“Cha-may weeya
Siletz
Health
Medicine Talk
Communi
Clinic
NPAIHB Features Clinic,
IHS Director at Meeting
Risks Linked to
Tobacco Smoke
The Siletz Community Health Clinic
shared the stage at the Northwest
Portland Area Indian Health Board
quarterly meeting with Dr. Michael
Trujillo, director of the Indian
Health Service.
In January, Judy Muschamp and
Marlene Van Noy shared with
approximately 100 board members and
visitors the steps that the Siletz Clinic
took to prepare for its accreditation
survey last August with the Accreditation
Association for Ambulatory Health Care,
Inc. The clinic became one of the first of
the self-governed tribal clinics in the
Northwest to achieve full accreditation.
Accreditation is a demonstration of a
commitment to continual self-evaluation
and improvement and a standard that
IHS requires of its clinics.
Muschamp and Van Noy followed
a presentation by Dr. Michael Trujillo,
who gave the board an update on
regional and national IHS activities.
Studies have shown that people
with diabetes who smoke cigarettes are:
At greater risk of developing kidney
Judy Muschamp, Dr. Michael Trujillo,
and Marlene Van Noy
Other events at this three-day
meeting included open houses at the
newly remodeled Portland Area Office
and the Portland Health Board offices.
Other presentations included other tribal
clinic updates; information about the
federal Health Care Financing Agency
(HCFA) from Ernie Kimball, AI/AN
Liaison HCFA; Barbie Johnson on
fitness that included some chair
exercises; an update on a program for
early detection of cancer in men by the
NTCCP Prostate Project; and a proposal
from Craig Vanderwagen, MD, from IHS
to work on a collaboration health
program with indigenous peoples
throughout the world.
damage (nephropathy), a disease
that leads to kidney failure.
z At greater risk of developing
neuropathy, a condition that causes
numbness and pain in the hands and
feet. It makes injuries to your feet
more serious because you can’t
feel them.
z At greater risk for developing
hardening of the arteries, especially
if
you
already
have
high
blood pressure.
z At greater risk for the development
and progression of eye damage,
which may lead to blindness.
z At greater risk for a heart attack and
impaired circulation in the legs.
She’s Back!
Laura Bremner left the clinic
awhile back to work as a Tribal Council
secretary. After working a year in this
position, she returned to the clinic as the
executive secretary to our health director,
Judy Muschamp.
We missed her when she left and
are really happy to have her smiling face
back at the clinic! Welcome back, Laura!
Strong scientific evidence exists
that breathing secondhand smoke can
have some of the same effects on the
health of the diabetic non-smoker as
on
the
health
of
the
diabetic
who smokes.
United Indian Health Services, Inc. -
NATIVE Tobacco Project
Diabetes is a Growing Problem for Native Americans
Years ago, Native Americans did
not have diabetes. Elders can recall
times when people gathered and hunted
food for simple meals. People walked a
lot. Now we eat more fatty foods and are
less active.
In some Native communities,
almost half of their people have
diabetes. Children are even getting type
2 diabetes, which is usually an adult
disease. We need to take control of
diabetes for you, your family, and
tribal community.
Diabetes is a serious disease that
can cause many problems from head to
24
toe. It often harms the heart, eyes,
kidneys, and feet.
The good news is that we can
control diabetes! Early diagnosis is
important because managing your
diabetes will prevent complications. You
are more likely to get diabetes if:
•
•
•
•
You are Native American
You carry too much weight
You are not active
You are a woman who has had a
baby who weighed more than 9
pounds at birth
•
You have a family member with
diabetes
Some people with diabetes do not
feel bad or have any noticeable
symptoms. That is why it is sometimes
called a silent disease. If you are an adult
with two or more of the risk factors listed
here, ask for a diabetes check. A simple
finger-stick blood test is the first test. If
that one is OK, be sure and get it checked
every couple of years.
For more information or to be
checked for diabetes, call the Siletz
Clinic or your area office.