Health in the 406

Diabetes Awareness Month

Across Montana about 77,000 adults have been diagnosed with diabetes and many others are living with the disease, but don’t know it.
Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) services can help people learn to manage their diabetes and reduce the risk of diabetes-related health problems!
Learn more about how to live with and manage your diabetes and find Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support resources near you by using our guide and interactive map.

In 2017, approximately 1 in 5 Montanan adults engaged in binge drinking.
Drinking alcohol while using opioids increased the risk of overdose and death.
Widespread use of effective community-based strategies for preventing binge drinking—such as regulating the number of places that sell alcohol in any given neighborhood—could reduce opioid misuse and overdoses involving alcohol.

In 2018, 9.9 million misused pain prescription relievers often obtained from family and friends.
Save lives and the environment by properly disposing of unused drugs at local take back sites or permanent drop boxes. There are 165 drop boxes located in 55 counties across Montana.
Join thousands of people across the county on October 26, 2019, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, in cleaning out your medicine cabinet and turn in –safely and anonymously- prescription drugs.

Severe bleeding can lead to death in 5 minutes. In Montana, the average time from a 9-1-1 call until EMS arrives on the scene is 14 minutes.
Bystanders are often the first to step in and help; everyone should be trained on how to Stop the Bleed. Find out more about classes in your area and how to get a Bleeding Control Kit.
Montana ranks in the top 10 nationally for the percent of Stop the Bleed instructors per person. Missoula and surrounding area have been the trendsetters offering 40 classes and training approximately 1,000 Montanans.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest, or SCA, is among the leading killers of Americans, claiming an estimated 350,000 people each year.
Individuals should know what to do in a SCA emergency. Learn CPR and how to use an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED).
Communities can come together and improve survival rates from SCA with help from the Cardiac Ready Communities Program at DPHHS.

Did you know, the percentage of people with disabilities who are employed (18.7%) is 47 percent less than people without disabilities (65.7%).
Employed individuals are healthier than people who are not employed; regardless of disability status. Employment can improve health by providing social, psychological, and financial benefits.
Prepare your workplace for people with disabilities using the JAN toolkit or EARN resources.

October 1, 2019 marks the 10-year anniversary of the full implementation of the Montana Clean Indoor Air Act (CIAA), which has led to decreases in both youth and adult cigarette smoking and reduced secondhand smoke exposure.
More work needs to be done; 30% of Montana’s high school students use e-cigarettes.
E-cigarette aerosol can contain nicotine, metals, ultrafine particles and chemicals that have been known to cause respiratory disease and cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges communities to take action by including e-cigarettes in local smoke free policies.

One mile of walking translates to 2/3 of the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day.
Safe Routes to School programs promote health and physical activity among children of all ages and abilities by encouraging travel to school via safe, active transportation.
Parents, schools, public health officials, and transportation representatives can celebrate National Walk to School Day on October 2, 2019.