis
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| Where can I find information about diabetes Patient Assistance Programs? |
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Click below to find links to a variety of resources.
Disclaimer: The Utah County Health Department is not responsible for the content provided in the website link listed below. Provided links are only suggestions.
Diabetes Prevention and Control Program
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| What is the prevalence of diabetes in Utah County? How does Utah County prevalence rate compare to the State of Utah? |
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* In Utah County, 3.2% of residents have been diagnosed with diabetes.
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* Nearly four percent (3.7%) of the Utah population has been diagnosed with diabetes.
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The number of Utahns with diabetes continues to increase and now about one in 25 has been diagnosed. The most recent data indicate that an estimated 104,000 Utahns (4.1% of the Utah population) have been diagnosed with diabetes (Utah Health Status Survey 2004). The percentage of Utahns who have diabetes but are undiagnosed has declined, but there are still over 42,000 Utahns whose diabetes has not yet been detected. Because they are not diagnosed, and therefore not being treated, these individuals are vulnerable to complications that could be delayed or prevented.
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| Where can I find more diabetes health data? |
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Did you know? . . . .
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* The average age at diagnosis among Utahns is 47 years.
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* Just over one fourth of Utahns with diabetes (28.7%) report seeing a podiatrist annually.
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* Nearly 15 percent (14.8%) of Utahns with diabetes report having cataracts, 15.3 percent report
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having macular degeneration, and 12.8 percent report having diabetic retinopathy.
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* Over one-half of Utahns with diabetes report having neuropathy.
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* Nearly 30 percent (29.1%) of Utahns with diabetes have or have had periodontal disease.
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Source: Utahns with Diabetes Survey, Utah Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, Utah Department of Health, Salt Lake City, Utah
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TOBACCO
| Where can I find tobacco resources where I live? |
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Call the Tobacco Free Resource Line at: 1-877-220-3466 to learn what resources are available throughout Utah.
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| Where can I find the help I need to quit? |
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Two free smoking cessation resources are available to help you quit.
Call 1-888-567-TRUTH to speak with a counselor, or for online resources visit
Utah Quitnet
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| I have a question about something and need an answer but don't know where to go for help? |
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Click on the link below to access a website designed to help you get the answers your need. If you are unable to find what you need please call the Tobacco Free Resource Line at: 1-877-220-3466.
Utah Tobacco Prevention and Control Program
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| What help is there for young people who use tobacco? |
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Tobacco use in yo0ung people tends to be a social issue, and this can make it difficult to quit, as youth are worried about losing their friends. For this reason, nicotine replacement therapy tends not to be as effective in youth as it is in adults, and the social support they can get from cessation groups and classes can be particularly helpful.
The Utah Tobacco Quit Line can provide help especially tailored for young people, including tips, quit kits, follow up, and referral to cessation classes,
cessation classes, such as the Ending Nicotine Dependence (END) program. END is a Utah-developed program especially for teens which helps build knowledge about tobacco use and skills for dealing with quitting and social issues.
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| What is the current rate of teen smoking in Utah? |
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Utah teen smoking almost doubled from the mid-80s to the mid-90s (Bahr Survey, 1984-1997). Since the mid-nineties teen smoking has declined substantially - from 17% in 1995 to 7% in 2005.
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| How does Utah's youth smoking rate compare with the U.S.? |
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Utah's youth smoking rate has been lower than the national average for many years. In 2005 Utah's smoking rate for students in grades 9-12 was 7.4% compared to a rate of 23.0% nationwide. Surveys indicate that youth smoking rates in states with comprehensive tobacco prevention and control programs (California, Massachusetts, Florida) have declined while other states' rates have increased or remained the same.
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