RCAHD Community Health Update A Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts publication Because heart disease is the leading cause of death both in the United States and in Virginia, improving heart health is an important goal for the Virginia Department of Health. Major risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure (known as “hypertension”),... Continue reading→

RCAHD Community Health Update A Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts publication In Southwestern Virginia, each autumn brings the predictable start of a new respiratory illness season with its own unpredictable twists and turns. The onset of colder, less humid air can both impact our natural defense mechanisms against illnesses and motivate people to move... Continue reading→

RCAHD Community Health Update A Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts publication As public health servants, we are always pleased to have opportunities to share good news. We are thrilled to report that we have started to see decreases in the rates of drug overdose deaths in some of our localities, particularly those experiencing higher... Continue reading→

RCAHD Community Health Update A Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts publication World Rabies Day is September 28. Rabies is a preventable fatal viral illness, typically transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. The Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts (RCAHD) investigate and provide case management of rabies exposures, including arranging for testing of... Continue reading→

RCAHD Community Health Update A Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts publication The mission of the Epidemiology Division of the Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts (RCAHD) is to monitor and investigate emerging communicable diseases, investigate outbreaks, and provide guidance to stop the further spread of communicable diseases for our community’s wellbeing. To put it... Continue reading→

RCAHD Community Health Update A Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts publication From the moment we are born, our brains are constantly changing. In infancy and adolescence, the neural networks in our brains experience periods of enormous growth. These brain networks are essential- they help us learn, think, remember, and organize our memories. As we... Continue reading→

RCAHD Community Health Update A Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts publication Along with the importance of physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing plays a significant role in overall health. On the one hand, when communities don’t serve residents’ mental health needs, the result can have a negative influence on homelessness, poverty, employment, safety, and the local... Continue reading→

RCAHD Community Health Update A Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts publication As we enjoy another beautiful spring in Southwestern Virginia, we encourage residents to take steps to protect themselves from ticks. Sometimes tiny and hard to spot, ticks can cause serious medical problems including Lyme disease and alpha-gal food allergy, and some life-threatening diseases... Continue reading→

RCAHD Community Health Update A Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts publication Sometimes public health efforts operate like a loudspeaker, serving large areas of the community at once, such as with our work to protect drinking water or to respond to emergencies. However, when it comes to reproductive health, our local public health efforts usually... Continue reading→