RSS Channels IndexProfNet Wire: Health & Medicine: Impact of Hurricanes Katrina/Rita
ROUND-UP: IMPACT OF HURRICANES KATRINA/RITA (continued)
Following are experts who can discuss the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. (While experts were submitted as part of a round-up on the impact of Hurricane Katrina, they most likely will also be able to discuss the impact of Hurricane Rita.)
Additional updates to the round-up will be posted at http://profnet.prnewswire.com/organik/orbital/thewire/lst_leads.jsp?iLRTopicID =10923 You may also find helpful our wiki-based resource of academic experts: http://www.katrinaexperts.com
**1. CINDY MANNES, director of public affairs at the NATIONAL PEST MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (NPMA), a non-profit organization of professional pest management companies, can provide useful comments on- and off-camera and supportive information on the serious pest-related issues that are sure to become problems in areas flooded by Rita and Katrina: "Increased mosquitoes, rats, snakes, spiders and other pests are not only a nuisance, but serious health hazards as well, and NPMA experts are ready to discuss all aspects of these pests and the efforts the pest management industry are making in combating them."
**2. LINDA ROSENBERG, MSW, CSW, president and CEO of the NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, is available to discuss the specific mental health challenges faced by communities in responding to disasters. Rosenberg leads the National Council in advocating for federal legislation, policies and regulations that expand access to care, promote quality mental health and substance abuse services and ensure available, adequate funding. She also oversees the provision of education and technical assistance for financing, management and business practices, as well as in clinical interventions, workforce development, continuous quality improvement processes and the application of information technology.
ROUND-UP: BIRD FLU (continued)
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**1. RALPH A. TRIPP, Ph.D., professor of the department of infectious diseases at the UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA College of Veterinary Medicine: “With the emergence of avian influenza virus H5N1 (flu) in Southeast Asia, there is an imminent threat to human health if the avian flu strain acquires the ability to spread easily from person to person. There are currently no vaccines to protect from avian flu, and drug treatment options are limited due to substantial drug resistance. By harnessing the power of RNA interference (RNAi) to specifically and effectively silence influenza virus replication, we are developing new and powerful anti-viral drugs that may be applied to avian flu disease intervention strategies.�
ROUND-UP: END-OF-LIFE MEDICAL DECISIONS (continued)
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**1. PEGGY PETTIT, executive vice president and chief operating officer on hospice operations at VITAS INNOVATIVE HOSPICE CARE in Miami, can provide expert commentary on the need for ethical and humane end-of-life care options. VITAS is the nation's oldest and largest provider of hospice services.
**2. DIERDRE LAWE, executive vice president of development and public affairs at VITAS INNOVATIVE HOSPICE CARE in Miami, can provide expert commentary on the need for ethical and humane end-of-life care options. VITAS is the nation's oldest and largest provider of hospice services.
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LEADS
**1. HEALTH: IN PAIN? TRY A VIDEO GAME. BRYAN RAUDENBUSH, associate professor of psychology at WHEELING JESUIT UNIVERSITY in Wheeling, W.V., recently led a study on the effects of video game play types on pain threshold and tolerance: "Got pain? Try a video game. Sports and fighting video games produce a dramatic level of pain distraction than others. Gaming distractions may be most helpful in children and young adults undergoing painful procedures or suffering from chronic pain, as these individuals comprise the largest gamer demographics."
**2. HEALTH: HISPANICS AND THEIR USE OF HOSPICE CARE. FREDDIE NEGRON, M.D., medical director for VITAS INNOVATIVE HOSPICE CARE's Miami/Dade program, and JUSTO CISNEROS, M.D., medical director for VITAS' San Antonio program, can discuss the reasons why Hispanics often overlook the benefit of hospice care, and what's being done nationwide to educate this population on the advantages of hospice when patients near the end of life: "More people know about hospice and use hospice services than ever before," said Negron. "Still, a disproportionate number of American minorities are not receiving appropriate end-of-life care." Negron and Cisneros can conduct interviews in English or Spanish.
**3. HEALTH: AFRICAN-AMERICANS’ RELUCTANCE TO USE HOSPICE SERVICES. WILLIAM JOHNSON, M.D., director for VITAS INNOVATIVE HOSPICE CARE's Chicago program, can discuss the reasons why African-Americans are reluctant to use hospice services: "Less than 10 percent of hospice services nationwide are provided to African-American patients." Johnson can speak to VITAS' efforts to work with Rev. Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition to improve access to, and quality of, end-of-life care for African-Americans. The program's “One Thousand Churches Connected� educates their members about hospice care.
**4. HEALTH: WHY DON'T JEWS USE HOSPICE SERVICES? BARRY KINZBRUNNER, M.D., FACP, SVP, and chief medical officer for VITAS INNOVATIVE HOSPICE CARE, co- wrote “The Jewish Hospice Manual,� a 137-page guide for end-of-life care for Jewish patients and families: "Jewish patients are often reluctant to take advantage of the services a hospice program has to offer. The reasons are a combination of Jewish attitudes toward death and misapprehension about the ideas and practices that hospice represents. Judaism has never glorified death or exalted martyrdom. Jews have never denied death, but have strenuously combated it."
**5. HEALTH INSURANCE: ORGANIZATIONS ARE EMBRACING CONSUMER-DRIVEN HEALTH CARE. J. SCOTT SPIKER, CEO of DESTINY HEALTH: "We are encouraged to see organizations like PricewaterhouseCoopers and the CEOs they surveyed coming around to our way of thinking. We couldn't agree more that the most promising option for reducing corporate health care cost increases is to provide better financial incentives and information for employees to lead healthier lifestyles. We've been doing that all along and we have a great deal of insight to share on the topic."
**6. PUBLIC HEALTH: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEGISLATION MUST BE PASSED. LEANA S. WEN, national president of the AMERICAN MEDICAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION: "The Violence Against Women Act of 2005 (S.1197) will reauthorize the provisions of the current legislation, which expired on Sept. 30. It provides funding, as well as additional provisions, for education of health care workers and bolsters support for victims from minority communities. Physicians-in-training are in a unique position to address domestic violence. As the next generation of physicians, we believe it is necessary for a national commitment on this issue to show that medical education should include training for handling domestic violence cases.�
**7. SEXUAL HEALTH: PATIENTS NEED TO DISCUSS SEXUAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THEIR DOCTORS. ANITA CLAYTON, M.D., professor and vice chair of psychiatric medicine at the UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA HEALTH SYSTEM: "Nearing middle age, men’s biggest sexual concern is difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection. For women, the biggest concern is low desire or difficulty with sexual arousal, aggravated by the responsibilities of caring for children, which often does not weigh on married men or single, childless women. Although it won't always be a chandelier-hanging escapade, most people can have a lifetime of pleasure. As many as 54 percent of women and 35 percent of men have problems, but fewer than 11 percent of men and 21 percent of women seek help. Likewise, many physicians don’t ask about sexual problems. Patients need to bring up the subject."
**8. TREATMENT: MASSAGE THERAPY BEING SEEN AS A MEDICAL TREATMENT. DALE HEALEY, dean of the School of Massage Therapy at NORTHWESTERN HEALTH SCIENCES UNIVERSITY: “While massage therapy is great for relaxation, more hospitals, doctors, and patients are discovering the benefits of massage for managing depression, relieving chronic pain, easing post-surgical pain and reducing post-surgical scarring. By stimulating blood and lymph circulation, massage replenishes muscles with fresh oxygen and nutrients while flushing away metabolic waste products. As a result, individuals suffering from tension headaches, neck injuries, back pain and other chronic conditions may find relief from a massage therapist."
**9. VETERINARY: PET OWNERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF CANINE INFLUENZA. PAUL MANN, founder and president of the nationally franchised FETCH! PET CARE: “With over 60 percent of U.S. households owning one or more pets, the demand for professional pet-sitting services is at an all-time high. Pet owners must be enlightened to the problems associated with, and alternatives to, kennel boarding, particularly with this year’s new and highly contagious strain of canine influenza, for which there is no vaccine as of yet. A major outbreak recently occurred at a Chestnut Ridge, N.Y., boarding facility, where it was reported that more than 100 dogs contracted the disease, with 15 requiring hospitalization.�
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