T.J. Samson | Destination Health | October 2018

4 DESTINATION HEALTH Still think shots are just for kids? Check out this list of reasons why you shouldn’t skimp on adult vaccinations. Your age or situation could put you at risk for a preventable disease. For example, shingles and pneumonia shots are recommended for people in their 60s. You could be at risk for other diseases, too, because of your job or any chronic health conditions you may have, such as asthma or diabetes. Vaccine protection fades over time. Just because you had a shot years ago doesn’t neces- sarily mean you’re in the clear. For instance, adults need a booster to renew protection against tetanus (lockjaw) every 10 years. And you need a new flu shot every year. Your loved ones depend on your being immunized. Vaccines don’t just help protect you; some also help protect the people around you. If your loved ones include children or older adults—two groups particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases—they could get very sick from diseases (like whooping cough or the flu) that they catch from you. You could get very sick yourself. Every year, thousands of adults get sick from vaccine- preventable diseases. Some people are hospitalized or even die from those diseases. You’re a world traveler. Heading overseas? Some vaccinations are recommended before traveling to certain countries. Not getting immunized could cost you time and money. You could miss work if you get sick. If you have to be hospitalized, that could cost you too. On the other hand, many immunizations are covered by health insurance plans. Immunizations are safe. Most side effects, if they happen at all, are mild and go away on their own. Vaccines also will not give you the disease they are designed to prevent. Now that you know why you need to stay up-to-date on vaccines, be sure to ask your doctor which immunizations you might need. Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Foundation for Infectious Diseases A rise in rates of colorectal cancer among young and middle-aged adults has spurred the American Cancer Society (ACS) to change its guidelines for when people should start screening for the disease. The ACS now recommends that people at average risk for colorectal cancer begin screening at age 45, five years earlier than the previous recommendation of 50. People who are at increased risk for the cancer may want to start colorectal cancer screening be- fore age 45 or be screened more often. What prompted the change? A study led by the ACS and published ear- lier this year found that, overall, rates of new colorectal cancer cases in the U.S. have been dropping since the mid-1980s. The decline has been even steeper during the past decade— for which the ACS credits screening tests. Some screening tests, such as colonoscopies, can find and remove suspicious growths be- fore they have a chance to become cancer. However, the decline in rates of newly di- agnosed cases of colorectal cancer has been led by older adults. Incidence rates have ac- tually been rising for adults younger than 50. In addition, the ACS study found that people younger than 55 are more likely than older people to be diagnosed with late- stage colorectal cancer. The study’s authors theorized that younger people are delay- ing diagnosis because they don’t recognize symptoms of the disease. According to the ACS, the most common signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer include: ■  ■ A change in bowel habits—such as diar- rhea, constipation or narrowing of the stool— that lasts for more than a few days. ■  ■ A feeling like you need to have a bowel movement that isn’t relieved when you do have one. ■  ■ Rectal bleeding. ■  ■ Dark stools or blood in the stool. ■  ■ Cramping or abdominal pain. ■  ■ Weakness and fatigue. ■  ■ Weight loss for no known reason. Check your insurance There are multiple screening tests available for colorectal cancer, including noninvasive stool tests. The new guidelines from the ACS don’t endorse a particular test, but they do stress regular screening and they recommend a follow-up with a colonoscopy if the results from another test are suspicious. The new ACS guidelines don’t quite match up with those of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which still recommends screen- ing for colorectal cancer at age 50. Many insurance providers offer coverage based on the Task Force’s recommendations, so check your coverage in advance of any testing. Barren River Initiative to Get Healthy Together The Barren River Initiative to Get Healthy Together (BRIGHT) Coalition is a group of more than 50 local business leaders and dedicated community members who work together to improve the quality of life and provide equal opportunity for all residents of our 10-county re- gion. The vision of the BRIGHT Coalition is to ensure a safe place to live, work and play for all. In order to fulfill our mission, we must learn as much as we can about those we serve. Take our survey at surveymonkey.com/r/BRIGHTCHA2018 , and help us plan for a healthier future. By working with local hospitals, health care providers, schools, local businesses and civic organizations, the BRIGHT Coalition has chosen the following categories in which to focus our survey questions: healthy lifestyles, health services, health equity and healthy environments. The opinions that you provide in this survey will be organized into a report by the Barren River District Health Department. Your privacy is important and individual answers will not be shared. Thanks in advance for your valuable help! surveymonkey.com/r/BRIGHTCHA2018 Adult vaccines: 7 reasons to roll up your sleeve New guidelines for colorectal cancer screening 1 2 3 4 5 6 7