Health-E Illinois

American Diabetes Month

MK — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:50:26 +0000

November is American Diabetes Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CD), as of 2007, 23.6 million people—7.8% of the population—have diabetes; 1.6 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people aged 20 years or older in 2007. There are two major forms of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. The CDC defines them as:

Type 1 diabetes was previously called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile-onset diabetes. Type 1 diabetes develops when the body’s immune system destroys pancreatic beta cells, the only cells in the body that make the hormone insulin that regulates blood glucose.

Type 2 diabetes was previously called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes. Type 2 diabetes may account for about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. It usually begins as insulin resistance, a disorder in which the cells do not use insulin properly.

The American Diabetes Association has designated November as a month to bring diabetes awareness to the forefront. The American Diabetes Month website is located at http://www.diabetes.org/community-events/programs/american-diabetes-month/. From this site you can reach pages of information about diabetes. provides information about diabetes and will lead you to local support groups in Illinois.

Another organization that is active in the fight against diabetes is the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF http://www.jdrf.org/). JDRF is dedicated to finding a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. JDRF has chapters in many of the states across the county. Illinois’ chapter website is located at http://www.jdrfillinois.org/. You can also in local health care resources throughout the state by going to our Health-E Illinois database at http://medlineplus.org/illinois and clicking on Services for Diseases and Health Issues. Click on D and scrolled down to diabetes. From there, you can choose a county or put in your zip code.

For more information about diabetes:

Diabetes. MedlinePlus. Also in Spanish.
National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). National Institutes of Health. Also in Spanish.
Kids Diabetes Center. Kids Health. Nemours Foundation.

H1N1 Influenza Update October

MK — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:41:25 +0000

Latest H1N1 activity and updates for the State of Illinois and the nation.

First Doses of H1N1 vaccine given in Illinois 10/22/09
Latest Statistics for Illinois: 542 hospitalizations; 22 deaths
Chicago offers free H1N1 vaccine for those at risk. The Chicago flu clinics will be from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays at these six locations:Kennedy King College, 6301 S. Halsted; Olive Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn; Richard J. Daley College, 7500 S. Pulaski; Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson; Arturo Velasquez Institute, 2800 S. Western, and Wright College, 4300 N. Narragansett.
For a list of clinics in Chicago and surrounding suburbs giving H1N1 vaccine, go to http://cbs2chicago.com/linksnu mbers.
H1N1 activity and surveillance from the CDC

The Illinois Department of Health provides a website (http://www.idph.state.il.us/h1n1_flu/index.htm) that can answer all your questions about H1N1. This site provides not only information about the disease itself, it also provides preventative information and links to the latest news about H1N1. You should also look at Illinois’ seasonal flu site at http://www.idph.state.il.us/flu/index.htm. This site give you general information about influenza, including where to go for a flu shot. Contact your local county public health department for information about H1N1 in your community. To locate your health department, go to Health-E Illinois Search by Providers, Facilities and Services. Click on the letter “P” and choose Public Health Services. Then choose your county from the map displayed.

For more extensive information, you can visit Flu.gov. This site is provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It acts a “one stop shopping” site for flu information.

For more information about swine flu:

Swine Flu Dynamed
Influenza Resources – Loyola Health Sciences Library
Swine Flu MedlinePlus
Swine Flu National Library of Medicine
Swine Flu Health advisory in multiple languages Refugee Health Information Network (RHIN)
Swine Flu news release from US Health and Human Services
Swine Influenza World Health Organizaiton
Swine Flu map on Google

PubMed has a new look

MK — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:02:37 +0000

The National Library of Medicine has redesigned PubMed. The newly redesigned PubMed is now available for the public to preview and test. The goals for this redesign were to make PubMed easier to use, simplify the interface, refresh the look, better organize the text on the screen, and promote scientific discovery. When NLM releases this new interface, the old PubMed interface will disappear.

Here are some links to help you with the new PubMed.

To preview the redesign, click here.
To send a comment to the National Library of Medicine about the New PubMed, click here.
For help using the new interface, click here.
For the National Library of Medicine’s Technical Bulletin article about the new interface, click here.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

MK — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:31:39 +0000

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). If you were watching any National Football League games this weekend, you might have noticed the players wearing pink gloves, shoes, or arm bands. The NFL wore pick to support this effort. The NBCAM organization is celebrating its 25th year promoting breast cancer awareness, sharing information on the disease, and providing greater access to screening services. The founding members of NBCAM are the Board of Sponsors, the American Academy of Family Physicians, AstraZeneca Healthcare Foundation and CancerCare, Inc. Over the years many organizations have joined NBCAM in their efforts to educate women about breast cancer and the importance of screening. According to the National Cancer Institute, DCCPS, Surveillance Research Program, Cancer Statistics Branch, report released in February 2008, over 41,000 people have died in the United States from breast cancer in 2005.

The Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program will provide free mammograms, clinical breast exams, pelvic exams and Pap test to uninsured women in Illinois who are in the age group served. Those enrolled in IBCCP who are diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer will be able to get treatment services provided by Healthcare and Family Services.

To enroll in the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (http://cancerscreening.illinois.gov/), call 1-888-522-1282.

Check Health-E Illinois at http://medlineplus.gov/illinois for locations in Illinois that provide breast cancer screening.

For more information on Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Screen”

Women’s Day At Loyola

MK — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:55:11 +0000

Come by our Health-E Illinois booth at the Loyola Center for Fitness Women’s Day on October 24, 2009, from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Women’s Day includes Professionals from the following disciplines: Vascular Screening, Blood Pressure Screening, Dermatology, Breast Health, Ophthalmology, Aesthetic Clinic, Orthopedics, Personal Training, and Nutrition! Women’s Day is a FREE Event!

The Keynote Speaker will be Dr. Sandy Goldberg NBC5 News Contributor and founder of the A Silver Lining Foundation.

Click here, to see the event flyer. Loyola Center for Fitness is located on Loyola University’s Medical Center Campus in Maywood, Illinois. For directions, click here.

For more information about Women’s Day: (708) 327-2348 or e-mail luchf@lumc.edu.