 Healthy
Women Today
April 2003
FROM THE PROGRAM MANAGER for NWHIC
U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Office
on Women's Health
We can finally enjoy an extra hour of
daylight starting April 6th! Why not plan on spending this hour taking a walk
with your children after dinner each night? This would be the perfect time of year to
start a healthy family tradition. A lot of families also will soon begin to prepare
goodies for Easter baskets and egg hunts, or a good hiding place for the Afikomen.
While starting a new tradition, include the
celebration of National Women's Health Week, observed this year May 11th -17th
(www.4woman.gov/WHW/index.htm). National
Women's Health Week is a national effort by an alliance of federal health offices and
non-profit organizations to raise awareness about manageable steps women can take to
improve their health. The focus is on the importance of incorporating simple preventive
and positive health behaviors into everyday life. It encourages awareness about key health
issues among all women, especially among African American, Asian American/Native Hawaiian,
Hispanic American, and American Indian/Alaska Native women, since recent research has
shown there are significant health disparities among these groups compared to white women.
A good way to celebrate National Women's
Health Week this year is to participate in the first ever Check-Up Day (May 12th) during
National Women's Health Week, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. On this day, community health centers, hospitals, and other health providers
across America will encourage women to come in for preventive health services or to
schedule an appointment with their health care provider for a check up. Find out what
check-ups you need by calling us toll-free at: 1-800-994-9662 or by going to http://www.4woman.gov/whw/2003/packet.htm. Or
if you are a health provider, please participate in Check-Up Day
by providing preventive health services to women.
April is also the month with Kick Butts
Day, April 2nd (www.kickbuttsday.org).
Kick Butts Day is an annual initiative through the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, which
encourages activism and leadership among elementary, middle and high school students. It's
the day America's kids stand up to tobacco, and America's adults stand up for kids. Kick
Butts Day events take place in every state, and several nations, showing that kids have
powerful voices in the fight against tobacco. Be a role model for kids and join the effort
or better yet, quit smoking if you smoke!! What stronger anti-drug message is there?
Until next month, take care!
Valerie Scardino, M.P.A. Project Officer,
Office on Women's Health, DHHS
IMPORTANT NWHIC & OWH NEWS
NOW AVAILABLE FROM NWHIC - National
Women's Health Week Information Packets!!!
This information packet includes a fact
sheet on National Women's Health Week (NWHW), and a variety of publications about
check-ups women need. To find out how you can participate in NWHW, and learn about what
check-ups you need, call us at: 1-800-994-9662 or visit our web site at: www.4woman.gov!
Free Prevention Guide for Women -
Call us now at: 1-800-994-9662 (888-220-5446 TTY) to request a copy of the "A
Lifetime of Good Health - Your Guide to Staying Healthy" booklet. This publication,
from the National Women's Health Information Center, discusses the major health conditions
affecting women and provides tips on preventing these conditions. Every woman should have
one! Call us while supplies last!
While the "2003 Women's Health for the
Homefront Daybook" is no longer offered, keep reading the newsletter for updates as
to when the 2004 edition will be available to order.
The National Centers of Excellence
in Women's Health, Second National Forum (May 13-14, 2003)
"Understanding Health Differences and Disparities in Women - Closing the
Gap"
The Office on Women's Health is planning a
Second National Forum on the National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health (CoE) to be
held at the Sheraton Premiere Hotel in Vienna, Virginia, on May 13-14, 2003. The Forum
will share information and findings among CoEs with representatives of other academic
health centers interested in adopting the CoE model or its components. You may learn more
by going to: www.4woman.gov/coe/forums/index.htm.
Funding Opportunities Open for New
Centers
The National Centers of Excellence in
Women's Health (CoE) and the National Community Centers of Excellence in Women's Health
(CCOE) Programs are currently accepting proposals/applications for new Centers.
The CoEs are housed within academic medical
centers (www.4woman.gov/coe/index.htm)
and the CCOEs within community-based organizations (www.4woman.gov/owh/ccoe/index.htm),
but they both provide for the integration of clinical services, training, research, public
education and outreach and leadership development for women. The CCOE program also
provides technical assistance to ensure the replication of promising models and
strategies. This funding is not for the development of new programs or to fund direct
services but rather to integrate, coordinate, and strengthen linkages between
activities/programs that are already underway in order to reduce fragmentation in women's
health services and activities.
Proposals for the CoE program will be due
by May 30, 2003. For more information contact Marie Sunday, Contracts Officer, at (301)
443-7081. Applications for the CCOE program will be due by May 1, 2003. For more
information contact Karen Campbell, Grants Management Officer, (301) 594-0758.
Lupus Awareness & Education
Seminars (January 18, 2003 - September 30, 2003)
In accordance with DHHS goals to decrease
health disparities and increase education about issues involving the health of minorities
and women, the Office on Women's Health, in partnership with a number of community based
organizations, has scheduled lupus awareness and education seminars in various locations
throughout the country. These free seminars will be held in Arizona, Florida, Texas,
Pennsylvania, and Ohio and are open to the public. Contact: Susan Sanders at (202)
690-5414.
National Breastfeeding Awareness
Campaign
On March 25, 2003 Dr. Suzanne Haynes and
Mrs. Deloris Jordan took part in a radio media tour for the National Breastfeeding
Awareness Campaign to kick off the 1-800-994-9662 Breastfeeding Helpline and website, www.4woman.gov/breastfeeding. Photos of the
breastfeeding campaign team are available on our breastfeeding web site: www.4woman.gov/breastfeeding/print-bf.cfm?page=campaign.
OTHER HHS NEWS & EVENTS
SECRETARY THOMPSON DESIGNATES APRIL
AS "NATIONAL DONATE LIFE MONTH"
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced
that the month of April will be observed as National Donate Life Month to help raise
public awareness of the critical need for organ, tissue, marrow and blood donation.
In past years, the third week in April was
designated as "National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week." The change to a
month-long observance underscores Secretary Thompson's commitment to donation, which began
with his launching of the Gift of Life Donation Initiative just 75 days after taking
office. This initiative gives donation and transplant organizations more time to sponsor
public awareness activities in their communities.
To honor living donors and deceased donors
and their families from across the nation, following the April observance, the National
Donor Recognition Ceremony and Workshop will be held from July 12-13 in Washington, D.C.
Transplant recipients will attend, along with representatives of regional organ
procurement and key transplant organizations. More information on the National Donate Life
Month is available at www.organdonor.gov
New Findings from the Women's
Health Initiative (WHI): Effects of Estrogen Plus Progestin on Health-Related Quality of
Life
The Women's Health Initiative (WHI), a
large study sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the
National Institutes of Health (NIH), has released new findings that taking hormone therapy
with both estrogen and progestin does not have a clinically meaningful effect on
health-related quality of life. The researchers specifically looked at the effects of the
medication on general health, vitality, mental health, depressive symptoms, and sexual
satisfaction, and did not find any clinically significant benefits. The findings were
published in the New England Journal of Medicine (web version) on March 17, 2003
(http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/NEJMoa030311v1).
The article will appear in the May 8, 2003 print version of the Journal.
The NIH started the Women's Health
Initiative in 1991 to address the most common causes of death, disability and impaired
quality of life in postmenopausal women. The WHI addresses cardiovascular disease, cancer,
and osteoporosis. The WHI is a 15 year multi-million dollar endeavor, and one of the
largest U.S. prevention studies of its kind. In July 2002, the WHI stopped a major part of
the study due to finding an increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease, stroke, and
blood clots from taking combined estrogen plus progestin therapy. For more information
about the WHI, visit http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/whi/
or http://www.4woman.gov/HRT/index.htm.
APRIL FEATURED HEALTH ARTICLE
Frequently Asked Questions about
Organ Donation and Transplantation
Organ donation is the gift of life. Medical
advances have made it possible to transplant numerous organs and tissues from one human
being (the donor) into another (the recipient) to treat life-threatening diseases. In many
cases, transplantation is the only viable treatment available. Each year, hundreds of
thousands of people are affected by diseases that result in the need for transplantation,
yet only tens of thousands of people receive transplants.
To read more about organ donation, please
go to: http://www.4woman.gov/faq/organ_donation.htm.
GUEST EDITOR FEATURE FOR APRIL 2003
The Guest Editor Article on NWHIC's
site this month is:
"Sexual Assault Is Everybody's
Responsibility." Our featured health article comes to us from the National Sexual
Violence Resource Center. To read this article, please go to: www.4woman.gov/editor/apr03/index.htm.
COOKING HEALTHY IS EASY - START EATING RIGHT TODAY!
Now that spring is here, enjoy the light
and tasty fares of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's "Stay Young at
Heart" Recipes (www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/syah)
with friends. These recipes also tell you how much total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol,
sodium and calories are in each serving.
Appetizer:
Gazpacho:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/syah/gazpacho.htm
Rockport Fish Chowder:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/syah/rockchow.htm
Side Dishes:
Vegetables with a touch of lemon:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/syah/veglemon.htm
Cabbage and Tomato Salad:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/syah/cabsalad.htm
Entrées:
20 Minute Chicken Creole:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/syah/20minckn.htm
Finger-licking Curried Chicken:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/syah/currickn.htm
Bakes Trout Ole:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/syah/bktrout.htm
Spinach Stuffed Sole:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/syah/spinsole.htm
NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES IN APRIL
- Alcohol Awareness Month
- Cancer Control Month
- IBS Awareness Month
- National STD Awareness Month
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month
- National Donate Life Month
- National Minority Cancer Awareness Week
(20-26)
- Kick Butts Day (2)
- World Health Day (7)
- National Alcohol Screening Day (10)
- Candlelight Vigil for Eating Disorders
Awareness (26)
THIS MONTH'S SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS FOR YOUR HEALTH
WHO IS USING NWHIC'S SERVICES?
Maryland again produced the most calls to
our toll-free Information and Referral line. Help your state become our "number
one" state by encouraging your friends, colleagues and family members to call our
toll-free service if they need information on women's health topics.
The five most popular NWHIC web pages this
month were:
Our most frequently asked health topics
this month were requests for information on: Diabetes, Menopause, Nutrition, Breast Cancer
and Heart Disease.
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