Nicole W.’s Post

It's World Oral Health Day! Worldwide, an estimated 3.5 million people are impacted by oral health diseases. At NCOHC, we believe oral health is a human right and a healthy mouth is a healthy body. Learn more about this day of advocacy: https://buff.ly/2Tj1FUh #WorldOralHealthDay

Almost all Europeans will face the burden of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (#RMDs), either directly through personal experience or indirectly through the impact on loved ones. The EULAR - European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology is calling for a coordinated response from the European Union to protect its citizens, healthcare systems, and economies from the devastating effects of #RMDs. There is a popular misconception that #RMDs are a natural consequence of ageing - the reality is that RMDs occur at all ages, including in children and young adults. RMDs can be debilitating, causing pain, stiffness, and functional limitations. The costs associated with these diseases place a significant burden on healthcare systems and economies. EULAR has developed a manifesto outlining a comprehensive strategy to address the challenges posed by RMDs. This plan calls for increased investment in research, improved access to care, and the implementation of preventive measures. - Read the EULAR manifesto https://lnkd.in/eJbfauuC - Raise awareness and join the conversation to advocate for a stronger response address the challenges of #RMDs

🚨 Urgent: The Fentanyl Crisis Unveiled! 💊 A life-saving drug in hospitals, a deadly threat on the streets. Why the stark contrast? 📢 Discover the alarming truth behind the fentanyl crisis and how it's affecting our communities. Stay informed, stay safe. Read more about the hidden dangers now. 👉 🔗 https://bit.ly/3R4Z5ia #FentanylAwareness #OpioidCrisis #DrugSafety #PublicHealth #AddictionRecovery #EndOverdose #KnowTheDifference #SaveLives #fentanylcrisis #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #MentalHealthSupport #RecoveryJourney #DetoxOptions #SoberLife #OverdosePrevention #HopeStartsHeree #RecoverySolutions #WaismannMethod #RapidDetox #addiction #addictionrecovery #wednesdaymotivation

🌍 𝐌𝐩𝐨𝐱 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲. The world is uniting to improve surveillance, provide treatment, and stop the outbreak. Are you aware of the latest developments? #Mpox #PublicHealth #GlobalHealth #HealthCrisis #WHO #EmergencyResponse #GlobalAction

Where is harm reduction? I note the following in this presentation “Overdose prevention: New strategies for harm reduction.” 1. The elephant in the room is the widespread retreat from drug decriminalization and the return to incarceral approaches. This has of course been spearheaded in Oregon. But the most interesting presenter (MIP) pointed out that this is a national phenomenon in progressive communities (for example in Philadelphia and San Francisco). 2. The response is to cite research showing that increases in drug deaths are not due to decrim but to other factors—i.e., these stupid communities are wrong. No strategies are presented for enlisting community support — other than to say that they should know better. 3. One fairly widely agreed upon point is that a holistic approach to community services is required — although at the same time presenters say that proven harm reduction medications are insufficiently available in deprived communities of color. 4. This last point is always uncomfortably balanced against the question of introducing people to treatment. Why did so few people avail themselves of treatment options in OR (Keith Humphreys among others uses this to justify coerced, legally enforced treatment). 5. Another always uncomfortable point is the cultural and economic basis of drug addiction and deaths. Sheilah present the four stages of the drug epidemic, which are seen as going from rural white to urban (and other) minority communities. 6. But I’m not sure if that was what she was asserting (forgive my incomprehension! — I’m old). MIP clearly announced however that minority communities have always been at greater risk. 7. We then get to the contradiction (as opposed to the elephant) always at the center of the room. The Harvard Public Health moderator (of the Global Program on Tobacco) announced the number one misconception is that drugs, addiction and drug deaths are limited to deprived communities — they’re ubiquitous he claims! (Sorry — doesn’t that directly contradict 6?) 8. MIP made the two most interesting points about misconceptions: (a) that addiction is universal but people in different communities often seek different forms of addictive relief — such as overeating, (b) that all drug use shouldn’t be thought to require treatment. (Although PWUDs regularly make this point, it is still uncomfortable stating it in public health forums.) MIP here laid out the idea for the normalization of drug use and placing addiction in a separate sphere of experience. Now THAT would be interesting and new — but it can never be explicitly acknowledged in a public health arena. I’ll leave off here with this musing — this panel represents new strategies for harm reduction? (Please, anyone, correct all of my errors and misunderstandings.)

New Commentary: Addressing the drug-related death crisis in England and Wales by Jason Kew (Hon MFPH) The latest ONS figures paint a grim picture: drug-related deaths are on the rise. It's time for a new approach. In this review, we take a human-centred perspective on early intervention and prevention, advocating for a multi-agency approach that addresses the root causes of drug misuse. Key takeaways: Early identification and support for at-risk individuals. Evidence-based prevention programs in schools and communities. Access to harm reduction services like needle exchanges and drug consumption rooms. Effective treatment and recovery support services. Addressing social and economic factors contributing to drug misuse. We also examine the failures of late intervention and criminalisation, which often lead to increased harm, stigma, and missed opportunities for prevention. Read the full review here: https://bit.ly/3UlduZo Let's work together, together,  to create a safer and healthier future for all. #DrugPolicy #HarmReduction #PublicHealth #EarlyIntervention #Prevention #HealthierCommunities #EndTheStigma #DrugRelatedDeaths #EnglandandWales #ONS

Collaboration is key to effective tobacco prevention. We work across regional, system, and local levels to align tobacco prevention efforts, ensuring a cohesive approach to public health challenges. Learn about our collaborative services and how they can support your objectives. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eXVCEEwu #DataDrivenHealthcare #StakeholderEngagement #HealthcareCollaboration #InnovationInHealth #DataAnalytics #TobaccoPrevention

Collaboration is key to effective tobacco prevention. We work across regional, system, and local levels to align tobacco prevention efforts, ensuring a cohesive approach to public health challenges. Learn about our collaborative services and how they can support your objectives. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eXVCEEwu #DataDrivenHealthcare #StakeholderEngagement #HealthcareCollaboration #InnovationInHealth #DataAnalytics #TobaccoPrevention

Attention Journalist Friends & Colleagues: Want to report on one of the biggest money, health, and government accountability stories of our time? Join me for a webinar and Q&A this Thursday, April 11 for tips on covering opioid settlement funds in your community. I'll be sharing databases KFF Health News has created to help you find how much money your locality has received and who controls it. I'll suggest questions to ask and records to request. With many local reporters already covering this issue, we'll all get to learn from each other. https://lnkd.in/e8tV2yx5

Substance use #Prevention works!🤝 Make sure your prevention strategies are in line with science📚& evidence. Easiest way to find them are in the UNODC/ World Health Organization Int'l Standards on drug use prevention: https://is.gd/4tLgjI Changing the culture of prevention, little by little.