Latest news with #IDOH
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
First full year under Indiana's ban reveals 146 abortions occurred in 2024
In this photo illustration, packages of Mifepristone tablets are displayed at a family planning clinic on April 13, 2023 in Rockville, Maryland. (Photo illustration by) An Indiana Department of Health report released in April shows a total of 146 abortions occurred in 2024 – a 98% decrease from 2022. This is the first annual terminated pregnancy report in which the state's near-total abortion ban was in full effect. Ninety-three of the abortions were performed due to lethal fetal anomaly; 40 were due to serious health risk or life of the mother and nine were due to rape or incest. More than half were performed by using an abortion pill or intracardiac rest were surgical procedures. In 2023, while the ban was partially in effect, there were a total of 4,579 abortions performed in Indiana. Before the ban was in effect in 2022, there were a total of 9,529 abortions. Half of the women who obtained an abortion were between the ages of 25-34 while only two were under the age of 16. Nearly half of the women indicated they were married. Under the state's ban, abortions can only be done in hospitals. CONTACT US Nine hospitals in Marion, Allen and St. Joseph counties carried out the abortions. There were 67 terminations reported at Riley Health Maternity Tower and 52 reported at Sidney & Lois Eskanazi Hospital. Both of these hospitals are located in Indianapolis. Indiana law requires that health care providers who perform terminated pregnancies report to the IDOH. Providers must report within 30 days if the patient is 16 or older and within three days if younger than 16. Each of the reports should include demographic, medical and procedural information. While 142 terminated pregnancies reports were submitted to the IDOH through the electronic reporting system, Indiana University Health submitted four incomplete reports via email that lacked demographic, medical and procedural details. The reports did include that they occurred at an IU Health facility in 2024 but did not report all the required information. Two doctors from IU Health testified in March that they haven't submitted the reports since Dec. 23 — when a new federal rule on reproductive health care privacy went into effect. In January, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed new executive orders on abortion records to ensure the laws are 'fully and faithfully executed,' including terminated pregnancy report submissions. In February, the Indiana Department of Health settled with an anti-abortion group – backed by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita – to continue to release individual reports filed on abortion after opting to no longer release these reports due to patient privacy concerns in December 2023. A judge, however, blocked that release. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Indiana Department of Health urges precautions against tick-borne illness
A death in Floyd County attributed to ehrlichiosis, a tick-borne illness, has prompted Indiana health officials to urge Hoosiers to take precautions, as ticks are active from early spring through late fall. The Floyd County Health Department and the Indiana Department of Health are investigating the fatal case of ehrlichiosis, a tick-borne bacterial infection. Indiana reported two ehrlichiosis deaths last year. In addition to ehrlichiosis, Hoosiers are at risk for several other potentially severe tick-borne diseases. While Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in Indiana, Hoosiers are also at risk for a group of diseases that includes Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. They are also at risk for alpha-gal syndrome, a condition caused by tick bites that can trigger an allergic reaction to red meat. The risk for tick-borne diseases is present in all parts of the state, the state health department said in a news release. Preventing tick bites is the best way to prevent tick-borne diseases. The state encourages Hoosiers to take the following precautions: • Know where ticks are likely to be present (close to the ground in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas). • Treat boots, clothing and outdoor gear with 0.5% permethrin (however, permethrin should NOT be used on bare skin). • Use EPA-registered insect repellents with active ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone. • Treat pets for ticks in consultation with a veterinarian. Once indoors, people should thoroughly check for ticks on clothing, gear, pets and skin. Tumbling clothes in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes will kill ticks, and showering can help remove any unattached ticks. Attached ticks may be safely removed by using tweezers to grasp the tick close to the skin and then pulling outward with steady and even pressure. After the tick is removed, the area should be washed thoroughly. Ticks should never be crushed with the fingernails. Anyone who becomes ill after finding an attached tick should see a healthcare provider immediately and alert the provider to the exposure. Most tick-borne diseases can be treated with antibiotics, and prompt diagnosis can help prevent complications. Visit the IDOH website for more information about ticks and how to prevent the diseases they carry, as well as a data dashboard. More information also is available online at
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
IDOH invites public to comment on Union and THRH merger
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The public will be able to provide comments regarding Union Health's possible acquisition of Terre Haute Regional Hospital at a town hall hosted by the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH). The IDOH says residents of Vigo County and surrounding communities are inviting people to provide comments on the pending Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA). The town hall will be held on Thursday, May 1, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Ivy Tech Oakley Auditorium, located at 8000 S. Education Drive, Terre Haute. Union Health and Regional Hospital public response to FTC report on merger Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Six cases of measles now reported in Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Health has confirmed five additional cases of measles in Indiana, bringing the total to six in 2025. The newly reported cases are three minors and two adults in Allen County. The initial case was reported earlier this week. All six cases are connected to each other but at this time there are no known links to outbreaks in other states. The four minors were unvaccinated and the adults' vaccination status is unclear. All are recovering well. State and local public health officials are working together on the investigation to contact those with known exposure to help prevent further spread of infection. The risk to the general public remains low. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that spreads easily from person to person. It is an airborne disease, meaning it spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, sneezes, or talks. The virus can stay alive in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. Because measles is so easily spread, a single case is considered an outbreak. Two doses of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles. Individuals born before 1957 are presumed to be immune. Consult with your healthcare provider if you are unsure of your vaccination status. Children are routinely vaccinated for measles at 12 to 15 months, and again at four to six years of age before going to kindergarten, but children as young as six months old can receive the measles vaccine if they are at risk. Measles begins with a fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes usually about seven to 14 days after exposure to measles but can occur up to 21 days. The fever increases and can get as high as 105 degrees. Tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin. Then two to four days after symptoms begin, a rash starts on the hairline and face. It spreads down the back and torso, and then extends to the arms and hands, as well as the legs and feet. After about five days, the rash fades the same order in which it appeared. If you are experiencing symptoms of measles, stay home and call your healthcare provider right away before going to the doctor's office. Visit the IDOH website or the CDC website for more information about measles.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Indiana confirms five more cases in measles outbreak
The measles virus. (Courtesy U.S. Centers for Disease Control) The Indiana Department of Health on Wednesday confirmed five additional cases of the highly infectious measles virus — less than 48 hours after announcing the state's first laboratory-confirmed case this year in an unvaccinated Allen County minor. Because measles is so easily spread, a single case is considered an outbreak. The newly reported cases include three more minors — also unvaccinated. The vaccination status of two infected adults is 'unclear,' according to a news release. 'All six cases are connected to each other but at this time there are no known links to outbreaks in other states,' the department continued. 'State and local public health officials are working together on the investigation to contact those with known exposure to help prevent further spread of infection,' the news release added. It said the risk to the general public 'remains low.' Thomas Duszynski, an epidemiology expert at Indiana University Indianapolis' School of Public Health, said the risk is 'low, but it's not zero.' 'Measles is one of the most infectious organisms on the planet,' he told the Capital Chronicle. A single person with measles passes the virus on to an average of 12-18 people. If those involved in the outbreak are quarantining, the risk to fellow Hoosiers is lower, Duszynski said. But measles symptoms can also take up to 21 days to present, meaning that infected people can spread the virus before realizing they're sick. Symptoms typically include a fever, cough, white bumps inside the mouth and a rash that begins at the hairline and extends down the torso and limbs. The department encouraged Hoosiers experiencing symptoms to stay home and call their doctors 'right away,' before going to the doctor's office. Those with the virus should stay home and away from others. The risk of severe disease is higher in those with immature or compromised immune systems: young children, pregnant women, the elderly and the sick. 'The current outbreak that's going on in the U.S., 70-plus of the 600-plus cases have been hospitalized, and most of those are children under the age of five,' he said. Duszynski warned that measles can also lead to life-threatening complications like pneumonia and brain swelling. Texas health officials have confirmed two measles deaths in unvaccinated school-aged children. Because it's a virus, he said, 'There is no treatment for measles. There's only supportive care.' However, the measles vaccine is among the most effective around. IDOH said one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine provides 93% protection, and the full two-dose course provides 97% protection. Children are routinely vaccinated for measles at 12-15 months old, and again at 4-6 years of age before they go to kindergarten. But children as young as 6 months old can receive the measles vaccine if they are at greater risk. IDOH encouraged residents to check with their health providers and ensure they and their families are up to date with their vaccines. Duszynski said people born before 1957 are considered immune 'because measles was so common prior to that, that almost everybody got measles. And if you were lucky enough to survive, you have lifelong immunity.' But those born 1957-1968 may want to consider a booster. A small percentage of the vaccines given over that time period were of the killed virus — less effective than the live virus vaccine typically used. Those with just one dose may also consider a second. Duszynski noted that 95% of the population must be vaccinated to secure 'herd immunity,' protecting people who cannot get the vaccine, like babies, pregnant women and people allergic to its ingredients. He recommended that people hesitant to get the immunization talk to their doctors. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
