Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 January 2002 — Page 32

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18,2002

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Methodist and IU First in State to Implement Wee Care

By Jon M. Mills On January 8th, Newborn Intensive Care Units (NICU) staffs of Methodist and Indiana University Hospitals received the nationally recognized Wee Care training, a developmental care program. Developmental care is a term used to describe steps that can be taken to minimize the stress of the NICU environment, lliese interventions may include one or more elements such as control of external sthnuli, clustering of nursery care activities, and positioning or swaddling of the pre-term infant. This program has been introduced in several prestigious institutions nationwide, with many positive results for the patients and parents, the hospital and hospital staff. Methodist and University are the first hospitals in the state to receive the Wee Care training. This program has proven to have significant benefits for babies, especially premature babies, such as: • Increased daily weight gains • Enhanced infant-parent interaction • Reduced hospital stays • Reduced days on a ventilator • Improved long term outcomes • Enhanced parent (patient) satisfaction • Increased staff job satisfaction “We are very excited to bring this program to the state of Indiana. It will be instrumental in enhancing the outcomes of our neonatal population, n stated Kathy Mathena, Director of Women’s and Children’s Services for Qarian Health Partners.

The Wee Care program achieves positive results by providing a more uterine like environment in the NICU. By limiting the light and sound around the baby, as well as limiting and modifying the baby’s handling creates this positive environment. Babies in the NICU may be handled as many as 200 or more times a day. “By reducing the number of times babies are handled and delivering more nurturing techniques, the babies experience less stress and more undisturbed sleep, which can result in numerous positive short and long term effects,” said Mathena. Various seminars were conducted to train the staffs including interactive positioning, handling and caregiving. One interactive exercise had the stafif get into an adult sized “bendy bumper,” a special positioning device designed to simulate a womb like environment, so they could experience how this bed helps the newborns, and how proper positioning and handling can have a significant impact on babies. A Newborn ICU Developmental Care Committee is being developed so ongoing work can take place in enhancing the approach to patients’ care. The Wee Care program will be serving as consultants to the NICU staffs over the next year to help truly implement a complete state of the art developmental nursery approach. The new program will continue to place Clarian as a leader in patient care, outcomes and the family centered care approach.

NICU Staff learns how important proper positioning of newborns is through their own experiences in an adult sized "bendy bumper”

January is cervical health awareness month

Submitted by the Health Education, Promotion and Training Department of the Marion County Health Department According to the National Cancer Institute’s CancerNet publication, each year approximately 15,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cancer of the cervix. About 4,400 women die from the disease each year as well. Worldwide, cancer of the cervix affects 400,000 women annually, and, after breast cancer, is the second most common malignancy found in women. Early last year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its first data on cervical cancer detection rates by race and ethnicity. The information detailed the outcome of abnormal test results in women who had obtained a Papanicolau (PAP) test between 1991 and 1998. African-American women were second among other races with the highest proportion of abnormal tests at 4.4 percent. The good news is that more and more women are understanding the importance of a yearly PAP test, thus enabling their health care providers to diagnose cervical cancer at an earlier stage. However, there is still a sizeable number of women who do not regularly receive health care and ultimately, no PAP test. This problem is due to both lack of knowledge and/or little accessibility to proper health care. The Marion County Health Department, along with the Minority Health Coalition of Marion County, is committed to increasing the knowledge of cancers and other disparities that affect our minority population. The best thing you can do for yourself is to be knowledgeable and lo make sure you schedule your pelvic exam and PAP test Cervical cancer is a serious disease in which some cells in your

cells multiply out of control and can cause damage to healthy parts of your body. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb) that opens into the vagina (birth canal). What causes cervical cancer? Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is recognized by health care officials as the primary cause of cervical cancer and is present in almost all cases. HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections; however, very few women with HPV will go on to develop cervical cancer. There are more than 70 types of HPV that have been identified and so far, only 13 of those types have been associated with the development of cervical cancer. How is a PAP test done? A PAP test, or PAP smear, as it’s sometimes called, is a quick and easy test that can be done each year to check for these abnormal cells. During your routine pelvic exam, your health care provider uses a small brush to take some cells from inside and outside of the cervix. These cells will be checked to see if they are healthy. If these cells are abnormal or unhealthy, your doctor may have you take more tests to check for cervical cancer, including a test for HPV. Are there signs and symptoms? Unfortunately, there are no obvious signs of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer tends to grow more slowly than others and over a period of time. This is another reason why yearly testing is so vital. According to the National Cancer Institute, symptoms usually do not appear until abnormal cervical cells beoxne cancerous and invade other bodily tissue. When this happens, the most common symptom is abnormal bleeding. The bleeding may start and stop between menstrual periods or it may occur after intercourse, douching, or a pel vie exam. Bleeding after menopause is also listed as a symptom of cervical cancer.

Is cervical cancer treatable? Yes. While research is currently being done in order to obtain a vaccine, it is not yet available. Early detection is still the key. When abnormal changes in the cervix are detected early before they become cancerous, most are close to 100 percent curable. When the diagnoses comes later, the treatment available depends on the size, kind, and location of the cancer; your age; your health; and your desire to have children. There are three main types of treatment for cervical cancer: surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Is there a reason that some women are more likely than others to get cervical cancer? Any woman faces the possibility of getting cervical cancer. However, health care officials agree that your chances of getting cervical cancer increase with the following: • If you begin having sex before you are 18. • If you have had sex with many partners. • If you have or have had HPV. • If you have or have had another sexually transmitted disease (STD). • If you have had sex partners with STDs or HIV/AIDS. • If you are over 60. • If you smoke. • If you have poor nutrition. For more information on cervical cancer, you may contact the Cancer Information Services (CIS), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute at (800) 422-6237 or TTY (for deaf and hard of hearing callers): (800) 332-8615. This service provides accurate, up-to-date information on cancer to patients and their family members, health care providers, and the general public. For information regarding programs available from the Marion County Health Department, please contact the Cancer Control manager at (317) 221-2101.

Take Control of Your Health! Here are some things you can do to help reduce your cancer risk and that will most likely make you feel better, too: If you smoke or chew tobacco, stop! Smoking is the biggest cancer risk to the smoker and to everyone near them. If you are going to have a baby and you smoke, you pass the smoke and the risk right to your baby. What you eat is important. Choose at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits every day. Choose vegetables and fruits such as sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, and green peppers, oranges, peaches, tomatoes, and watermelon. Eat at least 6 servings of whole grain products, such as breads, cereals, pasta, or beans. One serving is: • 'A cup fruit • ’A cup juice • 'A cup cooked vegetable • 1 cup leafy vegetable • 1 medium piece of fruit • 1 slice of bread • Vt cup cooked rice or pasta Limit how much high-fat food you eat. Drink reduced-fat or fat-free milk. Cut down on butter, margarine and fried foods. Limit how much meat you eat, especially high-fat meats. Trim fat of chicken and turkey. Get some physical activity like walking, gardening, basketball or dancing for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. Have regular check-ups. This information has bean brought to you by the American Cancer Society's brochure 'Taking Control.” For more information call toll free: (800) 227-2345.

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