Contact:
Bonnie Brandsgaard
501-686-8013
[email protected]
At a recent book-signing event at her alma mater, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas, former Surgeon General M. Jocelyn Elders, M.D., described her efforts to improve health care in America, reduce teen pregnancy, and invest federal funds wisely for preventive health programs. She announced that she is working on a new book -- it's already about one-half finished. After resigning from her post as U.S. Surgeon General, she returned to her duties as a Pediatric Endocrinologist on the medical college faculty at UAMS.
Quite outspoken and candid as Director of the Arkansas Department of Health and later as Surgeon General, she noted that the federal government spends 300 times more money dealing with the aftermath of teen pregnancy (through Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Medicaid, and Food Stamps) as is spent for health education and prevention of teen pregnancy; one of the root causes of social and economic problems. A recording of Dr. Elder's remarks at UAMS is available as a QUICKTIME audio file. ETZ at: http://www.uams.edu/Elders.
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