New nurse heads base Civilian Health Promotion Program

  • Published
  • By Meredith March
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AFB, Mass. --  Hanscom civilians have a new weapon against heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other health concerns -- new nurse coordinator and health educator, Deanne Casey. 

Ms. Casey, a registered nurse assigned to Hanscom by Federal Occupational Health, a component of the Department of Health and Human Services, now oversees the base's Civilian Health Promotion Program -- an Air Force Materiel Command-wide program designed to improve civilians' health and well-being. 

Ms. Casey hopes to educate Hanscom's civilians regarding their personal wellness and help them to lead more healthy and balanced lives. "Every individual must make wellness their priority," she said. "Wellness equally includes physical, emotional, spiritual and social aspects. I am on the same wellness journey as well." 

The first step on the CHP's path to wellness is to have a Cardiac Risk Screening done. Screenings include having blood drawn for a Cardiac Risk Profile. A simple finger stick offers total cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose measurements. Blood pressure analysis and a check of height, weight and Body Mass Index are also included in the screening. 

The second step is to visit the Wellness Support Center at www.afmcwellness.com to fill out a Health Risk Appraisal. After finishing the HRA, the participant will receive a wellness profile. This individualized feedback is tailored to help the individual to make informed decisions in a number of important wellness categories, as well as identify any potential health risks. 

The Web site uses an encoding process ensuring that the information entered remains anonymous. The Web site is also available to active duty personnel. Appointments for group and individual screenings with Ms. Casey are available from 7:30 to 10 a.m. on most workdays. Screenings for office groups can be held in conference rooms, while individual screenings will be administered at the Health and Wellness Center. 

There are definite advantages to being screened on base rather than in the doctor's office, Ms. Casey said. Much less blood is required, and "research analysis has shown that our finger-stick analysis is as accurate as the intravenous blood draws typically done in doctors' offices," she said. "Results only take five minutes, can be taken to your primary care physician, and the blood work is free, so you don't have to worry about co-payments." Results are also confidential; printouts are anonymous and records are not kept, Ms. Casey said. 

"I am confident the DoD civilians on base will take advantage of this annual screening. The point of me being here is health promotion and to prevent heart disease. It's important to have everyone know their numbers because heart disease is the number one killer in the U.S. The key risk factors for heart disease are high glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides. Many people are unaware of their high cholesterol," she said. 

"I wish to help civilians prevent the pain and cost of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. If you know your numbers now, you're more motivated to do something about them," she said. "Lowering high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure can reduce the risk of dying of heart disease, having a nonfatal heart attack and needing heart bypass surgery or angioplasty." 

Ms. Casey offers a class detailing how to interpret the data obtained in the screening, as well as classes on a wide variety of health concerns and wellness-related topics. To make an appointment with Ms. Casey, call (781) 377-8467 or e-mail Deanne.Casey.Ctr@hanscom.af.mil. Appointments are also available at the HAWC with Will Carpenter, an exercise physiologist. Programs can be designed for individual goals ranging from losing weight to rehabilitation. For more information on wellness classes and exercise programs, call (781) 377-6560.