Page 8, Portland Observer, October 30, 1986 AIDS strikes Blacks at high rate h i Henry Huvull \ close look at the victims ol AIDS ( A cquired Im mune Deficiency Syn drom e) reveals a d isp ro p o rtio n a te number ol Blacks struck by the deadly diseases, while more than half o f the nation's children w ill, AIDS are Black ( iimy recent data from the ( enters lo r Disease C o n tro l (< D ( ), Dr Wavnc Greaves, d u e l ol the division ol infectious diseases at Howard I ni veisiiv Hospii.il in Washington, I) ( , notes that he has found " a lot more cases among Blacks than we p re v i ously thought " Nationally, Blacks comprise 25 per cent o l all victim s ot A cquired Im inline Deticieiicv Syndrome more than double the 12 percent Black jxip illa tio n in the nation And some 56 percent ol the nation’s children hit by AIDS are Black, Greaves emphasized in an interview Since the A ID S virus was Inst re ported in this countrv in l9 N I,rn o rc than 15.4INI Americans have been a f flicted hv the disease, which destroys the body's immune system and is ulti ni.itelv fatal Blacks account for more than 5,5(>1 the known "pediatric cases" comprising children under 15 107 ol 191 ch ild re n w ith A ID S have been Black, he adds, noting that children in.ike up about one percent o l all A ID S cases reported in the I lilted States I he epidem iologist points to the state ol Mat viand as a good example ol the disp ro p o rtio n a te ly high inci deuce among Blacks In that stale. 116 ol the 222 know n cases have been Black victims, accounting lor 52 |X*t cent more than double the 22 per cent B l.u k pop u la tio n in M a iy la n d , lie stresses. I ike the disease itself, mystery shrouds the reasons why lltere is a high \ l I )S incidence among Blacks I here's till beliel (in the Black , om m unitv I that A ID S is a white man's disease," savs ( ireaves. who is also an assistant ptolessor ol medicine al I low aid " A l DS is color blind " \n o lh e i problem is that Blacks ollcn tend Io seek health care when a medical problem has reached an ad vanccd dageof development At I low a i d l mveisilv H ospital, when* most AIDS victim s Healed thus tar have txvll III.ic k . MI )S sulleiers have gen erally lived about six to eight mouths alter diagnosis o l the disease I he median su rviva l n a tio n a lly is IN months from diagnosis to death W hile Gieaves is on what he calls "the Iro n ! lin e " ol Healing AIDS patients. Ins colleague. Di Winston I rcdcrick, assistant ptolessor ol medi C ontrol awarded a $250, (MX) gram to Howard over three years, launching the Sexually T ransm itted Disease I taming Program for senior medical sludentx. H ow ard is one o f only six universities nationwide funded by the C IX for such training, says Greaves, noting that training is conducted in cooperation with local health depart- menls. " I f my tune weren't fu lly taken up with oilier academic dunes," (ireaves notes, " I would devote it to lobby ing hard fo r addressing Ihe issue or studs mg the problem ot why there’s j disproportionate number o f Blacks attested (by A ID S ), par'icu la rly the pediatric cases." Dr Wayne Greaves, chief of infectious diseases at Howard University Hospital, consults w ith Dr Soon Young Park of the university's College of Pharmacy and Pharrnacal Sciences on drug treatment of AIDS patients, most o, whom are Black at the Washington, D C., hospital Greaves emphasizes that nationally Blacks comprise 26 percent of all AIDS victims more than doulNe the 12 pm cent Black population o, the nation (Photo: Harlee Little) ciik * at Howard, is trying to unUxk i I k * secreis ot AIDS Ihe lormer National institutes ol Health researcher is con dueling research io lin d certain para meters or "re lia b le m arkers that may give clues to the disease s devcl opmeni. S o la r, AIDS has prim arily struck homosexual and bisexual men, intra venous ( I \ ) drug abusers and recipi cuts o l contam inated blood B ill in these high risk groups, a stark d ille r ence etneiges betwen while and Black All)S v ictiins According lo Greaves. ahoul N' |x*r cent ol the nation's whiles with the dis ease are gav ami eight percent are intravenous drug abusers Among Bl.uk AIDS victims, 49 |x*rcetlt aie gav and 5 n percent ate IV drug abusers He believes that more a tte n tio n needs Io lx* given lo d iu g abusets Di Alyce G u lla tie e , director ot H ow aid I Diversity H ospital's Insti line lo t Ding Abuse and Addiction, agrees, pointing out thai imrovenous drug abusets may pose a greater risk ot spreading the virus to the general pub lu than homosexuals D ing abusers can he helerosesu.il, homosexual, bisexual or prostitutes " a m icro coslll ol ihe populaliout " she stresses “ So many lives aie touched bv ding abusers," she continues, adding that they geneiallv have children mote Ire quently Ilian homosexuals or bises uals. ( hildreu can contract ihe dis ease hetore 01 dining b irth hv Hans mission fro m in le cle d expectant m otheis, as well as through blood transfusions I he high coneenti a non o l Black Memorial Center Day Care À • Kindergarten • Pre-School 4 year old kids at Grace Collins M e m o ria l C an ter learn b o w to m ake cookies À • ■ ■ I • Mon rn n k) .im e üt) pm Call 281-6930 128 N.E. Russell St. ; 5 year old kids at Grace Collins study h ard on school w o rk before going outside to play Grace Collins U AIDS victims is loiind hi urban areas that have l.urlv large Black popula lions, savs ( neaves Many w lio c o n trad ihe latal disease, lot which there's no cure, are in Iheir «k (neaves believes public education is the kev to A ID S prevention and io overcoming ihe tears, uncertainties and m is in fo rm a tio n about A ID S People need to know that AIDS is deadlv and spieading “ You're selling yourself up for earlv dea th ," Gullailec tells hei thug palienls, intonnmg them that lliev ale ni an AIDS Inch risk gioup (neaves suggests i hai "s a fe se x" practices should prevail avoiding m ultiple sex partners or prom iscuity which can inciease the iisks ol con trading (tie la,gels sexuallx lia iism il led disease And blood transfusions should be performed mils under “ dire (medicali circumstances ( (ne edile anon piogiam al Howard, allhotigh not taigctcd to the general public, Iranis medical students indiai* nose jn d manage patients with esn'a' Iv transm uted diseases, including AIDS I asl veai. ihe ( euleis lo t Disease - Memorial Center Day Care ( ompleie dentures al a suhsianhallv reduced cost are available Io new pa licnts at the Oregon Health Sciences I mvervily (O H S l I School ot Den tistry " I he dentures are constructed bv denial students in Ihe < >HSt ’s Denial clinic under the direct supervision ot faculty demists,” said Di Sebastian ( ampagna. chairman ol ihe schcxil's departm ent ot rem ovable prostho- doniics "We can accept new patients right awav and can lake as mans as ado patients each veai in this special pro gram ," he added Ihe cost lo patients toi this service is siihsianliallv reduced Services pro sided include a complete oral examma lio n , \ ra w and a complete set ol high qualily up|x-i and lower dentures Palienls w ho are accepted lo t treat ilienl must he able lo visit the < H IM Denial ( him twice a week toi live lo six weeks " I his p io g ia m serves a dual pur pose." ( ampagna said " I t helps till fill ihe ixx-d lot dentines among people who could not otherwise a lto rd them, and i, also allows our students lo gain ihe needed experience and H auling required lot Iheir professional cduca lion I oi m oie in fo rm a tio n about Ihe deni me piogiam , contact ihe ( HI si Sc liool ol Deiiiisii v al 225 NN 15 W hat you should know about taking everyday drugs Most di ii| old m phai iliac ic in ihe I tilled Stale's ale sale and woik as intended lusl die same, it's besl hi ex erase great care when hiking any mexli cation d o n 't lake m ore than the recommended dosages and walch out lor undesiiahle side etlects I hat advice should he espa tails heeded when hiking such commonlv available oxer the counter m c d ii.i lions like aspirin and cold lemedies, oi frequently prescribed drugs like birth control pills and iianquilizets Here are consumer lips on ID com monlv used ding types • 'Latch Key Program tO 1 1 VTS. “ Aging Relatives. Your fam ily and Y o u " is the title o f a free fa m ily fo ru m , sponsored bv M e tropolitan fa m ily Service, to be held W edries day, Nos. 6, at 7:30 p.m . at Augus tana 1 utheran Church. 2710 N f 14th Avenue. fa m ilie s who are facing the chal lenges o f finding appropriate care and housing alternatives for oldct family members are encouraged to attend Representatises fro m a variety o f fa m ily service agencies w ill answer questions and share in fo rm a tio n on their services and programs. The subject w ill be explored in depth in a six-part series to be held Thursday evenings beginning Nov 14, also sponsored hs Metropolitan fam ils Service A small fee w ill be charged fo r the series, which includes disais sion o f changing fam ily roles and responsibilities, available care options, family communications, understand ing the older relative, and developing effective contacts w ith service pro viders. Those wishing additional informa Iron, or registration, may call M etro politan f amily Service at 22N 723N OHSU dental school make dentures available Grace Collins Children 6 wks. Free Family Forum: 'Caring for Older Relatives' is/'/r/h Nccei take more than two a grain tabk*ts every tixn hours tor a maximum o l 10 davs three lor lever Before h ikin g another drug or undergoing surgery, lell vom dixtor it you've been hiking aspirin S ouk * potential side ellevts: stomach |\un and nausea Kinging in die eats is also possible, b ill (hat's geneiallv die sign o l a high dose and goes awav when von slop hiking die drug • h e h irn in o fh e n Allhough Ibis aspirin substitute is geneiallv tree ol side etlects, a l.uge overdose can lead to serious, even latal liver damage I he recommended dosage is ihe same as for aspirin • Idiui/i/s l i \ hesl to lake lliein oik * hixir altei meals and not with olh er medicines I xcessive use can lead to constipation oi diarrhea • C old Medu a tio n \ No drugs can cure a cold; tiles can, however, relieve symptoms. I hus, d your d ix to r pre scribes cold medication, ask whv II it's an aniibioiK which will not cure the cold ii may be a waste ol mmx-s • 4ZZ«rgi/)n/gs I ike cold niedica lions, generally they only relieve symptoms Antihistamines should not be taken bs people with glaucoma, or bv men w ith enlarged prostates, and not combined w ith alcohol Besides drowsiness, Ihev can cause* drv moulh, nose and throat • \n lih io lu i Because these pre svrtptinn drugs work overtime, h's mi portani lo keep taking them even alter Petty Cat "« p * jc "«'O' fMtvxxrx^ ««ga by NAOM< * M S A N D A I D O U G LA S NA T A l I f C O U 8 M tf H A f I YVf f P S AD92 JULIE H801 N ow q 5oo N ow $2495 Reg $35 00 Roy $18 96 M R S . C ’s W IG S 707 N.E. Fremont 28*1-6525 Closed Sun. « Mon. OPIN Tuoa. thru Sat. 11:30 AM to 6:00 PM YOUR WATER: IS THERE MORE THERE THAN MEETS THE EYE? mm syinpionts disappear Also, read the label lo lind out it Ihev should be taken o n h on an empty slomach AA ahh oui loi allergies, and hccatctul ol oveiusc. which mas lead lo the development o l lesisianl shams ol micro oiganisiiis • H i'lh < m il'n l I ’ll!-. " I lie P ill" is ihe most widelv studied drug in his lo iv A lle i iw o decides, scientists liave learned dial Ihe risk ol heat I disease and slioke increases in women over age 5A who smoke w bile on Ihe pill Il's not recommeiidixl loi women with high blood pressing, diabetes, liver disease oi a fam ily Ihisiorv o l hear, disease, rcgaidlcss ol age H o rm o n a l flu e iu a iio n s in p ill users can alleviaie symptoms o f de pression in some women and worsen them in others. I here's no lin n evidence dial die pill causes cancel Newei torm ula pills contain mg lowei doses ol esirogen and p ro gesterone are less like ly lo c a lis e weight change, breast tenderness, abdominal cramps or skin discolora lion, hut more likelv localise menstru al irregularities • D iet I h Z s I he I ood and Drug Administration il D AI is still weighing evidence hetore deciding d phenylpro panolamine ( I’ P A) contained in diet aids is completely sale I Ihe I D A Hnds PPA sate and effective for a short lim e use.) Iw o Washington, D ( , consumer groups, however, recommend nor using it. • Ira n i/iiiliz e r\ Overuse ol drugs like A ahum can lead lo tolerance, making you need more ot the drug. And sudden w ithdraw al can lead lo unpleasant symptoms. • S/ee/i izrr/.v Ih e I D A has ap proved sleep aids to r "o cca sio n a l use" olds I nless inslrucled lo do so hs iheir physicians, people with mild or in fre q u e n t sleeping d iffic u ltie s should not use potent chugs prescribed lot patients with chronic or severe in somma. PACT: PACT: PACT: PACT: PACT: PACT: /S THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO? YES! A pure arid sirrijile solution to improving water quality « the Amway ‘ Water Treatment System Effectively removes Pesticides, Herbicides Industrial Chemicals, Chlorine and THM's (suspected cancer causing agents at high concentrations). Giardia Lamblia, and a host of other contaminants For sjiecific information, call 287 3298 Financing Available