Healthy Women Today. A Newsletter from the National Women's Health Information Center (www.4woman.gov, 1-800-994-9662). The Office on Women's Health, U S Department of Health and Human Services

October 2001 edition

FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Office on Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The terrible events of September 11th are a reminder to us all to take the time to nurture, hug and communicate with the people we love and enjoy. Here at the national headquarters of the Office on Women's Health, we watched in horror from our windows as massive billows of smoke from the attack on the Pentagon filled the sky. Our regional women's health coordinator in New York City, Sandra Estepa, was safely evacuated from her office across the street from the World Trade Center. She is now back in her office, with tightened security, and we wish her well as she focuses on relief efforts in that city. While most of us are trying to move forward with our lives, there will remain an undercurrent of sadness, even despair, over such a tragic and useless loss of thousands of lives.

The national crisis forced us to postpone an event later that week that would have formally launched our National Bone Health Campaign, Powerful Girls, Powerful Bones, which targets girls 9 to 12 years old. We have decided instead, to offer our wonderful materials through the web site, which can be accessed through NWHIC's home page. Just look for the campaign banner. The attack also took attention away from the "Act in Time to Heart Attack Signs" campaign launched by the National Health, Lung and Blood Institute (at the National Institutes of Health) on September 10th. To know the warning signs of a heart attack for women, look for that campaign banner on NWHIC's home page.

This month we are happy to announce four new Community Centers of Excellence in Women's Health, in Minneapolis, Cleveland, Santa Fe, and St. Johnsbury, Vermont. For a complete list of our National Centers of Excellence and Community Centers of Excellence, please check the list below. Mental health experts advise us that over the next few months, we might experience unexpected periods of depression, or misdirected feelings of anger at the people around us. The Centers are prepared to offer advice and referrals for mental health counseling in this time of crisis.

The month of October would be a great time to learn to manage daily stresses so we can face the uncertain weeks and months ahead with renewed strength. For me, that means providing incentives to my children to help me with more household chores, finishing some projects at the office that have been sitting on my desk for months, and scheduling my annual winter checkup. It is also a good time for all of us get to know our neighbors, and to fight ignorance by learning more about the splendid variety of cultures that make America so unique.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the thousands of families facing devastating losses in the wake of the attack. Each day I count my blessings that my children and I are safe...and I wish the same for you and your families.

Carol Krause

IN RESPONSE TO RECENT EVENTS

In response to the tragic events that occurred last month, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other agencies have compiled lists of resources that may be used by the public to help deal with the after-effects of terrorism.

Disaster Relief Resources:
http://www.4woman.gov/search/A2ZResult.cfm?s1=disaster%20response
HHS Emergency Response: Summary Report, Sept. 21:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2001pres/20010921b.html
Disaster Mental Health - Dealing with the After Effects of Terrorism:
http://www.ncptsd.org/disaster.html
Helping Children Handle Disaster-Related Anxiety:
http://www.nmha.org/reassurance/children.cfm
Talking with Children about Terrorism and War:
http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/familylife/terrorism.htm

FEATURED NEWS ARTICLE

ONE STOP SHOPPING HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN: WOMEN-FRIENDLY, WOMEN-FOCUSED, WOMEN-CENTERED

You walk into your doctor's office, the atmosphere is calm, the chairs are comfortable, the pictures make you relax. The receptionist is pleasant and helps you complete all papers. You have a sore hand and after the doctor treats you for it, she checks your record for the date of your last physical, pap smear and mammogram. She also asks why you have so many other bruises on your arm and shoulder. A social worker is called into the office to speak with you. Before you leave you are given an appointment for a complete physical and to see a psychiatrist. You are so pleased with your experience, you convince your aging mother, who has refused to see a doctor for the last three years, to come in for an appointment. Happy with the care she receives, she tells her friend who has been having lots of headaches lately to call the office for an appointment.

Sound too good to be true? Different from your experience at your doctor's office?

This is the type of multidisciplinary care that is provided at the National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health in 15 different teaching hospitals and from the National Community Centers of Excellence in Women's Health in 6 community-based organizations around the country. The Centers, sponsored by the Office on Women's Health, are women focused, woman friendly, one stop shopping health care for women! These centers welcome you as patients. Call for an appointment. You can find the center nearest you in the list below or check out the web sites: http://www.4woman.gov/coe/ and www.4woman.gov/owh/ccoe/.

National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health (CoE)

University of California, San Francisco CoE
San Francisco, CA
415-353-2668
http://www.ucsf.edu/coe/

National Community Centers of Excellence in Women's Health (CCOE)

Northeast Missouri Health Council, Inc. Women's Care Connection
Kirksville, MO
660-627-5757
www.kcom.edu/wcc/

NorthEast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services, Inc.
Cleveland, OH
216-231-7700 ext. 1145

Northeastern Vermont Area Health Education Center
St. Johnsbury, VT
802-748-2506

OCTOBER FEATURED HEALTH ARTICLE

NWHIC's Featured Article, Rest Easy, It May Not Be Breast Cancer, is presented by: Verna L. Schwartz, MS, Susana Gonzalez, MD, and William H. Hindle, MD Editor in Chief, Women's Health in Primary Care

Breast cancer is one of the primary health concerns of American women, and it should be. An estimated 40,800 women died of breast cancer in the year 2000, and another 182,800 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed. The media, especially women's magazines, have made breast cancer awareness household knowledge. There are pros and cons to this. Women who are familiar with these statistics are more likely than those who are not to perform monthly breast self-examination and to receive age- and risk-appropriate screening examinations.

However, always expecting breast cancer can lead to unhealthy levels of stress and anxiety when a woman notices a change in the sensation, appearance, or feel of the breast. While all women who experience unusual breast symptoms should visit their health care provider for a full evaluation, they may also take comfort in this fact: Most breast complaints, be they areas of thickening or soreness, are benign (non-cancerous) conditions. We hope this article, which reviews the different types of benign breast lesions as well as the tests and examinations required for their diagnosis, answers some of your questions and allays some of your concerns.

SPANISH LANGUAGE MATERIALS

Did you know you could order Spanish Language Materials from NWHIC? Call our toll-free information center at: (800) 994-9662 and speak to a Spanish Information Specialist and receive a free magnet as well as Spanish Language Material!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here are this month's new and revised Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) from NWHIC:
Click on the links below for the latest information:

COOKING HEALTHY IS EASY - START EATING RIGHT TODAY!

Now that the kids are back in school, they're hungry... and they're hungry NOW. In celebration of Family Health Month, NWHIC is featuring quick dishes, ready to eat in 30 minutes or less from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). After all, a family that eats healthy together, stays healthy together.

IMPORTANT NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

COMING SOON to NWHIC!! - The 2002 Women's Health Daybook: "Women Living Long, Living Well". Call our toll-free call center at: (800) 994-9662 to reserve your FREE individual copy today, and pass the word on to your friends!

OWH NEWS, INITIATIVES & CAMPAIGNS

PICK YOUR PATH TO HEALTH - (http://www.4woman.gov/PYPTH/index.htm) This initiative is to help women like you take simple and time-sensitive steps to improve your health. It also provides tools for local communities to promote practical, culturally relevant action steps to wellness. It's never to late to develop a healthy lifestyle. Start with a few easy steps!

OCTOBER PICK YOUR PATH TO HEALTH THEME - Violence Prevention: Empower Yourself

Links for additional information on violence prevention:

National Domestic Violence Hotline, OCS, ACF, HHS
P.O. Box 161810
Austin, TX 78716
Phone Number(s):
(512) 453-8117 (Offices)
(800) 787-3224 (TDD, Hotline)
(800) 799-7233 (Hotline)
Fax Number: (512) 453-8541
Web Site: http://www.ndvh.org/
Email: ndvh@ndvh.org

Call our Information Center at: (800) 994-9662 to place your order for the free PYPTH Community Action Kit and Posters, while supplies last!

You can also join the PYPTH listserve for regular updates and community action steps. Visit our home page for details: http://www.4woman.gov

OCTOBER NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES

THIS MONTH'S SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS FOR YOUR HEALTH

WHO IS USING NWHIC's SERVICES?

Last month, the NWHIC web site had an astonishing 242,715 visitors and received an overwhelming 4,308,177 hits to the site!

Our toll-free Information and referral line received the most calls from Virginia, California, and New York this month. Help your state become our "number one" state by encouraging your friends, colleagues and family members to call our toll-free services if they need information on women's health topics!

Our most frequently asked topics were requests for information on: Breastfeeding, Menopause, Nutrition, Women's Health, and Eating Disorders

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