Staying Healthy and Well - Fall 2020
Looking Back and Looking Forward
In September, we wrapped up the third year of our Preconception CoIIN Project. Thank you to the wonderful teams from California, Delaware, Oklahoma, and North Carolina, who worked so hard to advance our project goals.

Our biggest success has been the creation of tools that are being used in practice to help women get what they need from health care visits. All of the teams embraced human-centered design as a way to move towards the larger goal of "humans redesigning systems!"
We have provided technical assistance to teams and clinicians on a wide variety of topics, including community engagement, contraceptive updates, policy, and wellness resources. We developed a new Women’s Health Practice Bulletin, relaunched ShowYourLoveToday.com (website in Spanish coming soon) and tried graphic facilitation. Due to work interruptions from COVID-19, we have been given an additional year to finish up this project. Looking ahead, we will connect the dots between our work and maternal mortality and morbidity prevention. State teams will be sharing and sustaining their projects, we are designing a new line of consumer materials, and collectively we are upping our game in centering reproductive and sexual health equity and the voices of the people we serve. We have much to celebrate and more work ahead!
Staying Healthy during a Pandemic

Unfortunately, it is clear that COVID-19 will be a challenge for some time to come. We care about you! It is important to take steps to stay physically healthy and take care of your mental health. Here are some strategies to stay well and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

You've heard this a million times - here it is one more time: The best way to stay safe is to wear a mask, wash your hands regularly, and stand 6-feet away from others. If you are wearing a cloth mask, don't forget to wash it frequently. Have fun with masks - experiment with colors, match your outfits - embrace it!

If you experience symptoms and feel sick, contact a health professional. If you don't feel well and think you might have COVID-19, please stay home and away from others. There are many free testing locations near you, search here.

Remember there is always room for creativity and ingenuity! We can focus on what we can't do OR we can focus and enjoy the interactions we have and relish experiences we used to take for granted. Some considerations to manage the new norms:

At your workplace:
  • Disinfect surfaces in your work area
  • Wash your hands every time you touch a communal surface
  • Continue to hold meetings virtually as much as possible
  • Wear a face mask when in an open environment

At restaurants:
  • Opt for takeout or delivery
  • Wear a face mask, only removing it to eat
  • Sit outside

At stores/public places:
  • Go during off-hours
  • Wear a face mask at all times
  • Order ahead and pick up curbside when possible

Outdoors:
  • Practice social distancing and wear a mask
  • Avoid crowded locations
  • Avoid group activities with people who aren't actively protecting themselves from COVID-19

Here are some strategies to take care of your mental health:
  • Consider participating in counseling or therapy (in-person or through telehealth)
  • Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories
  • Take care of your body
  • Try a new healthy recipe!
  • Aim to take 10,000 steps a day and exercise regularly
  • Turn off your phone before bedtime and try to get enough sleep
  • Connect with friends and family, taking time to be open about how you’re doing and participating in fun activities

We are with you during these times. People often disagree about wearing masks, modifying plans, and it can be hard to access rapid testing. This virus has turned our world upside down. We will make it through this pandemic together. Protect yourself and practice kindness to all.
The Intersection of COVID-19 and the Annual Flu
 
As the annual flu season quickly approaches, health officials are concerned about the intersection of COVID-19 and influenza. Both the flu and COVID-19 are respiratory viruses that have serious consequences for your health and the public's health. Though a vaccine has yet to be released for COVID-19, a safe and effective vaccine is available to protect you against influenza. Getting your flu shot can help reduce your risk of contracting both diseases at once, as well as helping ensure our health care system is not overburdened and the testing capacity is less strained. If you have insurance, you can most likely get a flu shot for free at your doctor’s office or a local pharmacy. If you do not have insurance, many federally funded health centers are providing no-cost or low-cost flu shots, and CVS, Walmart, Rite Aid, and Kroger are providing the flu shot for less than $40. Some pharmacies and businesses offer flu shots for free.

Use Vaccine Finder to find a place to get the flu vaccine in your area.
Learn the difference between Coronavirus, Flu, Cold, and Allergies in the Intermountain Healthcare Blog. CDC also breaks down the differences, here.
COVID, Life and Family Planning Goals
COVID-19 "new norms" have impacted many people's life goals and family planning. People have questions about whether or not they should get pregnant. We've created a guide for people to discuss with their health providers and factors to consider if they want to become pregnant - or not - during the pandemic. Click the button below to download.
Stay Current on the Latest Research on Preconception, Reproductive and Sexual Health!

Sign up for bi-weekly emails that include abstracts of publications from around the world on women's health and well-being. Email Cheryl Robbins at ggf9@cdc.gov.
The last email included 32 abstracts for a wide range of studies. Luli, Tran, Ataya and Rafie identified an opportunity for utilization of preconception health services at the pharmacy. Lovegrove, Robson, and McGettigan found that the recording of pre-pregnancy advice and contraception in women of childbearing age who were prescribed an ACE inhibitor was suboptimal putting women and their babies at risk for exposure to teratogens during pregnancy. MacDonald et al found persistent symptoms of depression or anxiety spanning adolescence and young adulthood predict poorer emotional bonding with infants 1-year postbirth for both mothers and fathers. van der Windt et al from the Netherlands reported on a blended periconception lifestyle care approach on lifestyle behaviors which had encouraging findings.

These are just a few of the GREAT studies reported. Email Katherine Bryant for citations and abstract links.
New Education Materials - Feedback Needed!

As a part of our Preconception CoIIN Project, we are developing new materials for consumers / patients in the coming months. Please share your ideas about material format, content, and style. Please contact Katherine Bryant with any questions. Please respond by November 23rd.
Spreading Love and Good News: "Show Your Love" wellness series

Eilish Jeané Neely and Chemyeeka Tumblin discuss how the #ShowYourLoveToday campaign, community, and resource has impacted their lives, careers, and motivated them to support others on their wellness journeys. They discuss their experiences and share some great tips to stay well in the video series below.
In Spanish! Questions for Client-Centered Contraceptive Counseling

Asking about Parenthood/ Pregnancy Attitude, Timing, and How important is pregnancy prevention (PATH) is an efficient approach for engaging clients in a conversation to help clarify their reproductive goals and needs. The Family Planning National Training Center has great resources and now their Palm Card and Flowchart are also in Spanish.
Feeling Grounded During a Time of Uncertainty
Wishing that "zoom" hadn't become a verb? Overwhelmed by the news? You are not alone!

There is new science about zoom - we like this article from the Conversation Factory:
Americans’ news fatigue isn’t going away – about two-thirds still feel worn out. According to a survey by Digital Third Coast, 68% of people said the news has left them feeling anxious during the pandemic. Meanwhile, 65% and 67% of respondents reported feeling overwhelmed and burnt out by the news respectively. 54% even said they were cutting back on their news consumption to escape these feelings (source: OneMedical).

The JED Foundation has a great resource with social media graphics about boundaries and pick-me-ups, here. It is OKAY to shut down. Take a step back from news consumption, social media, and Zoom. If you're feeling anxious and overwhelmed, it is a good time to connect with people who bring you joy.
CoIIN Virtual Conferences this Season
AMCHP's National Conference was virtual this year, and our team participated with our first virtual exhibit! Our team also shared our CoIIN work at the CityMatCH National Virtual Conference. Click below to view our presentation.
Save the Date!

Mark your calendar for the Preconception Care U.S.-Japan Conference on Friday, December 11th 8:00pm-10:00pm EST (Saturday, December 12 10:00am-12:00am JST). Links and details for this virtual event to follow!
Missed a webinar?

Listen to our experts discuss a variety of women's wellness, health equity topics here: https://beforeandbeyond.org/pchimcoiin/coiin-ta-webinar-archives/
ABOUT HRSA IM CoIIN PRECONCEPTION PROJECT: This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UF3MC31239-Providing Support For The Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (CoIIN) To Reduce Infant Mortality. The grant amount totals $1,494,993. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.