Funny call from my family Dr.

[chrisinhouston]

I went on line over the weekend and made an appointment to see my family Dr., something his clinic allows and I like because I can pick from available dates and times and choose what I want. So I picked May 4th for a physical exam because that is about when my current prescription for blood pressure medicine runs out and I am not seeing the Dr. that prescribed in the past because he is a complete moron.

So today I get a call from the clinic saying they are required to ask me 2 screening questions. OK. Then they ask if I have been to West Africa recently or if I have knowingly come into contact with anyone suffering from Ebola.

Seems kind of odd as Ebola has sort of fallen out of the nightly news circuit and my appointment is 5-6 weeks away. But whatever... I can remember when AIDS was relatively new and they asked question like these for that disease.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Protocols set in effect as a reaction to EBOLA being in the news, continue of their own momentum.

[classicman]

Most times the pendulum swings too far too late...

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by chrisinhouston

Then they ask if I have been to West Africa recently or if I have knowingly come into contact with anyone suffering from Ebola.

You should have answered "No. Have you?"

[Lola Bunny]

When I took my mom to the doctor like a month or two ago, the nurse asked those questions. Also, the doctor suggested a new blood test. Not required, but suggested it be done once in a person's lifetime. My mom has been going to this clinic for the past twenty or so years. She asked if my mom would be wiling to take the HIV test. My mom was like.... ...NO. "DO YOU THINK I HAVE AIDS??!!??" Hahaha.....Anyways, so, yeah. My doctor wanted me to take that blood test too. I think many, if not all, medical centers will ask those Ebola related questions.

[Lamplighter]

Your doc was just doing what CDC has been recommending since 2006 with respect to HIV testing.

CDC estimates that now, with better treatments available, more people are living with HIV.
So by 2006 more than 20% of the HIV-positive people in the US did not know they were HIV-positive.
And, this 20% accounted for about half of all the new cases.

CDC cites studies to show that when a person does know they are HIV-positive, their risk behavior drops significantly.
Therefore, CDC is recommending that HIV testing be done as part of routine health care.

Here is a link to a tutorial about all this CDC recommendation:

ETA: The business about "at least once in your lifetime" is within the CDC recommendation,
but CDC's recommendation is more along the lines of "routine health care",
and is more of an "opt-out" at each visit.

[Lamplighter]

By coincidence this was in the news today, so I'll add it to this thread...

Indiana state law bans needle-exchange programs.
But by declaring a health emergency, CDC’s prevention team can start such a program
in Scott County (between Indianapolis and Louisville), where 79 new cases
have been found since the middle of December, 2014.

So, putting politics above public health...
Gov. (R) Mike Pense announced his disapproval of such programs, and vows to veto
any Bill which could make needle-exchange programs permanent in Indiana.

At least he faced reality enough to say:

“Scott County is facing an epidemic of HIV, but this is not a Scott County problem;
this is an Indiana problem,” Pence said in a news release.

http://www.thetimesgazette.com/the-s...a-county/1734/

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

So, putting politics above public health...

Not the decent god-fearing public, it's junkies, ne'er do wells, probably Negros or illegal aliens, and most assuredly democrats.

[Lamplighter]

[xoxoxoBruce]

Ebola?

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

...
So, putting politics above public health...
Gov. (R) Mike Pense announced his disapproval of such programs, and vows to veto
any Bill which could make needle-exchange programs permanent in Indiana.

Attaboy, Mike !

Reuters - 4/17/15 -

An HIV outbreak in southeastern Indiana related to abuse of
intravenous prescription drugs has jumped by 24 cases in the past week,
an increase attributed to offering more testing resources, state health officials said on Friday.

The outbreak centered in rural Scott County near the border with Kentucky has reached 130 cases,
including 10 preliminary positive tests, up from 106 a week ago, health officials said.

[Gravdigr]

Heroine use is skyrocketing around here. Usually one thinks of bigger places when you think of heroine.

There's a methadone clinic in my hometown. Population, ~6500.

[Lamplighter]

Yet again, but this time in Texas...

Chlamydia Outbreak Hits Texas High School With No Sex Ed
ABC NEWs - SYDNEY LUPKIN - 5/5/15

A Texas high school is in the middle of a chlamydia outbreak, officials say.
But according to the school district's student handbook, it does not offer sexual education.

"Currently, Crane ISD does not offer a curriculum in human sexuality,"
the handbook says, explaining that if it ever does institute such a program,
the parent can opt out.
According to the handbook, state law requires more attention must be spent on
abstinence than other behavior.

But help is on the way.... someone just needs to post the links

From Wikipedia:

The City of Crane is served by the Crane Independent School District
and home to the Crane High School Golden Cranes. And now due to grants,
the school has provided grades 6-12 iPads for educational purposes.

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

Attaboy, Mike !

Reuters - 4/17/15 -

I've got to say "Attaboy, Mike" again. But this time it's for real ... for changing his mind.

In Indiana, an epidemic of H.I.V. related to intravenous drug use
in one southeastern county led Gov. Mike Pence, a former Republican House member
and longtime supporter of the ban, to back away from his opposition.

In March, he signed an executive order allowing a temporary needle exchange in Scott County.
This month, he signed legislation allowing counties around the state to begin exchanges
if officials can demonstrate that they would be an appropriate public health response.

The Kentucky Legislature, on a bipartisan basis, also passed legislation allowing needle exchange programs.

Today's NY Times has an article describe the history of such programs, and the GOP's opposition over the years.