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Science
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AHMUMM
L e s s H e a t , M o r e L ig h t O n
P r e v e n t a b l e D is e a s e s
by
W inston G rinek , M.D.
(Dr. Winston Griner is medical
director o f Family Care, Health &
Rehab, a comprehensive outpa­
tient rehabilitation facility in
Nashville, TN.)
As we approach the 21 st century,
infectious and parasitic diseases re­
main serious problems. It’s fine for
President Clinton and other world
leaders to discuss, even adopt, mea­
sures to combat distant threats like
heat induced ailments from global
worming, but the significant health
problems facing the world today are
not hypothetical. They are real, and
require attention now.
Last year the World Health Or­
ganization reported that 17 million
people, mostly in developing coun­
tries, died from preventable infec­
tious and parasitic diseases. No­
where is this problem more critical
than in sub-Saharan Africa-49 coun­
tries whose populations are likely to
double over the next 25 years.
This is tragic, but it is equally
grievous that we have within our
power the ability to prevent these
deaths, but fail to act on it. The
prescribed cure seems deceptively
simple: provide basic medical ser­
vices, improve sanitation and nu­
trition, and invest more money in
public health and vaccine programs.
All o f the above will be necessary.
But now global warming is in the
spotlight, and President Clinton is
spending a lot o f political and eco­
nomic capital to control it. His
environmental advisors want us to
believe that the alleged climate
change will cause hundreds o f thou­
sands to die yearly due to heat re­
lated ailm ents and increase the
spread o f tropical infectious dis­
eases. One o f the arguments they
use in support of the global w arming
treaty that came out o f the conference
in Kyoto, Japan, last December is that
limiting emissions form the burning
o f fossil fuels will save the lives of
humans. But such an approach may
have the revei se effect-worsening the
already dire state o f human health in
developing countries.
C o n tra ry to the C lin to n
Administration’s belief, the signifi­
cant health problem facing the world
is not global warming. A recent
report by the American Council on
Science and Health points out that up
to 500 million cases o f malaria occur
each year, 90% o f them in Africa,
and there are up to 2.7 million deaths
annually. The simple fact is, malaria
kills more people each year than have
died from AIDS in the last 15 years.
Most o f the victims are children.
The global warming doomsayers
are concerned that a rise in tempera­
tures may greatly increase the inci­
dence o f malaria and other diseases
that are carried by mosquitoes. They
say the answer is to place immediate
caps on industrial sources o f green­
house gas emissions.
This thinking is dangerously mis­
guided. O f course, we must be envi­
ronmentally responsible in our ap­
proach to global warming. But cli­
mate science is ri fe with uncertainty-
as are the allegations for health ef­
fects. The worst course o f action
would be for unsettled science to
lead to bad policy. Economists say
that draconian cuts in the use of fossil
fuels in the United States are unreal­
istic and would cripple the economy.
If our economy is compromised, in­
ternational aid and public health pro­
grams will be underfunded, placing
more lives at risk o f preventable dis­
eases.
Lowest Birth Weight
Infant Ever to
Survive in Oregon
Records from neonatal intensive
care units (NIC'Us) across the state
indicate that a baby born at Provi­
dence St. Vincent medical Center in
early January is the lowest birth
weight baby to ever to survive in
Oregon.
William Steven Hunicutt o f South­
west Portland was born on January 8,
1998, at 27 weeks gestation and
weighed only 365 gram s-that’s 12.8
ounces, or about the weight o f an
ordinary can o f soda. Unlike many
premature, very low birth weight
babies, physicians say baby William
survived because his critical organs-
lungs, brain, heart-were mostly de­
veloped, despite his low weight.
“The odds are against babies of
this size su rv iv in g ,” says John
McDonald. M.D., NICU medical
director. “We are very concerned in
the first weeks after William was
born that his lungs might not be able
to support him or that he might suffer
a serious brain hemorrhage. But
W illiam’s relatively advanced ges­
tational age worked to his advan­
tage.”
Since his birth, William has re­
sided in the NICU and now weighs 3
lbs., 15 ounces. He is 16 inches long-
about 6 1/2 inches longer than at
birth. “ He was bom very thin so he
had a lot to ti 11 out on," says W i lliam's
dad, Geoffrey. “ In the early pictures
he looks like a different baby!”
“W e’re really happy with the care
that we got from the hospital," says
Geoffrey. “The staff was wonder­
ful!”
Nearly 5,000 babies are born each
year at Providence St. Vincent-about
I in 9 o f all babies born in Oregon
and more than any other hospital in
the state. Because o f the high risk
obstetrical care offered at Providenee
St. Vincent, about 10% o f all babies
born at the hospital are admitted into
the NICU.
OHCSD Drops Home Loan
Interest Rates To 5.95%
T h e R e s id e n tia l L o an P ro ­
g ra m , a d m in is te r e d by O re g o n
H o u sin g an d C o m m u n ity S e r ­
v ic e s D e p a rtm e n t (O H C S D ),
h a s d ro p p e d th e in te r e s t ra te
from 6 . 1 25% to 5 .9 5 % fo r f ir s t­
tim e h o m e b u y e rs .
“ T h e lo w e r ra te w h ic h g o e s
in to e f f e c t J u n e 1, h a s n o t b een
t h i s lo w s i n c e O c t o b e r o f
1 9 9 3 ," sa id B ob R e p in e , D i­
r e c to r o f O re g o n H o u sin g and
C o m m u n ity S e rv ic e s D e p a r t­
m e n t. “ W e w a n te d to d o s o m e ­
th in g s p e c ia l to k ic k o f f Ju n e ,
w h ic h
is
N a tio n a l
H o m e o w n e rs h ip M o n th , an d to
h e lp f ir s t- tim e h o m e b u y e rs r e ­
a liz e
th e ir
d re a m s
of
h o m e o w n e r s h ip .”
Jo n G a il, th e new m a n a g e r
o f th e R e s id e n tia l L o a n P ro ­
g ram , a d d ed “ R a te s fo r o u r p ro ­
g ra m h a v e n o t b e e n th is low
fo r fo u r an d o n e - h a lf y e a rs . To
JU N EIO . 1998
(Elje JJortlawò (Obsertarr
ad d to th e e x c ite m e n t, w e have
o v e r $29 m illio n in b o n d p r o ­
c e e d s to p u rc h a s e h o m e lo a n s
from th e a p p ro v e d le n d e rs in
o u r p ro g ra m ." In a d d itio n to
th e lo w e r r a te G a il a d d e d ,
“ th a n k s to D ee T a y lo r (th e
p ro g ra m 's fo rm e r m a n a g e r), we
now h av e h ig h e r a c q u is itio n
c o s t lim its fo r m an y p a rts o f
O re g o n .
T h e n ew a c q u is itio n c o s t
lim it in th e P o rtla n d a re a ( i n ­
c lu d in g C la c k a m a s , C o lu m b ia ,
M u ltn o m a h , W a sh in g to n and
Y a m h ill C o u n tie s ) is $ I 4 2 ,8 3 6
fo r an e x is tin g p ro p e rty in a
n o n - ta r g e t a r e a ."
T h e a c q u is itio n c o st lim its
fo r n o n -ta rg e te d e x is tin g
h o m e s in M ario n & P o lk , L ane
an d B en to n C o u n tie s h a v e a lso
b e e n in c re a s e d to $ 1 0 0 ,5 7 2 ,
$ 1 1 1 ,6 4 3 and $ 13 5 ,7 1 2 r e s p e c ­
tiv e ly .
As for an increase in the inci­
dence o f malaria, rising tem pera­
tures may shorten the incubation
period o f mosquitoes carrying the
disease. However, the warming o f
the earth alone will not increase the
disease. It is not the climate, it is the
existence o f a public health pro­
gram that controls the disease.
Given the continuing threat to
life from infectious and parasitic
diseases, we must recognize the
importance o f international coop­
eration in building the public health
infrastructures in developing coun­
tries, not invest in proposals that
will disrupt economies and cost
Americans millions o f jobs.
Policy makers would be wise to
enable funding and technology for
vaccines to flow from affluent coun­
tries to the rest o f the world. A
cooperative, international approach
to public health offers a win-win for
all nations.
Study V o lu n t e e r s N eed ed
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
African American volunteers are needed fo r a 30 week hypertension research
medication study. If you are 18 years or older with high blood pressure and in general
good health, you may qualify. Volunteers w ill be thoroughly screened by the
research team and their pnvate physicians consulted. Study medication,
study-related clinic visits and testing will be provided at no charge for those who
qualify. Reimbursement for travel will be given. For information call 228-3217,
Mon.-Thur. 9 to 4, F r i.- 9 to 1 .
Clinical R e s e a r c h G rou p o f Oregon
1 2 2 1 S.W . Y a m h ill, S u it e 3 0 3
P o r tla n d , O r e g o n 9 7 2 0 5
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1-800-728-8158 or TTY 1-800-257-5799.
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We 11 explain how you can use your Medicare
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Fortunately, there is such a plan. It’s
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And, you’ll be happy to know, we contract
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How? As a Medicare contracting plan, we
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Perhaps this is why Secure Horizons has
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Offered by PacifiCare o f Oregon
Secure Horizons is offered by PacifiCare which is a federally qualified HMO with a Medicare
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premiums and benefits vary by county’. Beneficiaries m ust continue to pay Part B prem ium or
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HealthFirst Medical Croup -
Broadw ay
Legacy Emanuel H ospital
Conference Room
Conference Room
265 N. Broadway
Portland
Wednesday, June 17
East Medical Office Building
501 N. Graham
Portland
Thesday, June 23
1:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
Midland Library
Meeting Rtwtm
805 S.E. 122nd
Portland
Friday, June 26
10:00 a.m.
All locations are wheelchair accessible. Please contact us at least 72 hours in advance i f you have specific needs.
A sales representative will be present with information and applications.
Questions? Call 1-800-728-8158 (TTY 1-8OO-257 5799)
Refreshments will be served.
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