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For Immediate Release:
May 20, 2015
Public Health Launches Women’s Health Hotline and Reminds
Busy Mothers to Take Care of Themselves, Too
Women’s Health Hotline connects callers to health services and information
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) encourages women, especially mothers, to keep personal health a priority. Public Health’s Office of Women’s Health launched a campaign to promote the Women’s Health Hotline and remind mothers to take care of their own health needs, in addition to their family’s.
“We want mothers to remember that it is crucial for them to make their own health a priority so they can be there for their loved ones in the years to come,” said Cynthia Harding, MPH, Interim Director of the Department of Public Health. “Moms are great at multitasking. They make sure to take their children to their doctors’ appointments but, ironically, they often forget to schedule their own. This campaign is a call to action. It’s a reminder for LA County moms to take time out to focus on their own health and well-being for the benefit of the whole family.”
Women’s Health Hotline
To help LA County women stay healthy, the Office of Women’s Health operates a free multilingual Women’s Health Hotline (1-800-793-8090). When LA County women call the Hotline, the information they share with the operator remains confidential. This resource is free and available to all women (and men), with or without health insurance.
The Office of Women’s Health Hotline connects LA County women to many services and information including:
- Free or low-cost appointments and referrals for Pap tests, breast exams, and mammograms
- Information and referrals for health insurance
- Referrals to local health care resources
“Seeing a health care provider is important at any age but, as women age, their bodies change and they have specific health needs,” says Rita Singhal, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Office of Women’s Health. “Screening tests, such as Pap tests and mammograms, can find cancer early when it is easier to treat. Also, identifying and treating other health conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes, can lower the risk of developing heart disease.”
The Hotline’s highly trained operators speak 7 languages: English, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Korean, Vietnamese, and Armenian.
When to call the Hotline?
- Hotline hours are Monday through Friday, 8 am-6 pm.
- All other times, callers may leave a voicemail and a Hotline Operator will return the call during regular business hours.
- E-mail messages may also be sent to owh@ph.lacounty.gov. If the e-mail includes a phone number, a Hotline Operator will return the call during regular business hours.
For more information about the Office of Women’s Health, go to www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/owh.
The Department of Public Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health. Public Health comprises nearly 4,000 employees and has an annual budget exceeding $900 million. To learn more about Public Health and the work we do, please visit http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov, visit our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/lapublichealth, find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/lapublichealth, or follow us on Twitter: @LAPublicHealth.
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