P age A5
T he P ortland O bserver • J uly 13, 1994
First African American To
Lead Medical Group
A s o s te o p a th ic p h y s ic ia n s
c o n v e n e in A tla n ta , G a ., fo r th e
A m e ric a n O s te o p a th ic A s s o c ia t
io n ’s a n n u a l b u s in e s s m e e tin g ,
th e y a ls o w ill be c e le b ra tin g an
h is to r ic e v e n t: th e in a u g u ra tio n
o f the a s s o c ia tio n ’s f irs t A fric a n
A m e ric a n p re s id e n t.
W illia m G . A n d e rso n , D .O .,
w ill b e in a u g u ra te d as A O A p re s i
d e n t o n Ju ly 17. A t a lu n c h e o n
c e r e m o n y , he w ill p r e s e n t h is
in a u g u ra l sp e e c h o u tlin in g
h is p r e s id e n tia l in itia tiv e s fo r
t h e u p c o m i n g y e a r . D u r in g
th e a d d r e s s , A n d e r s o n w i l l
a ls o u n v e il h is th e m e fo r th e
y e a r w h ic h is “ O s t e o p a t h i c
M e d ic in e : A n Id e a W h o se T im e
H as C o m e .”
“ A s a ll o f h e a lth c a re e n te rs
th is n e x t y e a r o f re f o r m a n d
p a th ic p ro fe ssio n has b e e n c o m
m itte d to p rim a ry c a re fo r m ore
th an a c e n tu ry an d th e a g e -o ld
id e a ls o f o s te o p a th ic m e d ic in e
now re p re se n t the b a c k b o n e o f
the c u rre n t re fo rm d e b a te .”
A n d e rso n b e g an h is p ro fe s
sio n a l m e d ic a l c a re e r in A lb a n y ,
G a ., w h e re h e p ra c tic e d fo r six
y e a rs. D u rin g th is tim e , h e w as a
fo u n d e r an d fir s t p r e s id e n t o f the
A lbany M o v em en t. A s a frie n d o f
D r. M a r tin L u th e r K in g J r .,
A n d erso n w orked e x te n s iv e ly to
sp e a r the C iv il R ig h ts m o v e m e n t
in so u th w e st G e o rg ia th ro u g h o u t
the 1960s.
A t th is a n n u a l p o lic y -s e ttin g
m e e tin g , m em b ers o f th e A O A
c h a n g e , o s te o p a th ic m e d ic in e H ouse o f D e le g a te s w ill a ls o d e
c o n tin u e s to be a n a tu ra l s o lu b a te v a rio u s h e a lth c a re refo rm
tio n ,” sa id A n d e rso n . “ T h e o ste o - to p ic s.
Car Phones May Be
Dangerous To Health
Can you talk and drive at the
same time?
M aybe not, if you’re talking on a
telephone. Car telephones can divert
the d riv er’s attention from the road
so, if the car in front o f you stops
suddenly and y ou’re talking on the
phone, you may react slow er than
norm al - and that could be the differ
ence between an accident and a “close
call.”
“ W ith millions o f cellular car
telephones now in use, m otorists
should think about how to use them
safely,” says Marianne M acina, a re
gional m anager for the W estern In
surance Inform ation Service of B ea
verton.
M acina said certain sensitive
calls should be m ade or taken only in
a car safely parked at the side o f the
road or in a parking lot.
“D on’t stop on a highway shoul
der unless you face an emergency
because that can also be hazardous,”
M acina warns. “Operating a vehicle
at 55 or 65 mph is no time to learn that
your company lost a m ulti-m illion
spouses and children.
“If the car breaks dow n or is
involved in an accident, help can be
sum m oned quickly. A nd car phones
are used to report accidents involving
other m otorists and disabled vehicles
to the police,” M acina said.
O ther tips for safe driving and
telephoning:
*D on’t attem pt to take notes
w hile driving and telephoning.
♦Avoid giving com pany secrets
or credit card num bers on a car phone.
Radio transm issions could be picked
said M acina.
“ C a r te le p h o n e s to d a y a re no up by others.
♦Remove the external telephone
lo n g e r the sta tu s sy m b o l they w ere
antenna
w hen parking the car. T he
w h en c e llu la r se rv ic e first sta rte d .
antennajnakes
it easier for thieves to
A s p ric e s h a v e p lu m m e te d ,
th e y ’ve b e c o m e p o p u la r w ith re a l spot cars w ith phones.
♦D on’texpect the police to be too
e s ta te a g e n ts, s a le s p e o p le , e x
sympathetic
to an accident caused by
e c u tiv e s , tru c k d riv e rs a n d re p a ir
a
phone
conversation.
Y ou could even
p e rso n n e l, to n am e a few , b e c a u se
th ey sav e tim e an d im p ro v e s e r get a ticket.
♦Be aw are that many car insur
v ice. M any say th e y w o n d e r how
ance
policies exclude coverage if the
th e y g o t a lo n g w ith o u t th e m .”
M acina says a grow ing num ber phone isn ’t perm anently installed in
o f people are purchasing car tele an opening in the dashboard o f the
phones as a “ safety net” for their console.
dollar contract. People forget that
driving in today’s traffic dem ands
full attention.”
A c c o rd in g to s ta tis tic s from
th e In s u ra n c e In fo rm a tio n I n s ti
tu te , th e re w e re 3 1 .8 m illio n m o
to r v e h ic le a c c id e n ts in th e U n ite d
S ta te s in 1 9 9 2 , c o s tin g m o re th a n
$98 b illio n .
“ A good rule o f thum b to rem em
ber is: If your car is m oving keep
phone conversations short, light and
simple - unless you have a chauffeur,”
Free Contact Lenses
Available Through Study
J
»
A free pair o f contact lenses will
ie given to persons who successfully
om plete a research study evaluating
arious types o f contact lenses and
ens care solutions at the Pacific U ni
versity Portland and Forest Grove
Jamily Vision Centers.
Both current rigid and soft con-
act lens w earers, as well as non-
vearers may be eligible for studies,
rhose qualifying for the study will
¡valuate perform ance characteristics
j f both soft frequent replacement con-
a c t lenses and rigid gas permeable
RGP) lenses and solutions. Subjects
,vill be required to complete several
visits during the study at either the
Portland or Forest Grove Family Vi-
KXL Anchor
Wins Top
Award
For the second year in a row,
KXL new s radio 750 anchor and
reporter D iana Jordan has received
a first-place award from the N a
tional Federation of Press W omen.
The aw ard, for Best Radio
News A nchor in the 1-50 top m ar
ket category, was presented June
18 in Las Vegas.
“W e ’re e x tre m e ly p ro u d o f
D ia n a fo r w in n in g th is p r e s ti
g io u s a w a rd ,” said K X L O p e ra
tio n s M a n a g e r/N e w s D ire c to r
D e n n is K e lly . “ T h e fa c t th a t
she h as re c e iv e d it tw o y ears
ru n n in g is a te s ta m e n t to h er
ta le n t, h a rd w ork and a b ility .
Thus far in 1994, m em bers of
the KXL news team have won over
20 national and regional radio news
I
awards.
sion C enter for the evaluation pro
cess. Upon successful study com ple
tion, participants will receive a free
pair o f either soft or rigid contact
lenses. Lens care solutions will also
be provided at not cost throughout the
study.
Those qualifying for the study
will be required to purchase a contact
lens care agreem ent w hich provides
one full year o f vision care protection.
C ost for this lens care agreem ent is
$80. However, this $80 fee may be
discounted for specific studies. For
study registration and m ore inform a
tion, please call the Pacific University
Portland Fam ily Vision Center, 224-
2323, Ext. 402.
Medicine
Guide
Available
Modem medicines are powerful
tools in the fight against disease. They
prevent, cure and soothe many illnesses,
and have saved millions of lives. The
pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associa
tion has prepared a booklet to help people
understand medicines and assist users in
the proper care and use of prescription
medicines.
For a free copy of the “Consumers
Guide To Prescription Medicines,” which
contains a form for listing the medicines
you take, write: Larry Lucas at the Phar
maceutical Manufacturers Association,
110015 th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.
20005
MEDICAL
ASSISTANT/
LIMITED X-RAY
Classes Forming Now:
Phlebotomy
X-ray
EKG
Front Office
Medical Lab Procedures
Pharmacology
Medical Lab Skills
• National Certification
available
• Financial Aid for those
who qualify
• Job Placement Assistance
• Day & Evening Classes
Health Careers
for The Future
ConCorde
Career Institute
1827 NE 44th Ave.
Portland, OR 97213
(503) 281*4181
Vancouver: (206) 281-4181
JANA TORAN
A ttorney
at
L aw
PERSONAL INJURY, PRODUCTS liabltty , ano employment law
S uite 950, A merican B ank B ldg
621 SW M orrison S treet
P ortland , O regon 97205
(503) 225-0227
Mental Health And Mental
Illnesses In Black America
T h re e g ro u p s c o n v e rg e d on
C a p ito l H ill to d isc u ss th e im
p act o f m ental illn e s s e s on the
B lack A m erican c o m m u n ity . The
b rie fin g , c o -sp o n so re d by the
C o n g ressio n al B lack C a u c u s, the
N a tio n a l M ental H e a lth A sso
c ia tio n (N M H A ) a n d the N a
tio n a l In stitu te o f M en tal H ealth
(N IM H ), e x p lo re d the c u ltu ra lly
u n iq u e fa c to rs th a t a re p a rt o f
the re c o g n itio n an d tre a tm e n t o f
d e p re ssio n and m e n ta l illn e sse s
in B la c k A m e ric a n s . M e n ta l
h e a lth p ro fe ssio n a ls and civ ic
le a d e rs a lso d isc u sse d the need
to fo cus m ore a tte n tio n on the
full ra n g e o f fa c to rs a ffe c tin g
m en tal illn e sse s am ong B lack
A m e ric a n s. A m o n g th e g u e st
sp e a k e rs w ere M a rtin L u th e r
K ing III and N F L H all o f F am er
E arl C a m p b e ll.
“ T h is b rie fin g co m es a t a
c ritic a l tim e ,” Rep. L o u is S tokes
(D - O h io ) to ld m e m b e rs an d
g u e sts. “ Issu e s re la tin g to m e n
tal and b e h a v io ra l h e a lth play
an im p o rta n t ro le in a w id e ran g e
o f le g isla tio n , e n c o m p a ssin g e v
e ry th in g fro m th e c rim e b ill and
h e a lth c a re to the co m in g deb ate
on w e lfa re refo rm . B ro a d e n in g
the u n d e rsta n d in g o f d e p re ssio n
an d m e n ta l illn e s s e s a n d th e ir
im p a c t on so c ie ty is a very im
p o rta n t first ste p to w ard c h a n g e .”
D r. F re d a L e w is-H a ll, special
a d v ise r, N IM H O ffic e o f S pecial
P o p u la tio n s, c a lle d a tte n tio n to
th e fa c t th a t a lth o u g h m ental ill
nesses do n o t d isc rim in a te -- strik
ing B la c k s, W h ite s, A sians and
H isp a n ic s a lik e -- som e o f the
fa c to rs th a t c o n trib u te to d e p re s
sion a n d o th e r m e n ta l illn e sse s in
B la c k A m e ric a n s m ay be unique.
“ C la rify in g the im p a c t o f cu ltu re
on d ia g n o sis a n d tre a tm e n t w ill
e n h a n c e the a b ility to effectiv ely
tre a t m e n ta l illn e s s e s and lesson
th e ir to ll on th e B lack co m m u
n ity ,” she sa id .
A c c o rd in g to e x p e rts, stig m a
and lack o f u n d e rsta n d in g about
m e n ta l illn e s s e s and th e ir root
c a u se s have c o n trib u te d to a low
ra te o f re c o g n itio n and tre a tm e n t
a m o n g th o se w ith th ese c o n d i
tio n s. F o r in sta n c e , w h ile clin ic a l
d e p re ssio n s trik e s m ore 17.5 m il
lion a d u lts e a c h y e a r, e n c o m p a ss
ing 3.5 p e rc e n t o f B lack a d u lts,
less than tw o -th ird s o f th o se w ith
d e p re ssio n seek tre a tm e n t. Few
p e o p le re a liz e th a t d e p re ssio n is a
se rio u s m e n ta l illn e ss th at can
ru in c a re e rs , fa m ilie s and m a r
ria g e s. It is o fte n acco m p a n ied by
a lc o h o l an d d ru g ab u se. F ifte e n
p e rc e n t o f th o se w ith se v e r c lin i
cal d e p re ssio n die o f su ic id e . E f
fe c tiv e tre a tm e n ts (th e ra p y and
m e d ic a tio n ) a re a v a ila b le and
hig h ly e ffe c tiv e , y e t fe a r, stig m a
and lack o f k n o w le d g e p re v e n t
the m a jo rity o f th o se w ith c lin i
c a l d e p r e s s io n fro m s e e k in g
tre a tm e n t. A n d , in th e B la c k
A m erican c o m m u n ity , th e p e r
c e n ta g e o f p eo p le w hose sy m p
to m s go u n re c o g n iz e d or m is d i
a g n o se d is e v en h ig h e r.
H a v in g p e rso n a lly e x p e r i
e n c e d p a n ic d is o r d e r , fo rm e r
H o u s to n o ile r E a rl C a m p b e ll
s tre sse d the im p o rta n c e o f p u b
lic e d u c a tio n in d e -stig m a tiz in g
m en tal illn e sse s. “ M any p e o p le
c a n ’t a c c e p t the fa c t th a t th ey
s u ffe r from a m en tal illn e ss b e
c a u se th e y th in k so m ehow i t ’s
th e ir fa u lt, th a t th ey have fa ile d
o r th a t th e y can h a n d le it on
th e ir o w n . W e ll, w h e th e r i t ’s
d e p r e s s io n , p a n ic d is o rd e r o r
som e o th e r c o n d itio n , the fa c t is
i t ’s a d ise a se th a t n eed s p ro fe s
sio n a l, m e d ic a l tre a tm e n t.”
“ O n c e I w as w illin g to c h a l
le n g e th e stig m a I w as lucky
e n o u g h to g e t tre a tm e n t. N ot
e v ery o n e is as fo rtu n ate. W e need
to m ak e su re th a t h e lp is a v a il
a b le to all p e o p le - ric k and
p o o r, B la c k and W h ite — and
th a t they know w here to tu rn to
h e lp f o r .”