Title: National Public Health Week – April 5 – 12, 2004
Author:
Section/SPIG: Chiropractic Health Care
Issue Date:
Several chiropractic colleges participated in National Public Health Week this year. The theme was Disparities in Health. At Palmer College, information about National Public Health Week and quick facts related to health were sent via e-mail to all faculty. It was hoped that this would raise awareness among the local chiropractic educational community about both National Public Health Week and the APHA Chiropractic Health Care Section. Public health resources and Web sites (such as <www.apha.org>) were featured in these informational e-mailings. Such efforts require a minimum of time from our APHA-CHC members and do keep APHA on our colleges’ radar screens. Next year we would like to see many more colleges participate in some way during National Public Health Week 2005.
The following quick facts were used at Palmer College.
1. Health Disparities
Did you know...
Native Americans experience twice the incidence of disability due to chronic low back as non-native Caucasians in America. African Americans and Hispanics suffer higher incidences of hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease than their Caucasian counterparts. Such disparities in health can be eliminated. Chiropractors can play an active role in eliminating health disparities by actively providing sound recommendations on healthy behaviors and lifestyles to their patients at risk, and can strive to insure equal access to healthcare for all Americans.
Resources: Center for Health Statistics, Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report, The American Public Health Association, and the Center for Disease Control.
2. Smoking:
Did you know...
The most common reason that people quit smoking is that their doctor told them to quit. If a patient is considering quitting, the most important thing you can do, as a chiropractor, is to tell them they need to quit for health reasons, and provide resources and information to help them quit. A great resource is: <www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/tobaqrg.htm>.
Source: U.S. Public Health Service
3. Overweight/Obesity:
Did you know….
* The annual U.S. health care cost related to obesity is approximately $115,000,000,000 (115 billion).
* Each year, 300,000 deaths in the United States are associated with obesity.
* Approximately 2/3 of American adults are overweight or obese! (NHANES Survey Data)
Chiropractors can take an active role in helping to stop this epidemic, by:
1. Educating patients about the serious health risks related to
obesity;
2. Recommending healthy lifestyle changes to our patients,
including physical activity, and replacing some empty
calories with wholesome foods like vegetables and fruits; and
3. Advising patients to drink more water (replacing some of
their high-calorie drinks with the healthier, no-calorie
alternative).
For more information, you can visit these sites:
<www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/>; and
<http://health.nih.gov/result.asp/476>.
4. Healthy Bones: Did you know...
It's never too late to increase your bone density. Whereas we used to think that we could, at best, slow the rate of bone loss in our older patients, numerous studies now indicate that it is never too late to start building bone, naturally. In patients over 65, a simple (carefully monitored and designed) routine of regular weight lifting or walking, along with calcium supplementation can increase bone density in even the oldest, most frail patients. So, what are you waiting for? Learn more, and take an active role in improving the bone health of your patients.
<www.nof.org> (National Osteoporosis Foundation)