Washington Informer
Health Archive (28)
There is no easy fix. Medicare and Social Security will go broke sooner rather than later because of the recession. With millions of baby boomers beginning to leave the work force, the cost of these popular benefit programs threatens to swamp the government in debt in the coming years if nothing is done. Congress and the White House are under increasing pressure to find a solution.
One proposal gaining steam is a creating bipartisan commission to tackle the approaching insolvency of the government's three big "entitlement" programs: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Everything would be on the table, including tax increases and benefit cuts. The commission would produce a "grand bargain" package of recommendations that Congress could accept or reject in total.
It is the same process the country has used since 1988 to handle military base closings, where the single take-it-or-leave-it vote provides a measure of political cover to lawmakers.
One proposal gaining steam is a creating bipartisan commission to tackle the approaching insolvency of the government's three big "entitlement" programs: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Everything would be on the table, including tax increases and benefit cuts. The commission would produce a "grand bargain" package of recommendations that Congress could accept or reject in total.
It is the same process the country has used since 1988 to handle military base closings, where the single take-it-or-leave-it vote provides a measure of political cover to lawmakers.
As the summer heats up, Americans will begin spending more time outside grilling, playing outdoor sports, doing yard work, going to the beach and enjoying the sunshine. But there may be risk for something much more serious than a tan.
African Americans may not be as careful with their sun safety habits as their White counterparts, believing that the melanin in their darker skin is protecting them from skin cancer. While skin cancer is less common in people with darker skin, people of color are at some risk for the disease. Unfortunately, African Americans are often diagnosed at an advanced stage, when there is less chance for a cure.
Although the number of African Americans affected is small, it is important to know that proper caution may help you and your friends and family prevent the disease. In this Lifelines column, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) addresses myths about skin cancer and discusses how African Americans can protect their skin.
Myth: There is only one type of skin cancer.
Facts: There are several types of skin cancer. The two most common types are non-melanoma skin cancer (basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer) and melanoma. Basal cell skin cancer grows slowly. It usually occurs on areas of the skin that have been in the sun, and it is most common on the face. Basal cell cancer rarely spreads to other parts of the body. Squamous cell skin cancer also occurs on parts of the skin that have been in the sun, but it also may be in places that are not in the sun. Squamous cell cancer sometimes spreads to lymph nodes and organs inside the body. Melanoma occurs much less frequently than basal cell and squamous cell cancer, but it is the most serious and deadly form of skin cancer.
Among African Americans, squamous cell cancer is the most common form of skin cancer. Although squamous cell cancer is generally curable, it may be more serious when it occurs in African Americans than when it appears in Whites. And although melanoma is much less common in African-Americans than in Whites, when it does occur in African Americans it is particularly deadly. This disease usually begins as an abnormal mole. In Whites, melanomas often develop on the trunk and legs, but in African Americans, melanomas are most often found under the nails, on the palms of hands, and on the soles of the feet.
Myth: The only risk factor for skin cancer is exposure to UV radiation (the sun).
Facts: Research has shown that several risk factors are associated with the development of skin cancer. For example, studies suggest that both exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and the sensitivity of a person’s skin to UV radiation are risk factors for skin cancer. UV radiation is the name for the invisible rays that are part of the energy that comes from the sun. But there are other risk factors, such as having burns or scars on the skin, a weakened immune system, previous exposure to radiation therapy, and chronic skin diseases like lupus.
Myth: I can’t do anything to reduce my risk for skin cancer.
Facts: Protecting your skin and eyes from the sun is the single best way to reduce your risk of skin cancer. For example, seek shade or stay out of the midday sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. whenever you can. Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, and reapply every two hours and after swimming or sweating. Wear a hat with a wide brim and sunglasses that absorb UV rays. Wear clothing that covers your skin to protect against the sun's UV rays, and use extra caution near water, snow and sand which reflect UV rays.
It is also important not to burn, to avoid tanning beds, and to be aware of any changes in your skin. Melanoma usually begins as an abnormal mole. For early detection, make sure to examine your skin once a month to look for any new growths or changes in existing lesions. If you identify a skin change or are concerned about your risk, talk to your doctor.
You can visit the NCI Web site at www.cancer.gov. to learn more about skin cancer. From the home page, choose “Melanoma†or “Skin Cancer†from the “Common Cancer Types†list or call 1-800-4-Cancer. Don’t be caught off guard with a skin cancer diagnosis because you assumed it could not happen to you. Everyone has some risk of skin cancer. This summer, and all year round, protect yourself and spread the word to your friends and family to do the same.
African Americans may not be as careful with their sun safety habits as their White counterparts, believing that the melanin in their darker skin is protecting them from skin cancer. While skin cancer is less common in people with darker skin, people of color are at some risk for the disease. Unfortunately, African Americans are often diagnosed at an advanced stage, when there is less chance for a cure.
Although the number of African Americans affected is small, it is important to know that proper caution may help you and your friends and family prevent the disease. In this Lifelines column, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) addresses myths about skin cancer and discusses how African Americans can protect their skin.
Myth: There is only one type of skin cancer.
Facts: There are several types of skin cancer. The two most common types are non-melanoma skin cancer (basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer) and melanoma. Basal cell skin cancer grows slowly. It usually occurs on areas of the skin that have been in the sun, and it is most common on the face. Basal cell cancer rarely spreads to other parts of the body. Squamous cell skin cancer also occurs on parts of the skin that have been in the sun, but it also may be in places that are not in the sun. Squamous cell cancer sometimes spreads to lymph nodes and organs inside the body. Melanoma occurs much less frequently than basal cell and squamous cell cancer, but it is the most serious and deadly form of skin cancer.
Among African Americans, squamous cell cancer is the most common form of skin cancer. Although squamous cell cancer is generally curable, it may be more serious when it occurs in African Americans than when it appears in Whites. And although melanoma is much less common in African-Americans than in Whites, when it does occur in African Americans it is particularly deadly. This disease usually begins as an abnormal mole. In Whites, melanomas often develop on the trunk and legs, but in African Americans, melanomas are most often found under the nails, on the palms of hands, and on the soles of the feet.
Myth: The only risk factor for skin cancer is exposure to UV radiation (the sun).
Facts: Research has shown that several risk factors are associated with the development of skin cancer. For example, studies suggest that both exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and the sensitivity of a person’s skin to UV radiation are risk factors for skin cancer. UV radiation is the name for the invisible rays that are part of the energy that comes from the sun. But there are other risk factors, such as having burns or scars on the skin, a weakened immune system, previous exposure to radiation therapy, and chronic skin diseases like lupus.
Myth: I can’t do anything to reduce my risk for skin cancer.
Facts: Protecting your skin and eyes from the sun is the single best way to reduce your risk of skin cancer. For example, seek shade or stay out of the midday sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. whenever you can. Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, and reapply every two hours and after swimming or sweating. Wear a hat with a wide brim and sunglasses that absorb UV rays. Wear clothing that covers your skin to protect against the sun's UV rays, and use extra caution near water, snow and sand which reflect UV rays.
It is also important not to burn, to avoid tanning beds, and to be aware of any changes in your skin. Melanoma usually begins as an abnormal mole. For early detection, make sure to examine your skin once a month to look for any new growths or changes in existing lesions. If you identify a skin change or are concerned about your risk, talk to your doctor.
You can visit the NCI Web site at www.cancer.gov. to learn more about skin cancer. From the home page, choose “Melanoma†or “Skin Cancer†from the “Common Cancer Types†list or call 1-800-4-Cancer. Don’t be caught off guard with a skin cancer diagnosis because you assumed it could not happen to you. Everyone has some risk of skin cancer. This summer, and all year round, protect yourself and spread the word to your friends and family to do the same.
First there was surgery, then chemotherapy and radiation. Now, doctors have overcome 30 years of false starts and found success with a fourth way to fight cancer: using the body's natural defender, the immune system. The approach is called a cancer vaccine, although it treats the disease rather than prevents it.
At a recent cancer conference, researchers said one such vaccine kept a common form of lymphoma from worsening for more than a year. That's huge in this field, where progress is glacial and success with a new treatment is often measured in weeks or even days.
At a recent cancer conference, researchers said one such vaccine kept a common form of lymphoma from worsening for more than a year. That's huge in this field, where progress is glacial and success with a new treatment is often measured in weeks or even days.
As the summer gradually descends on the nation’s capitol, thousands of African American women are considering what to do with their tresses. In addition to being harangued by the humidity of the city, Black hair is often caught in style limbo due to damage from over-processing or the many summer activities that “sweat hair out.†But according to area stylists, all is not loss.
Despite making up only 10 percent of the nation’s population, African American women spend more than $2 billion a year on hair care products according to a report released in 2008 by the Black Owned Beauty Supply Association – and still, the summer creates or exacerbates some heads.
Despite making up only 10 percent of the nation’s population, African American women spend more than $2 billion a year on hair care products according to a report released in 2008 by the Black Owned Beauty Supply Association – and still, the summer creates or exacerbates some heads.
Dr. William Lawson, MD. Ph.D. is the second African American selected to head the Washington Psychiatric Society. Courtesy PhotoDr. Lawson is only the second African American to head the group. He will serve until May 2010.
Health expert, motivational speaker Robert Ferguson Courtesy PhotoThis event is FREE and open to the public and will include several workshops, health screenings, information, prizes and giveaways. Some of the activities include:
Every hour in America, five women die from breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. No city has a higher death rate from breast cancer than the District and the same holds true for cervical cancer.
Studies, however, show that early detection can lead to successful treatment and survival. But some women simply don't have the money or the medical insurance to have a mammogram or a pap smear to determine if they are in the early, treatable stages of breast or cervical cancer.
In response, the Howard University Cancer Center will provide free breast screenings and pap smears for low income, uninsured women in the District or women whose health insurance does not cover mammograms or pap smears on Wed., June 24, and Fri., June 26.
Women can go to the Cancer Center at 2041 Georgia Ave., Northwest for a free clinical breast exam, screening mammogram and pap smear.
Dr. Wayne Frederick, director of the Cancer Center and chief of Howard University Hospital's Division of General Surgery, urges women from the District to take advantage of the free screening program.
"Women in the District of Columbia continue to have the highest mortality rate of breast cancer in the nation," Frederick said. "Early detection through screening with a clinical breast exam and mammogram will help change that trend."
Statistics from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) indicate that while White women are more likely than Black women to be diagnosed with breast cancer, 131 per 100,000 White women compared to 118 per 100,000 Black women, African American women are more likely to die from the disease.
The rate at which African American women die from the disease annually is more than twice the rate for Asian and Hispanic women, according to NCI.
The Women's Imaging Center is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for screenings. The center is equipped with digital mammography donated by Fuji Health, thus providing the highest quality screening services. An appointment is mandatory, and patients will not be seen without one. Call 202-865-4655 for an appointment.
Studies, however, show that early detection can lead to successful treatment and survival. But some women simply don't have the money or the medical insurance to have a mammogram or a pap smear to determine if they are in the early, treatable stages of breast or cervical cancer.
In response, the Howard University Cancer Center will provide free breast screenings and pap smears for low income, uninsured women in the District or women whose health insurance does not cover mammograms or pap smears on Wed., June 24, and Fri., June 26.
Women can go to the Cancer Center at 2041 Georgia Ave., Northwest for a free clinical breast exam, screening mammogram and pap smear.
Dr. Wayne Frederick, director of the Cancer Center and chief of Howard University Hospital's Division of General Surgery, urges women from the District to take advantage of the free screening program.
"Women in the District of Columbia continue to have the highest mortality rate of breast cancer in the nation," Frederick said. "Early detection through screening with a clinical breast exam and mammogram will help change that trend."
Statistics from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) indicate that while White women are more likely than Black women to be diagnosed with breast cancer, 131 per 100,000 White women compared to 118 per 100,000 Black women, African American women are more likely to die from the disease.
The rate at which African American women die from the disease annually is more than twice the rate for Asian and Hispanic women, according to NCI.
The Women's Imaging Center is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for screenings. The center is equipped with digital mammography donated by Fuji Health, thus providing the highest quality screening services. An appointment is mandatory, and patients will not be seen without one. Call 202-865-4655 for an appointment.
Robert E. Bailey II of the CDC, spoke during the opening of the CDC's Connecting with HIV/AIDS in Washington, D.C., Thurs., June 11 at the Newseum in Northwest. Photo by Lateef MangumThe activist, Ron Simmons, president of Us Helping Us, a support group for gays in the District, made his comments on Thurs., June 11 at a HIV/AIDS Media Roundtable sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Health inequities are deep, persistent, and not new. From the cradle to the grave, minorities suffer from shorter life spans, higher rates of disease and disability, and higher mortality relative to national averages.
These problems have plagued generations of African Americans and other people of color in the United States. Yet these issues have historically received scant attention in Washington — until now.
These problems have plagued generations of African Americans and other people of color in the United States. Yet these issues have historically received scant attention in Washington — until now.
Mamie Harris is the executive director of IV-Compassionate Hearts Assisting, Rebuilding, Instructing and Serving (IV-CHARIS), a faith-based support group for HIV/AIDS patients and their families. Courtesy PhotoSo, the widow of a local pastor initiated a series of programs aimed at increasing the number of Black Ohioans being tested for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
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