Text Box:       Produced by: ETSU’s Office of Cultural Affairs  

Text Box: The   Text Box: Cultural Link  

Text Box: Topics of Interest In this Issue Black History Awareness Month Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Awareness Month National Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2/26—3/4 Women’s Heart Health Day 2/14                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                National Allied Health Week, 7—13   ·   ·   ·   ·   ·   ·   · National Marrow Awareness Month · National Allied Health Week, 7—13        

Text Box:   FEBRUARY QUESTION  Among veterans with hypertension under care at VA hospitals, African Americans were significantly more likely than White patients to have inadequate baseline blood pressure control.  In this study, African American patients also:   A.  Were more likely to perceive their disease as less serious than did White patients. B.    Were more likely to have           diuretics prescribed. C.  Were more likely to complain about lack of trust in their health provider. D. Had fewer antihypertensive medications prescribed.   Email your response to nwosu@etsu.edu by 4:30 pm on February 15.  A prize will be awarded to one winner, selected at random among those who submit the correct answer.    Answer to the January Question:  A case-control study of birth defects in racial/ethnic minority children of women living near hazardous waste sites found that the strongest association between birth defects and potential exposure was: B. Among American Indians  and Alaska Natives. Source: Elevated Birth Defects In ...        Did You Know?   ¨  Eating disorder research has shown that the stereotype of young, white females as the main victims does not reflect reality.  While some types of eating disorder may be culture–bound, binge eating occurs equally across ethnic groups.    ¨ Patients from different racial and ethnic groups suffering from the same types and level of symptoms have been shown to have very different health-related quality of life measures.  This study has implications for the support required from health professionals.    

Gay & Lesbian Pride MonthText Box: Health Links on Diversity

Text Box: Article of the Month Haiman, CA et al.  Ethnic and Racial Differences in the Smoking-Related Risk of Lung Cancer.   New England Journal of Medicine 2006; 354: 333-42. This article reports on a Multiethnic Cohort Study to investigate differences in the risk of lung cancer associated with cigarette smoking among African-American, Japanese-American, Latino, Native Hawaiian, and White men and women.  The findings were that at low-to-moderate levels of smoking, African Americans and Native Hawaiians had significantly increased risks of developing lung cancer than did the other ethnic groups in the study.  The findings of racial and ethnic differences in lung cancer incidence did not extend to heavy smokers (30 or more cigarettes a day).  These possible explanations were proposed for the racial and ethnic differences found: variations in metabolism of nicotine among different racial and ethnic groups, ethnic differences in the inhaled amount of nicotine per cigarette,  and ethnic differences is susceptibility to tobacco carcinogens.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          assessed annually for three years.  The research took an ecological approach simultaneously studying multiple individual, family, and community risk and protective factors focused on occurrence of two types of abuse: severe physical assault and assault of child self-esteem.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Text Box: The listing below represents just a few of the resources available to promote knowledge, awareness and discussions on diversity in health care among ETSU students, faculty and staff.    

Text Box: OCA Newsletter Index Page  

Text Box: TOPIC                TITLE & LOCATION

Text Box: February Newsletter References  For more information or assistance contact Elaine Evans, Reference Assistant, COM Library, evans@etsu.edu               For more information or assistance contact Elaine Evans, Reference Assistant, COM Library, evanse@etsu.edu.

Text Box: Other Observances in February

Text Box: FEBRUARY 2006

Text Box: African American Lives      February PBS Special, 2/1 & 2/8      Plus interactive instructions on how to trace your roots     At this PBS Website    

Black History Awareness

 

High Blood Pressure a Problem for Black Hispanics  Hispanic Blacks were found to have a greater risk of high blood pressure than Hispanic Whites.

Racial Differences in Blood Pressure Control: Potential Explanatory Factors  A VA study of problems that contribute to poor blood pressure control, worse among African American patients, indicated ways that health care providers can improve outcomes by increasing medication compliance. 

Erectile dysfunction is a marker for cardiovascular disease: results of the minority health institute expert advisory panel  This panel of minority health experts recommend that erectile dysfunction (ED) be recognized as a sign of early arthrosclerosis.  Their recommendation may benefit  all men, not just the Hispanic and African American men who suffer disproportionately from cardiovascular disease.   

 

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

 

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: The Forgotten Female Phenomenon, an endocrine disorder, is linked to insulin resistance and is more prevalent among some ethnic groups. 

Clinical manifestations and insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) among South Asians and Caucasians: is there a difference?  This study considered possible ethnic difference in the characteristics of women with PCOS.

Infertility caused by PCOS—health –related quality of life among Austrian and Moslem immigrant women in Austria.  The study examined the health related quality of life differences between two groups of women with similar symptoms from PCOS.  Cultural issues were related to more serious quality of life concerns for Moslem women. 

Eating Disorder Awareness

 

 

 

Minority Women: The Untold Story discusses the many different views of eating disorders within different cultures.

Ethnic Differences in the Prediction of Eating and Body Image Disturbances Among Female Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients—a study of eating disorders within different ethnicities, uncovered similarities and differences.

How to help a friend with eating or body image issues  This site includes a link with tips on cultural factors and ways to incorporate diversity into prevention programs. 

Women’s Heart
Health

 

 

Androgenetic alopecia and coronary artery disease in women—a study to  determine the relationship between androgenetic alopecia and coronary heart disease in women.

The Heart Truth and The Heart Truth Women of Color Initiative: Heart disease disproportionately affects women of color.  A partnership of several organizations serving racial and ethnic minority groups engages in activities to help women of color lower their risk for heart disease.

 

Burn Awareness Week        

5—11

 

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Week 12—18

 

Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week  12—18

 

Children of Alcoholics Week 12—18

 

Lantern Festival—end of Chinese New Year Celebrations 13

 

Valentine’s Day 14

AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month

 

Children’s Dental Health Month

 

Wise Mental Health Consumer Month

 

 

Donor Day 14

 

Congenital Heart Defect     Awareness Day 14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Arts, Cultural, and Health Awareness Events

African-American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day:

Red Ribbon Giveaway

2/7     11:30 am-1:30 pm

Culp Atrium

Red Cross Blood Drive

2/7-2/8

12 PM

Culp, Ballroom rt.

“Women—Take Heart!”

2/7

12 PM

Culp, East Tennessee Rm.

“York”, a play based on a historical figure

2/10

12:45 PM

Culp Auditorium

Graduate Seminar– Health Disparities

2/16
9 am—
1 pm

Culp
call 94093

“Protect Your Heart with Antioxidants”

2/21

12 PM

Culp, East Tennessee Rm.

“Dance Showcase”  Multicultural dance competition

2/22
7 PM

 Culp Auditorium

“Colored Girls”

2/23-26

7:30 PM

Bud Frank Theatre