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Michelle Obama addressing Unity staff and clients. In the lower left is Jessica Wallace- program coordinator for We Can. Top left- a photo I took during one of our classes. Photo by Unity.
Michelle Obama- the first place you visited in DC was a health center, then you planted an organic garden on the White House lawn, to top things off you appeared on my favorite childhood show, Sesame Street, to deliver a public health message.
I wondered how you could make me happier.
Well- now you’ve done it. On June 29 Mrs. Obama came to Upper Cardozo Health Center, a FQHC (Federally Qualified Health Center) filled with dedicated professionals devoted to serving DC residents, especially the Latino population.
Here she announced FQHCs like Upper Cardozo would receive $851 million to “address immediate and pressing health center facility and equipment needs and increase access to health care for millions of Americans.”
Upper Cardozo alone will receive $2.5 million to build 20 (much needed) exam rooms to reach %24 more patients. Currently Upper Cardozo’s staff provide a phenomenal level of care in a very cramped space in Columbia Heights.
Michelle also learned about Upper Cardozo’s “We Can” program, the intervention I’ve been assisting with under the direction of project coordinator and physician assistant Jessica Wallace.
“We Can” is a public health program developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute that incorporates the entire family in reducing childhood obesity. Two of the women in the photo are program participants.
At Upper Cardozo’s “We Can” program we provide weekly classes where families learn to change to healthier habits, such as:
- Restricting soda intake
- Switching from whole milk to skim
- Enjoying a minimum of one hour of physical activity a day
- Portion control
- Limiting “screen time” to one hour a day
At class families enjoy healthy snacks, take part in fun activities like Capoeira, and learn about healthy living. Nurses help participants track their blood pressure, BMI, and weight through the sessions.
Thanks to the enthusiasm of Ms Wallace and the other Upper Cardozo staff, the program has continued to increase in participation and popularity.
Childhood obesity is one of Michelle’s issues has been taking on while in the White House. Although I wasn’t there for her visit, those in attendance at the meeting enjoyed her warm presence. One of the programs youth participants, Christian, even received a hug from Mrs. Obama for his 15th birthday.
In the field of public health we are often fighting an uphill battle. The “We Can” program provides a positive atmosphere for addressing and combating the childhood obseity epidemic. The stimulus bill includes one billion for programs addressing prevention and wellness. Mrs. Obama’s visit further energized the dedicated participants and staff who support “We Can.”
Thank you Mrs. Obama for thinking locally and taking the time to see the great work going on at DC’s Upper Cardozo Health Center! Hope to see you at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new exam rooms!
For More Information:
Learn how the stimulus will be used for health centers here
Fun and interesting blog on the “Obama Foodscape” here
Read the White House press release here
Read the First Lady’s remarks here
See more photos from the special day here
Latinos are 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanic whites to develop diabetes. Her disease may likely come up in Ms Sotomayor's confirmation hearing. Photo by upsidedownsphere on Flickr.
President Obama’s speech announcing Sonia Sotomayor celebrated her life’s many challenges and successes.
Obama’s nomination may bring the first Latino to the bench of the Supreme Court. If she is confirmed, I’m glad the newst portrait of the justices will better reflect the multi-ethnic face of America.
From living in a South Bronx housing project to becoming a judge on Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit of New York, Ms Sotomayor’s has come from little and achieved much.
One of Sonia’s long term challenges has been dealing with diabetes. At the age of 8 she was diagnosed with the disease. Unfortunately, unlike Lady Justice, diabetes is not one for blind impartiality. Some communities are more greatly affected than others.
The Latino community bears a disproportionate burden. The problem is exacerbated by Latinos having the lowest rates of health insurance coverage in the country.
Compared to non-Hispanic whites:
- Hispanics are 1.5 times more likely to have Type 2 Diabetes
- Mexican Americans are 1.7 more likely to have Type 2 Diabetes
- Residents of Puerto Rico are 1.8 times more likely to have Type 2 Diabetes
National data specific to this community is limited. It wasn’t until 1997 the CDC started collecting data on Hispanics.
In addition to the risk data we also know:
- Compared to non-Hispanic whites, Latinos are 4 times more likely to hospitalized for uncontrolled diabetes
- When adjusted for age, the death rate for Latinos due to diabetes is 50% greater than that of non-Hispanic whites
This disparity is due to a combination of factors including environmental, social, and financial. A report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that Latinos who were more acculturated to the US lifestyle were more likely to adopt “less desirable dietary habits.” Many Latinos face language barriers when seeking medical care. Also, Latinos are more likely to forgo medical care due to financial constraints.
In light of such statistics, it is a triumph Ms Sotomayor has control over her diabetes. The complications of diabetes can be devastating, including nerve damage, loss of eyesight, increased risk of heart disease, and kidney disease.
However, the risks associated with diabetes are no grounds to deny confirmation to Ms Sotomayor. Some are hoping she will break the “diabetes glass ceiling” by being confirmed as a Supreme Court justice. My hope is those who conduct her hearing see her as more than a disease or a label- but as an extremely competent and experienced woman our highest court so desperately needs!
For More Information:
Publications on diabetes prevention, treatment, and management through the National Diabetes Education Program
Are you at risk for diabetes? Information in English and Spanish
Become active in advocating for Latino civil rights with the National Council of La Raza
The Más que comida, es vida. (It’s more than food. It’s Life.) campaign offers healthy modifications of traditional foods
Contrary to the claims of The Daily Campus, community health centers do provide preventative services. Photo by Jenny Downing under the Creative Commons License.
In March of this year, President Obama released funds for 126 new community health centers (FQHCs). For many, especially those of us who are passionate about the elimination of health inequities, this was a cause to celebrate.
However, after a commentary was published in The Daily Campus titled “An ounce of prevention is worth $12,000 in treatment” by Teddy Burger, it seems there is some confusion as to what community health centers do, specifically Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC).
The article criticizes the Connecticut Community Health Centers, a FQHC, for not providing preventative treatment to their clients. “These centers have literally no preventative services for chronic illness.” The author proposes to solve this problem by expanding the Connecticut Department of Public Health.
Well, I’m always for giving public health departments more money… except that health centers DO provide preventative services and specifically Connecticut Community Health Centers, run by Optimus Healthcare, are already partnered with the Connecticut Department of Public Health.
After speaking with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, they confirmed an ongoing partnership, that includes funding, with the community health centers.
The author was concerned under and uninsured Bridgeport residents were not getting preventative care for cardiovascular disease. Except they are.
Optimus CVD Program Goal for 2004-2010:
“To contribute to the reduction of CVD morbidity and mortality among adult minority populations in Bridgeport, Stamford and Stratford by providing primary health care services that include CVD screening, risk factor assessment, prevention education, and other clinical intervention measures”
A study done by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (not associated with Kaiser Permanente) showed:
“Medicaid and uninsured patients served in health centers are more likely to receive preventive services such as counseling on diet, smoking cessation, and alcohol consumption, than in other practice settings.”
Mr. Burger’s proposed solution to expand the prevention efforts of the Connecticut Department of Public Health would be helpful, except this partnership with Optimus already exists. Optimus also has a number of other community and government partnerships devoted to improving the health of the Bridgeport community including:
- US Department of Health and Human Services
- CT Department of Children and Families
- CT Department of Social Services
- SW CT Agency of Aging
- City of Bridgeport
- Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition
- Center for Women and Families
- Shelter for the Homeless, Inc.
In addition, the Connecticut Community Health Centers have the honor of being a member of the Health Disparities Collaborative whose mission is to:
“To improve access to high quality, culturally and linguistically competent primary and preventive care for underserved, uninsured, and underinsured Americans”
Also, the statement: “providers receive reimbursement from public funds primarily for treatment of acute and urgent problems, not for prevention” is also false. Health center budgets are 30% public funds. According to the HRSA Uniform Data System- which houses data for Community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, etc- all preventative services are paid for in part by public funds.
Percent of prevention activities related to CVD offered and paid for by Connecticut health centers:
- 100% of blood pressure monitoring
- 60% of weight reduction programs
- 90% of cholesterol screening
Even though FQHCs provide a diverse array of preventative, chronic, and acute care- they still save tax payers money.
- Medical expenses are 41% lower for FQHC patients- in part to their reduced dependence on emergency rooms
- FQHCs save the medical system $9.9 and $17.6 billion annually
- They also empower the communities they serve by providing 143,000 jobs and requiring their boards be comprised of 51% or more of active clinic patients
Community Health Centers are not emergency rooms. The Connecticut Community Health Center keeps to its mission:
“To improve the overall health of our communities in Bridgeport, Stamford, and Stratford, particularly the medically underserved, by providing preventive, primary care and supplemental health care services along with health education in a culturally sensitive manner regardless of ones ability to pay.”
For More Information:
Need to find a community health center in your area? Go here
Are you interested in working for a community health center through the Americorps? Go here
Are you thinking, or in school to be a health professional? Interested in working at a community health center while getting your school loans repaid? Consider the National Health Service Corps! Information here
Want a public health program that has active partnerships with community health centers? Consider GWU’s MPH in Community Oriented Primary Care! More info here
Need more data on Community Health Centers? Go to the National Association of Community Health Centers website here.
I blame gardening for my love of carrots. Is this the case for others? The literature says "yes." Photo taken by me at Calypso Farm and Ecology Center in Fairbanks, Alaska.
I love vegetables. I love gardening. I love vegetables from the garden. I blame this on my mother. As far back as I can remember my mom has gardened. My intense love for snow peas stems from plucking them from the vine while my mom weeded. (I wasn’t very helpful) I also blame the orchard my mom and dad planted over 20 years ago for my adoration of apples.
While spending spring break with my friends’ at Calypso Farm and Ecology Center in Fairbanks, Alaska the White House garden story broke. Michelle Obama’s conversion of the White House lawn into a vegetable garden has been covered by every form of media. Michelle explained her rationale for the garden:
“What I found with my girls, who are 10 and seven, is that they like vegetables more if they taste good.”
and in a New York Times article:
“A real delicious heirloom tomato is one of the sweetest things that you’ll ever eat,” she said. “And my children know the difference, and that’s how I’ve been able to get them to try different things.”
Michelle put in the garden to help her kids eat better, along with her family and the White House Staff. I agree. My belief is that kids who grow up gardening (or watching someone do it) leads to better food choices.
However, being a public health student, I wanted to see what the literature said.
- A 2001 pilot study published in California Agriculture compared willingness of two groups of 50 first grades, one who completed a gardening project and that didn’t, to try vegetables. There was a statistically significant increase in willingness to try veggies among the children who gardened. (1)
- A 2000 quasai-experimental study was conducted among 111 Texas 3rd and 5th graders from different 5 schools. The study found among the gardening group a statistically significant increase in preference for vegetables and for fruits/veggies as a snack compared to students that were not part of the school garden.(2)
- A 2002 study among 213 4th grad Californian students found among children who received a combined nutrition and gardening program had a greater preference for snow peas and zucchini than children who were only educated on nutrition. After 6 months the gardening group still retained their preference for broccoli, zucchini, and snow peas.(3)
In the future I hope more robust studies are performed to show a concrete link between school gardens and improved food choices among children. The more evidence- the more likely foundations will provide grants to start more school gardens.
If my friends up at Calypso have been successful maintaining school gardening programs in Alaska- we in the Lower 48 have no excuse!
According to the Maryland Cooperative Extension- March 15 was the day to put in the snow peas. I wonder if the Obamas have put theirs in yet.
For More Information
Learn about Calypso’s School Yard Gardening Initiative in Fairbanks schools here.
Live in the DC metro area? It’s time to start planting! Planting dates listed here.
Live in DC but don’t have a plot of land? Try container gardening. Learn more here.
Want an heirloom tomato, but don’t have the time/space to grow it yourself? Search for local, seasonal food here.
(1) Morris, J. L., Neustadter, A., & Zidenberg-Cherr, S. (2001). First-grade gardeners more likely to taste vegetables. California Agriculture, 55(1), 43–46.
(2) Lineberger, S. E., & Zajicek, J. M. (2000). School gardens: Can a hands-on teaching tool affect students’ attitudes and behaviors regarding fruits and vegetables? HortTechnology, 10, 593–597.
(3) Morris, J. L., & Zidenberg-Cherr, S. (2002). Garden-enhanced nutrition education curriculum improves fourth-grade school children’s knowledge of nutrition and preferences for some vegetables. Journal of American Dietetic Association, 102(1), 91–93.
This about the right to vote, not guns! Photo by b1gwlght on Flickr. Taken in the National Museum of the American Indian.
This morning, after the dreadful time change, I woke up to some terrible news. The DC Voting Rights bill in the Senate had been amended to strip DC of its gun-control policies and may no longer pass.
A blast from your 5th grade civics class: DC residents do not have voting representation in Congress, the Senate, or US House of Representatives.
One more time- with feeling!
DC residents do not have voting representation in Congress, the Senate, or US House of Representatives.
What does this mean for the people of DC?
- Military Service: DC’s daughters and sons fight and die for America defending freedom and democracy but have no vote when Congress votes to send them to war.
- Federal Taxes: People living in DC pay the second highest per capita federal income taxes in the country but have no vote on how the federal government spends their money.
- Education: Parents, teachers and community leaders have no vote when it comes to shaping national educational policies and academic standards.
- Economy and Business: DC’s business owners and workers are denied a vote in determining how Congress regulates business policy and the economy.
- Law: Local laws passed by locally elected officials are routinely overruled by members of Congress pursuing their own personal agendas without regard for the welfare of DC residents.
~Source: DC Vote
Simple enough- DC residents are US citizens and have the right to vote and be represented in the federal government. However, this being politics, nothing can be that easy.
Currently there are bills in the House and Senate for DC voting rights. Just last week the Senate amended the bill that would strip the District of its gun-control laws. House members may vote as to whether or not the bill can be brought to the floor without the possibility of amendments.
Those who vote in favor of a DC Vote bill without gun control amendments may face repercussions by the NRA. According to the Washington Post, the National Rifle Association has indicated it may track those who favor the pure voting rights bill as opposing gun rights- with the intention of political punishment for those who support the unamended bill.
NRA- get your muzzle out of this. This is about civil rights, not gun rights. You have no place to threaten members of the House and deprive DC residents of representation. This is about the right of representation for DC residents, not your agenda.
I share the feelings of DC resident Rebecca Schechter “It really offended me, the gun amendment. I don’t think Congress should be deciding on a city level what should be decided by the [city] council.”
…instead worry about the gun control policies in your own district.
What Can You Do?
NRA Member? Contact your association and tell them your membership dues aren’t for restricting civil rights
Take advantage of the DC Vote site to contact Congress and tell them to pass the bill without a gun amendment
Write your Representative, regardless of your feelings on guns, and tell them you support the DC Vote bill without amendments. This is about civil rights not gun rights!
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