Staying Well Connecteds

Staying Well. Connected.

2012 Texas Emergency Management Conference

Photograph of a San Antonio Fire Department fire truckThe University of Texas Health Science Center Briscoe Library participated in the 2012 Texas Emergency Management Conference in downtown San Antonio on April 2nd through the 4th. Sponsored by the Texas Division of Emergency Management, the conference brings together representatives of law enforcement, border and port security, transportation and cyber security, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, Texas Military Forces, voluntary organizations and private sector partners. Patrick Lemelle, Outreach Library Assistant, and Peg Seger, Head of Outreach Services, provided information and demonstrations on disaster information resources available from the National Library of Medicine (NLM).

One of the featured NLM programs demonstrated by the Briscoe Library representatives was the WISER program.  WISER  is an information system designed and maintained by the National Library of Medicine for first responders and all emergency personnel who need critical information at their fingertips.

“WISER is a system designed to assist first responders in hazardous material incidents. WISER provides a wide range of information on hazardous substances, including substance identification support, physical characteristics, human health information, and containment and suppression advice.”

A free application is available for smart phones and other technical devices and can be acquired at the WISER website: http://wiser.nlm.nih.gov/

The conference became all too real this year when up to a dozen tornadoes hit the Dallas-Fort Worth area and emergency management operations were mobilized on the convention floor.

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March is National Nutrition Month

We have a serious situation on our hands.
For the first time in the history of the world we are seeing great progress in the near complete eradication of hunger. While we have not solved the problem completely, it can be said that we are supplying food to at least most of the world. More of the poorer countries are learning agricultural techniques to insure a sustained food supply.

Why then, with such success, are we now facing a global epidemic of obesity?  Perhaps nutrition cannot be defined merely as fuel for the body, but it must also include adequate work and exercise for the body.  Nutritious foods can make us healthy, but food alone will not necessarily produce a total picture of health; we need also nutritious work and exercise to build good muscle, bone, blood and tissue.

Last year, a global study performed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, (OECD),  on the health of the world in general, found that more than half a billion people, or one in 10 adults worldwide, were obese and that obesity was spilling over from the wealthy into poorer nations. It’s become an epidemic.

So, what can be done?

Most healthcare professionals agree that the most obvious and imminent causes for over-weight and obesity problems are consumption of excess calories, unhealthy eating habits and insufficient physical activity among children and adults. Individuals in the medical sciences, are being called upon to be leaders in opening the eyes of our communities to see the inherent dangers that threaten us all.

Below is a collection of articles aimed at studying and addressing our complete nutritional problem. You may want to share some of these articles and videos with your clients, patients, students and caregivers.  Together we can turn things around and help make lives better and healthier.

 

MedlinePlus: Obesity rates rise, threaten health in OECD nations:

US Department of Agriculture:

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute – For Health Professionals:

Texas Department of State Health Services:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

MedlinePlus:

MedlinePlus
Nutrition for Seniors:

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

 

Scholarly articles

OECD

Obesity in Latino Communities:

Obesity prevalence and the local food environment

Texas Health Institute, 2006 Report

MedlinePlus.gov:

Behavioral intervention program

Science Daily

Children and Nature Network

 

 

Posted in Articles, Hispanic health, Minority health, News, Reports, Resources, South Texas, Staying Well. Connected., Websites, Youth | Comments Off

February 2012: National Children’s Dental Health Month

In 2002, the Urban Institute reported that one of the most prevalent chronic illnesses facing children in the United States today is tooth decay. It is astounding that oral health problems persist among children in spite the fact that tooth decay is largely preventable through regular dental cleanings and checkups. Still, 24 percent of children ages 5 to 17 account for 80 percent of the tooth decay disease in permanent teeth among this age group. Socioeconomic disparities are blamed for these oral health burdens and low-income children are disproportionately affected. Inadequate access to dental care can be cited as the problem. Please read the report: http://www.urban.org/publications/309527.html

It is with this problem in mind that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) offers Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Dental Services though a managed care model. Beginning March 1, 2012, HHSC will expand managed care dental services to include Medicaid. The goal of this expansion is to provide quality, comprehensive dental services to eligible recipients. HHSC will select two or more dental contractors to provide services to both Medicaid and CHIP Members. Please read the report:
http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/medicaid/MMC/TMHP_article_0611.pdf

It is good to remember also, that we can help protect our children’s teeth and diminish the growth of caries with various applications of dental sealants and with topical and systemic fluoride, but most importantly, a sound education and a good oral hygiene program will go a long way to help maintain healthy teeth and gums for a long, long time.

“Something Fun” from the American Dental Association in honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month:

http://www.ada.org/sections/publicResources/pdfs/2012NCDHM_ActivitySheets_English_FULL.pdf

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Laredo 14th Annual Health Occupations Planning Exposition (HOPE)

UT Health Science Center Librarian Linda Levy talking to Laredo area students attending HOPE

Sponsored by the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) of the Mid Rio Grande Border Area of Texas

Students and teachers alike were very interested in a number of the features of
MedlinePlus and learning how NLM resources could be used for class projects. In
student health fairs, the MedlinePlus Videos & Cool Tools section often
gets the most immediate attention. We also handed out materials on ToxNet and
heard comments that some classes were working on projects with related topics and that this was a resource that they could use. We used the iPad exclusively at this fair and found that students were more apt to try their hand at looking up topics in MedlinePlus while also getting a chance to use the iPad.

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Mental Health Care

South Texas to Benefit from$5.3 Million Grant

Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas Inc. has recently awarded a $5.3 million grant to the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The grant will help fund the creation of the South Texas Access to Recovery Program (STAR), and help address the shortage of behavioral and mental health care professionals in the region.

According to Professor Pedro Delgado, M.D., professor and chair of the Dept. of Psychiatry at the Health Science Center, “The need for mental health care professionals in South Texas is immense. Texas has only about half the number of mental health providers per 100,000 residents compared to the national average, and one in 20 South Texans will develop severe mental illness at some time in their life”.

Among the underserved population in South Texas there are very few mental health care professionals who can provide care to the South Texas region and STAR, it is hoped,  will help address these issues.

The grant will also aid the Department of Psychiatry in creating a Community Behavioral Healthcare Track in which two psychiatry residents each year will be admitted to this new track within the four year residence program.

The School of Nursing will collaborate on the grant as well, and scholarships will be provided for psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner students.

To view the news article by Rosanne Fohn in its entirety, please click the link below:

http://www.uthscsa.edu/hscnews/singleformat.asp?newID=3964

Posted in Funding Opportunities, Hispanic health, Minority health, News, South Texas, Staying Well. Connected. | Comments Off

Science Expo 2011

UT Health Science Center Librarian Peg Seger assisting future medical professional

 Health Professionals of Tomorrow storm UT Health Science Center

The UT Health Science Center played host to nearly 1,500 students from all over San Antonio and South Texas on  November 12, 2011. The majority of the students were high school seniors and juniors with a few extra who came along for the ride. The enthusiasm and excitement displayed by the students was exciting and spoke well of the future of medicine in the hands of these possible upcoming professionals. The UT Health Science Center Briscoe Library sponsored an exhibit table in the medical lecture hall commons area  during the Science Expo. On exhibit were such things as the availability of MedlinePlus, the PubMed database and how to effectively use the National Library of Medicine resources. Also on hand were materials containing information on medical librarianship and available scholarships. Many students had never encountered the MedlinePlus database and were extremely surprised at the amount of information available to them.  A few students did admit that they were still trying to decide on a career and were quite engaging when asked about their foreseeable choices. It was quite apparent that both students and staff experienced a wonderful time and left looking forward to future Science Expo gatherings.

 

Posted in Health Fairs, News, South Texas, Staying Well. Connected., UTHSCSA Library News, Youth | Comments Off

Harlingen CISD Librarians Visit Ramirez Library

Harlingen CISD Librarians

Photo credit: Harlingen CISD

Librarians from the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District recently toured the Mario E. Ramirez, M.D. Library at the Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC) to learn more about local medical library services and to explore the potential for future partnerships between the RAHC and Harlingen CISD.

Librarians also participated in a class taught by Ramirez Library staff which offered an introduction to a wide variety of information resources and services available to school librarians from the National Library of Medicine.  A full summary of their visit was recently posted on the Harlingen CISD Web site.

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A Cancer Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment Workshop

On Thursday, October 27, 2011 from 8 a.m. – 12 noon, the UT Health Science Center Regional Campus located at 1937 E. Bustamante St, Laredo, Texas provided free cancer screenings, educational
exhibits and presentations on how to prevent detect and treat cancer.  The event was open to the public with screenings provided by community partners.

Cancer screenings were from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Breast and prostate cancer presentations by UT Medicine San Antonio physicians Ian Thompson, M.D., and Alfredo Santillan-Gomez, M.D., M.P.H., were held from 10:30 a.m. to noon. UT Medicine San Antonio is the faculty practice of the School of Medicine at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio.

  • Ian Thompson Jr., M.D., an internationally known expert in prostate cancer, is director of the Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at the UT Health Science Center San
    Antonio. The CTRC is one of only four National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Centers in Texas. A professor in the Department of Urology, Dr. Thompson was the primary coordinator of the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial that evaluated the drug finasteride as a preventive medication. He also was an author on the recently published Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial that showed a 17 percent increased risk of prostate cancer in healthy men on the study who took vitamin E.
  • Alfredo A. Santillan-Gomez, M.D., M.P.H., an accomplished surgeon, is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Surgery’s Division of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery. He earned his medical degree with honors from Monterrey Tec Medical School, completed a master’s degree in public health from Harvard University and was awarded the Alando J.
    Ballantyne, M.D., Distinguished Fellowship in head and neck surgery at UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. He completed advanced training in surgical oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center.
  • Community
    partners     include the American Cancer Society, city of Laredo Health Department, Doctors Hospital of Laredo, Gateway Community Health Center, Laredo Community College, Laredo Medical Center, Laredo Specialty Hospital and Mercy Ministries of Laredo.

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27th Annual Update in Medicine

The UT Medical Library participated in the 27th Annual Update in Medicine Conference in Laredo, Texas on October 14thand 15th.  The Update in Medicine Conference is hosted annually by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the Mid Rio Grande Border AHEC and the Tri-County Medical Society.  The two day conference provided information on various health topics. The conference participants included physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and allied health professionals from Laredo and the surrounding areas.  The participants were able to attend the various discussions and presentations, network with health care professionals and visit the displays and exhibits during the conference.

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CDC Feature notes significant health disparities among Hispanics/Latinos

Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month was celebrated from September 15 – October 15. In a “CDC Feature,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that despite the fact that more than 50 million Hispanics represent the largest ethnic minority in the United States, striking health disparities remain for this population. The disparities include the following:

  • Only 37.3% of Hispanic/Latino persons under 65 had insurance coverage (2009 data).
  • Adolescent pregnancy and birth rates were three times that of whites, and Hispanic/Latina women were more than twice as likely to have little or no prenatal care (2007 data).
  • Hispanics/Latinos had a greater percentage of the total cases of tuberculosis than all other racial or ethnic groups (2007 statistics).
  • Hispanics/Latinos were disproportionately affected by chlamydia and HIV/AIDS (2007 statistics).
  • Influenza and pneumonia vaccination rates remain significantly lower among Hispanics/Latinos (2009 statistics).
  • Diabetes rates among Hispanics/Latinos were nearly 1.5 times greater than for non-Hispanic whites (2009 statistics).
  • Mexican American men aged 20-74 had a higher prevalence of overweight (79.2%) from 2005-2008 than non-Hispanic white men (72.9% overweight); or non-Hispanic black men (71.8% overweight).

The complete CDC Feature, including links to additional information about Hispanic health, is available at http://www.cdc.gov/Features/HispanicHeritageMonth/.

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