Jackson College has partnered with Henry Ford Jackson Hospital to offer healthcare to Jackson College students and employees. The Jackson College Health Clinic (JCHC) is located on Central Campus in Justin Whiting Hall, Room 111. The caring and professional staff at the JCHC provides quality healthcare, including annual exams (physicals, program physicals and sports physicals), acute and chronic illness care and preventative health care (It’s Your Life). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
HEALTH CLINIC HOURS
Summer 2022
Monday: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Wednesday: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Thursday: 8 a.m. - 12 noon
Friday: 8 a.m. - 12 noon (virtual visits only)
Call 517.990.1374 to make an appointment.
Walk-ins are also welcome.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asthma and Allergy Awareness
|
Since 1984, May has been considered National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. This month is dedicated to educating the public about the 65 million Americans who suffer from asthma and allergies, some even having both (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), 2021). There is no cure for asthma or allergies and the overall impact of these diseases can be devastating. |
Asthma is a common medical condition currently affecting 25 million Americans (roughly 8 percent of the U.S. population) (AAFA, 2021). This condition is characterized by a chronic inflammation of the airways. The chronic inflammation of the lungs contributes to airway hyper-responsiveness, airflow limitations and respiratory symptoms. Symptoms include chest tightness, cough, breathlessness and recurrent episodes of wheezing (McPhee & Papadakis, 2010). Untreated asthma can even lead to death.
Asthma is considered to be a disease brought on by both genetic and environmental factors and although there is no cure for asthma, this condition can be managed. Management includes proper prevention techniques such as, avoiding known triggers like tobacco smoke, taking preventative medications and monitoring lung function through routine screening. |
| • | Asthma is the leading chronic condition in children |
| • | 10 Americans die every day from asthma (many of these avoidable with proper treatment) |
| • | From 2008-2013, the annual economic cost of asthma was more than $81 billion, this included medical costs and loss of work and school days |
| • | Racial and ethnic differences increased the risk of asthma frequency, illness and death are highly connected with poverty, city air quality, indoor allergens, poor health care and patient education. |
| • | Black Americans are nearly three times more likely to die from asthma than white Americans (AAFA, 2021). |
|
An allergy is a when your body's immune system has a hypersensitivity to a foreign antigen. Allergic exposures can be localized or systemic. The skin and respiratory tract are the body systems most affected by allergic disease (McPhee & Papadakis, 2010). Allergies can be caused by something you eat, you touch or inhale. It can cause reactions like sneezing, coughing, hives, rash, itchy eyes, runny nose or sore throat. Severe cases of an allergic reaction can cause trouble breathing, low blood pressure, asthma attacks and even death (AAFA, 2021). |
| • | Each year 50 million Americans experience some type of allergies |
| • | Annual cost of allergies is over $18 billion |
| • | The most common triggers for anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction) are medicine, food and insect stings |
| • | Milk is the most common food allergen for children, followed by egg and peanut |
| • | Shellfish is the most common food allergen for adults |
| • | Penicillin is the most common medication that people have an allergic reaction to |
| • | Allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States (AAFA, 2021). |
|
There is no cure for asthma or allergies. Education is the cornerstone of prevention and management of these conditions. These numbers paint a picture of how many people in the U.S. are managing asthma and allergies. But they don’t paint a picture of the overall impact these diseases have on people, their caregivers, and communities.
If you have asthma or allergies make sure to track your symptoms. This is an important piece of managing your disease. Also, keep regularly scheduled appointments with your health care provider. You and your provider may develop an action plan. This plan will tell you when and if you need to use your medications, or when to seek emergency care. If you have questions, make sure to ask your health care provider. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
