Washington Informer
Health Archive (248)
H1N1 for Seniors Kathy Greenlee, Department Health and Human Services (HHS) Under Secretary for Aging, receives an H1N1 vaccine after delivering a message to the seniors at the Congress Heights Wellness Center in Southeast. She reminded seniors that the seasonal flu and the H1N1 vaccines are available for everyone and encouraged them to get vaccinated before the spring flu season begins. Photo by Robert Ridley“Three out of every four people with HIV/AIDS in DC are Black,†said Blanchon. “At Whitman-Walker, a large number of our new HIV diagnoses are among young, gay Black men.â€
by WI Staff Writer
Don’t Let Smoking Have the Final Note in Your Life
Courtesy of the American Lung Association of DC
Decades later, the tobacco industry continues to prey on the African American community -- together we can end the industry’s stronghold and the scourge of tobacco addiction.
Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Sammy Davis, Jr., Mary Wells, Ella Fitzgerald, and Eddie Kendricks were not merely great entertainers of their time. They were legends who revolutionized the music industry during times of racial prejudice and inequality. Their unwavering courage and unique talent earned them some of the highest accolades in the world, and inspired generations of Black artists to overcome obstacles and to reach their full potential.
Whenever we listen to these singers, many of us remember the smoke filled piano bars and night clubs where they performed, and how “sophisticated†they looked when they lit their cigarettes and belted out a smooth ballad. These fond memories are marred today by the tragic reality that their smoking led to their untimely deaths and robbed the Black community of its brightest stars.
The tobacco industry has a long history of targeting African Americans. Tobacco companies sell billions of tobacco products to African Americans by saturating urban neighborhoods with ads that portray tobacco use as glamorous. According to the National African American Tobacco Prevention Network, (NAATPN), African Americans prefer menthol cigarettes, because the mint flavor makes it easier to inhale deeper and take in more nicotine, which leads to quicker addiction. In fact, African Americans smoke fewer cigarettes per day and tend to begin smoking later in life than Caucasians-- but their smoking related disease mortality is higher because of their preference for menthol and other flavored tobacco products—80 percent of African Americans smoke menthol flavored tobacco products.
Due to the high rates of smoking in the Black community, African Americans suffer from major tobacco-related health disparities that include lung cancer, heart disease, hypertension and stroke, all of which are associated with tobacco use. Each year, 47,000 African Americans die from tobacco-related illnesses and 72 percent of African Americans are exposed to secondhand smoke, which contributes to their high rates of heart disease, cancer and lung disease, including asthma.
The good news is that we have more evidence-based treatments than ever before that can double and even triple a smoker’s chances of quitting for good. And as soon as a smoker quits, the healing process begins. The American Lung Association of DC is providing these free treatments to District residents through the free DC Quitline program, 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669). District residents who call will receive free nicotine patches or lozenges and counseling with a certified counselor who will guide them through the process. The DC Quitline is supported by funding from the DC Cancer Consortium and the District of Columbia Department of Health.
Make history today: Don’t buy tobacco products and don’t allow smoking in your home or car to protect children, family and friends from secondhand smoke. Also, join the DC Tobacco Free Coalition to help improve policies that protect communities from the tobacco industry (www.dctff.info/coalition).
Nat King Cole (1917-1965)
- American musician hailed as one of the best and most influential pianists and small-group leaders of the swing era.
- Known for popular songs, “Straighten Up and Fly Right,†“L-O-V-E,†and “Unforgettable.â€
- Heavy Kool menthol cigarettes smoker.
- Died of lung cancer, from smoking.
Duke Ellington (1899-1974)
- American pianist known as the greatest jazz composer and bandleader and one of the originators of big-band jazz. Composed thousands of scores and led his band for more than half a century.
- Washington, DC native.
- Died of lung cancer and pneumonia from smoking.
Sammy Davis, Jr. (1925-1990)
- Singer, actor, dancer whose career spanned more than five decades. Refusal to perform in segregated clubs led to the integration of several venues in Miami and Las Vegas.
- Smoked six packs a day.
- One of few stars to receive Emmy, Tony and Grammy award nominations.
- Died of throat cancer caused by smoking.
Mary Esther Wells (1943-1992)
- Known as the “First Lady of Motown Records.â€
- Best known for pop hit, “My Guy.â€
- Died at age 49 of laryngeal cancer from smoking.
Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996)
- “The Fist Lady of Song†and the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than 50 years.
- Won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums in her lifetime.
- Suffered from painful complications with her diabetes. Both of her legs were amputated due to poor blood circulation, caused by smoking.
- Died in 1996 due to complications with diabetes and smoking.
Eddie Kendricks (1939-1992)
- Former lead singer of the Temptations, one of the top male singing groups of the 1960’s.
- Lead singer on popular tracks, “My Girl,†and “The Way You Do the Things You Do.â€
- Died from lung cancer caused by more than 30 years of smoking.
Don’t Let Smoking Have the Final Note in Your Life
Courtesy of the American Lung Association of DC
Decades later, the tobacco industry continues to prey on the African American community -- together we can end the industry’s stronghold and the scourge of tobacco addiction.
Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Sammy Davis, Jr., Mary Wells, Ella Fitzgerald, and Eddie Kendricks were not merely great entertainers of their time. They were legends who revolutionized the music industry during times of racial prejudice and inequality. Their unwavering courage and unique talent earned them some of the highest accolades in the world, and inspired generations of Black artists to overcome obstacles and to reach their full potential.
Whenever we listen to these singers, many of us remember the smoke filled piano bars and night clubs where they performed, and how “sophisticated†they looked when they lit their cigarettes and belted out a smooth ballad. These fond memories are marred today by the tragic reality that their smoking led to their untimely deaths and robbed the Black community of its brightest stars.
The tobacco industry has a long history of targeting African Americans. Tobacco companies sell billions of tobacco products to African Americans by saturating urban neighborhoods with ads that portray tobacco use as glamorous. According to the National African American Tobacco Prevention Network, (NAATPN), African Americans prefer menthol cigarettes, because the mint flavor makes it easier to inhale deeper and take in more nicotine, which leads to quicker addiction. In fact, African Americans smoke fewer cigarettes per day and tend to begin smoking later in life than Caucasians-- but their smoking related disease mortality is higher because of their preference for menthol and other flavored tobacco products—80 percent of African Americans smoke menthol flavored tobacco products.
Due to the high rates of smoking in the Black community, African Americans suffer from major tobacco-related health disparities that include lung cancer, heart disease, hypertension and stroke, all of which are associated with tobacco use. Each year, 47,000 African Americans die from tobacco-related illnesses and 72 percent of African Americans are exposed to secondhand smoke, which contributes to their high rates of heart disease, cancer and lung disease, including asthma.
The good news is that we have more evidence-based treatments than ever before that can double and even triple a smoker’s chances of quitting for good. And as soon as a smoker quits, the healing process begins. The American Lung Association of DC is providing these free treatments to District residents through the free DC Quitline program, 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669). District residents who call will receive free nicotine patches or lozenges and counseling with a certified counselor who will guide them through the process. The DC Quitline is supported by funding from the DC Cancer Consortium and the District of Columbia Department of Health.
Make history today: Don’t buy tobacco products and don’t allow smoking in your home or car to protect children, family and friends from secondhand smoke. Also, join the DC Tobacco Free Coalition to help improve policies that protect communities from the tobacco industry (www.dctff.info/coalition).
Nat King Cole (1917-1965)
- American musician hailed as one of the best and most influential pianists and small-group leaders of the swing era.
- Known for popular songs, “Straighten Up and Fly Right,†“L-O-V-E,†and “Unforgettable.â€
- Heavy Kool menthol cigarettes smoker.
- Died of lung cancer, from smoking.
Duke Ellington (1899-1974)
- American pianist known as the greatest jazz composer and bandleader and one of the originators of big-band jazz. Composed thousands of scores and led his band for more than half a century.
- Washington, DC native.
- Died of lung cancer and pneumonia from smoking.
Sammy Davis, Jr. (1925-1990)
- Singer, actor, dancer whose career spanned more than five decades. Refusal to perform in segregated clubs led to the integration of several venues in Miami and Las Vegas.
- Smoked six packs a day.
- One of few stars to receive Emmy, Tony and Grammy award nominations.
- Died of throat cancer caused by smoking.
Mary Esther Wells (1943-1992)
- Known as the “First Lady of Motown Records.â€
- Best known for pop hit, “My Guy.â€
- Died at age 49 of laryngeal cancer from smoking.
Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996)
- “The Fist Lady of Song†and the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than 50 years.
- Won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums in her lifetime.
- Suffered from painful complications with her diabetes. Both of her legs were amputated due to poor blood circulation, caused by smoking.
- Died in 1996 due to complications with diabetes and smoking.
Eddie Kendricks (1939-1992)
- Former lead singer of the Temptations, one of the top male singing groups of the 1960’s.
- Lead singer on popular tracks, “My Girl,†and “The Way You Do the Things You Do.â€
- Died from lung cancer caused by more than 30 years of smoking.
Dr. Edward Koza, M.D.Courtesy PhotoFebruary is American Heart Month, a great time to educate ourselves about how to identify, manage and prevent heart disease and to make lifestyle changes that will improve our odds of celebrating next Valentine’s Day with the ones we love.
Often considered to be a man’s disease, heart disease doesn’t discriminate. It is the Number One killer of women and men, regardless of race, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). However, some ethnic groups, including African Americans, Mexican Americans and some Asian Americans, are more likely to suffer from heart disease.
Dozens of dentists and dental assistants from the Washington area and Howard University dental students crammed the basement of the university's College of Dentistry, Feb. 5 to provide free dental care for 180 students from Simon Elementary School in Southeast. The dental screenings were a part of “Give Kids A Smile Dayâ€, an event promoting preventative dental care for young children. The American Dental Association and its local chapter, the D.C. Dental Association, sponsored the event and offered services as volunteers.
Dr. Luz Lopez-Driscoll, left, and a Howard University dental student comfort a student from Simon Elementary School before the exam begins.Courtesy Photo
The D.C. region has enacted several measures to bring heightened awareness to the lack of proper dental care following the 2007 death of twelve-year-old Diamonte Driver. The young man had complained for more than six weeks of headaches, caused by an abscessed tooth. The infection eventually spread to his brain.
Dr. Luz Lopez-Driscoll, left, and a Howard University dental student comfort a student from Simon Elementary School before the exam begins.Courtesy Photo
by WI Staff Writer
It was a crime so heinous, so hideous, that it defied many, if not most people’s imagination.
A disturbed Washington, D.C., mother had apparently killed her four African-American daughters, ages 5 to 17, and left their bodies rotting in their home for seven months while she went about her daily routine. The bodies were discovered during an eviction in January 2009.
It was a crime so heinous, so hideous, that it defied many, if not most people’s imagination.
A disturbed Washington, D.C., mother had apparently killed her four African-American daughters, ages 5 to 17, and left their bodies rotting in their home for seven months while she went about her daily routine. The bodies were discovered during an eviction in January 2009.
It was a crime so heinous, so hideous, that it defied many, if not most people’s imaginations. A disturbed District woman killed her four daughters, ages 5 to 17, and left their bodies to rot in their home for seven months while she went about her daily routine. The children’s bodies were discovered during an eviction in January 2009.
Later, the mother, Banita Jacks, 35, told homicide detectives that she believed demons possessed her daughters, and she was confident that they would return from the dead when the demons died. Prior to the murders, Jacks had never been diagnosed or treated for mental illness.
Later, the mother, Banita Jacks, 35, told homicide detectives that she believed demons possessed her daughters, and she was confident that they would return from the dead when the demons died. Prior to the murders, Jacks had never been diagnosed or treated for mental illness.
CAPTIONS:
Photo Caption 1 (photo includes patient laying down): Melba Evans, the first of 150 patients evaluated for Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) as part of a community health demonstration of Howard University Hospital and BioMedix Vascular Solutions, is tested by Pat Maloney of BioMedix utilizing a telemedicine collaborative care model supported by the BioMedix PADnet technology.
Photo Caption 2 (photo includes physician showing file to female patient): Dr. Kirk Geter, Chief of Podiatry and Assistant Professor of Surgery, Howard University Hospital counsels a patient as part of a community health demonstration utilizing a telemedicine collaborative care model supported by the BioMedix PADnet technology.
Photo Caption 3 (photo consists of two men): One of 150 patients evaluated for Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) as part of a community health demonstration of Howard University Hospital and BioMedix Vascular Solutions, Larry Hill, is shown here with John Romans, president/CEO, BioMedix.
To Showcase High-Quality, Cost-effective Collaborative Care Model
Howard University Hospital has run a community health demonstration project to evaluate patients for a potentially deadly and common, yet under-diagnosed, condition using a new model that connects patients with specialists faster - more than 150 patients were evaluated and referred to specialists as appropriate, and several organizations were on hand to experience how this model works.
Photo Caption 1 (photo includes patient laying down): Melba Evans, the first of 150 patients evaluated for Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) as part of a community health demonstration of Howard University Hospital and BioMedix Vascular Solutions, is tested by Pat Maloney of BioMedix utilizing a telemedicine collaborative care model supported by the BioMedix PADnet technology.
Photo Caption 2 (photo includes physician showing file to female patient): Dr. Kirk Geter, Chief of Podiatry and Assistant Professor of Surgery, Howard University Hospital counsels a patient as part of a community health demonstration utilizing a telemedicine collaborative care model supported by the BioMedix PADnet technology.
Photo Caption 3 (photo consists of two men): One of 150 patients evaluated for Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) as part of a community health demonstration of Howard University Hospital and BioMedix Vascular Solutions, Larry Hill, is shown here with John Romans, president/CEO, BioMedix.
To Showcase High-Quality, Cost-effective Collaborative Care Model
Howard University Hospital has run a community health demonstration project to evaluate patients for a potentially deadly and common, yet under-diagnosed, condition using a new model that connects patients with specialists faster - more than 150 patients were evaluated and referred to specialists as appropriate, and several organizations were on hand to experience how this model works.
A new study shows that American children snack consistently throughout the day. Potato chips and candy contribute to early chronic illnesses and obesity. Courtesy Photo American children tend to snack more than ever -- close to three times a day -- and when they get that urge or “snack attack†they reach for potato chips instead of an apple or a celery stalk.
After 10 years of planning that included design input from staff and patient families, Children’s National Medical Center opened the last two floors of its Inpatient Tower.
“The opening of the final floors of the Inpatient Tower is the culmination of years of careful planning and provides a wonderful healing environment for our patients and families,†says Edwin K. (Ned) Zechman Jr., president and CEO of Children’s National.
“The opening of the final floors of the Inpatient Tower is the culmination of years of careful planning and provides a wonderful healing environment for our patients and families,†says Edwin K. (Ned) Zechman Jr., president and CEO of Children’s National.
New Group Seeks to Enlighten Girls and Women about Lifestyle Choices
Courtesy Photo of DIVAS, MPH
Sadly, the leading cause of death among African American women between the ages of 25-34 is HIV/AIDS and three percent of the District’s population lives with the virulent disease that attacks the immune system.
That’s why five young, sassy African American women have formed an organization -- Divas, Making Our People Healthier -- to educate “sistas†about options designed to prevent them from becoming a statistic.
Courtesy Photo of DIVAS, MPHThat’s why five young, sassy African American women have formed an organization -- Divas, Making Our People Healthier -- to educate “sistas†about options designed to prevent them from becoming a statistic.
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