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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

For information on hand washing and how to prevent the spread of germs visit:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/germsandhygiene.html

Understanding Migraine and Other Headaches presents information about headaches, especially, migraines. The book defines what a migraine is and how it differs from other types of headaches like tension or cluster headaches. Who gets migraines, the role of hormones, and what causes them are also addressed. Once a migraine has been diagnosed and evaluated, treatment can be prescribed. Finally, preventing migraines and ways to avoid them are also discussed.
Because migraines are better understood, diagnosis more accurate, and medication more sophisticated, treatment of migraines can be effective.
Research about migraines is ongoing. As more is understood about migraines, potential new treatments can be developed. For people who suffer from migraines, the book includes sources for further information and support.

Community Health Education Ctr RC392 .T39 2004 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.

Community Health Education Center, Ground Floor
VCU Health System Gateway Building
1200 East Marshall Street, Richmond, VA 23298

This event is free and open to the public.
For special accommodations please contact (804) 828-0626 or (804) 628-2429 by
Monday, October 22, 2007

This event is sponsored by the VCU Health System, the MCVH Auxiliary
of the VCUHS, and the VCU Libraries

The Best Labour Possible? presents information to expecting mothers on the different ways of giving birth. Included is detailed information on both what pregnant women should look for in a facility before giving birth and in different birthing styles. The author begins with describing how having a baby is beautiful and details what to expect during birth. She lists different facilities for giving birth; for example, use a midwife right in your home, go to a hospital or go to a birthing center. There are helpful tips to help choose what will be the best place to deliver your baby.
Next, different birthing methods are described in great detail. Some methods are having the baby in a pool, at the hospital, or at home with family and friends. The pros and cons are presented for each method. Pain management is also discussed. The different medications that can be used as well as alternative ways to handle pain are presented. The stages of childbirth are explained along with what to expect during labor. Illustrations are included to show what is going on in your body while you are preparing for delivery and during delivery. Last, the book gives real life experiences from several mothers who have delivered babies using the different birthing methods and the different pain medicines, giving the reader an idea of what the methods are really like from women who have experienced the.
The only downfall of this book is that it is written for mothers in England. Their health care system is set up differently than ours, so their references to resources there may be different than what is available in the U.S. Otherwise, this is a great book that explains birthing in great detail and gives expectant mothers different options to explore about giving birth.

Community Health Education Ctr RG525 .H538 2001 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.

The African American Woman's Guide to a Healthy Heart, an informative book designed to help guide women through the diverse topics relating to heart disease and strokes, is broken down into three sections. The first section explains the role that the heart, blood vessels, and brain play in a woman's body. It includes brief descriptions, symptoms of multiple conditions and/or diagnoses that are associated with heart disease. Modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors that pertain to each individual. Another chapter is devoted to children and the risk factors associated with heart disease and strokes. It highlights some of the serious consequences children could have in life if they aren't healthy.
The second section of the book breaks down each individual risk factor for heart disease and stroke and explains how each contributes to the development of heart disease and strokes. There are helpful tips and suggestions to gaining control over the more difficult risk factors like smoking, diet, and exercise. A whole chapter is dedicated to the topic of menopause. In this chapter a brief description is included that highlights common symptoms that occur with menopause and ways to diminish them through lifestyle changes. It also goes into detail on certain diseases that are sometimes associated with post menopausal women, one of which is heart disease. For the majority of African American women, understanding and coping with illnesses and diseases often include a spiritual aspect; therefore, a chapter is devoted toward spirituality and how it plays an important role in African American women's lives from diagnosis to recovery.
The last section includes ways to muddle through the health care system. It provides how to go about finding a doctor that fits each individual, especially one whom the woman feels comfortable talking to. Also, explained are the different types of doctors commonly seen and their specializations. Finally, a list of basic areas of the body that are covered during a physical exam performed by a doctor is provided. To end the book, multiple lists of common questions that can and should be asked by a woman on a variety of subjects like weight management, smoking, high blood pressure, high blood pressure, etc. during an appointment with a doctor are presented. Resources to help a woman find additional information include: websites, locations, mailing addresses, and articles from other books and journals.
Heart disease and strokes disproportionately affect African American women, therefore this book can be very important for women to read.

Community Health Education Ctr RC682 .A39 2004 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.

Coping With the Beauty Myth is one of a series of coping books written for teenagers. Today the beauty myth is seen everywhere: in magazine ads, on TV, in movies, on billboards, and even on city buses. Because teenage girls are bombarded with how to look, what to wear, what makeup to use, etc. it can be difficult to remember that models in ads are retouched; imperfections are erased away. What's seen is something that doesn't exist. Rarely, if ever, do real girls fit the image of the fashion model, yet rarely do the magazines feature real girls. For a young woman, it can be hard to remember to be who she is, not what some advertiser/fashion model says she should be. Ads promise girls that they will be more beautiful, more popular, etc. if they use a particular product. No one wants to be unpopular. Fear of being left out or unloved motivates teens to believe these empty promises. The reality is that manufacturers need to sell their products, so they create ads to get us to buy these products. We must remember that "The primary goal of every producer of goods is one thing: profit. They will do whatever it takes to empty your wallet."
For some teenagers, failure to copy this artificial beauty can lead to disease. Some forms this hurt takes are anorexia, bulimia, self-mutilation, over-eating, drug abuse, etc. How our families relate to themselves and to their female children can also impact the way the body is seen. If, for example, a girl is told over and over again by her father that she is the most beautiful girl in the world, she may come to believe that the only way to achieve acceptance is to be pretty. Or, if the mother is obsessed with how she looks to others, this attitude can be learned by the child.
Unfortunately, the beauty standard can cause teenagers to focus on the wrong issues. Instead of focusing on how others perceive them, they should be focusing on developing skills and interests, and most important: self-esteem. What to do. Spend time learning who you are and what your style is. Fat or skinny; tall or short; who you are IS most important.
The book provides references and a reading list for more information.

Community Health Education Ctr RA777.25 .W45 2000 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.

CHEC's monthly display features diabetes resources including books and handouts about diabetes I and II, eating right, foot care, eye care, coping, and prevention. Feel free to take home some of the diabetes handouts or ask for additional information at the reference desk.

Stop by CHEC today and view the diabetes display!

Parkinson's Disease, a progressive, degenerative disease, impacts not only the patient, but family and friends as well. From understanding "Basic Concepts for living with Parkinson's" to topics like communicating, mealtime managing, and "Empowering Yourself," this book provides information to help live with the disease.
Ms. Schwarz divides her chapters into three segments. The first is the basic issues to be handled in the chapter. In the first chapter, which discusses living with Parkinson's Disease, the first section presents ways to keep a positive attitude. The second section is called "Helping Hands," which discusses how others can help the patient; and the last section is "Resources." Great ideas are great only if they are accessible. This section of each chapter gives addresses, phone numbers and website information, so that if you want a speech amplifier, for example, you know where to get it.
While you may not have total control over your Parkinson's Disease, you do have control over how you allow it to affect your life. Keep a positive attitude, learn adaptive ways to accomplish everyday activities, learn how to speak to be understood, and stay active. Plan, be realistic and creative, and you should be able to do many of the activities you want to do.

Community Health Education Ctr RC382 .S3825 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.