Blog | Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

Bucks County Health Improvement

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

The Crucial Role of Vaccines for the Elderly

By- bchip

Dec 22, 2023 | No Comments

Vaccinations play a pivotal role in safeguarding older adults. Our ability to fight off infections and maintain our immune system declines as we age. Many of us who are elderly are also in situations where contagious conditions are easily spread. This creates situations where vaccine use is critical for older Americans to stay healthy and live fully. Vaccines are a safe and effective way for older adults to build immunity against infectious diseases, reducing the chances of serious illness, hospitalization,…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

Trying to Quit Smoking? Use Tech

By- bchip

Nov 9, 2023 | No Comments

According to the CDC, smoking causes about one in five deaths in the U.S. each year, which makes it the #1 cause of preventable deaths. This includes one-third of all cancer and 90% of all lung cancer deaths, and it is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. The addictive nicotine in cigarettes and the many other toxic chemicals used in tobacco products damage every aspect of the smoker’s health, yet many people struggle to quit, even with…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

Are Vaccines Safe?

By- bchip

Nov 9, 2023 | No Comments

Vaccines have been a cornerstone of public health for over a century. They have saved millions of lives over that time and helped eradicate deadly diseases like smallpox and polio. Despite their remarkable success, vaccines continue to be a subject of controversy and misinformation. Here at BCHIP, we believe that Bucks County residents should have access to safe and effective vaccines. Here are reasons why vaccines are safe. Extensive Testing and Approval Process Vaccines undergo an extensive and rigorous approval…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

Social Support Networks When You Stop Smoking

By- bchip

Oct 5, 2023 | No Comments

It is much harder to break the habit of smoking than it is to break an ordinary habit, such as biting your nails. Some of the same techniques may apply, such as keeping your hands busy or distracting yourself when you have an urge. But because nicotine is addictive, quitting can cause unpleasant physical and emotional side effects. This is when having a social support network becomes very important. If you live in Bucks County, we have a smoking cessation…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

Should Vaccines Be Mandatory?

By- bchip

Oct 5, 2023 | No Comments

BCHIP is a pro-vaccine organization because vaccines can help you protect yourself and your family. We also believe in the intelligent and peaceful discussion of whether someone or their family should be vaccinated. Every family in Bucks County should make the best decisions for their members. The US population is very polarized on many issues, though recent polls show that most Americans want to receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine. Mandatory vs. Forced Vaccination They sound alike, but there are key…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

How to Share Your Advance Health Care Directive

By- bchip

Sep 12, 2023 | No Comments

Your advance health care directive, also known as a living will, tells medical professionals and your family what health care decisions you want to be made for you, should you be unable to speak for yourself. BCHIP offers a free Advance Care Planning Consultation to help you with the process of completing an advance directive or you can use our simple form with reflection guidelines to help you think through and address the most important questions that you will have…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

Pregnancy and Smoking

By- bchip

Sep 12, 2023 | No Comments

If you are pregnant and a smoker, it is important to cut back or really stop smoking as soon as possible. If you live in Bucks County, PA, you don’t have to do it alone. We offer a free smoking cessation program that gives you all of the support you need. Why is it dangerous to smoke when you are pregnant? Smoking while pregnant puts both you and your baby at risk of serious health effects. Every puff of a…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Safe for My Child?

By- bchip

Aug 1, 2023 | No Comments

COVID-19 vaccines are safe for children. Vaccine use by children in the US goes back more than a hundred years. This vaccine, and vaccines in general, are effective and safe ways to help keep your child and other children healthy. Vaccines are vital tools that reduce infection and disease rates globally, according to an article in the Patient Safety in Surgery journal. Vaccination use dates back to eleventh-century China. More than 672 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been given in…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

Health Care Directives for Complex Medical Decisions

By- bchip

Aug 1, 2023 | No Comments

If you have a complicated medical condition or multiple health issues in Bucks County, it is very important that you create thorough advance healthcare directives. These documents spell out possible risks and the medical decisions that you would like to have made on your behalf in the event that you cannot speak for yourself. An Advance Healthcare Directive form usually has several sections, including: Whether or not you will want life-sustaining medical care, what kind, and under what situations Whether…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

Side Effects When You Stop Smoking

By- bchip

Jul 13, 2023 | No Comments

If you want to quit smoking, it is best to be prepared for the possible side effects. Trying to break the smoking habit can be difficult because of the physical withdrawal your body goes through. Nicotine is an addictive substance, and as with any physical addiction, the body gets used to having it in the system and must realign itself to not having it anymore. One of the most common reasons why people are unable to quit smoking is because…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

Relying on Herd Immunity is Not How You Want to Stay Healthy

By- bchip

Jul 13, 2023 | No Comments

Should you not vaccinate your children and rely on herd immunity? Many animals live in herds because living in a group makes it harder for predators to kill them. Herd immunity can also help communities withstand infectious diseases, but it comes at a cost. Those “free riders” who want the benefits of herd immunity without using a vaccine make the process of establishing herd immunity more difficult and more lengthy. What is Herd Immunity? Herd immunity (or community or population…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

Relapsing as You Quit Smoking

By- bchip

Jun 5, 2023 | No Comments

While you’re trying to quit smoking, or even after you’ve successfully quit, you may give in to the craving for a cigarette. When this happens, some people end up feeling like they blew it and just give up and go back to smoking regularly. Try to resist that reaction. It is common to slip up, and you haven’t failed. Here in Bucks County, our Smoking Cessation program will give you the tools to successfully handle a craving. Slip vs. relapse…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

Unlike Most Myths, Those About Vaccines Cause Harm

By- bchip

Jun 5, 2023 | No Comments

If you are confused about vaccine safety, please know that what you hear as sound bites are often myths. We grew up with myths. George Washington as a child, chopped down a cherry tree and admitted it to his father. Atlantis was an ancient, advanced civilization that sank into the ocean. Columbus discovered America. These falsehoods may confuse, but no one died because they believed George Washington could not lie. Vaccine myths are another story.Vaccine use can save lives. One…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

Updating Healthcare Directives

By- bchip

May 23, 2023 | No Comments

It’s always a good idea to look at your estate planning and advanced healthcare directive documents every year. Things can change over a year: your health or financial situation may change, someone listed in your documents may pass away or move, or your attitudes about a particular procedure or intervention may change. So take a look every year and make sure your documents still align with your wishes. Estate planning usually is understood to refer to your finances and your…

Continue Reading ››

Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP)

What Is Nicotine Replacement Therapy?

By- bchip

May 23, 2023 | No Comments

If you are a smoker and you want to stop smoking, we at BCHIP applaud your decision. Smoking and other nicotine use cause a wide variety of serious health problems throughout the body. The statistics are sobering: Cigarette smoking increases risk of death from all causes in both men and women Smoking is a factor in many different types of cancer It increases risk of developing lung cancer 25 times and causes 90% of lung cancer deaths Smokers are 12…

Continue Reading ››

Page 2 of 3«123 »