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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
You’ve spent your
whole life paying
into Medicare.
Here’s how to make sure
you get something hack.
$0 Plan Premium
No Deductibles
You worked, you
As a result, you receive more health care
paid, you worked,
coverage while not having to worry about
you paid, and on
high plan premiums, deductibles or loads
it went. And all
of paperwork.
100% Medically
necessary
hospitalization
the while, you
$10 Office visits
expected that a
depend on us, simply attend one of the meetings
Preventive services
comprehensive
below. A sales representative will be on hand
health plan
to answer your questions. Or, call us at
To find out why more Medicare beneficiaries
would be there to take care of your needs
1-800-728-8158 or TTY 1-800-257-5799.
upon retirement.
We 11 explain how you can use your Medicare
dollar to get the health care coverage you’ve
Fortunately, there is such a plan. It’s
called Secure Horizons. And Secure Horizons
specializes in the health care needs of Medicare
been missing.
And, you’ll be happy to know, we contract
recipients. In fact, we actually provide more
with what we believe to be one of the finest,
benefits than traditional Medicare does.
most convenient networks of private practice
How? As a Medicare contracting plan, we
provide health care coverage—hospitalization,
physicians available.
Perhaps this is why Secure Horizons has
physician visits and vision care—to Medicare
becom e the largest Medicare risk plan in the
recipients. In exchange, the I J.S. Government
nation—with 90,(MM) m em bers in the
pays us to provide benefits above and beyond
Northwest alone.
those offered by traditional Medicare.You simply
designate your Medicare premium to lx* applied
SecureHorizons®
to your Secure Horizons plan, and that's it.
Offered by PacifiCare o f Oregon
Secure Horizons is offered by PacifiCare which is a federally qualified HMO with a Medicare
contract. Anyone with Medicare may apply. Members must use contracting plan providers. Plan
premiums and benefits vary by county’. Beneficiaries m ust continue to pay Part B prem ium or
Medicare premium.
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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