Chec News

CHEC will celebrate the Week of the Nurse with an open house celebration on Wednesday, May 14th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the Community Health Education Center located in the Gateway Building Ground floor. All VCUHS nurses and nursing students are invited to attend the event. Refreshments will be served and door prizes will be given away. Also, enter to win one of two gift baskets that will be raffled during the event. For questions please contact CHEC Librarian, Dana Ladd at 828-2432.

Posted by Dana L. Ladd at 9:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Reviewed by Sylvia Quigley, CHEC

Do you have difficulty understanding speech at a party or other event when there is a lot of loud background noise? If so, you may have hearing loss. According to Burkey, approximately one in three baby boomers will suffer hearing loss: either personally or secondhand through a spouse, friend, or co-worker.

Hearing loss can cause isolation and loneliness, or reduce independence, especially when safety and security are an issue. Concentrating to make sure nothing is misunderstood or missed can be exhausting: all of these can lead to depression. Hearing loss can be especially traumatic for baby boomers because of their high expectations of quality of life, their need to work longer and/or after retirement, and/or it reduces their leisure time and activities.

Before hearing can be corrected, it must be evaluated. Once evaluated, the best solution is identified: surgery, hearing aid or adaptive living. A hearing aid may not be able to correct a hearing loss, but it should improve hearing ability.

Causes of hearing loss are not only limited to rock concerts and loud noises. Knowing what the cause is is necessary before treatment can occur. Because some types of hearing loss cannot be corrected, prevention is very important.

Burkey includes resources and references for further information.

Community Health Education Ctr RF290 .B87 2006 Non-circulating

To view this title or other health-related books visit the Community Health Education Center (CHEC). The CHEC is located on the ground floor of the VCUHS Gateway Building on the MCV campus.

Posted by Dana L. Ladd at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Reviewed By Nishat Ally, 4th Year Medical Student

Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States and a very large health concern due to the variety of medical conditions associated with it. This is a problem that not only affects the child but also his/her entire family. Therefore, the entire family must be involved in finding the solution that is best for their child. This book aims to help families of obese children realize that they are not alone, that they can help their child succeed in losing weight and in keeping it off, and that they should not expect immediate results because any permanent change takes time. Dr. Hassink has included worksheets that families should fill out and take to their pediatrician so that he/she may also be part of their team. These worksheets are designed to help both parties (family and pediatrician) determine where the child is at the present time, what weaknesses exist, and what measures must be undertaken to help the child reach his/her weight, eating and exercise goals in order to achieve long term weight control. In addition to nutrition and physical activity, Dr. Hassink also covers parent-child issues that exist at home in which she gives tips on developing strong parenting skills and building a wide support network for the child as well as suggestions to deal with any setbacks that do occur. Also included are chapters on childhood development from the prenatal period through the adolescent years. These chapters help parents understand their child’s needs at each stage and how to make better choices and set achievable goals that set a strong foundation for a healthy lifestyle in the present and in the future.

Community Health Education Ctr RJ399.C6 P36 2006 Non-circulating

To view this title or other health-related books visit the Community Health Education Center (CHEC). The CHEC is located on the ground floor of the VCUHS Gateway Building on the MCV campus.

Posted by Dana L. Ladd at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Reviewed by Nishat Ally, 4th Year Medical Student

When (not if) a child gets sick, it is usually the caregiver who suffers more than the child. There are a lot of questions and doubts that go through the caregiver's mind when dealing with a sick child. Can this be dealt with at home, and if so, how? Should the doctor be called (this usually becomes an issue in the middle of the night)? Should the child be taken to the Emergency Room right away? Ms. Mayer and Ms. Kuklierus address these issues for a variety of common childhood illnesses in an attempt to reassure caregivers. In addition, they have included a section on when to call your doctor, many useful safety tips, and a chapter on what to do when your child gets hurt. The book has a chapter dealing with newborn issues but most of the chapters in this book deal with childhood issues. The chapters are organized by areas of the body such as eyes, ears, nose, throat, breathing, stomach, etc. Each chapter is broken down to cover illnesses that affect the specific body part/system that the chapter deals with. When covering an illness/condition, the book includes a general definition of the condition, typical signs and symptoms, what can be done at home, when to call a medical professional and some extra information about the topic. Most topics also have illustrations to help give the caregiver a better idea of what to look for and how to perform the measures to be taken at home. Knowing this information will help the caregiver in differentiating when the child can be cared for at home and when he/she would need immediate medical attention. This all translates into better childcare and a calmer, better informed caregiver.

Community Health Education Ctr RJ101 .M393 2005 Non-circulating

To view this title or other health-related books visit the Community Health Education Center (CHEC). The CHEC is located on the ground floor of the VCUHS Gateway Building on the MCV campus.

Posted by Dana L. Ladd at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

February is American Heart Month. Stop by CHEC to view the Heart Month display and learn about heart health and how to prevent heart problems. Handouts are free and CHEC staff can help you find additional information about specific problems.

For online resources view the American Heart Association's Website:
www.americanheart.org

Posted by Dana L. Ladd at 1:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Reviewed by Ashley Riffee, Community Health Education Center Intern

Breast cancer affects many people either directly or indirectly. Once diagnosed, women must choose one of the treatment options available. Once treatment is finished, patients can become confused about what to do next. Ms. Mayer addresses many of the post breast cancer questions and feelings that women can have after treatment. This book hopes to alleviate some of the negative emotions that follow treatment by assuring the reader that she is not alone. To help achieve this goal the author includes the unique experiences of several women who have been through diagnosis and treatment. The book tries to help patients shift from thoughts of cancer as being hopeless and discouraging to ideas of courage and confidence. Knowing more about what to expect and what options are available will help patients make the best choices when dealing with breast cancer and post breast cancer treatment.

Community Health Education Ctr RC280.B8 M349 2003 Non-circulating

To view this title or other health-related books visit the Community Health Education Center (CHEC). The CHEC is located on the ground floor of the VCUHS Gateway Building on the MCV campus.

Posted by Dana L. Ladd at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Reviewed by Ashley Riffee, Community Health Education Center Intern

Cancer can be detected in many different areas of the body. Some types of cancers have no symptoms, while others may have obvious symptoms. Prostate cancer attacks the prostate gland of males, and it has few or no symptoms. Treatment options vary, and each has various side effects.
The author begins with an overview of the prostate gland and prostate cancer. Once a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer and not a less severe (benign) disease like prostatitis, treatment options must be evaluated. Treatment varies depending on whether the cancer was diagnosed in an early or late stage. The risks associated with treatment and lifestyle changes are briefly discussed. Surgery, a common procedure for treating prostate cancer, and care after surgery are presented. Other new treatment options are also discussed. The author includes various appendixes that serve as quick references for treatment options, common questions and answers, frequently used medical terminology, and useful resources for patients and family members to use including: addresses, phone numbers and websites. This is a good book for anyone who has been recently diagnosed with prostate cancer and wants more information about prostate cancer.

Community Health Education Ctr RC280.P7 P7425 2003 Non-circulating

To view this title or other health-related books visit the Community Health Education Center (CHEC). The CHEC is located on the ground floor of the VCUHS Gateway Building on the MCV campus.

Posted by Dana L. Ladd at 1:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)