April 09, 2003____________________________________
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Page A7
H ealth
Health Care Forum Addresses Issues
«
Dr. John Kitzhaber,
former governor o f Or
egon. author o f the Or
egon Health Plan and
emergency room physi
cian, led a recent discus
sion with the health care
professionals o f today John Kitzhaber,
and tomorrow about the former Oregon
evolution o f health care governor.
in Oregon and what the
future holds as the number
o f uninsured families in
creases.
The forum at Oregon
Health and Science Uni
versity brought together a
core group o f people to
look at the history o f our
health care system, the
changes that have endured and
speculations about what lies ahead
for the440,000Oregonians without
health care.
Kitzhaber said as a physician, there
was no debate about what consti
tutes an emergency, yet as a legisla
tor and governor, whether or not our
children's health was an emergency
was constantly up for debate.
There is no safe level o f exposure, so contact with any amount o f asbestos can be harmful.
DEQ Issues Asbestos Warning
Homeowners and
homebuyers
should be cautious
in houses built
before 1987
For those planning to remodel
homes built before 1987, it's impor
tant to know if the home was built
with asbestos-containing material.
The Department o f Environmental
Quality has answers to questions
about how to protect homeowners
from the dangers o f improper as
bestos removal.
Residents are encouraged to hire
a contractor before attempting to
handle asbestos or visit the DEQ
Web site at www.deq.state.or.us
and click on Consumer Comer.
Inhaling asbestos has been
linked to cancer and otherdiseases.
There is no safe level o f exposure,
so contact with any amount o f as
bestos can be harmful. When as
bestos-containing material is dis-
turbed or damaged it releases tiny
fibers into the air that are too small
to be filtered by a dust mask.
Asbestos is a mineral that can be
broken down into very fine fibers
that are heat-resistant and extremely
durable. Because o f these proper
ties, asbestos was widely used in
construction materials until 1987.
Depending on its condition, in-
home asbestos may be a health
hazard. As long as asbestos is not
disturbed, damaged or worn, or the
material is sealed, it is not consid
ered a health hazard.
DEQ recommends that the saf
est way to handle asbestos-con
taining material is to hire an asbes
tos abatement contractor to per
form the work.
Most home repairor remodeling
contractors do not have an asbes
tos abatement license or certified
workers who are trained and have
the proper equipment to work safely
with asbestos. Contact DEQ for a
list o f licensed asbestos abatement
contractors in Oregon.
For those who plan to buy a pre-
1987 home in need o f remodeling,
have a qualified inspector survey
the house for asbestos before pur
chase.
Sprayed-on popcorn acoustical
ceilings, sheet flooring such as
linoleum or vinyl asbestos tiles,
cement asbestos board siding and
roofing, furnace and duct insula
tion as well as boiler and pipe insu
lation are all common materials
known to contain asbestos.
To be safe, DEQ recommends
that all suspect materials as if they
contain asbestos until their safety
is know for sure. An asbestos con
taining material cannot be deter
mined simply by appearance. The
only safe way to find out if material
contains asbestos is to have a labo
ratory analyze a sample o f the sus
pect material.
Laboratories that do this work
are usually listed in the Yellow
Pages under Asbestos Consulting
& Testing. Call DEQ for informa
tion on how to safely take a sample.
For more information, call the
DEQoftice at 503-229-5364
Problem Gamblers Find Help
More Oregonians than ever are
entering into problem gambling
treatment, according to a report
released by the ( )regon I iepartment
o f Human Services.
The study found that the num
ber o f problem gamblers entering
into treatment increased nearly 40
percent over the previous year and
there was a 66 percent increase in
the num berof family members en
tering counseling.
Based on a follow-up sur-
a
vey with people who went
through gambling treatment, 90
days after they left treatment, about
three-fourths o f them found the
help they needed to slop or reduce
theirgambling.
By law, one percent o f the O r
egon Lottery’s net proceeds are
dedicated to a problem gambling
treatment fund. This fund is used to
support 17 regional problem gam
bling prevention programs, 30out-
patient programs, three short-term
residential programs, one telephone
counseling program and the toll-
free Problem ( ¡ambling Helpline at
877-2-STOP-NOW.
According to the re
port, o f the 1,380
gamblers who re
ceived trea t
m ent last
y e a r, 74
p erc en t
Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health
A program of the Afncan American Health Coalition. Inc.
"’I
Sponsored by the CDC (Centers tor Disease Control and Prevention)
Wellness Within REACH: Mind, Body, and Soul
Activity Calendar
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Mon
Matt Dishman
77 NE Knott
Tues
Wed
S at
Fri
Th urs
Strength Traminç
Strength Trainimi
Strength Training
M a m and 2-3pm
8 9am and 2 3pm
8 Nam aad 2 3pm
10:00-1 1:00am
Br»»o
Broun
Brown
Addo
African Dance
Chicago Step
6.3X1-7:00pm
Kendrick
Salvation Army
5325 N W itt» ms.
Salsa
Water Aerobics
Tai Chi
6:30-7:30pm
2:00 34)0pm
6 :3 0 -7:30pm
2:00-3:00pn.
Hanghnd
Harapino
Lyles
Hampton
Water Aerobics
Begins 4/16/03
Nature's
3535N E15tL
Yoga
Yoga
Rodi fnaditiomng
7:30-830 pm
7:45-8:45 pm
9:30-10:30am
U R o.rU
ORourkr
Nickerson
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Penins uia Park.
700 N Portland
Malory Avnme
Christiu Church
(G y-)
126 NE Alberta J
Highland Uiied
Church of Christ
4635 NEW . Ave.
Walking Groap
6:00-7310 pm
6:00-73X1 pm
12:30 pm
Nickerson
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(Meel inside the
(Meet inside the
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hont of Sears )
Aerobics
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6:30-7:30pm
630-7:30pm
6 3 0 -7:30pm
Nickerson
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63X)-700am
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6:00-7:(Xlam
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Walking Grnap
’ “Must be 21 or older to participate. Please check with AAHC before showing up to the first class
503-413-1850 Please receive approval from your doctor before beginning exercise class
All classes are free o f charge!
African American Health Coalition, Inc.
were hooked on video poker and 10
percent on slot machines. While
the average gambling-related debt
was $22,840, several individuals re
ported gambling debts exceeding
$100,000.
A quarter o f the gamblers re
ported that theirgambling cost them
a marriage or other significant rela
tionship. Forty percent committed
i I legal acts in order to gamble or pay
back gambling losses. Fifteen per
cent reported losing their job as a
result o f gambling and 10 percent
2800 N Vancouver A v e , Suite 100 • Portland. OR 97227 •
were on the brink o f committing
suicide in the months prior to enter
ing treatment
The power to
quit smoking
is within
your reach.
Gordly Sponsors
Mental Health Bill
Discrimination in health insur has created barriers to sound treat
ance coverage against people with ment practices and to the overall
mental illnessand substance abuse well being o f the people o f this
problems may soon end in Oregon state"
under a bill considered today by a
For Gordly, who has a son who
senate committee.
suffers from mental illness, the hear
Senate Bill I,
ing is the first
c o -sp o n so re d
sta g e in the
by
A frican
ach iev em en t a
American State
long time goal
Sen.
A vel
to en su re that
Gordly, requires
mental health and
a company that
substance abuse
provides health
treatment receive
insurance in Or
equal coverage
egon to offer the
from insurance
sam e level o f
companies.
co v e rag e for
“ I look fo r
m ental illness - State Sen. Avel Gordly
ward to the day
and dnig and al
this bill becomes
cohol dependency as it does for law, because at that moment this
other medical conditions.
large barrier to treatment will fall for
“The lack o f parity in health care many o f our most vulnerable Or
coverage has fostered stigmatiza egonians and the gates o f access
tion o f those with mental illness will open," ( iordly said. “This bill
and su b stan ce ab u se issu es," ranks with the best o f laws pro
Gordly said. “This stigmatization duced by this great institution."
The lack o f parity
in health care
coverage has fostered
stigmatization o f
those with mental
illness and substance
abuse issues.
Phone 503-413-1850
E-mail: kdempsey@aahc-portland org • Web www.aahc-portland.org
We know how hard it is to quit
smoking and we know what
works. Let us give you a helping
hand. Call us today.
)( dhs
’ O regon D epartm en t
o f H um an Services
Oregon Tobacco Prevention & Education Program
www.healthoregon.org/tobacco
1-877-2N0-FUME (Spanish) TTY: 1-877-777-6534
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