Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 1 November 2002 — Page 35

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2002

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

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Conference focus is on lead poisoning and healthy homes

Bv LT. GOV. JOSEPH E. KERNAN Special to The Recorder y 1 Lead poisoning is the No. I environmental threat to the health of Indiana's children. It has been shown to affect 9 percent of children statewide and up to 35 percent of children in some high-risk neighborhoods. Yet. it is entirely preventable. An upcoming conference, organized by the Lead-Safe Indiana Task Force, will focus on lead poisoning prevention as well as asthma, mold, and healthy homes. With its theme of “Building Foundations: Healthy Homes for Indiana Children." the conference is an opportunity to address a number of environmental issues that impact the health of Hoosier kids. The second annual Lead-Safe Indiana conference will be held Nov. 6 - 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Marriott East, 7202 E. 21st St. Topics to be covered at the conference include: lead poisoning prevention: outreach and

education efforts: asthma threats in the home: medical issues related to lead poisoning: landlord liability and responsibility: mold: lead-safe work practices: and abatement. The conference will also offer a session about how to become a lead abatement contractor. These are contractors who take the extra steps to conduct an EPAregulated abatement project. The session will show contractors how to present information to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, set up procedures and ensure compliance with regulations. Another special session will teach lead-safe work practices for the Spanish speaking community. Featured speakers at the conference will include Dr. Dave Jacobs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Ruth Ann Norton from the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning in Baltimore. Md.. and Susan Thornton of the Main Lead Action Project. Those encouraged to attend include real estate agents, attorneys, concerned parents.

community educators, medical professionals, community service providers, local housing program managers, environmental health specialists, landlords. ^ property managers, licensed lead risk assessors and inspectors and maintenance and rehabilitation contractors. Members of the Lead-Safe Task Force Include: the Indiana Housing Finance Authority, the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, the Marion County Health Department. Environmental Management Institute. Improving Kids' Environment, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the Indiana State Department of Health and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Registration starts at $ 150 per person and decreases to $125 per person for additional persons from the same organization. Scholarships may be available. For more information or to register, visit the Improving Kids' Environment Web site at www.ikecoalition.org or call (317)442-3973.

Health empowerment program called a success By GINGER WILLIAMS practices. in that role and recognize the im-

Special to the NNPA From the Baltimore Times BALTIMORE (NNPA) - For centuries, the problem of health disparities among minority populations was a given. Since the Middle passage, the AfricanAmerican community has suffered disproportionately more from illness and accidents than their white counterparts. Early in this century, the "Tuskegee Experiment" was further proof that the “pursuit of good health" in the Black community was not recognized as important. Low-level jobs, lack of access to care and lack of adequate health or insurance are to blame for many of the problems. But, on Sept. 24. local, state and federal government health agencies took the lead in bringing information-and ac-cess-to health care to those who need it most. In front of City Hall in downtown Baltimore, clinics, hospitals. Medicare/Medicaid and many other partners all came together to bring the message of “Closing the Health Gap." Armed with information and a special "Ask a Doctor" segment, these health care providers are making a concerted effort to get the word out about good health

From prostate health to breast cancer to diabetes to hypertension to smoking cessation, the partners all came together for one reason-to reach those who need it most, the under-insured and uninsured. Michael Carter, of the Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) summed up this effort: "It's all about empowering people. Everyone has the right to quality health care. Also, everyone needs to leam preventive health, and that can only be accomplished through access to health care." Doug Wilson, of the Johns Hopkins Minority Cancer Outreach Program, was especially vocal on the issue of prostate cancer in the Black community. He used Dr. Benjamin Carson, a prominent pediatric neurosurgeon, as an example. Earlier this year. Carson was diagnosed with an especially virulent form of prostate cancer. He recently underwent surgery and found himself on the other end of another doctor's knowledge and skill - and he had to listen. Known for his expertise as a neurosurgeon. Carson had to depend on the expertise of others and draw on faith in someone other than himself. Wilson said. “I think it's great that Dr. Carson could put himself

portance of his own health. So many men. especially Black men, will wait out a problem, hoping it will go away. With prostate cancer, that’s not the issue." “Take A Loved One To The Doctor Day" was a national initiative, sponsored locally by Times Community Services Inc., whose president. Dave Johnson, said, "It was more successful than we imagined. Claude Allen. HHS’ deputy secretary didn't want to leave. He kept on about how great this event was." Sponsored by HHS. ABC Radio Networks and championed by the “Tom Joyner Morning Show,"community health centers across the United States participated, offering free screenings for such conditions as diabetes, high-blood pressure, stroke, and HIV: immunizations and tlu vaccines: and dental screenings. Joy Bramble, publisher of The Baltimore Times, and an advocate of minority health, agreed, saying, “This event shows just what can happen when all the players come together, to help close the disparities gap. This is what equal health care means... bringing the information to the public and helping them leam their way around the health care industry. It’s about parents making healthy choices... for themselves and their families."

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Health care disparities include care for terminal illness

Special to The Recorder Blacks lack equal health care in chronic and terminal illnesses, according to a panel of eight health care experts. Barriers to quality care at the end-of-life and recommendations to improve care were addressed at a Congressional Black Caucus issue forum held recently in Washington. Sponsored by Delegate Donna ChristianChirstiansen. D-Virgin Islands, and Rep. Ed Towns, D-N.Y.. of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, the forum highlighted disparities including lack of access to pain medication in Black communities and poor treatment of pain by health care providers. Poor communication between clinicians and patients, lack of knowledge about the health care options and mistrust of the health care system were also listed as formidable barriers to quality care for Blacks. Patients facing a serious illness need a "doctor who knows how to treat pain, knows how to treat fatigue and depression, and is a

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good communicator and listener." said panelist Richard Payne. M.D., Chief of the Pain and Palliative Care Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The doctor “must be able to help the patient communicate her needs and reach out so the patient can get the spiritual counseling she needs. Those things are what we talk about when we talk about palliative medicine,’’ said Dr. Payne. The experts recommended palliative care, a form of care that focuses on treating symptoms and providing comfort while supporting the patient and family emotionally and spiritually and respecting cultural differences.

“Palliative care is not something that you do instead of providing quality care,” added Dr. Payne. “Palliative care raises the quality of care by getting better access to the whole health care system. Palliative care is basic disease management.” Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., president and chief executive officer of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, offered a threepronged approach to improving health care at the end-of-life: educating professionals in good palliative care, improving the clinical environment for palliative care, and educating the community about high quality palliative care so that the public knows to demand it.

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