Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 1996)
/ • . / •* > ';•< < • - ’ {< - '. » ;• /• -, < ' • * ***•■* •“**• Í » ^ .‘ „Ç *,j £ 4 • S - - •. ; ■ .... >4MMM P age A4 A call for action against STDs A landmark report by the Institute o f Medicine calls for bold action at the national level to prevent sexually transmitted diseases Calling STDs an epidemic o f "tremendous health and economic consequences in the U.S.,” the report links STDs with infertility, cancer and the spread of HIV/AIDS. " I he Institute o f Medicine has sounded a national wake-up call by stating emphatically that business as usual is not acceptable,” said Peggy Clarke, president o f the American Social Health Association, an 82- year-old organization dedicated to stopping STDs. “The report is espe cially significant because it comes from the prestigious IOM, a private, nonprofit organization that advises the federal government on health policy.” Titled "The hidden Epidemic: Confronting STDs receive too little recognition by the public and by health care professionals. “National action is urgently needed,” it con cludes. According to the report, STDs have the greatest impact on women, infants and adolescents. At least 15 percent o f all infertility cases among American women are caused by pel vic inflammatory disease, a compli cation o f STDs. PID can also cause chronic pelvic pain and life-threat ening tubal pregnancies. Infants who acquire STDs during their mothers’ pregnancy can suffer severe damage to the central nervous system. Adolescents, who account for one-fourth o f all new STD infec tions each year, are at highest risk for STDs because they are biologically more susceptible to infection and more likely than adults to have fre quent unprotected sex The report also emphasizes the 1996 Oregon Population survey results connection between STDs and can cer. Human papillomavirus, a widely prevalent STD that often has no symp toms, isclosely linked with nearly all cancers o f the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus and penis. Hepatitis B, which can be sexual ly transm itted, is a cause o f liver cancer. According to the report, many STDs, both those that cause sores and those that cause inflammations, increase the risk o f HIV infection. "The human tragedy associated with STDs is often overlooked,” Clarke said. “For example, a teenage girl may get an STD with no notice able symptoms. Her family doctor may not bring up the subject o f S ID s or offer testing, so she continues to harbor he infection without being aware o f it. As a result, not only is she at higher risk for HIV, but she may also develop cancer or become infer tile.” Oregon Health Plan wins award The Oregon Health Plan, a land mark initiative that expands health insurance coverage and sets explicit priorities for determining covered services, has been named a winner o f a 1996 Innovations in American Government Award by Ford Foun dation and the John F. Kennedy School o f Government at Harvard University. The program was hon ored at the State Department in Wash ington, D.C., and received a $ 100,000 award from the Foundation. Noting that this is the Innovations program’s I Oth anniversary, Susan V. Berresford, president o f the Ford Foundation, said “For 10 years the Innovations Awards have honored government at its best. These exam ples o f effective government have produced extraordinary results for Americans. They are helping to re- store faith in governm ent’s ability to solve tough problems.” Selected from more than 1,550 applicants, the 10 winning programs innovative solutions to some o f the problems people care about m o st- solutions that save taxpayers’ mon ey, streamline services, help unde served populations, find novel uses for new technologies, or overcome bureaucratic gridlock. Coping: How to avoid a nervous breakdown D r . C harles W. F aulkner 14. Are you frequently tired and Recently, I responded to a letter sleepy? from a reader requesting information 15. Have you lost your ability to about “nervous breakdowns”. Fol concentrate? lowing is a self-evaluation quiz you !6. Do you fe e l life is an uncon can take to determine if you are in trollable merry-go-round o f confu anger o f having a “nervous break sion? down”. Remember, the term is a slang ! 7. Do you constantly relive the expression used by laymen to refer to past? acute physiological stress. Be sure to 18. Do your moods go from real respond (yes or no) to each question happy to real sad fo r no apparent based on your present condition. reason* /. Are yo u usually nervous a nd / 9. Do you have trouble making restless? decisions about relatively insignifi 2. Do y o u fe e l rejected when oth cant matters'* er people criticize you? 20. Are you deeply frightened at 3. Do you often contemplate sui the thought o f having to live day by cide? day? 4. Have yo u lost interest in things 21. Is your health a major con that you previously enjoyed? cern to you, do yo u feel its deteriora 5. Do yo u fin d y o u rse lf being tion is affecting your regular activi overly critical o f people, things? ties? 6. Are yo u fea rfu l o f having a 22. Do you avoid your old friends ? nervous breakdown? 23. Does the thought o f being 7. Do you often experience loss alone frighten you'.’ o f temper? 24. Do you som etim esfeel you are 8. Have yo u became dependent losing your mind? on drugs to help yo u cope? 25. Do you spend long periods 9. Do you take life too seriously? daydreaming and just staring into 10. Do you think that other people space? are the cause to yo u r problem s? How to score the quiz: Add up ! I. Do you think yo u 've lost the your “Yes” and “No” responses. If chance fo r happiness a nd success? you have three or more "Yes” re 12. Have your concern in your sponses, you might well be on your appearance diminished? way to a nervous breakdown. The 13. Do you fin d that fo o d tastes “Yes” responses indicate serious bland and unappetizing? emotional problems. Even a single by “Yes” could be indicative o f trouble. If al I ofyour responses are “N o”, you apparently have no emotional prob lems. Please note: A single sleepless night, temper outburst, or momen tary loss o f memory is not in itself conclusive evidence ofan emotional disorder. Emotional danger is indi cated by patterns o f regular occur rences o f the behaviors indicated in the quiz. A capable counselor can be helpful in making an accurate assess ment. Here’s how to avoid the pain of frustration which can lead to nervous breakdown: /. Always have a goal or plan 2. Mingle. Be friendly with peo ple. 3. Maintain good health (perfect health impossible). 4. Focus on the good things in your life. Forget the bad. 5. Turn every negative thought immediately into a positive one. 6. Deal with problem s as soon as they occur Discuss them with a frie n d 7. Help make som eone else hap py- 8. Take a break from your chores 9. Don t overdo it Be sensible about your work If you would like to contact Dr. Faulkner, write him at 1635 Nathaniel Mitchell Road, Dover, Del., 19901. The Following is a f a d sheet on health care coverage: The Oregon Progress Board, in cooperation with several other state agencies, contracts biennially for a survey o f Oregon households. This survey documents demograph ic and socio-economic characteristics of Oregonians, and measures a wide range o f their attitudes and values regarding such subjects as the envi ronment, the Oregon lottery and quality o f life in the state. In 1996, Bardsley and Neidhart, a Portland-based research firm sur veyed 5,249 households, represent ing approximately 14,000 people. For the first time, thanks to the generous support o f the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, detailed questions on health insurance cov erage, cost and access were includ ed in the survey. The following is a sample o f findings about health in surance coverage from the survey: ♦ 11% o f Oregonians are currently uninsured (approximately 340,000) 1994 Oregon Population Survey es tim ated 14% (Given current popula tion growth trends, ! 4% would now number 450,000 Oregonians) 1993 R and survey estimated ! 7%>. ♦ !8% o f the uninsured are chil dren. ♦ 57% o f the uninsured reside in households with incom es below 2 0 0 % F e d e ra l P o v e rty L evel ( / 94,000 people). ♦ 70% o f the uninsured are "chron ically" uninsured-defined as being c o n tin u o u sly u n in su re d f o r !2 months or more ♦ !4%> o f all minorities are unin sured and 22%> o f Hispanics are un insured, com pared to 10% o f non minorities ♦ 76% o f employed, insured adults are offered insurance through their employers. 66% o f insured adults accept insurance through an em ployer Nationwide only 56% o f adults accept em ployer-based in surance. ♦ 28%> o f em ployed, uninsured adults decline em ployer-offered in surance. ♦ Insufficient income still remains a substantial barrier to those below 200%> o f the fed era l poverty level. To be eligible fo r the UHP Medic aid Program, most people have to be b elo w ! 00%>. There are expecta tions fo r pregnant women and chil dren under the age o f six, where the income level then can be as high as 133% o f the FPL. Keeping “Little People” safe with airbags “Statistics overwhelmingsupport that airbags do save our lives. In fact more than 1,100 lives were saved because o f airbags in 1995,” says Marianne Macina, CPCU, regional manager o f the Western Insurance Information Service(W IIS), "With all the recent publicity over airbags and children, it’s important to keep airbag benefits and risks in perspec tive.” According to Macina, people at risk of serious injuries from inflat ing airbags are children who are less than five feet tall (typically 12 years and younger), extremely petite wom en, and frail senior citizens. Also at risk is anyone who is not belted properly and drivers who sit with their faces and chests very close to the steering wheel. WHS volunteers are teaming up with Oregon Safe Kids, on Novem ber 27 and December I, to provide motorists with information on child passenger safety. These traffic safe ty advocates will be both 1-5 W ilsonville rest areas (north and south) between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. “ People need to remember that in most cases, other than children, the combination of seatbeits and airbags saves lives. Whether you sit in the front seat equipped with an airbag or in the back seat is a matter where you sit the key is to be "properly belted.” “ Properly belted” means the shoul der strap should cross the col larbone and the lap belt should fit “snugly” and low over the hips. The shoulder strap should never abe slipped be hind the back or under the arm -this could be extremely dangerous. “Th is is especially true in cars equipped with airbags,” she explained. “ With out the restraint o f the shoulder strap, the passenger may fall forward into the airbag as it is deploying. This will cause injury. The shoulder strap worn in its proper place will keep you against the seat and prevent you from touching the airbag until it is de ployed. That’s when you receive the safety cushion benefit from the airbag and not the injury.” According to the Insurance In stitute for Highway Safety, short people, pregnant women and open heart surgery patients should sit as far back from the steering wheel as possible when driving an automo bile. Some cars have steering wheels and telescoping adjusters that al low drivers to move the wheel away. People who sit close to the wheel just to see over it, may be able to raise their seat or tilt the wheel down instead o f sitting so close. Another option is pedal extend ers. These allow drivers to sit far ther away from the steering wheel. You may keep this in mind when shopping for a new car or have it installed in your current vehicle. Pregnant women who drive need to leave as much room as possible between their abnomens and the steering wheel (these pedal extend ers may help). Women who cannot do this should have someone else do the driving. Legacy announces three new board members Three new people have been elect ed to he Legacy Health System Board of Directors for three-year term s- Steven R. Rogel, President and Chief Executive Officer, Willamette Indus tries, Inc.; Leon Smith, President and C hief Executive O fficer, Albina Community Bank; and the Very Rev erend Anthony C. Thurston, Dean and rector, Trinity Episcopal Cathe dral. Board members are: JohnG. King, Judith A. Andersen, R.N., Carol S. Bogardus, M.D., Wilma G. Caplan, Larry N. C horuby, G eorge M Douglass, M.D., Charles L. Heinrich, Lowell W Johnson, C. W illiam Knodell, R. Jay Lewis, III, Darrell R. L o ck w o o d , M .D ., D uncan R. N eilson, Jr., M.D. (vice chair), Mitchell J. Olejko, PhilipF. Parshley, M.D., James A. Perry (chair), Y. Sherry Sheng, and Bishop Paul R Swanson. Physician joins North Portland Kaiser Kenrick Jones, MD, has joined Kaiser Permancnte’s medical group. He practices internal medicine at the HM O’s East Interstate Medical Office in north Portland. Born in the Caribbean island na tion of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Jones is a graduate ot the University of Wash ington Medical School in Seattle. He completed his internship and residen cy at Alameda County Medical Center in Oakland. He lives in Milwaukie. Kaiser Permanente is a prepaid, group practice health maintenance organization serving the medical care needs of more than 395,000 people in Northwest Oregon and Southwest W a s h in g t o n Advertise In 2 h r l.lo i tk i i i h ( O b s r n i r r Call 503-288-0033 Medicare urged to get annual flu shot T L., II C FA _-_ beneficiaries ... The U S. Department of Health licularly minorities and low-income and Human Services is urging older people of all races who appear to get Americans to get their annual flu less preventive care than do whites shots and avoid unnecessary illness, and upper-income people in general. hospitalization or even death from Recently released statistics show that the flu this winter. Despite the avail 4 1 percent of all beneficiaries in tra ability of preventive vaccines, flu ditional, fee-for-service Medicare and pneumonia remain the fifth lead programs, received shots in 1995. ing cause of death among the elderly, For African-American beneficiaries, taking as many as 40,000 lives each the participation rate was one-half of year More than 90 percent of the white beneficiaries at 21.6 percent. deaths form flu and pneumonia oc That is expected to be even lower for cur among people 65 and older. the other ethnic minorities. ' Flu can result in pneumonia in "We are making an extra effort to the elderly, and these are the two reach medically undeserved groups leading infectious disease killers and areas," said Bruce C. Vladeck, among older Americans," said HHS administrator of the Health Care Fi Secretary Donna E. Shalala. “Tragi nancing Administration (HCFA), the cally, many deaths from these dis HHS agency that oversees the Medi eases could be prevented through care program. “For example, our Ho immunizations." rizons Pilot Project is designed to The flu shot can prevent up to 70 increase flu vaccinations rates among percent of hospitalizations and 80 African-American Medicare benefi percent of deaths from influenza- ciaries.” related pneumonia among the elder In this project, HCFA is working ly. And it's covered by Medicare, so togetherwith Historically BlackCol- it's free for beneficiaries. legesand Uni versifies (HBCUs) and This is the fourth year that Medi Peer Review Organizations to get care is paying for influenza vaccina ministers, tamily physicians and oth tions. yet only about half of the na ers at the community level to urge tion's Medicare beneficiaries arc tak African-American beneficiaries to ing advantage of immunization—par- get their flu shot every year. HCFA is also developing new in itiatives with public health and pro vider organizations to make it easier (or providers to administers flu shots and bill Medicare. Information on the Medicare flu benefit is available in Spanish, Chi nese, Korean and Vietnamese, and is being distributed through the com bined efforts of HHS agencies, includ ing HCFA’s regional offices, the Ad ministration on Aging, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Coalition for Adult Immuni zation and more than 75 organizations dedicated to adult immunization The Agency has set a goal of 60 percent immunization rate for Medicare bene ficiaries by the year 2000. The flu shots are free for benefi ciaries enrolled in Medicare B who receive them from Medicare “partic ipating physicians.” These partici pating physicians accept Medicare payment amounts as full payment for their services. Flu shots are given annually. Medicare also covers vaccinations against pneumonococcal pneumonia. A beneficiary who ha snot previously received the pneumonia vaccine can obtain it at the same time as the flu shot. For most beneficiaries, a pneumonia shot need not be repeated. Helping Sickle Cell families Sickle Cell Disease is heredity and while it is seen predominantly in the Black population, it is also seen in many other populations, such as people from parts of Asia Minor, and Central India and bordering countries, Greece is seen in some Caucasians with above ancestry as well as many others. Sickle Cell is not contagious, affects approximate ly I in 400 black babies and I in 10 have Sickle Cell Trait, called carri ers. If a person is born with a Sickle Cell gene from one parent and an abnormal gene known as C trait, this person has a milder form of the disease called Sickle C Disease (SC Disease). Another form of Sickle Cell is Sickle Beta Plus or Zero Thalassemia. This occurs when a person inherits one Sickle gene and a Thalassemia zero trait. This form of Sickle Cell Disease affects ap proximately i in 10,000 babies each year and is clinically the same as Sickle Cell Anemia. H o no rs and E n c o u r a g es D iv e r s it y Kaiser Permanente is enriched by the contributions o f individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds We’re enhancing our workforce to better reflect the people we serve. r r Kaiser Permanente currently has several hundred positions available in a wide range o f expertise, such as: " ------------------------ MANAGEMENT • • • • Health Educator Audiology Sr Forecaster Maintenance Supervisor NURSING • Medical Technologist • Outpatient RNs &r LPNs • Phlebotomist • Home Health RNs CLERICAL DENTAL • LPNs • Dental Assistant • Dental Hygienist INFORMATION SERVICES PHARMACY • Programmer Analyst • Pharmacy Assistant • Pharmacy Technician LABORATORY • Inpatient RNs • Systems Analyst • Professional Secretary • Medical Transcriptionists OTHER • Housekeeping • Cafeteria Aide For a full list of the opportunities available, visit our employment office at: 500 NE Multnomah Street (Grand Avenue entrance), M-F, 8:30am-3:30pm (503) 813-4701 Or, you may fax your resume to: (503) 813-4791. KAISER PERMANENTE the health carina people An Equal Opportunity Employer
