Immunizations

One of the most significant achievements in medicine is the control of infectious diseases through immunization. In addition to preventing thousands of deaths, vaccination programs have proven to be a cost-effective means of disease prevention. A number of infectious diseases that used to regularly kill or harm infants, children, and adults have been greatly reduced or eliminated due to vaccines in the United States. However, the viruses and bacteria that cause these diseases still exist and you are still at risk if you don’t receive an appropriate vaccination.

There Are Ways to Prevent Disease for You and Your Loved Ones

It Is Very Safe To Get Vaccines

• Tests and monitoring are performed on vaccines. Before a vaccine can be licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it has to undergo years of testing. The CDC and FDA keep track of all licensed vaccines to ensure their safety.
• It is not uncommon for vaccine side effects to last a few days. Side effects common to these shots include soreness, redness, or swelling.  Severe side effects are uncommon.
• It is one of the safest ways to protect your health to get vaccinated. Depending on your health or other conditions, speak with your doctor about which vaccines are safe for you to receive.

Certain diseases can be prevented by vaccination. 

Vaccines help you develop immunity to disease by working with your body’s natural defenses. This lowers your chances of getting certain diseases and suffering from their complications. For instance:

• You are less likely to develop liver cancer if you receive the Hepatitis B vaccine.
• An HPV vaccination reduces cervical cancer risk.
• Influenza vaccines lower the risk of flu-related heart attacks, diabetes complications, and chronic lung disease complications.

Appointments

Clinic visits are by appointment only. If you do not have an appointment please contact one of our offices. 

Other Resources:

Centers for Disease Control Birth – 18 Year Immunization Schedule

     https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/child-adolescent.html

North Carolina Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program

Women in North Carolina who qualify for the North Carolina Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (NC BCCCP) receive free or low-cost screening for breast and cervical cancer.  Over 12,000 women are served by NC BCCCP every year.

NC BCCCP services are offered at the offices of the Foothills Health District.

Breast Cancer

When abnormal cells grow out of control, it is called cancer. Cancers are named after the part of the body where the abnormal cell growth begins. Breast cancers are small cancer cells from the breast. Breast cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body are called metastatic.

North Carolina’s second-leading cause of cancer death among women is breast cancer. In North Carolina, over 6,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and over 1,000 die from it. There is an eight-to-one lifetime risk of breast cancer among North Carolina women.

Cervical Cancer

It is called cervical cancer when it starts in the cervix. The cervix is the lower, narrow end of the uterus. Also known as the womb, the uterus is where a baby grows when a woman is pregnant. The cervix connects the upper part of the uterus to the vagina (birth canal).

Each year more than 350 North Carolina women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and over 100 die from the condition. The majority of these deaths occur in women over age 45.

Eligibility

You are eligible for BCCCP Services if you:

• are uninsured or underinsured;
• are without Medicare Part B or Medicaid;
• are between ages 40 – 64 for breast screening services and 21 – 64 for cervical screening services; and
• have a household income below 250% of the federal poverty level.

Services Offered

• Cervical cancer screenings (Pap tests, HPV tests)
• Clinical breast exams
• Screening mammograms
• Diagnostic procedures, as indicated (diagnostic mammograms, ultrasounds, colposcopies, breast and cervical biopsies)
• Medical consultations

Appointments

Clinic visits are by appointment only. If you do not have an appointment please contact one of our offices. 

Other Resources:

North Carolina Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (NC BCCCP)

     https://bcccp.ncdhhs.gov/

Tuberculosis

TB In North Carolina

Although tuberculosis (TB) is one of North Carolina’s leading infectious causes of death, cases continue to decline but are far from eradicated.  It is possible to prevent TB disease by providing medical treatment to individuals with latent TB infection (LTBI) so that they do not develop active TB disease.  Although TB disease can sometimes be fatal, prompt treatment and appropriate medication can cure it.

Since 1980, the number of new cases has declined by 4% each year in North Carolina. The number of new cases decreased from 296 to 185 between 2010 and 2019.  TB cases in North Carolina have declined significantly due to the state and local resources used to improve the TB program.

TB is a public health threat in North Carolina that needs to be controlled by reducing the number of new cases of TB and blocking its spread to the general population.

Screening

The cost for a screening or a TB skin test required for employment or school is $25. There is no charge if the client is has symptoms for TB or has been determined to be a contact with someone with active TB. For a client with a positive skin test, a Public Health Nurse will offer counseling, chest X-rays, medical referrals, contact tracing and testing, and provide medication if applicable. Tuberculosis Control Services are provided at no cost to the client.

Appointments

Clinic visits are by appointment only. If you do not have an appointment please contact one of our offices.  The tests are administered on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The client is required to return to the Clinic 72 hours after the skin test is placed to be evaluated by a nurse. Tuberculosis skin tests are most accurate at 72 hours after administration.

**Please note: We cannot give you a live vaccine within 28 days of a TB test unless they were given on the same day.

Other Resources:

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Tuberculosis Information (English)

     https://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/testing/default.htm

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Tuberculosis Information Spanish / Español)

     https://www.cdc.gov/tb/esp/default.htm

Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Clinic

A sexually transmitted disease (STD) also known as sexually transmitted infection (STI), is a disease passed from person to person through sexual contact. Learn more about common STDs.

The health department provides confidential testing, diagnosis, treatment, counseling and reports sexually transmitted diseases. Services are confidential.

STD Clinic: Appointments are available for people with symptoms of sexually transmitted infections & those who report being a contact to someone with a sexually transmitted infection.

Appointments

STD Clinic visits are by appointment only.

If you do not have an appointment, please call your local Foothills Health District Office.

McDowell County Residents please call (828) 652-6811 extension 382
Rutherford County Residents please call (828) 287-6100 option #2

Resources

To learn more about common Sexually Transmitted Diseases please visit:

• NC DHHS Sexually Transmitted Disease & Infections website
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention STD Diseases & Related Conditions Website