Monthly Archives: June 2019

Hello Summer: 5 Ways to Have the Healthiest Summer Yet

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Summer is officially here!  Here are a few tips to kick start the season with your health as a main priority.

  • Stay hydrated. Substitute water for sugary beverages.
  • Eat a healthy diet. Summer’s ripe fruits and veggies make any meal tasty and healthy.
  • If you smoke, quit. Smoking may limit your lung capacity and is a precursor for cancer among other health complications. Need support quitting? Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).
  • Get Active. Take advantage of the warm weather by taking a stroll at the park or ramp up your routine by signing up for a 5K race.  Swimming is also a great way to beat the heat and get some exercise.
  • Fight the sun with sunscreen. Protect yourself from exposure of sun rays and reduce your risk of sunburn and skin cancer.
  • Add insect repellent to your daily routine. Mosquitoes and ticks can carry diseases and spread viruses that can make you sick.

Enjoy the longer days, summer vacations, and backyard barbecues, but always be mindful of your health!

Last Day to Register for The Evidence Academy: Reducing Health Disparities in Our State, Held June 21

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Join the South Carolina Cancer Alliance on Friday, June 21 from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM for “Evidence Academy:  Reducing Health Disparities in Our State,” a FREE workshop for health care professionals and advocates.  The premise of the event is to discuss health disparities in cancer.  While mortality rates have declined for many cancers in South Carolina, significant racial disparities persist.

The event will be held at the South Carolina Hospital Association, 1000 Center Point Road, where attendees will learn how to:

  • Relate to the environment of underserved communities
  • Understand four major factors essential to self-development
  • Practice self-reflection and self-awareness
  • Understand bias, implicit bias, and privilege
  • Understand the collateral consequences of structural inequality.

Speakers include:  Scott E. Porter, MD, MBA, FACS, FAOA and Brian Chad Starks, PhD.  Dr. Porter currently serves as the Vice President of Equity and Inclusion and is the former Residency Program Director in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Prisma Health – Upstate.  Dr. Starks is a nationally recognized expert on Cultural Competency, Diversity and Inclusion, Equity and the disruption of Implicit Bias.

Registration is FREE and lunch will be provided.  To register or for more information, visit www.sccancer.org or call 803.708.4732.

5 Fast Facts About Sickle Cell Disease on World Sickle Cell Day

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Today is World Sickle Cell Day.  Sickle cell disease affects millions of people worldwide and is particularly common among people originating from sub-Saharan Africa, Saudi Arabia, India, South America and Central America, and Mediterranean countries, such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy.

  1. Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. The red blood cells become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a “sickle” and the cells die early, which causes a constant storage of red blood cells. Healthy red blood cells are round and move through small blood vessels to carry oxygen to all parts of the body.
  2. SCD affects approximately 100,000 Americans and occurs in about 1 out of every 365 African-American births.
  3. To get SCD, the trait must be inherited from both parents who already have the SCD trait. People with the trait usually do not have any of the signs of the disease and live a normal life, but they can pass the trait to their children.
  4. SCD is diagnosed with a simple blood test. It is most often found at birth during routine newborn screening tests.  Early diagnosis and treatment are important.
  5. The only cure for SCD is a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. These transplants are very risky, and can have serious side effects, including death.  For the transplant to work, the bone marrow must be a close match (usually a brother or sister).

sickle-cell-checklist-rect

The Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC)’s Sickle Cell Program helps people who have SCD pay for medical services, supplies, equipment and medications.  To learn more about the program visit:  https://www.scdhec.gov/health/child-teen-health/services-children-special-health-care-needs/18-and-older-sickle-cell.

Food Recall Alert: King Arthur Flour Recall Due to E.coli

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Approximately 14,218 cases of 5 lb. Unbleached All-Purpose Flour has been recalled due to the potential presence of Escherichia coli bacteria (E. coli).  No illnesses have been reported to date.

Only the following codes and Best Used by Dates are affected by the recall.

BEST USED BY 12/07/19   LOT:   L18A07C
BEST USED BY 12/08/19   LOTS: L18A08A, L18A08B
BEST USED BY 12/14/19   LOTS: L18A14A, L18A14B, L18A14C

King Arthur Recall 2

Consumers who have any of these affected products should not consume them and should throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for credit or refund.

E.coli are bacteria found in the environment, foods, and intestines of people and animals.  Although most strains are harmless, some strains can make you sick.  E.coli may cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, and other illnesses.

As a reminder, please wash your hands, work surfaces, and utensils thoroughly after contact with raw dough products or flour, and to never eat raw dough or batter. For more information about risks of consuming raw dough, refer to the following: https://www.cdc.gov/features/no–raw–dough/index.html.

Read more about the recall here.

South Carolina Health at a Glance: 2018 Live Healthy State Health Assessment Report Demographics

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The first and award-winning South Carolina State Health Assessment  was released in 2018 as a snapshot of South Carolina’s health indicators, issues, and potential outcomes.  Because the document is pretty lengthy (approximately 346 pages to be exact), we will tackle each section at a glance and summarize the most pertinent information.  Our first blog post introduced general information about the assessment, including contributors, definitions of indicators, issues, and possible outcomes, and why the assessment is important.

What is the demographic makeup of South Carolina?

South Carolina’s population is growing consistently.  The state population has increased from 4.6 million in 2010 to about 5 million in 2017, an increase of 8.6% compared to an overall 5.5% increase in the United States.  In 2016, there were 4,961,119 residents in South Carolina.  The five most populated counties in the state were:

  • Greenville (482,191)
  • Richland (401,743)
  • Charleston (380,673)
  • Horry (300,418)
  • Spartanburg (294,229)

Men made up 48.5% of the population, while women were 51.5%.

Why is South Carolina’s population increasing?

The state’s growth is attributable to three main drivers:

  • People within the country moving to South Carolina (67% increase)
  • More births to South Carolina residents (23% increase)
  • People outside of the United States moving to the state (10% increase)

Another factor can be attributed to the growing elderly community.  The proportion of South Carolinians who are over 65 years old increased from 13.7% in 2010 to 16.7% in 2017.

Race/Ethnicity Makeup of South Carolina

The three largest racial/ethnic groups in South Carolina in 2016 were non-Hispanic Whites (3.1 million), non-Hispanic Blacks (1.3 million) and Hispanic/Latino (272,791).  Of the Hispanic/Latino residents, 55.3% were of Mexican origin, 12% were from Puerto Rico, 5.2% from Guatemala, and 5.0% Honduras.

Marital Status

In 2016, nearly half of South Carolina residents – 15 years old and older, were married (46.2%); 32.7% of residents had never been married; 11.1% were divorced; 7.0% were widowed; and 3.0% were separated.  The median age of first marriage was 29.9 years for men and 28.4 years for women.

Education Factors

From 2002 to 2017, the percentage of South Carolina students who graduated from high school increased from 77.3% in 2002 to 84.6% in 2017.  In 2017, the South Carolina graduation rate was the highest it had been in 17 years.

In nationwide comparison, South Carolina fairs well in educational attainment among adults.  See below.

SC Education_SCHA Report

Income Levels

The median income for individuals varied based on the level of education obtained.  As the level of education increased so did the median earnings.  Individuals with a bachelor’s degree in South Carolina had median earnings of $46,083, compared to $51,676 for the United States.  Median household income for South Carolina in 2016 was $48,501, compared to $57,617 for the United States.

SC Income_SCHA Report

Approximately 735,960 individuals (15.3%) lived below the federal poverty level (FPL).  The 2018 FPL for individuals is $12,140 and for a family of four is $25,100.  More than one-third of South Carolinians lived under 200% of the FPL (35.4%).  This is higher than the percent of United States residents.

Housing

In 2016, 68.6% of homes in South Carolina were owner-occupied, while 31.4% were renter-occupied.  The median rent was $841.  The highest median rent was seen in Beaufort County at $1,170.  Most homeowners paid between $1,000-$1,499 or $500-$999 on monthly owner costs.  Selected monthly owner costs were calculated from the sum of payment for mortgages, real estate taxes, various insurances, utilities, fuels, mobile home costs, and condominium fees.  The median South Carolina homeowner spent $1,182 on selected monthly owner costs.

South Carolina is a diverse and growing population.  For more demographics, including disability status, languages spoken at home, and veteran status, view the full report.