The
Page 4
H EALTH
Portland Observer Black
History Month
February 4, 2015
Reversing the
History of Illness
Sobering picture for residents of color
BY M ICHAEL L EIGHTON
T HE P ORTLAND O BSERVER
People of color in Multnomah
County face “extremely sobering’’
disparities that lead to more illness,
fewer opportunities and shorter
lives.
Entering 2015, public health offi-
cials have a new mandate to address
racial and ethnic health disparities
in the Portland area where African
Americans experience grave differ-
ences in almost all 33 measures of
health, but where disparities also
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persist for Latinos, Native Ameri-
cans, Alaska Natives, Asian Ameri-
cans and Pacific Islanders.
“The number and breadth of the
disparities across this range of indi-
cators highlights the need of a multi-
layered, cross sectional strategy to
address them. This is not just a
Health Department issue,’’ said Dr.
Julie Maher, the health official who
led a recent analysis. “This is an
extremely sobering picture for our Representatives from the Multnomah County offices of Health, Diversity and Equity, Human Services
and the Board of Commissioners give voice to the health disparities faced by the county’s residents
continued
on page 7
of color.
Give Kids
a Smile
Kaiser offers free
clinics on Saturday
Kaiser Permanente Northwest is offering free
dental sealants, fluoride varnishes, and vaccina-
tions to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured
children in partnership with the American Dental
Association and National Children's Dental Health
Month.
The free clinics, called Give Kids a Smile, will take
place on Saturday, Feb. 7 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at
seven Kaiser dental offices spanning Salem to
Longview. Services will be provided on a first come,
first served basis with a capacity to provide dental
services for 800 children and vaccinations for 525
children.
Dental sealants and fluoride varnishes are
safe, effective, and painless ways to prevent
cavities. In Oregon, children who haven't re-
ceived their vaccinations by Feb. 18 can't attend
classes.
“We want to help keep kids healthy, at school,
and ready to learn,” a Kaiser official said.
Dr. Charles
Drew was an
African-American
surgeon who
pioneered
methods of
storing blood
plasma for
transfusion and
organized the
first large-scale
blood bank in
the U.S.
Charles Drew Blood Drive
Donations to
save lives; honor
black history
The American Red Cross encour-
ages eligible donors to celebrate
Black History Month by donating
blood and ensuring a diverse blood
supply is available for patients.
In the spirit of Dr. Charles Drew,
an African-American surgeon who
was the first medical director of the
American Red Cross and a modern
blood-banking pioneer, eligible do-
nors are encouraged to make an
appointment to donate blood.
Seasonal flu and inclement win-
ter weather often prevents regular
donors from giving this time of year,
making donations even more impor-
tant, officials said.
Blood from a donor with a similar
ethnic background as that of the
patient is less likely to cause compli-
cations, particularly for those pa-
tients whose chronic conditions
require repeated transfusions. Sickle
cell disease is one such chronic
condition affecting as many as
100,000 people in the United States.
To learn more and to schedule
an
appointment,
visit
redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-
733-2767.