Utah Department of Health Office of Health Disparities
The Connection: News about overcoming health disparities in Utah

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Using the Effective Health Care Program Consumer & Clinician Guides in Your Practice

The UDOH Office of Health Disparities Reduction is sponsoring the following Brown Bag in October:

“Using the Effective Health Care Program Consumer & Clinician Guides in Your Practice”
Guidelines and free materials are now available as a result of patient-centered research findings designed to inform clinician and patient treatment decisions. You are invited to join an in depth discussion where ideas will be offered about how clinicians can utilize these research-based guides in their practices.
presented by
Kate Wilson Stabrawa, Account Director
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide

Tuesday, October 11
Utah Dept of Health Cannon Building 288 North 1460 West, Salt Lake City
Room 114
Noon

Questions? Contact Christine Espinel at cespinel@utah.gov or 801-273-4137

3rd Conference for Latina women. Alliance Community Services

Alliance Community Services presents:

Tercera Conferencia del Cancer para la mujer Latina. (3rd Conference for Latina Women)

Day: Tuesday, October 4th, 2011
Time: 5:30 pm
Place: Intermountain Medical Center, DOTY Educational Center
5121 S. Cottonwood Drive, Murray UT 84107
801-2651111
FREE EVENT for everybody
Dinner, cultural number, Breast Cancer information, risk factors information, appointments for mammograms, Q&A, survivor's pannel, raffles...and more. The conference is going to be held in Spanish but we have interpretation to English available.

Please let Hispanics know about these unique opportunity to learn about Cancer in a very friendly and cultural appropiate atmosphere.

Spread the word!! Thank you

Who is on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Other Social Media?

Are you thinking about using social media (like this blog) to promote a public health message?  Are you wondering whom this message would reach?

The Utah Department of Health, Violence and Injury Prevention Program recently released Social Media: A Guide to Social Networking Applications, Their Audiences and Their Uses.  The Guide explains how to use a variety of social media applications and discusses the demographics of their audiences.

Do you want to reach minorities?  Did you know that Hispanics and Blacks are more likely than Whites to use Twitter and YouTube?

Do you want to reach young adults with your messages?  Try blogging; more than half of blog readers are ages 21-35.

Can you reach people with low incomes using social media?  Try Twitter, which is popular among people with low incomes.

Just hoping to reach the largest number of people possible?  Use Facebook, the most popular social media application.

See the full report at: http://health.utah.gov/vipp/pdf/Media/SocialMediaGuide_Sept2011.pdf

Utah Blacks at Higher Risk for Heart Failure

See the article on page 2 of the September Utah Health Status Update: http://health.utah.gov/opha/publications/hsu/1109_TransMed.pdf

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Move Baby, Move!


Move Baby, Move!, a NPA partner since 2008, will be conducting an early morning wake-up/warm-up routine with Sybil Wilkes for Tom Joyner's annual 'Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day' on Friday, September 30, 2011.

'Take a Loved One to the Doctor,' an effort between Joyner and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Administration launched in 2002, aims to raise health and wellness awareness in the African American community.

The Tom Joyner Morning Show is a nationally syndicated radio program heard in over 100 markets with an audience of more than eight million. 

Move Baby, Move! is a 2009 American Diabetes Association Promising Practice, and 2010 Texas Department of State Health Services Cardiovascular Health Promotion Award winning program that engages sedentary individuals in a form of chair exercise that utilizes evidence-based movements, audience-specific music, and fun choreography. 

Please help us by spreading the word and reviewing our journey at
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Move-Baby-Move/146134588813786

Thank you,
Aaron Palmer, Move Baby, Move!
2220 Coit Road Suite 480-154 Plano, TX 75075 | Phone/Fax (972)881-0519 | www.movebabymove.com | aaron@movebabymove.com

Friday, September 16, 2011

Tenth Annual Basic Diabetes Training

10th Annual Basic Diabetes Training
October 20-21, 2011
Open to the first 40 registrants -- Priority given to first-time attendees from Utah

The Utah Diabetes Prevention & Control Program will cover:
·         Lodging for the nights of Wednesday, October 19th and Thursday, October 20th for Utah attendees from more than 50 miles from Provo.
·         Must have a credit card to receive lodging with the “Diabetes Program” group (the room is covered, but not incidentals)
·         Meals: breakfast on day two, breaks, and lunch during the training
·         Reimbursement up $15.00 per dinner on Thursday and Friday for those travelling more than 100 miles to Provo
·         Mileage reimbursement for Utah attendees driving their own vehicle
·         Education materials
·         Comprehensive training in diabetes management principles provided by local experts
·         Certificate of Continuing Education Units 10.5 hours for nurses and 10 hours for dietitians or others
Training components:
Introduction to Diabetes
Nutrition Basics
Incorporating Physical Activity
Cultural Considerations
Hypo/Hyperglycemia Management
Complications & Co-Morbidities
Medications Review
Testing/meters/pumps
Interpreting and Applying SMBG
Goal Setting & Problem Solving
Psychosocial Adjustment/Behavior
Gestational Diabetes Management
Date: October 20-21, 2011
Place: Marriott Courtyard 1600 N. Freedom Blvd. Provo, Utah
Price: FREE
Time: 8:00am - 4:00pm on 10/20; 8:00am - 2:30pm on 10/21
Who: Designed for staff and support teams in Utah
Questions?: Grant Sunada at 801-538-6896 or gsunada@utah.gov
Sponsored by Utah Dept of Health Diabetes Prevention & Control Program

Thursday, September 15, 2011

SOPHE Student Fellowships: Apply by 9/20


 Open Call for 2011-2012 SOPHE Student Fellowship Applications 
               

 Featured Dish
Each year the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) and partners recognize exemplary undergraduate and graduate students for their academic excellence, commitment to health education, and outstanding contributions that advance the profession of health education and promotion. 
  • Would you like the opportunity to receive financial support for conducting an innovative project on a critical topic in health education?
  • Would you like to be recognized as an emerging leader in the profession of health education by showcasing your project findings among the leading scholars, thought leaders and practitioners in the field of health education?
  • Would you like to stand out from the crowd and advance your career in the increasingly, competitive profession of health education?
If so, apply today for SOPHE's 2011-2012 student fellowship program. The criteria for each award and application details may be found here.
There are up to nine fellowships available in these four topic areas:
  • Environmental Health and Emergency Preparedness 
  • Quality of Life 
  • Injury Prevention 
  • Child/Adolescent Health  
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: September 20, 2011












Medicare Advantage Premiums To Drop Next Year

Premiums for seniors enrolled in private Medicare health plans will drop 4 percent in 2012 while benefits remain stable, administration officials said today. In 2011 premiums fell by 1 percent.  The plans, called Medicare Advantage, are offered by health insurance companies as an alternative to traditional, government fee-for-service Medicare. Nearly 12 million seniors are in private Medicare health plans, about 25 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries.

Enrollment in the plans is expected to grow by 10 percent in 2012, said Jonathan Blum, deputy administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Open enrollment in the Medicare health plans starts Oct. 15, a month earlier than in past years. It will run though Dec. 7.

Lower premiums and enrollment growth in the plans is the exact opposite of what health insurers predicted would happen after the federal health law was enacted. It reduces payments to the plans by $145 billion over a decade.

Many critics had raised fears that Medicare benefits would shrink and premiums would rise. Instead we are seeing just the opposite," said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "Medicare plans are stronger than ever and beneficiaries continue to have access to affordable options."

Last month, the administration said premiums for private Medicare prescription drug plans would fall slightly, too.

To read entire article go to: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/09/15/140501318/medicare-advantage-premiums-to-drop-next-year?ft=1&f=1001

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010

Summary of Key Findings
     The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that in 2010, median household income declined, the poverty rate increased and the percentage without health insurance coverage was not statistically different from the previous year.
     Real median household income in the United States in 2010 was $49,445, a 2.3 percent decline from the 2009 median.
     The nation's official poverty rate in 2010 was 15.1 percent, up from 14.3 percent in 2009 ─ the third consecutive annual increase in the poverty rate. There were 46.2 million people in poverty in 2010, up from 43.6 million in 2009 ─ the fourth consecutive annual increase and the largest number in the 52 years for which poverty estimates have been published.
     The number of people without health insurance coverage rose from 49.0 million in 2009 to 49.9 million in 2010, while the percentage without coverage −16.3 percent - was not statistically different from the rate in 2009.
     This information covers the first full calendar year after the December 2007-June 2009 recession. See section on the historical impact of recessions.
     These findings are contained in the report Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010. The following results for the nation were compiled from information collected in the 2011 Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC):
Health Insurance Coverage
·         The number of people with health insurance increased to 256.2 million in 2010 from 255.3 million in 2009. The percentage of people with health insurance was not statistically different from 2009.
·         Between 2009 and 2010, the percentage of people covered by private health insurance declined from 64.5 percent to 64.0 percent, while the percentage covered by government health insurance increased from 30.6 percent to 31.0 percent. The percentage covered by employment-based health insurance declined from 56.1 percent to 55.3 percent.
·         The percentage covered by Medicaid (15.9 percent) was not statistically different from 2009.
·         In 2010, 9.8 percent of children under 18 (7.3 million) were without health insurance. Neither estimate is significantly different from the corresponding 2009 estimate.
·         The uninsured rate for children in poverty (15.4 percent) was greater than the rate for all children (9.8 percent).
·         In 2010, the uninsured rates decreased as household income increased from 26.9 percent for those in households with annual incomes less than $25,000 to 8.0 percent in households with incomes of $75,000 or more.
Race and Hispanic Origin (Race data refer to those reporting a single race only. Hispanics can be of any race.)
·         The uninsured rate and number of uninsured in 2010 were not statistically different from 2009 for non-Hispanic whites and blacks, while increasing for Asians. The number of uninsured Hispanics was not statistically different from 2009, while the uninsured rate decreased to 30.7 percent. (See Table C.)
Nativity
·         The proportion of the foreign-born population without health insurance in 2010 was about two-and-a-half times that of the native-born population. The 2010 uninsured rate was not statistically different from the 2009 rate for native-born, the foreign-born overall and noncitizens but rose for naturalized citizens. Table C details the 2010 uninsured rate and the number of uninsured, as well as changes since 2009 in these measures, by nativity.
Regions
·         The Northeast and the Midwest had the lowest uninsured rates in 2010. Between 2009 and 2010, there were no statistical differences in uninsured rates for any of the regions. The number of uninsured increased in the Northeast, while there were no statistically significant changes for the other three regions. (See Table C.)
Excerpt from U.S. Census Bureau News Release Tuesday, September 13, 2011. For entire News Release including charts visit  http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/income_wealth/cb11-157.html

Epidemiology & Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Training Session

Vaccination experts from the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases will present a live 2-day course on vaccines, principles of vaccination and the latest vaccine recommendations. This course will provide the most current immunization information from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Time: Monday, October 31 & Tuesday, November 1  8:30 am - 5:20 pm
Registration: Begins at 7:30 am
Location: Radisson Hotel 215 West South Temple Salt Lake City, Utah 84101

Contact Lisa Young or Rebecca Ward at 801-538-9450 or http://www.immunize-utah.org/epi-course/ for more information.

No cost to attend • Limited seating • Free Parking
Registration Deadline: October 17, 2011

Presented by:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Utah Department of Health, Immunization Program

Funding opportunity through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Women’s Health (OWH)

If you would like to submit a proposal for the Heart Attack Symptoms and Calling 9-1-1 Campaign for Women funding opportunity, please e-mail John Snow, Inc. (JSI) at owhapplication@jsi.com.  Send completed forms/Request for Proposals (RFP) by e-mail to John Snow, Inc. (JSI) at owhapplication@jsi.com by October 12, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time.

For an online link to this and past RFP's released by the Office of Women's Health, go to http://www.womenshealth.gov/about-us/funding-opportunities/ . Please note, proposals will be not be accepted by the Office on Women’s Health.

For help with this RFP, please e-mail: owhapplication@jsi.com or call toll-free: 1-866-224-3815.

John Snow, Inc.
owhapplication@jsi.com
866-224-3815

Friday, September 9, 2011

HHS announces Affordable Care Act funding opportunity to create jobs by building, renovating and repairing community health centers

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2011
Contact: HRSA Press Office
(301) 443-3376

HHS announces Affordable Care Act funding opportunity to create jobs by building, renovating and repairing community health centers

$700 million in grants from the Affordable Care Act will help build and expand health centers, create jobs
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the availability of approximately $700 million to help build, expand and improve community health centers across the U.S. to provide needed care to low-income Americans. The funds, authorized by the Affordable Care Act, will support renovation and construction projects, boosting centers’ ability to care for additional patients and creating jobs in those communities. Community health centers are an integral source of local employment and economic growth in many underserved and low-income communities. In 2010, they employed more than 131,000 staff and new funds made available today will help create thousands of jobs nationwide.
This announcement has two funding opportunities for community health centers. One will provide approximately $600 million to existing health centers across the country for longer-term projects to expand their facilities, hire more employees and serve more patients. The second funding opportunity emphasizes shorter-term projects and will provide approximately $100 million to existing health centers to address immediate facility needs.
“For many Americans, community health centers are the major source of care that ranges from prevention to treatment. These funds will expand our ability to provide high-quality care to millions of people while supporting good paying jobs in communities across the country,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Health centers improve the health of the nation’s vulnerable populations and underserved communities by ensuring access to primary health care services. Currently, more than 8,100 service delivery sites around the country deliver care to nearly 20 million patients regardless of their ability to pay.
Community health centers also provide high-quality jobs in communities nationwide.  In 2010, they employed more than 131,000 staff including 9,600 physicians, 6,400 nurse practitioners, physicians’ assistants, and certified nurse midwives, 11,400 nurses, 9,500 dental staff, 4,200 behavioral health staff, and more than 12,000 case managers and health education, outreach, and transportation staff.  Since the beginning of 2009, health centers have added more than 18,600 new full-time positions in many of the nation’s most economically distressed communities. The funding opportunities announced today will infuse critical dollars into health centers and their surrounding communities, enhancing health centers’ ability to serve more patients and creating thousands of jobs across the country.
Over the next five years, the Affordable Care Act provides $11 billion in funding for the operation, expansion and construction of community health centers across the country.  This expansion of sites and services will help community health centers to increase the number of patients receiving care, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.

“Strengthening the foundation of community health centers is vital if we are to continue providing high-quality care for those who need it most,” said HRSA Administrator Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N.

For more information on this funding opportunity announcement, please visit www.grants.gov.
To learn more about the Affordable Care Act and Community Health Centers, visit http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/increasing_access_.html.
To learn more about HRSA’s Community Health Center Program, visit http://bphc.hrsa.gov/about/index.html.
To find a health center in your area, visit http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Poverty a risk factor for heart disease

 New research shows that poor people are more likely to get heart disease, even if they are not more likely to have high blood pressure or smoke.
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/08/30/Poverty-a-risk-factor-for-heart-disease/UPI-22091314679052/

Healthcare Providers Share Ideas about Preventing Infant Mortality

Healthcare providers from across the country are sharing ideas to help address infant mortality at the Office of Minority Health website this month.  Do you have an idea?  Share it by emailing info@minorityhealth.hhs.gov. 


Here is a recent submission from Nan Streeter, a nurse and Utah Department of Health Deputy Director.  Read more of these ideas at http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=9026&lvl=2&lvlid=195

"While not all infant deaths are preventable, we do know that there are some practical things that a provider can do to reduce the risk of infant death, including:
  • Ensuring that a woman with a high risk pregnancy delivers at a facility that has both tertiary level maternal-fetal and neonatal capacity to care for the highest risk mothers and infants; delivering at a hospital with only tertiary level neonatal capacity doesn't address the need for tertiary care for the mother to ensure the best possible outcomes
  • Prevention of subsequent preterm birth among women with a history of preterm birth with 17P.
  • Advising women BEFORE pregnancy to get their weight within normal ranges because obesity impacts fertility and pregnancy outcomes
  • Avoiding elective inductions until the 39th week, unless medical indications warrant induction
  • Advise women about the danger signs of pregnancy, such as decreased fetal movement"
Nan Streeter, M.S., R.N.
Utah Department of Health
Deputy Director, Division of Family Health and Preparedness
Director, Maternal and Child Health Bureau

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Request for Proposals Gregg Allman Hepatitis C Community Education Grant Fund

The National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) and the Task Force for Global Health (Task Force) are pleased to announce  the availability of funding through the NVHR Gregg Allman Hepatitis C Community Education Grant Fund.                
NVHR is a coalition of public, private and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity and mortality from viral hepatitis in the United States. The Task Force works in the areas of disease eradication and control, child well being, global health collaboration, and public health informatics to provide and improve the resources necessary for better global health for those in need. NVHR is a project of the Task Force. We expect to award 6 -8 grants not to exceed the amount of $10,000 each.        
Who Can Apply
This call for proposals is open to all non-profit community-based organizations, health care organizations, and social service organizations interested in advancing hepatitis C education and awareness. Organizations interested in applying must have 501 (c) 3 status.  Membership in NVHR is not required, but applicants are encouraged to join if they are not already members (visit www.nvhr.org). Activities that are eligible for funding may include, but are not limited to:       
·         Conducting trainings and workshops for stakeholders, including medical p al providers, patients, and the general al public  
·         Community based or organization based education or awareness initiatives, such as localized public education and awareness events or campaigns, or internal company/organization based education or awareness campaigns TFGH/NVH HR August, 2011 -1   

Important Application Dates:
Thursday, September 1: Technical assistance conference call -11:00 a.m. pacific/1:00 p.m. central, 2:00 p.m. eastern time  Dial In: 877-989-4822 code: 777293#
Monday, September 12: Letter of intent due by 5 p.m. EDT via email to mbsaly@nvhr.org
Friday October 7: Last day to submit proposals – Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. EDT via email to: mbsaly@nvhr.org
Monday, October 10: Applicants will be notified of receipt of proposal
October 10 - October 31: Committee review of proposals
November 1: Applicants notified of awards
November 15: Project period begins. (This date is subject to change)

Any additional questions about the application process should be directed to mbsaly@nvhr.org or 707-480-0596 (between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. pacific time)