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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 16, 2003)
¡Elje Çortlanh (Observer Page A6 July 16.2003 H ealth / F amily H ealth B riff s Diseases that Discriminate African American Health Coalition teaches healthy habits to combat diseases targeting African Americans B eing outdoors in w arm w eather can be invigorat ing, especially after spending m onths inside due to the cold and rain. A lthough sum m er brings m any opportunities to participate in outdoor physi cal activities, it is im portant to understand how to safely and effectively exercise in the heat. For exam ple, w hen is the best tim e o f day to exercise outside in order to avoid heat exhaustion? A nsw er - experts recom m end that people avoid exercising outside in tem peratures over 90 degrees F ahren heit. H ear other tips from Providence experts about staying fit - and healthy - w hen exercising this summer. conference. The A frican A m erican H ealth C oalition o fO regon is the only recipient o f the Racial and Ethnic A p proaches to C om m unity H ealth (R E A C H ) grant. The grant funds 29 various classes ranging from strength D a .M arcus R edeav /T he P ortland O bserver D id you know that A frican A m ericans have the poorest health profile o f any racial o r ethnic group in Oregon'.’ T h e A frican A m erican H ealth C o alitio n Inc. is h e re to h elp. Its m issio n is to p ro m o te and im p ro v e w e lln e s s am o n g A frican A m erican s liv in g in O r eg o n th ro u g h h ealth e d u c a tio n , a d v o c a c y an d training, A frican d ance, salsa, w ater aerobics, yoga, co n ditioning w ith 1 1 d ifferent venues including the W hitaker track. A ll classes are free. “O u r hope is that the A frican A m erican com m unity m em bers take advantage o f the opportunity to in crease physical activ ity ,” explains D ora A sana, the program d irector o f the A frican A m erican Health Coalition. T he R E A C H p ro g ram an d the A frican A m erican H ealth C o a litio n are h av in g th e ir first annual W elln ess W ith in R E A C H W alk o n S ep tem b er 6 ,h. re s e a rc h . In 1989, A frican A m ericans w ere concerned about their health because the deadly diseases w ere h au n t ing them . AI DS and cardiovascular disease, leading to stroke, heart attacks and diabetes, are to d ay ’s m ain ki I lers o f A frican A m erican s. In 1996, the A frican A m erican H ealth C oalition T h e w alk is a fu n d ra ise r to k eep free c la sse s g o in g in th e co m m u n ity . T h e re is a c h o ic e b etw een a 1.5- m ile w alk an d a 4 -m ile w alk. T h e w alk b eg in s and en d s at D aw so n Park at 9 a.m . w ith w arm -u p , m usic an d a c tiv itie s fo r ch ild re n at 8 a m . T o p a rticip ate in th e w alk , th ere is a $ 15 p e r p erso n . R eg ister in p erso n at th e A frican A m e ric a n H ealth C o alitio n , by STAY SHAPELY - EXERCISE SAFELY started an annual w ellness conference w ith free tests and screenings. T h is w ill be the 8* annual w ellness KEEP MOSQUITOES AT BAYTHIS SUMMER Program Director Dora Asana 2 8 0 0 N. V a n co u v er A v e., S u ite 100 o r by m ail w ith a ch eck p a y a b le to A frican A m e ric a n H ealth C o a lition Inc. M ail to 2800 N. V ancouver A ve., Suite 100 P ortland, O R 97227. Frozen Egg Bears Healthy Baby OHSU fertility experts help couple have first baby bom on West Coast using cryopreservation Adrian Pearson was born in Portland using a rare frozen egg technique. The University Fertility Consultants at the Oregon Health & Science Uni versity have successfully frozen hu man eggs that have resulted in the birth of a baby boy. It is the first successful birth using this method on the West Coast, according to David Battaglia, Ph.D., who utilized a technique that was developed in Bologna, Italy. He is also an associate professor of obstet- rics and gynecology. Egg freezing tech nology is just emerging as a viable option for patients and this birth is one o f about 25 such births in the United States and one o f about 130 world wide. Adrian Alexander Pearson, was bom March 22, 2003. He weighed in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces, 21 inches long, and with a head o f red hair. n Survey Tracks Domestic Violence Against Pregnant Women Public health researchers in the state D epartm ent o f H um an Services (D H S ) say new data about abuse to pregnant w om en underscore the serious im pact o f dom estic violence in O regon. “ D om estic violence against pregnant w om en o c curs several tim es each day in O reg o n ," said Ken R osenberg, M .D ., m edical epidem iologist in D HS. "A n d it usually d o e sn ’t begin or end w ith p reg n a n c y .” R osenberg’s survey estim ates that 2.6 percent o f O re g o n ’s pregnant w om en w ere physically hurt by th eir husband o r partner in 2000. It also estim ates that 3.6 percent w ere physically hurt by their husband or partn er before they becam e pregnant. F indings are based on the on results o f the 2000 D H S P regnancy R isk A ssessm ent M onitory Survey (P R A M S ), an ongoing survey o f w om en w ho have recently given birth. A total o f 2,100 new m others participated, and the survey is designed to be repre sentative o f the entire population o f O regon w om en w ho recently gave birth. Findings include: W hen asked, “during your recent pregnancy did yo u r husband push, hit, slap, kick, choke o r p h y si cally hurt you in any oth er w ay,” 2.6 percent o f respondents answ ered yes. W hen extended to the entire population, this represents 1,126 new m others. • The survey found that 0.8 percent o f respondents, Domestic violence against pregnant women occurs several times each day in Oregon. — Ken Rosenberg, M.D., medical epidemiologist In DHS. Jb representing 346 new m others, said som eone else had physically hurt them w hile they were pregnant. • In addition, 3.8 percent o f w om en respondents, representing 1,646 new m others, reported being physi cally hurt by their husband o r partner in the 12 m onths before they becam e pregnant. • A nother 1.6 percent o f respondents, representing 693 new m others, said they w ere physically hurt by som eone else in the 12 m onths before they becam e pregnant. R osenberg said dom estic abuse often begins be fore pregnancy and m ay continue after birth. He urged that health care w orkers screen all w om en for dom estic violence. “ Preventing, intervening and protecting w om en and infants from dom estic violence is an im portant part o f providing high-quality health care. W e all need to continue p rom oting broad aw areness o f this issue am ong all O regonians,” R osenberg said. “A dverse outcom es o f dom estic violence during pregnancy include m iscarriage, early labor, low birth w eight, o r serious physical injury to the fetus or the m other,” R osenberg said. Lolita Burnett, Reed College alum, will bring focus to diversity awareness tions and consum er m arketing. She also has m ore than 20 years experi ence in organizational developm ent and hum an resources. B urnette w as m ost recently the ow ner o f A chievem ent A rchitects, a consult ing firm. She had previously served as hum an resources d irecto r for the City o f Gresham , US W est C om m u nications (now Q w est) and Pacific Bell Directory. She has a bachelor’s degree from Reed Col lege. Her post graduate w ork includes certifica tion in equal em ploym ent opp o rtu nity and affirm ative action p rac tices from C ornell U niversity and M BA coursew ork from the U niver sity o f Phoenix. “A s part o f our M ission and C ore V alues, our goal at Providence is to ensure that diversity is interw oven into the fabric o f everything w e do,” said Baruti Artharee, regional direc tor o f Diversity Initiatives. “I know Lolita will help us continue our progress toward that goal.” Senator Gordon Smith (R- OR) proposed a bill that could reduce AIDS death by 50 per cent. A new study by the Early Treatment for HIV Act o f 2003 (ETHA) finds that passing ETHA would reduce the death rate for people with HIV on Medicaid by 50 percent over 10 years. ♦ “This study shows that the lives of people with HIV can be greatly improved through the passage of ETHA," said Smith. “Some people living with HIV and AIDS get the latest medical treatment, but too many do not. This is literally a life and death issue for many Oregonians, and ETHA can help many more 1 Americans enjoy long, healthy lives.” The study found that pro viding early intervention care through ETHA significantly delays the progression o f HI V disease, increases the life ex pectancy of HIV positive indi viduals and is highly cost ef fective. STAY SMART AND STAY AFLOAT T ragic w ater accidents happen quickly - it can take only a second for som ething disastrous to occur. A dvance planning, how ever, can m inim ize the risk and prevent the m ost com m on w ater injuries and accidents. C om m on sense tips - such as enrolling your children in sw im m ing lessons and teaching them to alw ays sw im in supervised w ater - are am ong the m any tips P rovidence experts can offer about w ater safety and w hat to d o in the case o f w ater-related em ergencies. B’ SAFE IN YOUR BACKYARD! B ackyard injuries are com m on in the sum m er, and som etim es inevitable, but being prepared can help m inor injuries from becom ing far w orse. Insect stings can be avoided by using repellant, but if your child is stung, rem ove the stinger by scraping it aw ay w ith your fingernail. T o p revent barbecue bum s, place a screen over the grill an d m ake sure the grill, barbecue or propane tank is in an open area w ith no overhanging trees or branches. A lso, rem em ber to use extrem e caution w hen operating law nm ow ers and never allow children to ride on riding law nm ow ers. L earn m ore from o u r experts on how to prevent backyard injuries from becom ing backyard em ergencies. 1st Annual September 6,2003 »tai Jola va for H m 1st Annual Wellness Within Rf ACM Walk Sot. September A, 20011 Walk the 1.5 or 4-mile coarta. When Bill Could Reduce HIV Deaths PROTECTING YOUR SKIN FROM SUNBURNS A lthough m ost o f us love the w arm th and light o f the sun, too m uch sun exposure can cause signifi cant dam age to hum an skin. O v er tim e, the sun depletes skin o f natural lubricating oils. Its ultra violet radiation can cause short-term burning, long-term ch anges in the sk in ’s structure, or far w orse - skin cancer. Each year, m ore than 1 m illion A m ericans are diagnosed w ith skin cancer, the m ost com m on type o f cancer in the U nited States. L earn about the appropriate use - and strength - o f sunscreen, as w ell as other “sun safe” tips from P rovidence specialists. African American Health Coalition, Inc. D iversity M anager Announced at Providence Lolita Burnette hasjoined Provi den ce H ealth System as its new regional diversity m anager. In her new position, B urnette w ill focus on expanding diversity aw areness an d practices throughout the o rg a nization. “ I’m excited to be here at Provi dence, and to have the opportunity to w ork w ith people w ho are so com m itted to honoring diversity in the w orkplace," said Burnette. “People are the key to holding diversity ini tiatives together, and no two people are the sam e O ur aim is to help people interact even moreeffectively w ith each other in the w orkplace and w ith those w hom they serve.” B urnette has served as a d irector o f inform ation technology, and has w ork ed in publishing, public rela- W hile w e w o n ’t be im m une to the W est N ile virus this sum m er, there are m any things w e can do to lim itourrisk ofexposure. Curtailing outdoor activi ties at dusk w hen m osquitoes are m ost active; keeping w indow s and doorw ays tightly sealed; installing w indow and door screens to keep in sects outside; and w earing protective clothing w hen w orking outdoors are am ong a few sugges tions to reduce th e risk. P rovidence experts can shed light on these suggestions and others - like the safest w ays to use insect repellant - to thw art pesky critters and the diseases they harbor. The walk begins at 9:00 o.m. Other event activities begin at 1:00 a.m. For more InlonnatloB for more information aboot participation or to w l ( p T H e O f e^p W Yal wv tbe African American Health Coalition, Inc. at 101-411*1150, whonmor0oabc-portlnn4.org or mie!4 ^ta ^ic portta ^t^f, ^tr^t Where Start and finish at Dawson Park, located at N. Vanceaver and Stanton in Portland, OR. W My The purpose of tbe walk is to celebrate our community's health and sustain ongoing free physical activity dosses for African Americans in the Pertlan4 metre area. Entry Intry foe it $15 per person. eayx •ansai A (tente Anpressusi m Cecnnwofty tteofte f I
