Page 8 The Skanner August 10, 2016
News Wellness & Nutrition: BACK TO SCHOOL
Health
“
community is shoul-
dering an unequal
burden when it comes
to diabetes treatment,
prevention, research
and education. And so
NNPA
Columnist the CDC’s announce-
ment — while welcome
news — does not signal
that the ight against the disease is
over. There is more work to do to not
only overcome the diabetes epidem-
ic, but also eliminate the healthcare
disparities that disproportionately
Patricia A.
Maryland,
Dr.PH
There is more work to do to not only over-
come the diabetes epidemic, but also elimi-
nate the healthcare disparities that dispro-
portionately plague our community
especially for communities of color.
While the CDC report is good news
regarding an overall decline in diabe-
tes rates, it did not acknowledge a sig-
niicant change in prevalence among
the African-American community.
Consider the data: Black adults
are about twice as likely to have di-
agnosed diabetes as non-Hispanic
White adults. They are also twice as
likely to die from the disease. What’s
more, African Americans are more
than three times as likely to sufer
from health complications related to
diabetes, such as lower-limb amputa-
tion and kidney failure.
It’s clear that the African American
plague our community.
To do that, we must redouble our
eforts to create a culture of health in
African American communities—one
that removes the stigma of seeking
care and helps our neighbors and
family members access the opportu-
nities provided under the Afordable
Care Act. Healthcare.gov is now avail-
able for the open enrollment period
through January 31, 2016, and taking
advantage of the options available
today is the irst step our community
can take to reclaim Black health and
wellness.
But coverage alone isn’t enough to
See DIABETES on page 11
By The Portland Clinic
A
s we move into the second half
of summer, parents across the
Paciic Northwest are gearing
up for back-to-school season. In
addition to purchasing school supplies,
booking that last Oregon Coast week-
end and soaking up all the sun possible
(while safely covered in sunscreen, of
course), it is important to make sure
“update the kids’ immunizations” is on
your to-do list.
We know the issue of vaccinations
can be a heated topic with passionate
viewpoints, but immunizations are one
of the most efective and inexpensive
forms of medicine available. There are
very few absolute reasons not to vac-
cinate. The most prominent is if your
child has a weakened immune system
due to an existing health condition.  If
“
Immunizations are
one of the most ef-
fective and inex-
pensive forms of
medicine available
you have concerns about vaccinating
your child, we are happy to discuss
them with you during your visit and we
strongly encourage you to speak with
your doctor about the appropriate ap-
proach to keep them healthy.
While every patient and family is
diferent, the doctors and nurses at
The Portland Clinic recommend the im-
munization schedule published by the
American Academy of Pediatrics, the
American Committee on Immuniza-
tion Practices, and the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Au-
gust is National Immunization Month,
and an ideal time to review some of the
basic facts about vaccines and why they
are so important.
What Is a Vaccine?
A vaccine is a medical substance
injected, ingested or inhaled to help
stimulate production of antibodies
and build immunity against potential-
ly damaging or fatal diseases. It works
by introducing signiicantly weakened
agents of the disease into the body,
causing the patient to build a defense
against the ailment.   Vaccines switch
on the immune system to make the
body more resistant to future attack by
that particular virus or bacteria.
Herd Immunity
While vaccines are given to each in-
dividual patient, they also serve to pro-
tect the community as a whole through
something called “herd immunity.”
When enough members of a popula-
tion are vaccinated against a speciic
disease, it decreases the likelihood of
anyone in that community contracting
the illness. While not perfect preven-
tion, opting to vaccinate can be a vital
contribution to the health of the great-
er PDX community.
Get the Facts
As much as we focus on childhood
vaccines, there are circumstances—if
you are traveling abroad, for example
— where vaccinations are needed at
any age. The CDC has a variety of ma-
terials available on its website you can
use to research the recommended vac-
cines for you and your family, whether
you’re taking a trip, pregnant, starting
school, etc.
For the appropriate schedules for im-
munizations go to www.cdc.gov/vac-
cines/schedules/easy-to-read.
Again, we recognize that vaccina-
tions are a critical piece of your per-
sonal healthcare and should be dis-
cussed with your doctor. If you have
more questions or would like to speak
with one of our physicians about vac-
cinations for yourself or a loved one,
please call The Portland Clinic at 503-
223-3113 or visit  ThePortlandClinic.
com to schedule an appointment.
Be the irst
to know!
R
ecently, the Cen-
ters for Disease
Control and Pre-
vention
(CDC)
announced the rate of
new cases of diabetes
in the United States de-
clined by about 20 per-
cent from 2008 to 2014.
This represents the irst sustained de-
crease in diagnosis since the disease
emerged as a major threat to public
health over the course of the past two
decades. But the ight is far from over,
Getting Ready for Back-to-
School Vaccines
Sign up for BREAKING NEWS
and Event Announcements at
For Communities of Color, the Fight
Against Diabetes is Far From Over