Best Practice

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have been increasing drastically over the past few years. Since 2014, the number of chlamydia cases has increased by 19%, gonorrhea cases by 63%, primary and secondary syphilis cases by 71%, and congenital syphilis cases by a whopping 185%. Certain groups are being more severely affected than others. The CDC explains why this is, and discusses how to decrease the rates of these STIs.

Massachusetts has been hit hard by the national opioid crisis with the ninth highest rate of opioid deaths in 2017, according to the CDC.  The opioid crisis has killed over 2,000 people in Massachusetts each year for the past three years on record, peaking in 2016. As a result, Massachusetts organizations like Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (GLFHC) are looking at innovative ways to help those struggling with addiction.

The history of acupuncture

Originating in China nearly 2,500 years ago, acupuncture was noted in the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, the fundamental source for traditional Chinese medicine. The ancient healing art expanded throughout Asia, Europe then the Americas. Initially accepted and practiced in Asian cultures within the United States, this modality became available to the U.S. general population in the early 1970s. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recognizes acupuncture as a viable therapy for the treatment of multiple health conditions further promoting the modality. Today, acupuncture is becoming a trending option for integrative healthcare in a modern world.

Three quarters of women living in domestic violence shelters had experienced at least one traumatic brain injury (TBI) according to one study by Eve Valera, PhD. Valera is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and a researcher at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital. She uses neuroimaging to study the impact of TBI on survivors of intimate partner violence.