With the help of an intern, the Marion Board of Health and Public Health Nurse Kathy Downey are getting the word out about tick-borne diseases through multimedia presentations – for all ages from kindergarten to adult – and other tools such as new and more detailed signs placed strategically at popular hiking paths and conservation lands warning the public about ticks.
Intern Jenna Kiridly reiterated that Marion is in fifth place for the highest prevalence of tick-borne diseases in Massachusetts, with incidents in Plymouth County nearly doubling the amount of Lyme disease, Babesiosis, and other tick-borne diseases in Cape Cod.
Kiridly said the Center for Disease Control has now declared Lyme disease an epidemic, with Tri-Town at the epicenter of it all.
“It is an issue that we need to tackle,” said Kiridly, “both by increasing education … and vigilance and preventative measures.”
Kiridly said the multimedia program she developed is sustainable and can be managed after her internship is over.
The signs she designed and placed at hiking trails are “more attention grabbing.” Therefore, she said, people will pay more attention.
In other matters, during the July 28 meeting, the board discussed ongoing work unfolding under a grant to fund opioid abuse and abuse prevention programs in the area. Through collecting data and organizing the results, including data collected from the recent youth risk survey undertaken at Old Rochester Regional Junior and High Schools, Downey is now heavily involved in addressing seven main problems divided into two types: use and consequence.
“I’ve looked at ‘use’ as more like ‘first use,’ and ‘consequence’ as anything after first use,” said Downey. She addressed issues like Narcan and how to get more people to possess it to prevent overdose deaths.
The board discussed possible root problems that lead to opioid abuse in youth, such as initial use of painkillers for dental work and orthopedic issues. Downey said, as she has spoken to different people dealing with opioid dependency, that most say their primary care physician was not the initial prescribing doctor. Most of the time, the pills are prescribed through emergency room physicians.
The grant will also fund the development for a school curriculum about drug use prevention and addiction.
Before adjourning, Health Director Karen Walega said Ken Steen, developer of the Marion Village Estates 40B housing development, called her to perform two inspections on two units – inspections Steen said the housing authorities of other towns had demanded. Walega wondered what she should charge for these inspections.
Board members had several different amounts in mind – from $50 to $150 – but the board decided to investigate what they charge for other types of inspections before settling on a price.
The board wondered why the Town of Marion would be asked to perform an inspection they viewed as being state jurisdiction.
“They (the housing authorities) don’t know that its brand spanking new, and I didn’t find any problems,” said Downey.
The next meeting of the Marion Board of Health is scheduled for August 25 at 4:30 pm at the Marion Town House.
By Jean Perry
