Strength to Love, 1963.
Following today’s national holiday, both Houses of Congress are on State / District work breaks until next week.
Today’s blog is focused on preventive care topics.
- HR Advisor discusses the Dos and Don’ts of Employee Wellness Programs. The FEHBlog dearly wishes that OPM would create a connection between the federal agency employee wellness and assistance programs and its FEHB plans. Doing so would help employees better navigate federal employee benefits.
- NPR Shots offers encouraging news on a new initiative:
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline received over 1.7 million calls, texts and chats in its first five months. That’s nearly half a million more than the old 10-digit Suicide Prevention Lifeline fielded during the same period the year before. Launched in mid-July last year, the 988 number is modeled on the 911 system and is designed to be a memorable and quick number that connects people who are suicidal or in any other mental health crisis to a trained mental health professional. Not only are more people reaching out, more are being connected to help. Federal data shows that the Lifeline responded to 154,585 more contacts – including calls, text messages and chats – in November 2022 than the same month the year before. The number of abandoned calls fell from 18% in November 2021 to 12% last November.
- The American Medical Association tells us what doctors want their patients to know about preventing cervical cancer. The upshot is HPV vaccines and HPV and pap smear testing. The article discusses topics such as the timing of testing and may be worth sharing with plan members
- Speaking of vaccinations, Precision Vaccination informs us
Women can give their babies protection against whooping cough (pertussis) before their little ones are even born, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a second, safe vaccine that prevents whooping cough from achieving that goal.
When these (Tdap) vaccines are given during pregnancy, it increases antibodies in the mother, which are transferred to the developing fetus.
On January 10, 2023, the FDA announced the Adacel® vaccine (Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid, and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine, Adsorbed) is now approved for immunization during the third trimester of pregnancy.
As well as an active booster immunization against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis for use in persons 10 through 64 years of age.
- Kaiser Family News explores when pregnant women with severe nausea should seek medical care. The FEHBlog expects this is why NCQA and OPM encourage a visit to the OB-GYN in the first trimester.
- A Govexec contributor offers a simple exercise regimen for office workers.
.