National Public Health Week Published April 7, 2015 By Staff Sgt. Amy Easton 97th Medical Group Public Health ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- During the first full week of April each year, the American Public Health Association (APHA) brings communities together to recognize the contributions of public health workers and highlight issues that are important to improving our nation. The theme for this year is, "Healthiest Nation 2030." Your Altus Air Force Base Public Health office is joining the nation in this campaign and stands ready to prevent disease, disability and premature death of our base beneficiaries. We are comprised of two sections; Community Health and Force Health Management, which cover everything from food sanitation inspections, communicable disease investigations, medical readiness for deployers, preventive health assessments and the occupational health program. This year, Public Health is focusing on preventing hearing loss and sexually transmitted infections. Hearing makes it possible to listen, laugh, love and enjoy many of the small things that shape our quality of life. The ability to hear is critical to the teamwork and skills required to accomplish military missions, but also for maintaining your connection with family and friends. Given the importance to hearing for your career, relationships and safety, it's no wonder that a diagnosis of hearing loss is detrimental. The signs of hearing loss vary greatly between each person, but are generally described as difficulty hearing in noisy situations, experiencing persistent ear ringing or straining to understand conversations involving more than two people. Prolonged or repeated exposures to noise levels above 85 decibels, or even one time exposure, are responsible for hearing loss. The Hearing Conservation Program supports occupationally exposed workers through noise measurement and analysis, annual hearing tests and continuous education and training. Keep in mind that although a lot of loud noise exposure may come from your work center, even movie theaters, personal headphones and children's toys may contribute to hearing loss. To prevent noise-induced hearing loss, take the first step and reduce your exposure. If it is not feasible to remove yourself from the noise, correct and practice regular use of hearing protection devices such as earplugs and ear muffs. The public health office is your number one stop for correct earplug selection, fitting and education. To learn more about hearing conservation, visit the Department of Defense Hearing Center of Excellence at http://hearing.health.mil. When it comes to prevention and testing for sexually transmitted infections, people often make false assumptions. The truth is that infections can affect anyone regardless of their age, sex, rank or marital status. Unprotected sexual acts can lead to a wide array of infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes or even HIV. The sooner you know your status; the better you can protect your health, as well as your partner. It's important as military members to realize that not all our medical checkups include testing for sexually transmitted infections; ask your provider if you would like to be tested. To prevent the spread of infections, practice safe measures such as abstinence, vaccination (Hepatitis B and Human Papilloma Virus), mutual monogamy, reduced number of partners, and the correct and consistent use of condoms. To learn more about prevention, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/std/. For more information about National Public Health Week, visit www.nphw.org or call Altus AFB Public Health at 580-481-5488.