Programs Help Prevent Lung Cancer in Arizona
The American Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE initiative recently released the findings from its from its third annual Women’s Lung Health Barometer. The Lung Association estimates that almost 4,000 women in Arizona and more than 106,000 in the United States will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2016. Our Chronic […]
Addressing Diabetes in Arizona
One in nine Arizonans have diabetes and it is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are more than 29 million people with diabetes in the United States. The disease affects men and women, people young and old, and […]
Get Smart About Antibiotics Week
Get Smart About Antibiotics Week, November 14 to 20, raises awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic prescribing and use. Each year in the United States, at least two million people become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 people die as a direct result of these infections. […]
Valley Fever Awareness Week is Here
An estimated 150,000 people are infected each year in the United States by the fungus that causes Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis). The fungus is mostly found in the Southwest with 65 percent of all nationally reported cases residing in Arizona. There are more than 5,000 reported cases and 700 hospitalizations […]
State Plan Focuses on Action Plan to Help People with Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s is one of the most common form of more than 100 forms of dementias. The disease attacks brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging; it is a progressive disease that worsens over time affecting nearly one in three older adults who […]
Cara M. Christ, M.D., M.S. became Director for the Arizona Department of Health Services in May 2015. Dr. Christ has served the agency for more than nine years. Among her many accomplishments at ADHS, Dr. Christ collaborated with health partners and stakeholders to develop strategic plans for infectious disease prevention and control including the Governor’s Council on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response. She was involved in leading statewide efforts during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, and worked with partners to find solutions to improve childhood vaccination programs. In 2012, Dr. Christ managed the development and implementation of 20 Articles of Arizona Administrative Code for Health Care Institutions allowing integration of physical and behavioral health services statewide. Dr. Christ obtained her master's degree in microbiology with an emphasis in molecular virology and public health. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Follow the Director on Twitter @DrCaraChrist.
