¡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