Cervical Health Awareness Month Podcast

Here is the podcast of my interview with Erin Zabel of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Virginia about Cervical Health Awareness Month.  Zabel says cervical cancer is one of our most preventable cancers.

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HR Topics -- Cervical Health Awareness Month

Sunday, 1/8 @ 6am 
92.9 The Wave, ESPN Radio 94.1, Star 1310 and 97.3 The Eagle 

Congress has designated January as Cervical Health Awareness Month.  It's an effort to remind women to

• Pap test regularly, once a year after age 21
• Test for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), THE cause of cervical cancer
• Get vaccinated against HPV if under age 26.

My guest is Erin Zabel of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Virginia, one of several local and national health organizations that are supporting Cervical Health Awareness Month.  Erin talks at length about the HPV vaccines Gardisil and Cervarix, which can stop infection of the strains of HPV that cause the vast majority of cervical cancer cases.

Erin says cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, but only if steps are taken early in life.  The virus that causes it is widespread; an estimated 75% of sexually active Americans ages 15 to 49 carry it.  The HPV vaccines are recommended for females under age 26.  In Virginia, state law mandates that girls get the HPV vaccine before they enter sixth grade, but parents can opt out of the requirement.  The vaccine has also been approved for use in boys to guard against genital warts.  Boys in Virginia are not required to get the vaccine, however.

I will take a moment here to address the fact that Planned Parenthood is controversial for the services they offer in abortion, which is one of the most divisive political issues we have.  We don't discuss abortion in Sunday's segment, but in prior interviews, Zabel has pointed out that abortions amount to only 3% of the services offered by Planned Parenthood.  She realizes that abortion is a stigma that the organization must work through to provide the other 97% of its services, which include family planning, birth control, and public outreach and education, such as this week's appearance on Hampton Roads Topics.  Zabel adds that if abortion were outlawed today, Planned Parenthood would still be there, providing those other services.

Links:
Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Virginia
Virginia Immunization Requirements
WebMD's report on HPV
Report on the study on teen HPV vaccine beliefs

HR Topics -- Senior Medicare Patrol Podcast

The New Year's Day episode of Hampton Roads Topics, focusing on Virginia's Senior Medicare Patrol, is now available on the podcast.  My guest is Susan Johnson, who describes how Medicare fraud is a $60-billion per year problem in the United States.

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Download previous editions of Hampton Roads Topics from the podcast page.

HR Topics 01-01-12 -- Senior Medicare Patrol

Sunday, 1/1 @ 6am 
92.9 The Wave, ESPN Radio 94.1, Star 1310 and 97.3 The Eagle

Hampton Roads Topics is starting off the New Year with a look at Virginia's Senior Medicare Patrol, or SMP.  SMP is a volunteer-based program under the Virginia Association of Area Agencies on Aging that aims to reduce fraud in the nation's Medicare system.  It's estimated that 60 to 80 billion taxpayer dollars are lost every year to Medicare fraud, waste and abuse.  My guest is SMP Project Manager Susan Johnson

For more information on the Senior Medicare Patrol, visit www.VirginiaSMP.org

HR Topics 12-18-11 -- Flu Shots/Pertussis

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Dr. Nancy Welch, the Director of the Chesapeake Health District, discusses flu shots on this edition of Hampton Roads Topics. Dr. Welch says October through December is the best time get a flu shot to provide protection against the height of the influenza season, which is generally January through March. Flu shots are recommended for children, the elderly, and people with chronic illness or compromised immune systems.

We also discuss a new initiative to combat whooping cough, also known as pertussis. The news wire is full of stories detailing how pertussis cases have been soaring in recent years while vaccination rates have gradually been trending down.  The pertussis vaccine is usually given with the so-called T-DAP shot, which also protects against tetanus and diphtheria.  Public school students in Virginia are required to get the T-DAP before entering 6th grade.

For information in getting a flu shot, contact your family doctor or your local health district.  Also visit the Virginia Department of Health's website for more vaccination info.

Combating Drinking and Driving

Because the holidays are such a problematic time for drinking and driving, I'm posting an interview I did in 2010 with Mike Goodove, the President of the Hampton Roads chapter of MADD.  

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New Podcast Added

Sunday's interview with Green Run High School Principal Dr. George Parker has been added to the podcast.  We discuss the upcoming Virginia Beach Schools African American Male Summit, which Dr. Parker's school is hosting.  Click here to view the podcast list