Call Healthstreet at 352-294-4880 to join over 12,000 members! Sign up today! Our Community Health Workers will do a health assessment intake to identify your specific needs and how those needs could be addressed by the healthcare system. We will also share with you opportunities to participate in research studies you may be eligible for.

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, and offers us the opportunity to discuss human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and how they will help prevent cancer. Cervical cancer, once the leading cause of cancer death for women in the US, is the most preventable of all female cancers. About 79 million people, most in their late teens and early 20s, are currently infected with HPV, and an additional 14 million are estimated to be infected each year–a compelling reason to protect preteens and teens early through vaccination. Increasing HPV vaccination rates is a public health priority.

HealthStreet reached out to Dr. Stephanie Staras, an associate professor in the Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics and an expert in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine implementation research and whose work highlights the strong association between HPV vaccine initiation and parents’ beliefs about the HPV vaccine’s ability to prevent cancer safely. Dr. Staras shared with us information about the HPV vaccination. "When received by 17 years of age, the HPV vaccine can reduce the risk of cervical cancer by 88%. The vaccine also prevents five additional types of cancer - vaginal, vulvar, penial, anal, and oropharynx cancer. In order to prevent these six cancers, national health organizations recommend that the HPV vaccine be received by age 11 or 12. The vaccine is available at most health care providers for no or low cost and has typical side-effects of vaccines like arm soreness or redness. I see the HPV vaccine as an opportunity for parents to protect their children from future cancers and strongly suggest parents speak to their child’s primary care provider about the vaccine"

SPECIAL EVENTS CALENDAR

As part of the UF CTSI mission to cultivate and engage each other in honest and vulnerable conversations about race, the UF CSTI Diversity and Cultural Competency Council (DC3) introduces the inaugural Black Voices in Research Storytelling Event. This event underscores the inherent value of telling our stories. The goals of this event are to create a platform for black biomedical researchers and research professionals to amplify their stories, bring awareness to their experiences that have shaped how they show up in their field, and to build and enrich UF’s diverse research community. This event will introduce five Black men and women who will share their stories in a live stream format featuring a special welcome and introduction from UF CTSI Director, Duane Mitchell, MD, PhD. RSVP for this special event.

Interested in participating in research?

Here are a few studies that you can participate in now:

+ The MAPLE Study is trying to understand the long-term health effects of marijuana on people living with HIV. Eligible participants must be 60+ years of age, HIV+, and self-report marijuana use

+The Rogue Study is examining the role of the gut microbiome on reasoning in older adults living with HIV. Eligible participants must be 60+ years of age, HIV+, and willing to participate in an MRI

If you are interested in hearing about these or other studies, contact our Study Navigator, Sara, at 352-294-4873.

Do you or someone you know have cancer? We'd love to talk about opportunities to participate in research. Please share this link to become a member and learn about cancer screenings.

Copyright © 2020 HealthStreet, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
HealthStreet@ufl.edu

For more information, visit us at-
UF HealthStreet

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.