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- Written by: Jennifer King, Public Information Officer
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As the new year begins, January marks Cervical Cancer Awareness Month—a vital opportunity to highlight the importance of prevention, screening, and education surrounding cervical cancer. This month serves as a reminder that proactive measures can significantly lower your risk of cervical cancer, and it all starts with understanding the power of regular screenings.
Cervical Cancer and Its Prevention
Cervical cancer is often preventable, and one of the most effective ways to protect yourself is by getting screened regularly, beginning at age 21. For residents in North Georgia, reaching out to your local Health Department in counties such as ours in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, or Whitfield can provide you with essential information on how to receive the HPV vaccine or undergo cervical cancer screening.
The Importance of Screening Tests
Two key screening tests play a crucial role in detecting cervical cancer early: the HPV test and the Pap test (Pap smear).
- HPV Test: This test identifies the presence of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus that can lead to cell changes on the cervix.
- Pap Test: This examination looks for precancerous cell changes that, if left untreated, could develop into cervical cancer.
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- Category: Media Releases
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This applies to all public health services and programs in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield counties, including our district office, health departments, environmental health offices, WIC services, and The Living Bridge Centers located in Canton, Dalton, and Gainesville.
For the list of all 2024 U.S. Federal Holidays, please visit www.ca2.uscourts.gov/clerk/calendars/federal_holidays.html.
See you Tuesday!
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- Written by: Jennifer King, Public Information Officer
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Update—Thurs. 12:30 PM, 9/26/2024:
Jasper, GA—Pickens County Health Department closed early today, Thursday, September 26th, because of the anticipated hazardous weather conditions. This closure also includes WIC and Environmental Health services in Pickens County.
As a reminder, the North Georgia Health District issued a district-wide media release yesterday stating that all public health services within the district will be closed on Friday, September 27th, due to the storm. The district includes Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield counties.
All updates are posted to the North Georgia Health District website at www.nghd.org and on the district’s social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).
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Update—Thurs. 9:10 AM, 9/26/2024:
Blue Ridge, GA—Due to predicted hazardous weather conditions, the Fannin County Health Department will CLOSE at noon today, Thursday, September 26th. This also includes WIC and Environmental Health services.
The North Georgia Health District announced yesterday in a districtwide media release that all public health services within the district will be closed on Friday, September 27th. The district includes Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield counties.
All updates are posted to the North Georgia Health District website at www.nghd.org and on the district’s social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).
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Update—Wed. 8 PM, 9/25/2024:
Chatsworth, GA—The Murray County Health Department and Environmental Health Office, along with WIC services in Murray, will now be CLOSED both Thursday, Sept. 26th and Friday, Sept. 27, due to the potential for hazardous weather conditions.
All updates will be posted here and on our social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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Update—Wed. 4 PM, 9/25/2024:
North GA—Due to potentially hazardous weather conditions, all public health facilities in North Georgia Health District 1-2 will be CLOSED on Friday, September 27, 2024. This includes the district office in Dalton, all health departments, WIC offices, and Environmental Health offices in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield counties, and The Living Bridge Centers in Canton, Dalton, and Gainesville.
All updates for the North Georgia Health District will be posted here and to our social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).
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North GA - Teresa Costa, MPH, an esteemed Emory Epidemiology Fellow at the North Georgia Health District, has been honored with the prestigious Community Engagement Award from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health for 2024. This accolade is bestowed upon a fellow whose exceptional work embodies the principles of community service, recognizing those who have fostered strong connections between their health district and the community through impactful public health initiatives.
Teresa's remarkable community engagement efforts over the past year included spearheading a collaborative endeavor to develop and implement a critical community needs assessment. Despite the availability of prevention, testing, and treatment resources at low cost through the health department, Cherokee County witnessed a concerning 45% surge in confirmed syphilis cases from 2019 to 2022. This uptick
Rollins Epidemiology Fellowship Community Engagement Award 2024
disproportionately affected historically marginalized populations, including Hispanic and Black non-Hispanic individuals, as well as people from the MSM (men who have sex with men) and PWID (people who inject drugs) populations.
After successfully obtaining The Community Engagement to Strengthen Approaches to Decrease Syphilis Grant from NACCHO (National Association of County and City Health Officials), Teresa played a crucial role in initiating a comprehensive community needs assessment campaign named "Using Community Informed Methods to Reduce Syphilis in Cherokee County" to identify barriers to care. Collaborating with the health district staff and community partners such as Cherokee Focus, the Cherokee County Health Department, and The Living Bridge Center South, a community needs assessment survey was published online and was promoted through paid and unpaid ads on various social media platforms. Additionally, flyers offering access to the survey via a QR Code link were widely distributed. The campaign specifically targeted the historically marginalized populations.
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